Introduction Bullpot Farm is the most isolated farm in Casterton. Located to the far east of the parish, nestled close to the boundary of the parish of Leck. Throughout the centuries, the farm has been referred to in several ways, mostly either Bull Pot or Bullpot. Unless directly quoting, I will refer to it as…
Enclosure walls on the slopes of Brownthwaite[1] Introducing the Author Following on from the first ‘Guest’ Sketch written by Jean Hamlett about the mysterious visitors to the Casterton Hotel in the Second World War, presented below is a second ‘Guest’ Sketch. This one was first written a few years ago by Claire Wildsmith and has…
Introduction In November 2023, I was handed a rather battered small suitcase which was filled with documents relating to the history of the Casterton Village Hall. It had been passed on from Secretary to Secretary until being deposited in the cellar of the Hall. This Sketch uses some of these documents to tell the story…
Introduction When you visit Casterton Village Hall, on the right-hand wall there is a simple plaque which offers some basic details about when the Hall was built and who were the main benefactors. There is however an omission from the plaque which through my research reveals a fascinating story about a member of the Bickersteth…
Introduction There are several printed biographies of one of Casterton’s most famous sons. This Sketch references these and tries to present a narrative that is easier to read than the often very verbose and flowery Victorian chronicles quoted below. The most contemporaneous biography, albeit by an unnamed author, and one which later biographies relied on,…
A Review of Pre 1828 Maps Unlike the previous houses I have written about, Rock Cottage was not a ‘grand house’ such as Old Hall or Norwood House, nor was it a substantial farm such as Gowrey, rather it was a house of modest means where a labourer rather than a Lord, ‘Gentleman’ or Yeoman…
Introduction For this month’s Sketch, we have something different, a ‘Guest Sketch’. That is to say a Sketch written about Casterton by somebody other than myself. I very much welcome anybody to contribute their own writings about the history of Casterton as future Guest Sketches. This first Guest Sketch has been written by Jean Hamlett.…
Introduction When I first requested the Kendal archives to retrieve the 1965 Scrapbook of Casterton prepared by the Casterton Women’s Institute as part of that national institution’s 50th Jubilee celebrations, I was given an unexpected document. It was a handwritten essay titled ‘Casterton’, collected together in a blue-grey file. It offers a look at ‘Casterton…
Introduction In the Cumbria County Archives in Kendal lies a document from which the following quote was taken.[1] Football Club ‘The Football Club, which has been in existence for three years, has for two seasons been affiliated to the North Lancashire League. The Club attracts membership from a wide area. An enthusiastic group of juniors…
Preliminary Notes This house has a long history, previously researched by a local historian, David Smail, who sadly died in 2021. He was commissioned by the Bayley family to write a short family history in partnership with Fleur Bayley in Australia. A copy of their work now resides at Town End Farm.[1] Fleur Bayley has…