January 2015
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Cartmel Peninsula Local History Society Founded in 1996 with the aim of promoting an interest in local history within the area Newsletter : January 2015 Contents Chairman’s Message Cumbria Vernacular Buildings Group Report Grange Institute Sarah Losh of Wreay Hulton archive saved Cartmel Priory Graveyard Project Laurence Binyon update Yewbarrow Palace Building School Project. Lindale Village Research Progress Report Cartmel Village Society Website News Beating the Bounds of Allithwaite Upper Parish Dates for your diary CPLHS - Bringing History to the Local Community Subscriptions for 2015 now due Lecture in May one week later Forthcoming Lectures & Contacts Chairman’s Message Welcome to the first Newsletter of 2015. any volunteers welcome! Work on “The Many thanks to Frank McCall for editing William Field Log Book” continues, with the Newsletter for the past few years and much yet to be discovered. welcome (and warm thanks) to Phil Rowland who has assumed the role of For the future, we have a well-balanced editor. programme of lectures of interest to all and trips will be arranged for the summer to Looking back to 2014, we had a busy year Sizergh Castle and The Wordsworth - and not only with a varied programme of Museum. Our group activities will continue lectures, an interesting A.G.M. and the trips as will the other research projects that are to Heron Corn Mill and Lowther Castle. The in hand. This year sees the celebration of Lindale Village Group is now well- the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta. Sir established and has a good number of William Marshal who founded Cartmel keen participants. Research was Priory was one of King John’s leading completed and there is now a full record of knights and his association with the Magna the gravestones in the Churchyard at Carta means Cartmel is included in the Cartmel Priory. For this the main thanks national celebrations. The Priory is holding are due to Freddy Perry but two other a five day festival of celebration between members of our society assisted in recent 25th and 29th September and our society is years. The record of date stones is growing involved, although the final details have yet and the hard, but interesting, work of to be arranged. Further details will be given researching each one now needs attention: later in the year. 1 Cumbria Vernacular Buildings Group Report Vernacular buildings are the “home-grown” Making of the English Landscape” (first buildings constructed for a particular published in 1955) which gives a detailed purpose from materials to hand, using local commentary on the development of the skills and traditions. Our County has a rich countryside and the effect of buildings heritage of such buildings comprising through the ages. It was in that work that houses, barns and “utility” buildings. Their the concept of “the Great Rebuild” was construction and style contrasts with the examined. “polite” buildings which are much grander and often architect-designed. The talk by Michael widened the debate as he demonstrated the effect of the Black The Cumbria Group celebrated its first Death on reconstruction and the start of a complete year in the autumn of 2014. Set long period of rebuilding, not only here but up by June Hall following a series of throughout Europe. He covered the effect workshops and lectures throughout the of the dissolution of the monasteries on the County in the spring of 2013, the release of capital to enable rebuilding to membership is now in excess of one occur as well as the growth of awareness hundred. The Group aims to study and of the individual, the rise in literacy and the record examples of Cumbria’s vernacular growth of dissenting religious groups. buildings and to increase enjoyment and understanding of them through field visits, Christine Craghill (who once lived in training, lectures, study days and walks. It Grange-over-Sands) and Barry Harrison also aims to create an archive of detailed (from the Yorkshire Group) gave records of such buildings. presentations showing examples of rebuilding, both in Cumbria and Yorkshire, A well-attended Study Day was held at suggesting that certain rebuilding may well Cockermouth in November on “The Great have departed from strictly vernacular Rebuild: how thorough was it?” The first methods, moving into more planned speaker was June Hall herself and she development, using materials from further summarised the day’s topic for discussion afield. as “the modernisation of Britain’s housing stock” largely during the period from the The day closed with an opportunity to look late-1500s to the mid-1600s, although in round the Market Place and Castle areas of Cumbria and other northern counties the Cockermouth and to visit Percy House and period was slightly later (mid 1600s to the