Wordsworth in Furness

Furness has often held an interest for literary and artistic folk and holds links to several well known characters. One rather notable poet and writer who visited, and wrote about Furness, quite regularly is William Wordsworth.

Wordsworth was born in Cockermouth in the late 1700s and went on to become one of Britain's most celebrated writers with famous works like 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud' (known also as Daffodils) becoming globally known.

In his early career Wordsworth would often visit the lands of Furness and on several occasions wrote about famous landmarks of the area, most notably Furness Abbey and Piel Castle.

In 1807 he wrote a poem entitled (this one is a bit of a mouth full..) Elegiac Stanzas Suggested by a Picture of Peele Castle in a Storm, Painted by Sir George Beaumont, which, as the name suggests, was based on Piel Castle off the shores of the Furness peninsula.

“

And this huge Castle, standing here sublime, I love to see the look with which it braves, Cased in the unfeeling armour of old time, The lightning, the fierce wind, the trampling waves.

”

Wordswoth had visited Piel in 1794 at the age of 24 and, at the time of writing this poem, his wife owned a picture of the castle painted by their friend and his patron Sir George Beaumont. He was moved to write this poem following the death of his brother at sea and it was meant as an expression of grief for this event but also for the passing of his own youth and imagination. The painting and his memories of visiting gave inspiration for the work.

At the age of 28 Wordsworth started work on a volume of poems that would not be released until 1850 following his death. The Prelude was a much more personal, autobiographical work that was originally intended as an introduction to a poem The Recluse, a poem he would never complete.

Following his death The Prelude was instead published as it's own work and in one of the poems he wrote of a visit to the ruins of the Abbey of St. Mary's in Furness.

“
Of the day’s journey was too distant far For any cautious man, a Structure famed Beyond its neighbourhood, the antique Walls Of that large Abbey which within the vale Of Nightshade, to St. Mary’s honour built, Stands yet, a mouldering Pile, with fractured Arch, Belfry, and Images, and living Trees, A holy Scene!

”

Throughout his life Wordsworth was a great advocate for Cumbria (then Lancashire, Cumberland and Westmorland) and especially the Lakes. In 1810 he wrote the 'Guide to the Lakes', which became extremely popular following the release of its extended version in 1835. With in this book he makes mention of Ulverston, Dalton, Furness Abbey, Gleaston Castle, Urswick and Conishead Priory.

“

They who wish to see the celebrated ruins of Furness Abbey, and are not afraid of crossing the Sands, may go from Lancaster to Ulverston; from which place take the direct road to Dalton; but by all means return through Urswick, for sake of the view from the top of the hills, before descending into the grounds of Conishead Priory. From this quarter the Lakes would be advantageously approached by Coniston; thence to Hawkshead, and by the Ferry over Windermere, to Bowness: a much better introduction than by going direct from Coniston to Ambleside, which ought not to be done, as that would greatly take off from the effects of Windermere.

”

Wordsworth's passion for the Lakes and indeed the heritage around Furness help greatly in a tourism boom during the Victorian period. The Lakes became extremely popular with people from the inner cities taking the train up to Windermere and beyond. The same can be said for Furness as places like Furness Abbey became greatly admired and visited - a trip to the Lakes was generally seen as incomplete without a trip the the ruins (Queen Victoria herself even visited the site).

Who knows if these sites would have become as popular without William Wordsworth. It is safe to say though that he did have a major impact on the popularity and the preservation of many historic sites in the area.

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Extracts From (in order of appearance):

• Elegiac Stanzas Suggested by a Picture of Peele Castle in a Storm, Painted by Sir George Beaumont, 1807.
• The Prelude, 1805.
• A Guide Through the District of the Lakes, 1835.

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Spooky tales from South Cumbria - Halloween Special!

In 2013 we took a look at several spooky tales from the Furness Peninsula, then in 2016 we showcased even more sinister tales from the area.

Now, a couple of years later, we are relaying five more spooky stories from South Cumbria, including Furness. So, dim the lights and let's get started...

Spine chilling chanting near Furness Abbey

Some 30 years ago a mother and son were walking past Furness Abbey. They head away from the ruins towards Rating Lane. As they reached the West Gatehouse the young boy started to hear singing emanating from the surroundings.



He turned to his mum and asked 'Where's that singing coming from mum?'. His mother, quite uncharacteristically, snapped 'There is a tape playing somewhere', before rushing the two away from the area. She was clearly afraid but never spoke of the incident again.

Could the mysterious singing have been the sound ghostly monks performing their Gregorian chants? Who can say but the incident certainly makes for a spooky tale.

A mysterious gentleman in Cartmel

In the picturesque village of Cartmel many local folk have spotted a man who appears out of time. Wearing a top hat the man has been witnessed wandering around the priory gatehouse in the centre of the village. He moves mysteriously and when approach or spoken to, he simply disappears.

Who could this mysterious gentleman be? No-one knows.

