SOLWAY’S BUILT HERITAGE

Identifying the distinctive character of the north Solway Plain with food, drink, Solway Plain was largely goods and services. defined by the monks of the In post-Roman abbey. times, these early Wool was the valuable settlements expanded commodity of the day. The over the remains of the The Staffordshire Moorlands marshy ‘wastelands’ were forts themselves. Today, Pan bearing the names of Maia drained to create fields for the main road through (Bowness) and Coggabata () grazing sheep and for growing Bowness follows the line crops. New settlements appeared that of the Via Principalis through the former focused on various monastic activities, fort of Maia. A similar pattern can be such as Salt Coates (salt making), discerned at Burgh-by-Sands. Swinsty (pig husbandry) and Calvo (calf husbandry). Larger settlements clustered around the port at Skinburness, the ‘new’ church at Newton Arlosh and the abbey at . Edward I’s ill-fated Scottish campaigns of the early 14th century unleashed much resentment among the Scots, which resulted in numerous attacks on English property. The poorly-defended abbeys of northern were Bowness-on-Solway repeatedly targeted – Holme Cultram or centuries, the Solway estuary The Romans were the first to address Abbey being no exception. This led to has been a frontier. In the Roman the challenges presented by the the building of defensive structures F Plan of Bowness-on-Solway with Roman fort outline period, it was a boundary between environment. In AD 122, Hadrian’s – tower houses, bastles (fortified the Roman perception of ‘civilised’ Wall was under construction, taking With the arrival of the in farmhouses) and thick-walled church Britannia and the barbarian north. In the shortest route across northern the late 11th century, baronies were towers that could double-up as places later years, the Solway demarcated the England between Wallsend in the east established as power bases from of refuge. border between England and and Bowness-on-Solway in the west. which to control the local area and as it still does today. Lastly, the Solway Forts were established along the line population. The Barony of Burgh is at the junction of sea and land – a of the Wall – Maia (Bowness-on- was one of these. The Normans were juxtaposition that has shaped its Solway), Congubata (Drumburgh), masters of stone building and rebuilt history for thousands of years. (Burgh-by-Sands) many of the simpler Anglo-Saxon and Uxellodonum ( in churches that existed at the time, often After the last Ice Age, the ). Over time, each re-using Roman stone from Hadrian’s Solway Plain was half sea, fort attracted an adjacent Wall and its forts. half land – a water-saturated civilian settlement or vicus landscape of salt marshes, In 1150, Holme Cultram Abbey that provided Roman soldiers peat bogs, raised mires and was founded as a daughter house of mud flats interspersed with low, A Roman ceramic head of a female Melrose Abbey. From this time on, the found at Burgh-by-Sands sandy hills. Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery Trust, Carlisle distinctive landscape character of the 2 Holme Cultram Abbey 3 Under more peaceful times in the 17th century, local farmers could reap AONB the profits of their own endeavours. The small fields carved out of the Finding out more ‘waste’ now produced earnings that • Solway Wetlands Centre, Campfield could be ploughed back into farm Marsh RSPB Reserve, Bowness-on- investment. From around 1650, many Solway farms were rebuilt or enlarged, often • Holme Cultram Abbey Visitor proclaiming the new wealth and Docks in 1904 status of their owners with elaborate Harbours were the gateways to sea Centre, Abbeytown routes that connected the • Solway Coast Discovery Centre, datestones, moulded surrounds, The Solway Coast AONB (Area of to the wider world. Investment in port Silloth classical pediments and other Outstanding National Beauty) was facilities resulted in improved access architectural features. Gradually, the designated in 1964 and covers around routes and the development of planned Websites humbler clay dabbin cottages were 73 square miles (118 km) of the Solway towns to accommodate visitors, such as demolished or abandoned, so that only Plain. It stretches from Rockcliffe • www.solwaycoastaonb.org.uk at and Silloth. about 300 survive today. in the north-east to Maryport in the • www.solwaywetlands.org.uk Other buildings were erected for History and topography have shaped south-west. The primary purpose of the • www.ctfc.org.uk/explore-churches specific purposes: watermills and this area over millennia and forged AONB is to conserve and enhance the (Churches Trust for ) windmills, forges, tileworks and distinctive landscape characteristics natural beauty of the area. • www.solwayshorewalker.wordpress. breweries. that are not found elsewhere. This com booklet will introduce you to the built Solway Wetlands Landscape • www.spab.org.uk (Society for the heritage features of the north Solway Partnership Scheme Protection of Ancient Buildings) Plain that have survived the centuries • http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/hstchg Monkhill windmill This book has been produced as of change so that we may appreciate one of many projects undertaken by ( History Group) the invaluable contribution they make the Heritage Lottery-funded Solway to the Solway’s ‘sense of place’ today. COUNTRYSIDE CODE Wetlands Landscape Partnership Respect other people: Scheme. This 5-year scheme brings GETTING AROUND • Consider the local community and together a wide range of partners with other people enjoying the outdoors BY BUS an interest in the distinctive heritage • Leave gates and property as you find Service 93 runs from Carlisle to and ecology of the Solway Wetlands to: Bowness-on-Solway via Burgh-by- them and follow paths unless wider • Improve the condition of wetland Sands. access is available sites Service 71 runs from Carlisle to • Do not go onto private property • Conserve the built and natural Silloth via Anthorn and Kirkbride. without permission heritage of the area For more information, visit the Protect the natural environment: • Improve access for the public Traveline website: www.traveline.info • Leave no trace of your visit and take • Provide opportunities for people your litter home BY RAIL to learn about the distinctive • Keep dogs under effective control The Cumbria Coastal Railway starts character of the area in Carlisle with stations at Dalston, • Provide training in heritage skills Enjoy the outdoors: , Aspatria and Maryport. and environmental conservation • Plan ahead and be prepared • Provide volunteering opportunities • Follow advice and local signs 4 5 developed Port in the SKINBURNESS 1770s for their coal and iron trade, all After 1150, the monks of Holme PLANNED SETTLEMENTS with planned settlements in their wake. Cultram established a small port at Silloth was no exception. The arrival Skinburness to export their wool, grain, of the railway in 1856 expedited the timber, leather, salt and other goods. By development of a new port along with 1300, Edward I was using the port as a an elegant planned town. naval base for his Scottish campaigns. A year later, Skinburness was granted the right to hold a weekly market and an annual fair. The town was becoming prosperous, but it was not to last. Around 1304, a violent storm breached the sea dyke and devastated the port

