Clifton, Cumbria
Encyclopedia
Clifton is a small linear village
and civil parish 3 miles (4.8 km) south east of Penrith
in Cumbria
, England
.
, to the north and east lie the civil parishes of Brougham
and Great Strickland
, to the south is the civil parish of Lowther.
Most of the hamlet of Clifton Dykes (on the C3047 road) also lies within the parish. The name of this was shown as Longchimney on the first edition Ordnance Survey
map of 1897, and then as Clifton Dikes on the later second edition. The current spelling was settled on more recently.
The village of Clifton has a church, primary school, a pub and a hotel.
was the site, in 1745, of the final battle in England (and the last battle ever on English soil) between Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Duke of Cumberland
.
The story of a local family, the Wybergs, whose property was forcibly sold by Oliver Cromwell
in 1652, is told in Sir Walter Scott's novel, Waverley
, which also features the battle on Clifton Moor.
St Cuthbert's church contains a monument to a local benefactress, Eleanor Engayne, who died about the year 1395 ; according to the Topography and Directory of Westmorland, 1851, the manor of Clifton was given in the reign of Henry II
, by Hugh de Morville
, one of Thomas Becket
's murderers, to Gilbert de Engayne, with whose descendants it continued till their heiress, Eleanor, in 1364, carried it in marriage to William de Wyberg.
(now part of the West Coast Main Line
WCML), it closed to passengers in 1938.
Another station Clifton Moor station
was on the Eden Valley Railway
and opened 1863, closing in 1962. Confusingly Clifton & Lowther Station was at a hamlet known as Clifton Moor. The nearest station is now Penrith railway station
.
At the boundary with the civil parish of Yanwath and Eamont Bridge
where the west coast mainline railway crosses the river Lowther
is Hugh's Crag Viaduct (also known as Lowther Viaduct, or Clifton Viaduct) built in 1846.
The M6 motorway
now also runs through the parish.
also is within the civil parish, east of the village.
Clifton Hall
, a 15th century Pele tower.
Linear village
In geography, a linear village, or linear settlement, is a small to medium-sized settlement that is formed around a transport route, such as a road, river, or canal. Wraysbury, a village in Berkshire, is one of the longest villages in England....
and civil parish 3 miles (4.8 km) south east of Penrith
Penrith, Cumbria
Penrith was an urban district between 1894 and 1974, when it was merged into Eden District.The authority's area was coterminous with the civil parish of Penrith although when the council was abolished Penrith became an unparished area....
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History and geography
The civil parish of Clifton has its western boundary defined by the River LowtherRiver Lowther
The River Lowther flows through Cumbria in England. It is a tributary of the River Eamont which in turn is a tributary of the River Eden which flows into the Solway Firth near Carlisle....
, to the north and east lie the civil parishes of Brougham
Brougham, Cumbria
Brougham is a small village and civil parish on the outskirts of Penrith in the Eden District of Cumbria, England...
and Great Strickland
Great Strickland
Great Strickland is a village and civil parish in the Eden Valley between the Cumbrian mountains in the west and the Pennines in the east. It is south east of Penrith, and is in the former county of Westmorland....
, to the south is the civil parish of Lowther.
Most of the hamlet of Clifton Dykes (on the C3047 road) also lies within the parish. The name of this was shown as Longchimney on the first edition Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
map of 1897, and then as Clifton Dikes on the later second edition. The current spelling was settled on more recently.
The village of Clifton has a church, primary school, a pub and a hotel.
Clifton Moor Battle
Clifton MoorClifton Moor Skirmish
The Clifton Moor Skirmish took place between forces of the British Hanoverian government and Jacobite rebels on 19 December 1745. Since the commander of the British forces, the Duke of Cumberland, was aware of the Jacobite presence in Derby, the Jacobite leader Prince Charles Edward Stuart decided...
was the site, in 1745, of the final battle in England (and the last battle ever on English soil) between Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Duke of Cumberland
Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland
Prince William , was a younger son of George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach, and Duke of Cumberland from 1726. He is generally best remembered for his role in putting down the Jacobite Rising at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, and as such is also known as "Butcher" Cumberland...
.
The story of a local family, the Wybergs, whose property was forcibly sold by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
in 1652, is told in Sir Walter Scott's novel, Waverley
Waverley (novel)
Waverley is an 1814 historical novel by Sir Walter Scott. Initially published anonymously in 1814 as Scott's first venture into prose fiction, Waverley is often regarded as the first historical novel. It became so popular that Scott's later novels were advertised as being "by the author of...