The locked room of Sizergh

Many many years ago a lord of Sizergh Castle had a wife that he loved passionately. Sadly though his jealousy was just as passionate.

At one time he was called away to serve the king. He was so worried though that another man might steel his wife's affections while he was away that he locked her in a room inside the castle.

He forbid his servants to release his wife under any circumstances and as they were so scared of their master they did not disobey. The lord's wife would scream and plea for release but the servants ignore her cries. Soon the poor woman died of starvation, locked in the room.

Today it is said that the screams of wife's ghost can still be heard echoing from the room, pleading to be released.

The Bowness Bay Tizzie-Whizie

A myth from the Lake District, the Tizzie-Whizie was a much sought after creature of the 1900s.

First spotted in 1900 by a boatman from Bowness on Windermere the Tizzie-Whizie soon became popular with locals and tourists alike. The creature was said to have the body of a hedgehog, the tail of a squirrel and wings like a bee. It was also said to be a water loving creature and quite shy.

The photo featured here was taken by a local photographer after the grandson of the original spotter found and captured a Tizzie-Whizie for the first time. He struggled to capture the beast but managed to drag it from the water and whisk it off to the photographers.

The creature stuck around long enough to have a photo taken before jumping off and flying out the window, back into the wild.

The photo taken became a post card and many thousands were sold, leading to hunts for the mysterious creature. Strangely another was never found...

The White Lady of Furness Abbey

Many have wandered the ruins of Furness Abbey near Barrow-in-Furness but one soul that still wanders the ruins died many years ago.

The White Lady has often been spotted in and around the ruins of the monastic site. She is believed to be the ghost of a squires daughter from the Tudor period. The woman would meet her lover in secret at the recently dissolved monastic site on many occasions until he had to leave on a journey. Her partner never returned from his journey.

The lady, broken hearted, returned to the abbey every day until her death. Could it be that she still returns today?

We hope you have enjoyed this spooky Halloween special. Do check out our previous two posts - Furness Ghost Stories pt1 and Furness Ghost Stories pt2 for more sinister tales.

Do you have a ghost story from Furness or South Cumbria? We'd love to hear your tales. Comment below or on our social media channels..

Little Mill, Dalton | Snapshot Series

Tucked away in a small wooded area on a footpath between Dalton and Barrow-in-Furness is a hidden remnant of the past, the remains of Little Mill.

Originally built by the monks of Furness Abbey Little Mill would produce flour for the monastery from grain, using a waterwheel to power the mill stones. It was one of many mills the abbey owned and ran across Furness.

A man made mill pond would have been situated above the mill, filled with water diverted out of the near by Poaka Beck. A water shoot would bring water from this pond to the mill and send it cascading over the top of a large wooden waterwheel. This powerful stream of water would turn the wheel which in turn moved all the cogs and mill stones within the mill building, grinding corn into flour. Where exactly the mill pond was situated and where the shoot was placed is unclear but you can still see evidence of where the mill once stood. Several ruinous sandstone walls give an idea of where the mill buildings once were and there is even a mill stone partially buried in the ground near to these walls.

The mill was in use right through to the 19th Century but the building of the nearby railway brought an end to production at the mill. It was lived in for a time but eventually was left to rot and be mostly demolished.

You can find the site of Little Mill along the footpath leading from Goose Green in Dalton to Furness Abbey (part of the old Cistercian Way). You will stumble across the above mill stone, likely a remnant from the mills later activity, sticking out into the path, look towards the trees behind this to discover the mill site.

It is well worth a wander down this lovely old footpath to truly walk in the footsteps of our ancestors and find this hidden part of our local history.

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The Snapshot Series is a series of short posts on singular locations, features or artefacts found in the Furness area. Not large enough to warrant a long blog post we will explore these sites in snapshots!

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Built by Monks, Dalton Castle

Standing proud overlooking Dalton, the ancient capital of Furness, is the small but impressive pele tower known as Dalton Castle.

The monks of Furness Abbey built the castle in the 14th Century as a manorial courthouse for Furness. This is where the abbot exercised his right to hold courts and administer justice, as authorised in the abbey's foundation charter from 1127. The building held the courtroom, rooms for the lordships business, guardrooms, stores and several dungeon rooms.

The building also acted as a defensive structure against the possibility of Scottish attack. The tower has several statues sat upon its roof, statues of archers and armed men. These were to give the impression that the site was protected and had several men at arms. This would then deter any attackers, or at least that was the theory.

The inside of the castle has changed much over the centuries since its completion in the 1300s but it still retains several of its original features. For example the spiral staircase leading up from the garderobe and several dungeons dug in beneath the floor. Unfortunately other original rooms have been lost to time, especially after a radical alteration in 1856 when the upper floors were removed for a single room and new staircase.

The outside has changed a fair amount also. Several building were built onto the front of the castle over time from shops to a solicitors office, later used as the town hall. All these building have long since gone only leaving faint reminders of their presence with sandstone lines across the walls where the buildings may once have attached.

