Kirkby Stephen

Kirkby Stephen sits in a green valley surrounded by spectacular designated landscape with the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Westmorland Dales in the recently extended Yorkshire Dales National Park and The Howgills, affectionally described by Alfred Wainwright as the 'sleeping elephants'.  The town also makes a good base for great days out in the Lake District National Park and the Durham hills, with excellent highway links.

The River Eden

This area is perfect for exploring and relaxing away from the crowds, walking over the fells and moorland, or ambling along River Eden paths, ancient hollow ways, and disused railways.  A true walking hub with Walkers are Welcome accreditation; there are eleven long distance trails including the challenging famous Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast. For your cycling experience, Kirkby Stephen is on the Walney to Wear plus Eden Cycle Routes. There are rail links via the iconic Settle-Carlisle railway.

The vibrant town will surprise you with its eclectic independent shops and bustling café scene, all set within the historical Conservation Area.  There is a strong visual and performing arts community that often springs onto the streets with quirky projects.  If you are lucky you will also experience the colourful free flying macaws that screech from the roof tops; after all, this is the Upper Eden Valley.

Culture & Heritage

The handsome Romanesque red sandstone Cloisters dominate the Market Square as the portico for the fine parish church, the ‘Cathedral of the Dales’.  Look out for the many buildings built of the local Brockram stone.  Away from the main street, this a town of hidden narrow ginnels or wiends. The underground passages which, according to legend, once provided cover for townspeople hiding during the numerous Scottish raids.  These same passages are also said to be used to smuggle beer to the alehouses without having to pay tax or to bury plague victims. Tread carefully.

This is a scene where ancestors have left their mark with ancient settlements, burial mounds and lynchets. The fells and dales bred sheep, cattle and horses were sold in street markets dating back to the 1353 Market Charter and now replaced by the bustling auction mart.  Many old fairs like Cowper Day and St Luke’s Fair are still celebrated. Drovers roads brought livestock from Scotland and packhorse routes carried goods across the Pennines.

Kirkby Stephen was one of the centres of the hand knitting industry in the 17th and 18th centuries. With hundreds of home workers engaged in making thousands of pairs of knitted stockings. All members of the family knitted one handed with the aid of a sheath and men were even said to be seen knitting on horseback.

During your stay you may learn some of the tales and legends.  Of the Viking settlers and their Loki Stone.  Of Sir Andreas de Harcla who fought off Robert the Bruce but ended up being hung, drawn, and quartered for treason.  Of Sir Richard Musgrave who killed the last boar in England. Of Sir Thomas Wharton who bought the parish church from Henry VIII and founded the Kirkby Stephen Grammar School in 1566, still preserved as the council centre and library.  Railway heritage is celebrated at Kirkby Stephen East station

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Surrounding Areas

There are many villages in the Upper Eden area set in beautiful countryside – Little Musgrave and Wharton with their ancient cultivation terraces (some of the best in the country), Warcop with its narrow medieval bridge, Winton, Mallerstang, Brough, Church Brough,  Brough Sowerby, Kaber, Crosby Garratt, Soulby, Great Musgrave, ancient Waitby and  the pretty villages of Hartley and Nateby. All have historic buildings and there are some charming churches.

 
Hartley Beck, near Kirkby Stephen

Nateby Lynchets & Mallerstang Edge

Brough - Brough developed around the Roman Fort, Verteris, from AD 78 to the end of the 4th century, guarding the Stainmore Pass and the Roman Road. William Rufus built the original wooden fort which was later replaced by a stone keep at this important defensive location.  Lady Anne Clifford was the last to renovate the castle in the 17th century.  St Michael’s Church built from 1350, names the village.  

The later Market Brough grew up around the relocated road becoming prosperous serving the coach trade with up to 17 inns. Today, Church and Market Brough are separated by the small bypass built in 1977. There is a thriving farmers’ market held on the third Saturday of the month.  The annual traditional Brough Agriculture Show is held in Popping Lane, Kaber in August.  These are the last of a long tradition of fairs dating back over 800 years and the remnant of an old market cross can be seen in Main Street, Market Brough.

