Longsleddale

An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Westmorland. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1936.

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'Longsleddale', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Westmorland, (London, 1936) pp. 157-158. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/westm/pp157-158 [accessed 24 April 2024]

In this section

57 LONGSLEDDALE (D.e.)

(O.S. 6 in. (a)XXVII, N.E., (b)XXVII, S.E., (c)XXXIII, N.E.)

Longsleddale is a large parish 7 m. N. of Kendal. Ubarrow Hall is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

b(1). Parish Church of St. Mary stands near the middle of the parish. It was formerly a chapel of Kendal and was re-built and made parochial in 1712. The church was entirely re-built in 1863 but retains from the older building the following:—

Fittings—Locker: In vestry—with carved and panelled oak door (Plate 36) having the initials and date R. and M.L. 1662, probably a spice-cupboard from a house. Plate: includes a cup and cover-paten of 1571, with that date on the cover and with a band of engraved ornament on the bowl, also a pewter dish and flagon. Seating: In nave—two stools with turned legs, late 17th or early 18th-century.

Condition—Rebuilt.

Secular

c(2). Bridge, over the River Sprint, near the S. edge of the parish, is a rubble structure of one span with a wide segmental arch. It was built perhaps in the 17th century as a pack-horse bridge and was subsequently widened on the S. side.

Condition—Good.

c(3). Footbridge (Plate 23), over the Sprint at Bridge End 1,180 yards N.N.W. of (2), consists of two rubble abutments approached by ramps and connected by a wooden foot-bridge. The bridge was repaired in 1672.

Condition—Good.

b(4). Ubarrow Hall (Plate 16), 450 yards S.E. of the church, is of two storeys; the walls are of rubble and the roofs are slate-covered. The pele-tower forming the S.W. part of the house is of late mediæval date, but the existing wing to the N.E. was added or re-built in the 17th century. The tower (32 ft. by 22 ft. externally) is now of two storeys but was formerly higher. It is lit by rectangular windows, some of them probably enlargements from earlier loops. The ground-stage has a plain barrel-vault and the floor above had a circular staircase in the E. angle. The existing roof is of king-post type and probably of the 16th century. The 17th-century wing has some exposed ceiling-beams, a two-stage cupboard of the local type, with pendants and fluted fascia and some panelled doors of the same age.

Condition—Fairly good.

Monuments (5–13)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th-century and of two storeys; the walls are of rubble and the roofs are slate-covered. Some of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good.

b(5). Kilnstones, house, ½ m. S. of the church, retains some original stone windows and a W. doorway with the moulding of the jambs carried up to form an ornamental sinking on the face of the lintel. Re-set in a garden wall are two carved stone panels, one with the figures 71, perhaps for 1671; there is also a fragmentary inscription relating to the building of the house. Inside the building are some original panelling and doors.

b(6). Docker Nook, house, 850 yards S.S.E. of (5), was built late in the 17th or early in the 18th century.

c(7). Bridge End, house (Plate 23), 700 yards S.E. of (6).

c(8). Murthwaite, house, 520 yards E.S.E. of (7), contains a two-stage cupboard of the local type with carved upper panels, pendants and fascia; a spicecupboard has a carved panel and the initials and date I. and E.L. 1679.

c(9). Nether House, 300 yards N.W. of (2), has a modern front block.

b(10). Wellfoot, house, over ¾ m. N.N.W. of the church.

a(11). Hill Cottage, over ½ m. N.N.W. of (10).

a(12). Till's Hole, house, 680 yards N.W. of (11), contains a three-stage cupboard of the local type, with one carved panel, pendants and fascia with the date 1691.

a(13). Lon' Sadgill, house, 650 yards N.N.W. of (12), was built probably late in the 16th or early in the 17th century and has a later extension on the N. The front door is old and retains an ornamental latch-handle. Inside the building are some 17th-century doors, one having a latch-handle, like that to the front-door.