After the dissolution of the monasteries in the 1500s the castle remained as a court for over 300 years, owned by a variety of different people including the crown and three dukes. Eventually the Duke of Buccleuch gave the castle to the National Trust who still own it today. The building is run by the Friends of Dalton Castle with the direction of the National Trust and is open on Saturday afternoons throughout the summer months. Take a look on the NT website for more info.

This quaint little pele tower is a wonderful piece of history standing on the streets of Dalton. It can be seen from many parts of the town, often dominating the skyline and is well worth a visit. It may be small but it holds a huge amount of history and although not open often it will certainly be worth making the effort to see inside.

Once you have you can always pop down the road to see St. Mary's Church or even further to see the Pinfold which we took a look at in a previous post.

Furness Ghost Stories pt2 - Halloween Special!

In our 2013 Halloween Special we took a look at several spooky tales from the Furness Peninsula, now, three years later, we will take another look into the mysterious side of this beautiful area with even more ghost stories! So turn the lights off and let's get started...

PLUMPTON HALL, nr ULVERSTON

THE PLUMPTON DOBBY

Plumpton Hall just outside of Ulverston is a lovely 17th Century manor house but it is believed that a manor would have been here since the 1500s. With such a long history there are of course some ghost stories surrounding the property. One of the most notable is that of the Haunted Lantern, which I will speak of shortly, but first lets take a look at the spooky, yet sadly defunct, story of the Plumpton Dobby!

The Whitehaven News printed an article in 1899 which told of 'A Genuine Ghost: Caught on Christmas Eve' at Plumpton Hall. The tales of a haunted room had long been know at Plumpton, a room where the horrible sounds of chains clanking, shrieks and groans which would scare even the most hardy of folk. The room was so famous that many were desperate to spend a night in the room. The ghost was said to be so terrifying that the owner of the farm only charged a small rent from the tenant. One year though two servants from a near by farm were walking home on Christmas Eve when they spotted the fabled ghost; white from head to toe with a grinning human skull, groaning loudly. Un-deterred the two pursued the ghost. They followed it through some woodland until suddenly the ghost disappeared. Curious? The two ran forward to where the ghost had been to discover a hole. Inside the hole was a head shaped turnip lantern with a candle with in it, chains and a white sheet with, not so surprisingly, the farmer of Plumpton Hall wrapped up inside it. After all that the Plumpton Dobby was in fact the farmer trying to, no doubt, make a bob or two by creating a terrifying ghost!

THE HAUNTED LANTERN OF PLUMPTON HALL

Another interesting tale from Plumpton is that the hall possesses a haunted brass lamp which will always find its way home should it be removed from the building.

The brass lamp was said to have washed up on shore from the wreck of a ship from the Spanish Armada (although experts have now said that it is much more recent in date). For many a year the lantern has hung in the hall and often lit to help guide travellers across the sands. It has also been the centre of some mystical behaviour and if ever it is removed from the hall it always finds its way home and is discovered hanging back in it's rightful place, even when extreme lengths are gone to to remove it; like the time it was sealed inside a barrel and thrown out to sea.

Who knows what is going on with the lamp and why it is so determined to remain in the hall! Is it paranormal or is it just a fanciful tale? I'll let you be the judge of that.

DALTON-IN-FURNESS

A SINISTER SOUND INSIDE THE OLD POLICE STATION

Many years ago now myself, my brother and some friends had the opportunity to stay the night in the Old Police Station and Courthouse in Dalton. At the time the site was being renovated into a cafe and apartments and the place was, especially at night, quite spooky!

We were set to sleep in a small room to the front of the building but during the night we went for a wander around in the pitch black. Eventually we ventured into the Police Inspectors house, which is attached to the station, and were situated in a large room on the first floor. Whilst in the room some loud and strange noises started to emanate from the floor above us. Prolonged scraping noises were clear to hear, it sounded like someone dragging heavy furniture across the floor, or something more sinister. All in the room were, quite reasonably, scared and panicked about this. We were the only ones in the building at the time, what on earth could be making this sound!? It carried on for a while until seeming to stop. We built up some courage and, slowly, moved up the stairs to the room which the noise had come from.

As we entered we were met with a large empty room. No one was in there, nothing was there which would obviously explain the sound and everything was a little eerie. To this day we don't know what caused that strange and scary sound. All we do know though is that when the station was still in use the wife of one of the Police Inspectors had tragically fallen on a set of stairs while taking food to the prisoners. This fall killed the woman and some may say that her spirit still haunts the station. As we were in what was once her house who's to say that the noise we heard wasn't from her long dead spirit?