Mallerstang - The Mallerstang valley, was created by the River Eden as it flows downstream from the source high on the moors above the magnificent Hell Gill Force waterfall. The valley is bounded by the escarpments of Mallerstang Edge and Wild Boar Fell with fascinating cairns.  The panorama reveals a wealth of prehistoric remains plus the intriguing Lammerside pele tower, Wharton medieval hall, the romantic ruins of Pendragon Castle and the Outhgill 14^th century church of St Mary. 

Water Cut Sculpture

Drovers and packhorse ways criss-cross the valley and high on Lady Anne’s Highway is the stunning Water Cut sculpture by Mary Bourne, the first of the Eden Benchmarks.  Tales of old speak of Castle Dolores and baby eating giants, poisoned warriors, ghosts, and highway men. Mallerstang was once noted for its cheese, similar in taste and appearance to Wensleydale sold at local markets.

Nine Standards Rigg - Nine Standards Rigg is a magical place on the summit of Hartley Fell in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  Shrouded in mystery, the Nine Standards or cairns overlook Kirkby Stephen.  A favourite landmark for Coast to Coasters at the height of 650 meters near the boundary of Cumbria and Yorkshire, originally Westmorland and Swaledale, on the trail to Keld.

Nine Standards Rigg

The panorama offers views of Cross Fell and Great Dun Fell to the north-west and Wild Boar Fell and the Howgills feature in the south-west. The High Street Range of the eastern Lake District can be seen further to the west. Great Shunner Fell, crossed by the Pennine Way, and Rogan's Seat lie to the south-east.

Wild Boar Fell - Lying on the western side of Mallerstang, in the Western Dales of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, this mountain or fell and is a dramatic sight for many miles around.  At 708m, it is the 5^th highest peak in the Yorkshire Dales.  High Seat opposite is just one meter higher and 4^th. There is the usual cluster of “stone men” or cairns on The Nab and Sand Tarn.

A spectacular panorama from the top shows The Howgills, Pennines, the Lake District fells and the Yorkshire Three Peaks.  On a clear day, there is even a glimpse of the sea at Morecambe Bay.

Legends tell of horse racing being held on the top and the last wild boar in England being killed by Sir Richard Musgrave.  To give credence to the story, a boar’s tusk was found in Sir Richard’s tomb and is now displayed in Kirkby Stephen Parish Church.

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Did you know?

PARISH CHURCH

One of the finest churches in the county and known as the Cathedral of the Dales. The church contains many old and unusual stones – one being a stone carving of Loki (the Norse god of mischief) bound in chains. The unusual carving represents Christianity overcoming evil and is unique to Britain. The church contains chapels devoted to the Wharton and Musgrave families.

PENDRAGON CASTLE

Legend associates this castle with Uther Pendragon (father of King Arthur of the Round Table) who allegedly died after drinking poisoned water from the castle’s well. The later Norman castle is thought to have been built by Sir Hugh de Morville (one of the knights who murdered Thomas a Becket in Canterbury cathedral). Over the succeeding years the castle was repeatedly sacked by the Scots and rebuilt several times. The last restoration was by Lady Anne Clifford in 1660. The castle is privately owned but can be easily seen from the road.

BROUGH CASTLE

Built by William Rufus on the site of a Roman fort, the castle has commanding views over the Eden valley and towards the Pennines. Scottish raiders lay siege to the castle many times and it was in a ruinous state when Lady Anne Clifford rebuilt it in 1662. Not long afterwards in 1666, the castle was gutted by fire and abandoned, with much of the stone taken to Appleby Castle.

LAMMERSIDE CASTLE

This 14th century pele tower was occupied for only 100 years. In Arthurian legend, the castle is known as Castle Dolorous, the home of the giant, Sir Tarquin, who had a habit of eating small boys! An adjacent footpath provides good views of the castle.

WHARTON HALL

Once the family seat of the Wharton family. The oldest parts date back to the 14th century, with later additions. A massive gatehouse (dated 1559) bears the family coat of arms. It is said that underground passages link Wharton to other halls in the area. The Hall is now a private farmhouse, but can be easily viewed from a bridleway to the west.

KIRKBY STEPHEN TOWN TRAIL

Informative trail around the town centre that takes in the Market Square, church, old cloisters, the ‘bull ring’, Charter Stone, Trupp Stone and Frank’s Bridge – a 16th century packhorse bridge. A trail leaflet can be found at the Kirkby Stephen Information Centre.