Aerial view of Anthorn and its town. The surviving inhabitants relocated to Farms, villages and towns on the In the medieval period, concerted a ‘new town’ at Arlosh. Solway Plain all developed in response efforts were made to convert the Silloth Docks, 1920s Skinburness managed to survive, but to local conditions and socio-economic wetlands of the Solway Plain into The growth of Carlisle during the much diminished in size. Its medieval influences. usable land through drainage. Over early 1800s precipitated the need layout can still be discerned to the time, a distinctive settlement pattern Some villages started as ‘vici’ or civilian for improved ways of importing raw north of the village where a line of emerged of farmsteads aligned settlements in the lee of a Roman materials and exporting finished goods. farmsteads overlooks the road and along the main access roads and fort to provide goods and services to An Act of Parliament of 1819 allowed salt marshes beyond, with strip fields overlooking the ‘wastelands’ beyond. the Roman soldiers stationed along the construction of a canal from behind the farms. An ‘occupation road’ behind the farms Hadrian’s Wall. Examples of likely Carlisle to Fisher’s Cross, the nearest provided access to narrow strip fields fort-based villages can be seen at navigable point on the Solway Firth. at the rear. This settlement pattern Silloth Docks in 1904 Burgh-by-Sands and Bowness-on- is clearly seen at Newton Arlosh, Solway. These developed organically and old Anthorn. over a long period of time rather than

in a planned way. Skinburness At Skinburness, a small port was developed by the monks of Holme Cultram. Later landowners sought to expand on trade via the Irish Sea and its connections to main shipping routes further south. To this end, the wealthy Lowther family developed the port at Whitehaven in 1634 and laid out a new town in the 1660s. Other prominent local families followed suit. The Senhouses established docks at Maryport in 1749 and the Curwens 6 7 NEWTON ARLOSH SILLOTH The monks of Holme Cultram had ‘sea