 

FURNESS ABBEY / ABBOTS WOOD

A RECENT, MYSTERIOUS, SIGHTING OF A MONK

It was the 14th of September 2014 when two women were walking near the abbey, they stopped for a moment to enjoy a view across the ancient ruins towards the abbot's house when they noticed something a little strange. There was some movement in the woodland behind the abbot's house, they looked closely and there was a hooded figure, "Oh god, it's a monk!" one of the ladies gasps. The figure wore white robes with a black scapula and hood, the typical look of a Cistercian monk. The figure stood for a moment before walking a little to the right and stopping again, it looked out over the abbey before moveing away into the bushes.

The ladies weren't to worried at this point as they thought it was probably one of the Iron Shepherds, a local living history group, but they still decided to go and have a look where they had seen the hooded vision. They rushed up the hill and into the woods. When they arrived there was nothing,, no sign of anyone, the woods was eerily empty save two ladies with toddlers on the road ahead. Slightly puzzled they went in search of the Iron Shepherds but they were nowhere to be found, and as they later found out hadn't even been in the area that day.

The ladies went to see where the figure had been, as they arrive though they start to feel cold and the hairs stand up on the back of their necks, nothing was around. They decided to leave a tissue on the fence where they had seen the monk and wandered back down to the roadside where they had originially been stood. As they looked up once again they are met with a completely different scene, the whole area looks different from before as if they had been looking at a completely different place or, indeed, time!

To this day the ladies do not know what they witnessed that afternoon but it certainly is something that will remain with them always.

A 1930's BOY MEETS A MONK

In the Autumn of 1934 a young butchers boy was cycling through Abbots Wood towards the road having made a delivery. Suddenly he heard a strange noise and the temperature dramatically dropped. He skidded, came to a halt and hopped off his bike. Looking up the boy was confronted with a mysterious figure, a figure in long robes, a monk! Petrified he scrambled back onto his bike and raced off down the hill to get away.

The boy maintained this story for the rest of his life until his passing at the age of 81. The incident must have been truly terrifying!

THE FURNESS FELLS

THE CLAIFE CRIER

This tale is from a little further up into the Furness Fells at Claife Heights on the west side of Windermere but relates to the monastic site of Furness.

Many years ago now a ferryman, quite new to the job, was shored up on the east side of Windermere at Ferry Nab awaiting passengers to take over the mere. It was a dark and stormey night with not many people to aid when cries from across the lake started to echo over the water; "Boat! Boat!". The ferry man was quick to head out, if slightly reluctant, and rowed off over the water to the west. He was gone for sometime. Awaiting passengers started to gather on the east shore when the ferry man returned. All awaiting were surprised to see that he had no passengers. When he finally made it back to shore the ferry man was so terrified he couldn't speak and had gone mad. He could not say what had happened whilst he was at Claife but the incident must have frightened him so as a few days later he passed away.

Following this faitful night more cries of "Boat! Boat!" were heard but no ferryman was brave enough or foolish enough to listen and all stayed moored on the east. Eventually the cries got to much and were loosing the ferrymen business so a monk from Lady Holme Island was called to exorcise whatever spirit lay to the west. The monk duely responded and performed an exorcism, he banished the Claife Crier, as the spirit had become known, to a quarry in the area, now known as Claife Crier Quarry, ‘until men should walk dryshod across the lake’.

The Crier is believed to be that of a Monk from Furness Abbey who's job was to save the souls of deborched women in the area. He fell for one of his clients, a lady of Claife, and one day followed her back to her home at the heights, she then regected him. The monk was so distraught that he cried and wailed until eventually dropping dead. His spirit then lingered and continued to cry out eventually calling out for "Boat! Boat!".

Although apparently exorcised the Claife Crier is still said to be roaming the heights and has often been heard crying out across the lake to this day as the night draws in...

I hope you have enjoyed this spooky special and haven't been too scared. If you want to read some more ghostly stories from Furness then do take a look at our 2013 Halloween Special and until next time, sleep well!

1066, the Year of the Normans: Spotlight on Normans in Furness

This year, 2016, marks the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings where Duke William II of Normandy defeated King Harold of England to become the new ruler of the country. A battle which saw the face of England change forever and the new Norman way of life take hold!

This blog post will shine a spotlight on the Normans in Furness and highlight posts from the blogs past about them, so, lets take a look:

A Motte Without a Bailey and a Manor Without a Town, Aldingham

The first Norman lord to come to Furness was Michael Le Fleming who was given the lands which later became Muchland, the main base for his rule though was at Aldingham. Here he built a large motte and bailey castle to impose his presence and his power on the area.

In this past blog post we explore the site of his castle and the lost town which it ruled over.

Furness Abbey, the Second Richest Cistercian Abbey in Britain

It was in 1127 that Furness Abbey was first founded by Savigniac Monks coming over from France. They no doubt set up here to bring more Norman rule to the land and introduce more of the Norman way of life. It was later taken over by the Cistercian order who built it to become one of the richest Cistercian monasteries in England!

This post took a look into the abbey and also showed some hidden features to discover around the site, now run by English Heritage.

