Penrith
Saturday 19th JUNE 2004


REPORT & PHOTO's © PHIL.B


  
 Penrith Castle 

The day started with the usual hello's and introductions as Phil B, Little 'un, Humus, Valerie, Sue Hurd and Fish turned up outside Penrith train station at the allotted time. The silhouette of our first destination could be clearly seen against the bright blue sky - Penrith Castle. I myself had an image through the website that there wasn't really much to see here so I was delighted as to the actual extent of the remaining walls. A good start to the day ahead.

A montage of the largest standing wall

    
 Some steps! Back of the wall The Moat 

Our next destination was Penrith Museum and the route from the Castle took us through the town centre. Upon reaching the main square, so to speak, I asked a local stallholder just where the museum was and got a reply that went something like "Didn't know we had one". A few yards further on we chanced upon a signpost that pointed the way.
Upon arrival we found that access to the Museum was through the Tourist Information Centre so after gathering a few leaflets (Well I did!) we made our way into the museum itself. It was only a small museum but the displays were good and very informative about local Eden Valley life through the ages, although it must be said that the majority was the past 200 years. There was also an 'art' exhibition on in one of the upstairs rooms.
   
 The Museum Frontage Inscription above the door 

Outside the museum was a large millstone which was there as a sort of memorial to Penrith's first water supply. The plaque reads:


"Thacka Beck was Penrith's first water supply created by
Bishop Strickland about the year 1400. An artificial water-
course, the amount of water taken from the River Petteril
about 2 miles to the North of Penrith,was determined by
as much water as would constantly run through the eye
of a millstone."

Presuming Thacka Beck was the overgrown mess behind the millstone let's hope Penrith now has a different water supply!!
  
 The Millstone Memorial 

Lunch was in a local Hostelry (where'd you expect??) then whilst the three ladies returned to their vehicles Humus, Little 'un and Phil B walked to the day's next destination, Brougham Castle.
  
 First view of Brougham Castle 

By the time we arrived it was raining a steady drizzle. Sue Hurd and Valerie were already there sheltering under a tree so we joined them to await the arrival of Fish. After a few minutes a text was sent asking about the safety of the missing individual, it read "U OK?" A reply was soon received which made everyone laugh - "Still looking for car!". It was but a short fifteen minutes later when the final member of our party eventually turned up and we were soon making our way towards the imposing gatehouse of Brougham Castle, albeit in the steady rain.
There were various doorways leading off from the gatehouse and each had to be explored. There was, however, very little to see once through the doorways as the majority led up narrow passageways that became either staircases that you couldn't ascend (due to them being dangerous) or a privy! One feature we all noticed however was the grill on the floor that, after discussion, was a dungeon or cell. After passing through the double gateway we emerged into a large courtyard which afforded an impressive view of the Keep. From here we made our way over to south-west corner Tower of League. This Tower had an important defensive role as well as providing guest accomodation. From here it was past the well to the range of buildings that originally contained a Chapel, Kitchen and Garrison Lodgings. Sometime during this particular period the rain stopped falling.
Phil B and the Little 'un were the first to discover the spiral steps up the Keep and were soon letting the others know they had by shouting down to them. The third floor of the Keep is different to the floors below in that it has a passage around the central chamber, this makes it smaller and octagonal as a result. The oratory in the south-east corner is probably the best part of this level with the vestry* just off to one side. We made our way back to ground level and back to the front of the gatehouse via some steps. After a brief sojourn at the moat we headed back to the entrance and the road.
   
 The Gatehouse The cell 

 
View back through
Gatehouse		The CourtyardThe Keep 

 
The LodgingsTower of LeagueThe Chapel 

 
The KitchenThe Hall 

   
 Two views of the Moat 

I refuse to accept any blame for the fact that everyone decided to walk to our next destination. Brougham Hall is just round the corner from the Castle but the way some peeps talked you'd think it was in the next county! Anyway, by walking we were able to see the earthwork remains of the Roman fort at Brougham.
   
 BROCAVVM Roman Fort earthworks 

Brougham Hall was a bit of a revelation and, after everybody had refreshed themselves in the cafe, was explored with great gusto. Once christened the 'Windsor of the North' it fell out of favour. Now the home of various craft shops it is in a steady process of rebuilding itself into it's former glory days and you have to say it's coming along nicely. It was after this point we unfortunately had to say our goodbyes to Valerie.


A montage of Brougham Hall from the inside

   
 Frontage Detail of Main Door 

   
 Fancy hinges.. ..and Knocker 

   
 Large curtain wall
and bridge leading to..		 .. the Family Chapel 

With time quickly passing by, those remaining decided to move on to the henges. First up was King Arthur's Round Table which is, despite the name, a prehistoric earthwork dating from the period 2,000 to 1,000 BC.

King Arthur's Round Table Henge

It was after this Phil B and the Little 'un had to leave for their train so the three remaining people made their way to the last point of interest for the day - Mayburgh Henge
This final part of the report is by fish:
A short walk, and I do mean a short walk, not as defined by Phil, from King Arthur’s Round Table is Mayburgh henge. To avoid being run over as we passed the Millennium Stone, we had to walk on the grass verge, as there is strangely no footpath. Just after a bend in the road we spotted the bank of the henge and a sign pointed us in the direction of a gate into the field in which the henge stands, recently vacated by the cows in the next field to which our passing was evidently the highlight of the day. No one had any wood or a lighter, so steak was out of the question, and we decided to look at the henge instead.
As we clambered up the bank humus commented that there was bound to be an entrance round the other side. Reaching the top of the bank, we saw he was right and we then had to pick our way down the inside slope, trying not to twist an ankle on the numerous small boulders littering the ground. The atmosphere inside the henge is somewhat spoiled by the continuous traffic noise from the nearby road and by the fact that the only houses nearby have been built either in direct view of the entrance or with the roofline visible above the bank. Perhaps this is why humus’s efforts to communicate with the stone came to nothing, even with Sue’s help. Or perhaps the energy was ruined when the other 3 stones were removed from the centre and the 4 at the entrance too. (I’d have my suspicions of that Millennium Stone if I hadn’t seen a picture of it when it was still in the quarry.) Upon leaving the henge, this time by the entrance, we left humus to trudge back to his car in town and Sue and I trudged back to our cars at Brougham Castle. We then said our goodbye’s and wended our merry, if pretty knackered, ways home.

Fish's Photo's
Sue's Photo's
Valerie's Photo's

PEOPLE PICS

   
 So I just point it at something? Humus, Valerie, fish and Sue 

   
 Valerie and Sue get in the way Little'un gets in the millstone! 

   
 Humus looks for the
Andrex		 Little'un the Gaoler 

   
 John Travolta or
Humus, You decide		 "Honest Dad,
I never touched it!"		 


Vestry* - Whilst on the top floor of the keep, Little 'un asked what the little room off the oratory was for. Upon being told it was where the priest probably got changed and kept his bible etc, the six year old nonchalently said "Oh! The Vestry". Fish, Valerie and Phil B were very impressed, especially as they were all trying to recall that very word!!

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