Carlisle Library lathes’ (grain barns) along the coast from The disaster that befell Skinburness The creation of Silloth as a seaside which the name ‘Silloth’ is likely to have c. 1304 helped create another village town was promoted by the developers been derived. further inland. In 1305, the abbot of the Carlisle and Silloth Bay of Holme Cultram requested that Railway in 1854. The following year, the liberties and privileges given to the Senhouses of Maryport started Skinburness be transferred to a ‘new constructing a new dock at Silloth and, town’ at Newton Arlosh. at the same time, work began on laying Carlisle Canal by Matthew Nutter (1795–1862) out a gracious seaside town on a grid The village follows the established two public houses, public baths and pattern. Today, Silloth is a fine example pattern of medieval planning with an elegant Georgian terrace were built of Victorian planning with its wide farms fronting a road which overlooked fronting the sea and the canal. the common and waste. Behind the tree-lined streets, elegant Italianate farms, narrow strip fields were Unfortunately, the port suffered from buildings overlooking the Green, laid out. siltation and the canal struggled to attract and a pleasant promenade along the Map of Newton Arlosh in 1865 enough business. In 1853, the canal sea front. was drained and replaced by a railway the following year. Between Drumburgh Junction and Port Carlisle, a horse-drawn

‘dandy’ operated until 1914. Cumbria County Council (Carlisle Library) (Carlisle Council County Cumbria

Silloth, 1960s

PORT CARLISLE From the early 1800s, Carlisle’s manufacturing base was rapidly expanding, and in need of improvements in transport. In 1823,

a canal was dug from Carlisle to Fisher’s Cross (renamed as Port Library) (Carlisle Council County Cumbria Carlisle) on the Solway Firth. From here, coastal vessels could take goods and passengers to larger ports such as Whitehaven and . Port Carlisle expanded in anticipation of a steady stream of visitors. A hotel, 8 Last day of the ‘dandy’ service to Port Carlisle, April 1914. Silloth today 9 have Roman masonry incorporated All was to change in 1538 with the into their construction that came from dissolution of the monastery by Henry ABBEY AND CHURCHES Hadrian’s Wall or from one of the many VIII. Local people petitioned the king’s Roman forts in the area. chancellor, Thomas Cromwell, to preserve the church for worship. This was granted but only the lowered nave of the church and some outbuildings were left standing. The cloisters, transept and chancel beyond were demolished, leaving the abbey church much reduced in size. Today, the abbey has undergone extensive renovation following a major fire in 2006 and is in better shape now than for many years. Inside the porch, a St Bride’s Church, Kirkbride fine Norman archway welcomes visitors and a spiral staircase provides access to HOLME CULTRAM ABBEY a viewing gallery. An exhibition on the St Michael’s Church, Bowness-on-Solway The abbey became hugely wealthy on abbey and its impact on the local area The distinctive landscape character of thrown up, and farms developed the proceeds of sheep farming and wool can be viewed in the southwest range, the Solway Plain was largely defined by for sheep grazing and for growing production and, in the 15th century, was along with various artefacts from recent the activities of Holme Cultram Abbey crops. The monks also fished, smelted much larger than you see today. The archaeological digs. from 1150 onwards. iron ore, tanned leather and produced chancel extended further to the east, Did you know that Robert the Bruce’s salt (a valuable commodity for The abbey was given large tracts of and to the south were the cloisters, father is buried at Holme Cultram Abbey? preserving meat and fish for trade over ‘wasteland’ on the Solway to turn refectory, infirmary and This fact did not stop his son from raiding the winter). Granges were established into productive usage. Cistercian stabling for horses. the abbey in 1319 and 1322 in acts of to store their grain, and the small port monks were masters of land and water rebellion against English attempts to rule at Skinburness was developed to export management. Throughout the 12th and Transepts Scotland. their products; in particular from sheep 13th centuries, the Abbey systematically – mutton, bone, horn, skin and most Extent of changed the landscape of the Solway importantly, wool. church today forever. Marshes were drained, sea Chapter house Local place names are indicative of the Nave Abbey’s activities – Salt Coates, Abbey Cowper (barrel making), Swinsty (place Dormitory where pigs were kept), Calvo (place where calves were kept) and Raby (place where Cloisters working dogs were kept). Refectory