Fading Faces in a Medieval Quarries - the Amphitheatre Next to Furness Abbey

The amphitheatre next to Furness Abbey holds many gems related to the great abbey. There is the precinct wall stretching the top of the natural formation, most likely constructed in the Norman period, and two large quarries where the stone for the abbey was carved out of the ground, again most likely first used in the Norman period.

Take a look at this post to find out more about these features as well as other, later features.

A Majestic Medieval Priory, Cartmel

Cartmel Pirory, just a short distance from Furness in the Cartmel Peninsula, was founded in 1189 by the Norman lord William Marshal. The Augustinian order worshipped in and ran the priory. Never growing to become an Abbey the site managed to survive until present day and is a beautiful and unique Norman building to behold!

In this post we took a deeper look into the priory and its history and showcased some wonderful pictures! Keep an eye out for the typical Norman features like the rounded Norman arches.

An Ancient Cross and Christian Monument, Urswick Church

Urswick Church is predominantly of Norman construction, the chancel being constructed in the Norman era, and is a lovely little church to look at and wander around. There are also many interesting features dotted around the church from an earlier Anglo Saxon runic slab to pieces of stained glass from Furness Abbey.

This post looks at all these features as well as the history of the church itself.

The Tale of a Man Called Wimund

Wimund was a monk, turned bishop, turned warlord who lived and was at his height in the Norman period. He started as a monk at the newly founded Furness Abbey before being sent to the Isle of Man to set up a new daughter house, Rushen Abbey. He soon was accented to Bishop but turned power hungry and went on a rampage through Scotland.

Explore the tale of this interesting and vicious character in this fascinating blog post.


As you can see there is a great deal of Norman heritage dotted across the Furness peninsula, all well worth a look. Of course there are many other sites with Norman origins which we have yet to cover in this blog and there are no doubt many long lost Norman sites still waiting to be discovered. Maybe one day we can return to shine another spotlight on the Normans in Furness! Until then we have lots of other unique heritage sites still to explore...


Return here on October 25th for another new blog post about a fortification which may well have a Norman origin!

The Tale of a Man Called Wimund

There is a man from history, once a monk at Furness Abbey, who became a bishop, a pretender and a warlord. This man was called Wimund.

There are not many accounts of Wimund except for one by a 12th Century historian, William of Newburgh. William was a Yorkshire Augustinian who wrote the History of English Affairs in which he relays the ‘most audacious acts’ of Wimund in Chapter 24 - "Of bishop Wimund, his life unbecoming a bishop, and how he was deprived of his sight".

William had met Wimund several times at Byland Abbey, where the discraced bishop lived in later life, and had heard the stories of ‘his merited misfortunes’.

Wimund was of humble birth, he was no nobal man or anyone of importance. He did, however, pocess the ability to read and write, something most common folk did not. This ability lead him to find employment at the Abbey of St. Mary in Furness, then ran by Savigniac monks, as a copyist. Wimund, with his ‘competent eloquence’ and ‘retentive memory’, made speedy progress at the monastic site and was soon shorn a monk.

Around 1134 Wimund was sent, with a group of other monks, to set up a new community on the Isle of Man. It was in 1134 that King Olaf of the Isle of Man granted land to Furness for the foundation of a daughter house. This daughter house was called Rushen Abbey. The site is now, as many are, in ruins but can still be visited. In the same charter granting the lands for a daughter house King Olaf also gave the abbey control over the election of the new Bishop of Sodor and Man.

Wimund was a tall man, standing head and shoulders above most men of the time and he held an athletic figure. This, along with his power to produce stirring speech, brought him the acclaim of the inhabitants of the Isle of Man, who soon appointed Wimund as their Bishop with the abbey’s consent. Although he was not a popular choice. It didn’t take long for Wimunds ambitions to grow and for him to become hungry for more power.

It was then that Wimund started to convince local supporters that he was the rightful heir to the earldom of Mowbray and that he had been deprived his inheritance by the King of Scotland. These supporters pledged their allegiance to Wimund and swore to help him reclaim his birthright, they soon were engaged on a crusade against the Scottish King. William of Newburgh comments that ‘this fisher of men turned hunter of men’. The band left the Isle of Man and headed for Scotland where they engaged in battle with the Scots and successfully ravaged them. Unfortunately for Wimund another Bishop stood up to him and refused to bow to his will. With the assistance of God the Bishop drove Wimund away hurling an axe at him! This axe wounded Wimund badly, he went into hiding for a time to recover but soon re-emerged to reign more terror onto the Scots.

Soon King David of Scotland granted Wimund the lands of Furness to make him less hostile, an act known as placation. The whole of Cumberland and Westmorland had been given to Scotland in 1536 by King Stephen of England, this included Furness. Wimund paraded his knew lands with his army and this stirred up the locals, who had known him as a monk, to set a trap. Wimund was captured and 'they took and bound him, and as both eyes were wicked, deprived him of both; and, providing against all future excess, they made him an eunuch for the sake of the kingdom of Scotland, not for that of Heaven'. In other terms they blinded and castrated him, taking away his sight and taking away his ability to breed.

