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Home Page Local History Family History Old Maps And Documents Courses & Talks contact Details Useful Links House History Painted house lintel of Meadowbank Farm, showing renovation date of 1666 along with the initials of John and Dorothy Losh.
Painted house lintel of Meadowbank Farm, showing renovation date of 1666 along with the initials of John and Dorothy Losh.

CUMBRIA'S RICH LEGACY
Cumbria has a rich legacy of traditional houses, many dating back to the mid 17th century, with quite a few going back even further, although very few stem from the medieval period. However, many 16th and 17th century houses were rebuilt on what are believed to have been earlier settlement sites.

THE 'GREAT REBUILDING'
From the mid 17th century a surge of rebuilding took place. Known nationally as "The Great Rebuilding", this did not begin in this region until about a century later than the rest of the country. Before this date it is believed that many small houses, such as the modest farmhouses of the region, were either built of wood or clay. That is not to say, however, that some smaller houses were not built of stone, most probably in a cruder form, as settlers would have used whatever building material was most readily available and in the hilly regions both stone and wood would have been in plentiful supply.

Meadowbank, a clay dabbin farmhouse dating from the 16th century with 17th century rebuilding
Meadowbank, a clay dabbin farmhouse dating from the 16th century with 17th century rebuilding
Clay Dabbin Wall Tangible evidence of a clay dabbin building seen here as part of the wall of an ancient barn attached to an old farmhouse on the Solway Plain.
Click picture to see bigger clearer photo. 		CLAY DAUBIN HUTS
In areas such as the Solway Firth, clay was in plentiful supply and from earliest times Clay Dabbin or Daubin huts were constructed as settlement sites were cleared and cultivated. These dwellings were so called because blocks consisting of a mixture of clay, straw, gravel and dung were literally daubed in place. The walls of these huts were not load-bearing but were built around one or two pairs of arched oak frames, known as crucks or siles, which supported a roof of straw or moss thatch.

CRUCK FRAMES
Cruck frames were used in the construction of most of the 16th and 17th century small houses but very few remain in situ except in some of the remaining barns of the region. However, there is evidence of crucks being re-used during the Great Rebuilding period and these may have come from a former dwelling on the same site. Documentary evidence can help establish many facts about an old dwelling and Chris uses a variety of old documents to help establish a pedigree for an old property.

The main staircase in the central hallway of Castlerigg Hall. This most likely dates from the 17th century. - (Click to see bigger photo)
The main staircase in the central hallway of Castlerigg Hall. This most likely dates from the 17th century. - (Click to see bigger photo)
 CASTLERIGG HALL
Over the last few years Chris has been working on the history of Castlerigg Hall, a wonderful Elizabethan yeoman farmhouse of some stature. This property anciently belonged to a branch of the Wren family of Keswick and has strong connections with the Ratcliff family, one time lords of the manor of Castlerigg and Derwentwater. Chris has also worked on the history of many other Cumbrian properties and has gained a vast amount of knowledge about the inhabitants along the way.
The oldest wing of Castlerigg Hall, believed to have been built in the late 16th century. - (Click to see bigger photo)
The oldest wing of Castlerigg Hall, believed to have been built in the late 16th century. - (Click to see bigger photo)
Christine Craghill dip.loc.hist, 7 Muscade Close, Tiptree, COLCHESTER, Essex, CO5 0DL
Phone: 01621 810351 (outside the UK: +44 1621 810351)

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