Most of the churches in the area were endowed to the abbey and either built Kitchen by the abbey (as at Newton Arlosh) or Guest house and lay-brothers lodgings rebuilt on earlier foundations. Many 10 Holme Cultram Abbey 11 ST MICHAEL’S CHURCH, Burgh Church is unusual in originally BOWNESS-ON-SOLWAY Speirs Richard having two towers at either end of the church. The western tower housed The headland at Bowness stood at the bells, whilst the eastern tower one end of a ‘wath’ or crossing point (commonly described as the vicar’s over the Solway Firth into Scotland. pele) protected the priest from Scottish This may have been the route early raids. The east tower had the effect of Christian missionaries such as Saint blocking the chancel, so the church is Kentigern (or Saint Mungo) and Saint devoid of an east window. Ninian sailed between Scotland and St John’s Church, Newton Arlosh England. Although St Michael’s Church It was to this church that the body of is of Norman construction, it is built of Edward I was brought following his ST JOHN’S CHURCH, recycled stones from the Hadrianic fort death on Burgh Marshes on 7 July 1307. NEWTON ARLOSH of Maia and probably stands on a site After the destruction of Skinburness in of religious significance dating back to ST BRIDE’S CHURCH, 1304, the inhabitants were relocated to Roman times. KIRKBRIDE Newton Arlosh by the monks of Holme The ornate font is one of the treasures The church stands on top of a Roman Cultram Abbey. One of their first acts of the church. It is richly decorated camp that was linked to a small was to build a new church with thick on all four sides with vines and wharf on the River Wampool below. walls and a defensible tower and nave. intercrossing strapwork. The present church was built around After the dissolution of the abbey in 1189, largely of stones from the camp. A right old ding-dong! 1538, the church was neglected and However, by the early 1700s, the In 1626, Scottish raiders stole the bells became a ruin. church had deteriorated so much that from the church and were given chase. the Bishop of Carlisle remarked that ‘…the Chapel of Newton Arlosh did decay, To lighten their load, they jettisoned the ‘it looks more like a pigsty than the house the door stood open and sheep lay in it … bells into the Solway at a place now called of God’. The narrow north door, slim the roof fell down and the lead was ‘Bell Dub’. Shortly afterwards, men lancet windows and deep bar holes on taken away … from Bowness mounted a counter-raid Stained glass window of King Edward I, the main south doorway are defensive and converted into salt pans.’ to replace their bells by stealing those St Michael’s Church, Burgh-by-Sands features that were probably inserted to from churches on the Scottish side of the In startling contrast to the exterior, the ST MICHAEL’S CHURCH, protect the congregation from Scottish Solway. These bells can be seen at the back interior creates a light, airy space. The BURGH-BY-SANDS raids in the early 14th century. restoration work was undertaken in of the church to this day. Erected upon the Roman fort of 1843, thanks to the generosity of The last person to die in the Battle of Aballava on Hadrian’s Wall, the Sara Losh of Wreay. She enlarged Waterloo of 1815 is buried here. church’s original foundations are the church, added a semi-circular Lt Joseph Taylor Clark’s headstone states of unknown date but the visible apse and inserted ram’s heads in ‘he fell gloriously fighting for his king sections are Norman. Not surprisingly, stone to mark the original position and country on 18 June 1815’. To find many Roman stones are used in its of the altar. it, count three rows eastwards from the construction. The stone carvings of porch and look for the inscription on the mythological beasts in the undercroft The church is normally open, otherwise rear of the gravestone. a key can be obtained from the rector of the church are believed to be Anglo- – see church noticeboard for contact Saxon and probably came from an

details. The font at St Michael’s Church, earlier church that stood on this site. 12 Bowness-on-Solway 13 A74 (M) A N D O T L A6071 S C A75 45 sk Gretna E Annan r e v i R Eastriggs