Wimund survived this brutal attack and spent the rest of his days living at Byland Abbey in Yorkshire. He never repented for his wrong doings and was always willing to tell his tales to anyone who would listen, often remarking that ‘his enemies should have small cause to rejoice over their work’ and what they had done to him.

Wimund’s tale is an interesting one; it shows how power can easily corrupt even those who have sworn devotion to God and to the church. Alas Wimund’s tale is not the only one of its kind within the country but it is the only one recorded that relates to Furness and it is, certainly, a piece of hidden heritage.


Return here on October 11th for a special post which puts the spotlight on Normans in Furness!

Furness Heritage Sites by Night

The heritage sites across Furness are beautiful and captivating by day but of the night they become even more awe inspiring!

In this post I will showcase a variety of images taken at nighttime of different heritage sites from across the area. All these sites can be easily viewed at night and they truly are stunning! So take a moment and enjoy these 5 starry photos.

Birkrigg Stone Circle

A magical site in the day but visiting the ancient stones of a night-time brings a whole new dimension to this amazing place. Well worth a visit if you are willing to brace the cold!

Ulverston Canal

The mile long stretch of water is quite the tranquil setting and it is even more so come the night. Silence takes over with just the faint sounds of night-time wildlife and the lapping of water.

Dalton Castle

This small but imposing Medieval peel tower is a lasting reminder of Dalton's ancient heritage and is a great attraction to look around. Come the night though it seems that little more impressive in front of the star filled sky. 

Gleaston Castle

The ruins of Gleaston Castle that lie in a field just outside the village are lovely by day but by night become something even more enchanting. The stars above, the clouds passing by and the fiery orange glow from the distant towns burning up the horizon! 

Furness Abbey

Furness Abbey is the jewel in the crown of Furness heritage and is stunning, tranquil and dominating in the day but at night it becomes spell binding and magical with stars glistening above and the moon lighting the earthy red stone. You can't enter the site of a night but you can see the ruins from the road that rings around it, that is where this photo was taken from. Although I strongly advise visiting in the day for a proper look around inside.

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The final three sites featured here are attractions or privately owned and thus are not accessible by night. Dalton Castle is open for viewing inside on a selection of days throughout the summer and is certainly worth a look, it can though be viewed from the outside whenever. Furness Abbey is open to view inside on Saturday and Sunday during the winter and 7 days a week in the summer but can be seen from the roadside. Gleaston Castle is privately owned and is not accessible to the public at all but is easily viewed from the road that runs by it.
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All images Copyright © Iron Shepherds Living History/Stuart Appley

Furness Abbey, the Second Richest Cistercian Abbey in Britain

Sitting in a narrow valley on the outskirts of Barrow and Dalton is the magnificent and beautiful Furness Abbey!

The great sandstone ruins rise from the damp ground below almost glowing a pinkish red against the trees that surround. At whatever time of year this site is always atmospheric and particularly tranquil. Known by many this site has plenty of visible and hidden heritage to find amongst the ruins.

In 1123 Stephen of Blois, later King of England, founded the Abbey of St. Mary under the Order of Savigny. Originally the order was to lay foundations at Tulketh, near Preston, Lancashire. After only three years Tulketh was abandoned and the community relocated to the valley of Beckansgill in Furness, where the Abbey was then founded in 1127.

1147 and the Cistercian order replaced the Savigniacs at Furness Abbey, soon gaining wealth from the wool trade making the Abbey highly influential. By the 15th century it was the second richest and one of the most powerful Cistercian monasteries in England.

Taking a trip into the Abbey, at an extremely reasonable price, you can spend hours exploring the ruins finding a multitude of features. Some clear as day but others hidden in corners or high up on the imposing walls.

If you look carefully around the Abbey there are some reminders of the early Savigniac buildings. High up on the walls of one of the South Transept Chapels there is a line of decorative diamonds. These diamonds were part of the original Church, reused here as facing stones. Oddly though this area would have been in a roof space above the chapel below, therefore not often seen. Seems a shame for such lovely decoration; at least it is visible today to be admired though.

Recently, during excavation work to stabilise the presbytery walls, the imprint of the original Savigniac church was discovered. Stones forming the typical curved end of a Savigniac church were found beneath the ground, with the later Cistercian church build right on top of it. This discovery has been heralded one of the best-preserved remains of a Saviniac Abbey discovered in England.