sites of several mills. about 1720). The result was the construction of better houses of more Anyone interested in learning more of the permanent materials. Cumbria Vernacular Buildings Group should speak to me or Nigel Mills. Reference was made by June and by the Reference should also be made to the next speaker, Prof Michael Mullett, to the website: www.cvbg.co.uk. excellent book by W.G.Hoskins on “The Stuart Harling 2 Grange-over-Sands Institute Canon Henry Robert Smith became Vicar the place of the cultural activities of the of St. Paul’s Church, Grange in 1858 a Institute and leaving only the Snooker year after the arrival of the railway and saw tables upstairs for the use of Institute the town grow rapidly. Canon Smith members and the two meeting rooms perceived the need to supply the working below. men of the town with facilities for “rational recreation, social improvement and Present Day intellectual and moral advancement and in particular to supply lectures and readings Formerly known as The Working Men’s on literary and scientific subjects and Institute, Grange Institute now offers intellectual amusement.” Membership to all adults. There are 2 high quality snooker tables upstairs which are He purchased, in 1866, a site in Main available to members and visitors. On the Street, from James Simpson Young of ground floor are 2 meeting rooms which Abbot Hall, Kent’s Bank. On it he built a are available for hire by local groups of up block consisting of two shops with a large to 24 people. The meeting rooms’ main room above in which to hold meetings, he users are U3A groups. Friendly Bridge later acquired the whole building for the group meets weekly and the rooms are Institute, at a total cost of £800. Facilities also used for a local Crafts Group, ”Canvas for billiards and chess were provided & Thread”, Grange Drama Rehearsals and together with an ongoing programme of committee meetings by groups, such as lectures under the management of a the Prom Art Committee. committee. Canon Smith‘s eldest son, Henry Eden Smith later became President The meeting rooms have been redecorated of the Institute, thus continuing his father’s and new carpets and curtains replace the vision. old. Roof repairs have been undertaken and the beautiful, original stained glass The Institute was the pioneer in windows have been repaired by a local establishing a cultural and social craftsman, with the aid of grants from programme for the people of Grange but by Neighbourhood Forum, Grange Town 1900 recreational activities began to take Council, The Lions and individual precedence over cultural activities. donations. 2014 has seen the installation of a modern central heating system to ensure more economical and reliable heating for all the rooms. Grants from “Awards for All”, Bay Villa Trust, Hatfield Trust, Neighbourhood forum, Frieda Scott Trust and many personal donations have enabled us to complete this project, for which we thank all concerned. The Grange Lecture Society, the Grange Thanks to Professor Michael Atkinson Natural History Society, the Grange (source British Library at Colindale) for the Photographic society and the Grange historical information above. Literary and Scientific Society appeared in the late 19th and early 20th century, taking Peter & Janet Coomber 3 Sarah Losh of Wreay Simon Jenkin’s describes the church at inscribed ‘friend of the poor’ was erected. Wreay (near Carlisle) as one of the most Sarah’s home was at Wreay but she visited eccentric small churches in England. James and other family members around Consecrated in 1842 it was created by the country on a regular basis and travelled Sarah Losh, the daughter of an educated to Italy in 1817. The book is very detailed ironmaster. She described the style as about many aspects of her life and about early Saxon or modified Lombard. the creation of the Church. I recommend it. Internally the church is decorated with a magnificent collection of carved wooden I was very surprised to find a connection to and stone items from nature including Grange-over-Sands. Starting from many pinecones. I discovered the church a information in the book I have researched few years ago and I urge you to visit and the members of the family that were explore it. connected to Grange. Her father’s brother James married Cecilia Baldwin of Aldingham in 1798 and following his death in 1833 Cecilia moved from Newcastle to live in Grange-over-Sands until her death in 1841. Several of her children came to live with her and her eldest daughter Cecilia (1801-1866) married William Gale of Aldingham. Her two youngest daughters also married local men. Margaret (1813- 1894) married Edmund Townley who was a http://www.visitcumbria.com/car/wreay-st-marys- minister at Staveley, Newby Bridge. church/ accessed 13 Jan 2015 Jemima (1817-1901) married Richard Postlethwaite (1806-1872).