Rockcliffe A7 Marsh Bowness-on-Solway Herdhill Scar •Hadrian’s Wall (course of) •Port Carlisle •Rockcliffe h Marsh urg Solway Wetlands Centre Glasson Glasson B Moss 44 Bowness Common and Reserve Burgh-by- Campfield Marsh Reserves Sands •Beaumont M6 Drumburgh Hadrian’s Wall A7 • iver E Hadrian’s(course Wall of) Drumburgh (course of) • R den T H • Anthorn Boustead Hill I R Cardurnock • Moss Monkhill F Reserve B5307 er Eden Y Grune Point •Angerton Finglandrigg Riv sh A ar Wood • A69 M •Kirkbride Thurstonfield W n B5307 Reserve 43 o L Skinburness • t Lough w e Skinburness R • Orton Moss O N •Newton Arlosh i v Little Bampton Carlisle Marsh e Reserve r

S W Great Orton• Solway Discovery Calvo a m Centre Marsh p Watchtree Wedholme o Flow o l Reserve A6 B5299 Lees Scar Lighthouse Silloth Reserve A595 42 B5302 Martin Tarn ew I A ald B R C Holme Cultram Abbey M er B5300 U iv C R er Wave • Riv r Abbeytown Dalston • Wigton B5302

B5299 B5305 Tarns A595 Dub B5304 • Dubmill Point A596 B5301 B5300 Key to sites mentioned in booklet Planned settlement •Westnewton Motorway A road (primary route) Abbey / church A road (main road) Fortified building Aspatria B5299 B road Clay dabbin A595 Solway Coast B5301 Minor road Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty n lle E er Rail line / station iv R Built-up area Nature reserve B5300 A596 Hadrian’s Wall (course of) Marsh Access point 0 1 2 3 kilometres Visitor centre Heritage site 0 1 2 3 miles Wildlife site Parking A594 14 Maryport 15 English property from the 14th century onwards. The Scots, led by Robert the FORTIFIED SOLWAY Bruce, attacked Holme Cultram Abbey in 1319, followed by another raid in 1322. Over time, the Anglo-Scottish Wars deteriorated into family feuds and a culture of endemic lawlessness by the notorious Border Reivers for the next 300 years. This was a time when self-defence was required in the form of thick-walled towers or bastle houses Pill box at Grune Point (a type of defensive farmhouse). These fortified farmhouses are relatively During and after the Second World scarce in a region with little natural War, further defences were installed on building stone, and the only surviving the Solway. Fields were requisitioned examples are conveniently close to (and to build airfields; a machine-gun pill built of) the Roman wall. The mighty box was constructed at Grune Point edifice of Drumburgh Castle (more and radio masts erected at Anthorn correctly a large bastle) is the best as a Cold War early warning system. example of a fortified structure on Nowadays, Anthorn broadcasts the the Solway. Greenwich time signal used by banks, GPS devices, train operators, navigators For ordinary people, their only hope and the BBC ‘pips’. Drumburgh Castle of protection was in the local church. The church towers at Burgh-by-Sands For 2000 years, the Solway has been a Drumburgh (Congabata) and Burgh-by- and Newton Arlosh were deliberately N frontier zone. Its position on the border Sands (Aballava) have since provided a constructed with the dual purpose between what is now England and convenient source of dressed stone for of acting as both bell tower and a place Scotland, with easy access to the sea later buildings. of refuge, whilst at Kirkbride it seems and major north–south trade routes, The Normans arrived on the Solway in that the whole church had built-in resulted in the area being fought over Apse 1092 and exerted their control with the features to help defend its congregation for strategic control from Roman times. establishment of the Barony from attack. In 122 AD, the Romans began of Burgh. A Norman motte and bailey ‘castle’ at construction of a military frontier Plan of Newton Arlosh Church across . Hadrian’s Beaumont was built on Wall, as it became known, stretched top of a Roman