Next to the Undercroft is a large wall, white from the covering of lichen, forming a support for the adjoining wall. At some point in the Abbey’s life the undercroft wall must have been moving, so a new, larger, support was needed to help hold it up. This wall is what was constructed. Oddly though, part the way up the wall, the eyes and nose of a face protrude out from the flat stones that surround. It is hard to say where this carved face came from; it could have been part of an earlier Abbey building reused here, although the carving does appear to have a very Celtic look about it. It is entirely plausible that this was a Celtic carving that was found in the area and subsequently used in the construction of this wall. All that can be said for certain is that is was deliberately placed with the face pointing outwards for all to see. Medieval humor? Or a nod to the areas past beliefs? Who can say!

Elsewhere in the Abbey can be found many other carved features, from gargoyles around the church to the heads of Stephen, founder of the Abbey, and his wife Matilda on the great east window. Two rather odd looking carved heads can also be found around the buttery, attached to the infirmary. One of these heads looks similar to a monkey where as the other looks a little more human, with a gawping expression. These are great to look for and will no doubt bring a smile to your face when found.

Dotted across the walls of the entire Abbey complex can be found an abundance of different masons’ marks. These marks were etched into faced stones by masons as a way to get paid. Each mason had their own unique mark, which could identify their work. The marks vary from simple triangles to more complex shapes. There is one rather special mason’s mark carved into a stone about half way up the inside of the great tower, to the rear of the church (see second picture below).

A great activity to do around the ruins, for children and adults alike, is to go in search of mason marks. There are hundreds of them around the ruins with many at a level easy to find. Below are just a few examples to get you started on your search, see if you can find these and can you find any different ones?

High up on the north facing inside wall of the great tower can be found a particularly spectacular mason’s mark. This mark is in the shape of a horse and is much more detailed than many other marks.

Have a look and see if you can find it, but be warned it is pretty difficult to spot. It has taken me many years of searching to finally find it, but that’s all part of the fun!

In 2010 as work was being undertaken to stabilise the presbytery a un-disturbed grave was uncovered. This grave had the remains of a, quite rotund, Abbot or Bishop. At the time of writing this, the identity of the man is still unknown. Lying with the skeletal remains was also an extremely beautiful guilt bronze Crozier with some of its wooden shaft still intact. This is an extremely rare find, as most in England have not been found in an archeological setting and in such an undisturbed burial. As well as the Crozier, wrapped around the finger of the skeleton, was a stunning bejewelled ring. This ring has a triangular spike that would dig into the wearer’s finger. This would act as a constant reminder of his duty to god. All the artefacts found within the burial are on permanent display at the Abbey along with interpretation boards filled with interesting information.

There is so much to discover at Furness Abbey from the immediate beauty and history to the hidden and quirky features. Much more than one could hope to fit into a small blog post like this. The best thing to do is visit the site to have a look for yourself and see what hidden treasures you can find!

Keep an eye out soon for some more blog posts but for now why not take a look at all the other previously published content and feel free to share with others.

7 Must See Heritage Attractions in Furness

Furness Abbey, English Heritage

There is no denying the beauty and tranquility of Furness Abbey nor its rich history. The Abbey was, in its day, the second richest abbey in the country, Fountains being the richest. Today the Abbey is managed by English Heritage and is open for visitors through out the year. There is nothing better than spending a few hours wandering around the ruins, exploring the buildings working out what was what.

The Crozier and Ring found at the Abbey in 2010 are now on permanent display in the visitor centre along with many other interesting artefacts, from carvings to effigies.

Highlight: Other than the expansive ruins, the Crozier and Ring with their fascinating new display.

The Dock Museum, Barrow

The Dock Museum is a wonderful little museum all about the industrial and shipbuilding history of Barrow-in-Furness. They also have a brand new gallery which showcases the earlier history of the Furness area. Built into a Victorian dry dock the museum is free to enter and several hours can certainly be spent exploring the displays, as well as the dock. There is also a film show area on the bottom floor with a selection of interesting documentary films to watch.

Highlight: The Stone Axe, Blood Axe, Conquest Gallery including the Viking Hoard and two superbly decorated lead weights.

Dalton Castle, National Trust

Once the court house and prison for Furness Abbey, Dalton Castle is a wonderful little peal tower sitting proudly overlooking Dalton. Owned by the National Trust and run by the Friends of Dalton Castle, the property is open on Saturdays from April to October and is well worth a visit. It may be a small property but there is much to discover with in as well as in the surrounding town.

Highlight: The Medieval dungeon or cell beneath the floor boards within the castle. The spiral staircase is pretty special too!

Swarthmoor Hall

Birthplace of the Quakers Swarthmoor Hall is a wonderful Tudor built mansion nestled in the countryside surrounding Swarthmoor and Ulverston. Open to visitors regularly throughout the year the hall has a lot to offer. The building itself is fascinating to wander around and there are some lovely gardens to stroll in too.

Highlight: The interesting wooden staircase to the back of the house with its central frame which once supported the roof!

