… I'm in Brampton, today. I've been going through my journals, and I came across my notes
from last September when I was unable to travel to France and took myself north
to Reiver country instead…
Wednesday, 8th
I'm camped at Clarks Hill Farm. It's an open field with plenty of space,
beautifully kept grass and sheep for neighbours. There may not be the vast mountainous views that I'm used to when
I'm in the Cévennes, but there are stunning sunsets.
Into Brampton today in the sunshine - unusual for the sun to be so relentless here in England! So unusual that if I closed my eyes, I could believe I was in France.
Brampton is a fabulous little market town. It sits about 15K's from the city of Carlisle in Cumbria and is about 4K's from Hadrian's wall. We've got some serious history here, which I can't wait to explore.
The earliest settlement is thought to date from around the 7th century. In the settlement rolls - an opportunity to raise taxes - of 1252, the town is listed as Braunton and Brampton in a later document from 1291. The place was granted its Market Charter by Henry 3, and it has continued to trade as a market town ever since.
The octagonal Moot Hall sits at one end of the market square and was built by the Earl of Carlisle in 1817. It now houses the Tourist Information Office. It replaced an earlier building from 1648 that Oliver Cromwell used to house prisoners. The town is also noted for its role in the Jacobite uprising and, if you look carefully as you wander the streets, you'll see the Blue Plaque that tells you that Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart) once stayed here. One other thing to note as you stroll around the market square are the old stocks, used to mete out punishments in earlier times. I can't help but wonder what stories those stocks might tell if they could talk!
It's almost time for lunch, and I need to find some food to eat on the hoof. Luckily, at one side of the square is an amazing place called Cranstons. It's the kind of shop that makes [insert name of the posh supermarket you never use] look cheap. Nevertheless, the produce is sumptuous, and I purchase a slice of smoked bacon and Emmental cheese quiche for lunch and a slice of Ullswater pie for later.
Leaving the heart of the town behind, I
head towards the church dedicated to Saint Martin. The church was designed by Philip Speakman Webb (1831 -
1915). After qualifying and obtaining a
post as an assistant architect to George Edmund Street, Webb became acquainted
with William Morris. Webb and Morris continued their friendship, became
associates and central to the Arts and Crafts movement and founded the Society
for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in 1877.
Into Brampton today in the sunshine - unusual for the sun to be so relentless here in England! So unusual that if I closed my eyes, I could believe I was in France.
Brampton is a fabulous little market town. It sits about 15K's from the city of Carlisle in Cumbria and is about 4K's from Hadrian's wall. We've got some serious history here, which I can't wait to explore.
The earliest settlement is thought to date from around the 7th century. In the settlement rolls - an opportunity to raise taxes - of 1252, the town is listed as Braunton and Brampton in a later document from 1291. The place was granted its Market Charter by Henry 3, and it has continued to trade as a market town ever since.
The octagonal Moot Hall sits at one end of the market square and was built by the Earl of Carlisle in 1817. It now houses the Tourist Information Office. It replaced an earlier building from 1648 that Oliver Cromwell used to house prisoners. The town is also noted for its role in the Jacobite uprising and, if you look carefully as you wander the streets, you'll see the Blue Plaque that tells you that Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart) once stayed here. One other thing to note as you stroll around the market square are the old stocks, used to mete out punishments in earlier times. I can't help but wonder what stories those stocks might tell if they could talk!
It's almost time for lunch, and I need to find some food to eat on the hoof. Luckily, at one side of the square is an amazing place called Cranstons. It's the kind of shop that makes [insert name of the posh supermarket you never use] look cheap. Nevertheless, the produce is sumptuous, and I purchase a slice of smoked bacon and Emmental cheese quiche for lunch and a slice of Ullswater pie for later.
Inside, the church is cool and a
stunning example of the clean lines and arches of the Arts and Crafts era. The stained glass windows were designed by
Edward Burne-Jones (1833 - 1898), another leading light of the A&C movement
and one of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. I linger longer than intended
as the cool air, and the coloured light from the windows are too great a draw
for me to leave them just yet.
Eventually, I wander outside and around the exterior of the church. I step into Church Lane to find a tiny,
sunny square edged with old properties.
As I walk back to the main road, I notice a name plaque -
Knuckleskuds. Now that's a name to
conjure with…
If you enjoyed this little jaunt, you might also like other #OffMyBeatenTrack posts.
I will be #OffMyBeatenTrack in Reiver country again in April - check out my post Here
It's fun to travel with you, Angela. This place sounds delightful.
ReplyDelete