Thick walls D. Perriam and J Robinson (re-drawn) from Wallsend in the east to Bowness- (a site now occupied on-Solway – a distance of 80 Roman by St Mary’s Church). Nave miles (73 English miles). The Wall was Edward I’s attempts punctuated by every Roman to quell the Scottish Narrow slit window Tower Rams heads mark the position of the mile with two turrets set between each nation led to great original altar . These structures, along resentment and with the forts at Bowness (Maia), vengeful raids on 16 17 Statue of King Edward I, Burgh-by-Sands Spiral staircase to upper floors Narrow entrance into church NEWTON ARLOSH CHURCH TOWER The church here owes its existence to the misfortune of Skinburness when the village was totally destroyed during a storm in 1304. A ‘new town’ was established further inland at Arlosh, centred on the church of St John. The early 14th century was a turbulent time, so the tower was deliberately constructed to act as both stronghold and belfry. The entrance into the church is just 31 inches (79 cm) wide. Only one person can pass through at a time, which makes forced entry very difficult. Access to the tower was through an Drumburgh Castle iron-framed internal door designed to St Michael’s, Burgh-By-Sands church tower resist attack by fire. A spiral staircase DRUMBURGH CASTLE led to the upper floors, with daylight BURGH-BY-SANDS gate (or ‘yett’) that could only be The stones of the Pict Wal wer pulled entering through narrow slit windows. CHURCH TOWER accessed from inside the church. down to build Drumburgh. A lookout would be stationed on top For the Wal is very near it. This massively thick-walled tower Another tower (the vicar’s pele) was of the tower to alert everyone to a was built in the 14th century out of built at the east end of the church possible raid. The villagers would then Largely constructed of stones from what remained of the Roman fort. At to protect the priest. Only the base herd their livestock into the church Hadrian’s Wall, Drumburgh Castle the time, the Solway was subject to remains today (part of the vestry). In itself and find refuge in the tower until was built to guard the Sandwath periodic attacks by the Scots, so the 1703, Bishop Nicholson commented: the danger had passed. ford over the Solway. It began as an tower was always intended to double ‘…the bells hang in a good square steeple at unfortified house in the 13th century up as a bell tower and a place of refuge. the west end, and there has been another in with a ground-floor entrance (the arch Entry was through a heavy iron-barred the east. But this is now half broken down.’ can still be seen behind the external

D. Perriam and J. Robinson stairs). In 1307, a licence was granted to crenellate (add battlements) to the house. By 1593 it was described as WEST TOWER EAST TOWER ‘neither castle nor tower, but a house of strength and a very fit place for defence.’ Viewable from road. yett See if you can spot two Roman altars, a cast-iron pump and stone eagles on the roof. Stone eagles can also be seen on the 0 10 20ft churches at Bowness-on-Solway, Holme 0 3 6m Cultram and Newton Arlosh. 18 Ground-floor plan of church showing location of both towers St John’s Church, Newton Arlosh 19 FARMS & WORKING BUILDINGS