Piel Castle, English Heritage

Piel Castle was built by the Abbot of Furness on the south-eastern point of Piel Island, to guard the deep-water harbour of Barrow-in-Furness against pirates and Scots raiders. The site boasts the ruins of a 14th-century castle, now in the care of English Heritage, with a large keep, inner and outer baileys and towered curtain walls. The island of Piel is a beautiful place that can be visited by a small ferry service running throughout the year, when the tide is right. You can really wile away the hours here and on a nice sunny day it is simply glorious!

Highlight: The expansive castle ruins, you can access the top of the main keep on certain days when it is opened.

Gleaston Water Mill

One of the only remaining water mills in the Furness area Gleaston Water Mill is a wonderful reminder of industrial times gone by. The building that stands today was built, or more precisely re-built, in the 1700s. The original mill dated back to the early 1300s and would have ground oats. Today you can visit the mill and look around inside and out as well as enjoy a lovely tea room just next door.

Highlight: The water wheel to the north of the mill, it may not work anymore but is lovely to see.

Conishead Priory

Now home to a Buddhist community Cornishead Priory has had a long and vivid history. Originally a Medieval priory it later became the home of Colonel Thomas Braddyll who built much of what is seen today, before being turned into a hotel. It has also spent time as a holiday home of sorts for the Durham Miners and a military hospital. The Buddhist community took possession of the building in 1976 and have since been slowly bringing it back to life. The grounds to the priory are open to the public throughout the year, except when large Buddhist events take place, there is also a lovely little cafe inside part of the building. Unfortunately the whole building isn't often open to the public.

Highlight: The stunning building, a treat for the eyes from every angle!

Marks of a Medieval Farming Landscape, Walney

Walney is a beautiful and picturesque island sitting just off the coast of Barrow. Today it is bustling with houses, caravan sites and the like but back in the Medieval period many parts of the island were covered in rich and fertile fields!

  

During the period Furness Abbey owned much of the land on Walney and they would take tithes from the various fields, tended by locals. In the present day you can find evidence of the extensive Medieval farming in the form of, well, fields! Not just normal fields though, many of the grassy plains are covered in the archeological feature known as ridge and furrow. These are the scars from a form of ploughing that was popular throughout the Middle Ages. In that time though there were no fences marking out the edges of fields, an open field system was used instead.  Manors, in this case Furness Abbey, would have owned large amounts of land and this land was split into strips. Peasant family's were then given different strips of land of which they could tend. Oddly though each family's different strips were not often next to one another. They could be interspersed with other family's strips, making it a little difficult to work them quickly. The lot of a Medieval peasant was not an easy one, working extremely hard day in day out for not much return. The defining feature of these strips was that they did not have boundary fences and this is where the 'open field' name comes from.

Walney golf course has many ridge and furrow features running across it and they are easy to see from the road side, near to Walney secondary school. The picture above shows the features clearly.

Even more evidence of farming can be found cut though the base clay on certain areas of the Walney coastline. Features like the one pictured right are quite common. These features are drainage ditches dug into the clay. Rich fertile soil would have sat above this clay where crops could be grown, but if water sept through the soil and hit the base clay it couldn't go anywhere thus making the land soggy and useless. To prevent this happening the peasant farmers would dig down through the soil and into the base clay to create long ditches along their field strips. These ditches were then filled with gravel or, in some cases, large stones were placed along their edge with cap stones sitting across the top of them. Once filled the ditches would be covered over again with soil. With these now in place any water would drain through the soil and into the ditches where it could slowly drain away through the gravel and seep off to other areas. These ditches were quite ingenious and would have been truly vital for farming on Medieval Walney. Especially as there was often a lot more rain fall in the period than we have today as well as some very harsh winters.

Elsewhere on the Walney's coastline there is another, final, remnant of farming gone by; a field boundary (pictured left). This boundary consists of a large mound and ditch. This feature would have marked the boundary of one large field, the smaller strips siphoned off with in. A large ditch was most likely dug along the edges of the fields to, as the smaller ditches, help with drainage. This ditch though would have no doubt been visible on the original earth surface.

There will be many of these features, both drainage ditches and boundaries, hidden beneath the ground and under vegetation all across Walney. The ones shown here are only visible now due to coastal erosion. The sea has slowly, and in recent times rapidly, eaten away at the soft earth to reveal the peat and clay below. Go back even a hundred years and some of these features would still be covered by soil and grass. Although erosion is ever changing our coastlines and causing no end of trouble, it does bring to light some of the wonderful heritage hidden beneath the ground!

The marks of a Medieval farming landscape across Walney are vast and fascinating. Imagine the peasant families of old going out everyday to tend their strips of land, battling the winds and harsh weather, moving oxen to pull a plough through the earth, slipping and sliding on the mud. It must have been an extremely hard life, all to grow crops for the Abbey and not to receive much back for your own plate. Although it must have been hard, the farmers were well versed in what they had to do and no doubt made it look relatively easy. Thanks to them though we have these wonderful remnants to discover across the countryside and if it wasn't for them the area may be a lot different today.

Come back on May 13th for the next blog post.