, which also features the battle on Clifton Moor.
St. Cuthbert's church
The local church, St Cuthbert's, contains the graves of 10 men killed in battle of Clifton Moor. Some of the remains of St Cuthbert are also said to be languishing in the church.St Cuthbert's church contains a monument to a local benefactress, Eleanor Engayne, who died about the year 1395 ; according to the Topography and Directory of Westmorland, 1851, the manor of Clifton was given in the reign of Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
, by Hugh de Morville
Hugh de Morville, Lord of Westmorland
Sir Hugh de Morville was an Anglo-Norman knight who served King Henry II of England in the late 12th century. He is chiefly famous as one of the assassins of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury in 1170...
, one of Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
's murderers, to Gilbert de Engayne, with whose descendants it continued till their heiress, Eleanor, in 1364, carried it in marriage to William de Wyberg.
Transport
There once were two railway stations, the 1846 Clifton station (later named Clifton and Lowther railway station) was on the Lancaster and Carlisle RailwayLancaster and Carlisle Railway
The Lancaster and Carlisle Railway was a British railway company authorised on 6 June 1844 to build a line between Lancaster and Carlisle in North-West England...
(now part of the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
WCML), it closed to passengers in 1938.
Another station Clifton Moor station
Clifton Moor railway station
Clifton Moor railway station was situated in England on the Eden Valley Railway between Penrith and Kirkby Stephen East. It served the village of Clifton. The station opened to passenger traffic on 1 August 1863, and was originally named 'Clifton'. The 'Moor' suffix was added on 1 September 1927...
was on the Eden Valley Railway
Eden Valley Railway
The Eden Valley Railway was a railway in Cumbria, England. It ran between Clifton Junction near Penrith and Kirkby Stephen via Appleby-in-Westmorland....
and opened 1863, closing in 1962. Confusingly Clifton & Lowther Station was at a hamlet known as Clifton Moor. The nearest station is now Penrith railway station
Penrith railway station
Penrith railway station is located on the West Coast Main Line in the United Kingdom. It serves the town of Penrith, Cumbria and is less than one mile from its centre...
.
At the boundary with the civil parish of Yanwath and Eamont Bridge
Yanwath and Eamont Bridge
Yanwath and Eamont Bridge is a civil parish in the Eden District of Cumbria, England, consisting of the small village of Yanwath and most of the neighbouring village of Eamont Bridge. It has a population of 457....
where the west coast mainline railway crosses the river Lowther
River Lowther
The River Lowther flows through Cumbria in England. It is a tributary of the River Eamont which in turn is a tributary of the River Eden which flows into the Solway Firth near Carlisle....
is Hugh's Crag Viaduct (also known as Lowther Viaduct, or Clifton Viaduct) built in 1846.
The M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
now also runs through the parish.
Other
Wetheriggs PotteryWetheriggs Pottery
Wetheriggs Pottery is a pottery on the C3047 road, east of the hamlet of Clifton Dykes, in the civil parish of Clifton, Cumbria southeast of Penrith...
also is within the civil parish, east of the village.
Clifton Hall
Clifton Hall, Cumbria
Clifton Hall in the civil parish of Clifton, Cumbria, England, was a 15th century fortified manor house which was home to the Clifton family for almost 600 years...
, a 15th century Pele tower.
See also
- John "Iron-Mad" WilkinsonJohn Wilkinson (industrialist)John "Iron-Mad" Wilkinson was an English industrialist who pioneered the use and manufacture of cast iron and cast-iron goods in the Industrial Revolution.-Early life:...
, the industrialist, was born in Clifton in 1728.
Further information
- History, topography, and directory, of Westmorland: and Londsdale north of the sands, in Lancashire together with a descriptive and geological view of the whole of the Lake district , P. J. Mannex , 1849 , "Clifton Parish" pp.218-219, other pages , google books
External links
- Clifton , The Cumbria Directory , www.thecumbriadirectory.com
- Clifton Standing Stones www.megalithic.co.uk
- Clifton - Moor - "The Battle of" Contemporary account of the Battle of Clifton Moor by Thomas Savage, of Clifton End Farm , 1745 , via edenlinks.rootsweb.com
- Clifton Tower Hall , English HeritageEnglish HeritageEnglish Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
, www.english-heritage.org.uk