The Cistercian monks of Holme initials. Many elegant and substantial Cultram Abbey were the first to increase farmhouses on the Solway date from productivity of the land by draining the this period. wetlands to create fields for sheep and cereal crops. Once the abbey had been The oldest farmhouses took the form of dissolved in 1538, many farmers could a ‘long house’ (a house with adjacent start reaping the rewards of farming byre separated by a cross-passage). This through their own efforts. layout kept humans and animals apart, though the cross passage was shared. From about 1650 onwards, tenant farmers gained more freedom from the Farm layouts can vary enormously. Part of a farm courtyard at Burgh-by-Sands lord of the manor and were able to keep Some are ranged around a courtyard. more of their profits. Farmers expressed Others can be U- or L-shaped, linear, Power to work the farm came initially their growing wealth by rebuilding their parallel, or simply an assortment from humans and horses, and later houses and farm buildings in stone and of dispersed buildings with no from wind or water power. Gincases later in brick, and proudly recognisable pattern. The choice of farm provided shelter for horses to drive acknowledged their new layout was related to local topography, a horse engine (or gin) and could be status by often inserting type of farming and the semi-circular, square or polygonal. a datestone recording the availability of space event along with their and money.

Carved datestone, Hillside House, Open-fronted Boustead Hill hay loft

First-floor granary Mill Grove farmhouse, Abbeytown The type of farming determined what buildings were needed. Arable farms had barns and granaries, pastoral farming required accommodation A former gincase at Wormanby Farm Cobbled yard for animals and lofts for animal feed. Mixed farming needed both. Farm Other ‘working’ buildings include Pigsties buildings can usually be identified from windmills, watermills, forges, tileworks their typical features, e.g. a hay barn and breweries. These were once will often have open sides to allow air common on the Solway but, as times to circulate, while a threshing barn is change, their existence can often only usually orientated to face the prevailing be inferred through the remains of Gincase wind to aid the process of separating old buildings, photographs, historical the grain from the chaff. records and place names. 20 Bank barn 21 EASTON HALL allowing the light to be re-positioned MONKHILL WINDMILL if the channel shifted its course. The Monkhill once had two corn mills: one This grand façade with its nine lighthouse was withdrawn from service powered by water, the other by wind windows, swan-necked pediment over in 1959. It was rebuilt in its original – the latter being used for grinding the door (dated 1724) and finely- style in 1997. moulded architraves is one of the finest corn when drought conditions meant the watermill could not operate. The in the area. Such decoration was meant HANDMADE BRICKS to proclaim the family’s wealth and windmill tower dates from the late status. Viewable from road. At East Farm in Newton Arlosh, 18th century and has since been a remarkable collection of hand sensitively converted into a modern ‘stamped’ bricks can be seen inserted home. Viewable into a barn wall. Close inspection from road. reveals the repeated signature of ‘Robert Waite’ and the date of 1755 on bricks adorned with hearts and scrollwork. Other bricks depict a man and a woman holding a heart, whilst another proclaims: ‘Your consent is my Easton Hall content’. This ‘marriage proposal’ must rank as one of the most unusual ways EAST COTE of professing love. LEADING LIGHT These hand-made bricks were probably The rear of two lights that helped made nearby. The clay would be to lead ships towards the approach extracted from a local pit and shaped channel for the port of Silloth. It was in wooden moulds to form rectangular originally built in 1864 as a mobile blocks. Once the blocks had dried out, structure laid on a short rail track, they were placed in a kiln to be fired.

Please ask permission from the owners Monkhill windmill in 1904 before viewing the barn wall. East Cote leading light

22 23 propped up while the walls were then In earlier buildings, the roof was built. The first part was to build a low supported by crucks. In later years, the CLAY DABBINS cobble plinth as high as the boulders. crucks were replaced with triangular A clay dabbin mixture of clay and straw trusses that rested directly on top of was laid on this low wall and covered the clay wall. A prominent feature Local buildings were built of materials workers were rewarded with a party with a thin layer of straw. Alternating of thatched clay dabbins are deep that were close at hand and, more when the work was finished. layers were then built on top until the overhanging eaves that protect the importantly, free. In north Cumbria that Before the First World War, there were required height was reached. Openings walls from rain. meant clay, cobbles and boulders for at least 1300 dabbins in existence, but were left for windows and doors. Once walls; timber for a roof frame; and turf, When covered with render, clay today scarcely more than 300 survive. built, the walls were covered with a reeds, straw, heather or bracken for the dabbins are not easy to spot. Look for Some are in a derelict condition, but lime render (mix of lime putty, sand roof. The most common structure built walls that may have bulges or uneven others have been lovingly restored and animal hair) as weatherproofing. was a clay dabbin – for cottages, houses surfaces. Boulders are usually visible, by their owners. Finally, a thatched roof (made of reed, and farm-buildings. They are still a and the window and door recesses are straw, heather or bracken laid on a bed distinctive feature of the Solway Plain. To make a clay dabbin, a deep with rounded edges. of turf) would be added. Over the centuries, thousands were basic roof frame had to be Interior of a cruck barn, Great Orton built, often using the communal prepared first. This was labour of the whole village. On made of curved timbers

such occasions, the walls of (crucks), pegged Historic England a small cottage could be together at the top erected within a day and resting on and covered with large boulders. thatch before The cruck nightfall. The frame was

Thatched roof of straw or reeds laid on turfs

Extended rafters support overhanging eaves

Clay walls built up in layers

Cobble plinth for clay wall to rest on

Large boulders provide support for crucks 24 25 King Edward 1 Monument at Campfield Marsh. Volunteers used traditional materials and techniques throughout the whole process under the guidance of an expert in earth 1) Leigh Cottage buildings. An exhibition on the history, 2) Edna’s Cottage construction and maintenance of 3) Lamonby Farm clay dabbins can be found inside the building. 1 North End Burgh-by-Sands 2 Lamonby Farm, Burgh-by-Sands ostead i 3 3) LAMONBY FARM St Michael’s Church This clay dabbin is typical of a Greyhound Inn Cumbrian longhouse (where animals and humans lived under the same roof). Both animals and humans used Location of clay dabbin cottages in Burgh-by-Sands the cross-passage that divides the byre from the house. At a later date, 1) LEIGH COTTAGE a separate door was created for the Here you can see the techniques used byre. Note the small windows and to build this clay dabbin cottage. Notice overhanging eaves. Viewable from Campfield Marsh clay dabbin completed the large corner stone and the boulder side lane. plinth. Close inspection of the exposed ‘dabbin’ reveals numerous small Clay dabbin maintenance pebbles held within the clay matrix. • Protect clay walls with a lime You might even be able to pick out the render. Never use cement thin layers of straw that separated the render. clay dabbin mix as each course was • Ensure water cannot penetrate laid one on top of another. Viewable the top of the wall by regularly from road. examining the roof cover and Edna’s Cottage, Burgh-by-Sands guttering. 2) EDNA’S COTTAGE • Remove plant growth close to A fine example of a restored clay the wall and, where the ground dabbin cottage with a thatched roof Campfield Marsh clay dabbin under construction level is high outside, reduce this and deep overhanging eaves. The lime where possible. CLAY DABBIN AT render protects the clay wall behind. • Cracks and voids in clay walls CAMPFIELD MARSH Compare this with nearby Leigh can be repaired, but find a RSPB RESERVE Cottage, which has exposed clay walls professional earth-walling while in the process of being restored. In 2016, the first clay dabbin to be contractor to do this. Leigh Cottage, Burgh-by-Sands Viewable from road. built for over a century was completed 26 27 Photograph credits: Front cover: Edward I Monument (Roger Clegg), Clay dabbin and Newton Arlosh Church (Anna Gray), Edward I stained-glass window (Richard Speirs). Other photos: Solway Wetlands, Anna Gray, Carlisle Library, Peter Messenger, Richard Speirs, Cumbria Tourism, Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery, Historic England. Research and copy: Anna Gray (www.annagray.co.uk) Vernacular building advisor: Peter Messenger Design: Lathwell & Associates (www.lathwell.com) Illustrations: John Hills Printed by Reeds Printers (Penrith), 2017 (www.hhreedsprinters.co.uk)

Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Solway Coast Discovery Centre, Liddell Street, Silloth-on-Solway, Cumbria CA7 4DD T: 016973 33055 E: [email protected] W: www.solwaycoastaonb.org.uk 28