Troutbeck

102 TROUTBECK (C.e.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)XIX, S.E., ^(b)XXVI, N.E., ^(c)XXVI, S.E., ^(d)XXXII, N.E.)

Troutbeck is a valley and moorland parish adjoining Ambleside on the E. Town End is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

^c(1). Jesus Chapel, formerly a chapel of Windermere, stands about 650 yards E. of the village. The walls are of local rubble and the roofs are slate-covered. The mediæval Chapel was re-built and consecrated on July 8th, 1562. It was altered and enlarged in 1736 when the West Tower was re-built. The chapel was repaired in 1828.

Architectural Description—The Chapel (67¾ ft. by 25½ ft.) is a simple rectangular building without division between the nave and chancel. The E. window is modern. The N. wall has seven and the S. wall six windows, all of lancet-form, modern externally and of uncertain or modern date; another window on the S. has been blocked and a new doorway replaced an older one in 1879.

The West Tower is probably of 1736, the date over the doorway. The W. window is of three elliptical-headed lights, the heads being probably 16th-century material re-used.

The Roof is of the 18th century or perhaps earlier and is of seven bays, low-pitched and with tie-beams and raking struts.

Fittings—Bells: seven; one, not in the ring, dated 1631. Chest: In vestry—of plain boards, three locks and a fourth for poor-box division at one end, plain strap-hinges, probably 17th-century. Collecting Shovels: two, each of a plain sunk square piece of wood with fan-shaped handle, inscribed "Remember the poor 1692. W.B., I.E." Plate: includes Elizabethan cup (Plate 54) probably of 1584 and a cup (Plate 54) of 1679 given by Agnes Birkett, 1688. Table: In tower —small with turned legs and cupboard, probably late 17th-century.

Condition—Good.

Secular

^c(2). Fountain, at the W. side of the road in the churchyard-wall, is modern but incorporates a recess with a dished drain which may possibly date from the 17th or the 18th century.

^b(3). Bridge over the Trout Beck 1,100 yards N.N.W. of Troutbeck Park, consists of four piers and two abutments of rubble with a covering of long flagstones to form the roadway. It is probably at least as old as the 17th century and lies on an old trackway.

Condition—Poor.

^c(4). Town End (Plate 20), house and barn, the former on the W. side of the road ½ m. S.W. of the church. The House is of two storeys with cellars; the walls are of local rubble and the roofs are slate-covered. It was built early in the 17th century and has belonged since then to the family of Browne. The S.W. wing is probably a late 17th-century addition, though it contains a re-set stone with the initials and date G.B. 1626; the N. wing is perhaps also a late 17th-century addition. The S.E. wing is modern. The S. front of the main block has windows on both floors with solid frames and mullions, mostly original; the chimney-stacks have circular shafts. On the W. side of the N. wing is a window of four transomed lights, lighting the staircase. Inside the building some of the ceiling-beams are exposed. In the kitchen is a fireplace with a four-centred head and in the N.W. angle is a spiral staircase with solid oak treads. The hall has a small cupboard recess with the initials G. and E.B. 1672 on the door; besides the movable furniture, there is a fixed clock with the initials G. and E.B. 1672, a book-case with the same initials and date 1687, and a sideboard; the bookcase is made up with old work and the sideboard has added carving. In the adjoining passage is a board with coat-pegs, bearing the initials G. and M.B. 1702. The main staircase (Plate 57) is partly enclosed by boarded partitions; the staircase itself is of late 17th or early 18th-century date and has turned balusters and square moulded newels with ball-terminals. On the first floor, a small room or powder-closet is lined with 17th-century panelling and has a cupboard with the initials G.B., B.B. 1670. Another room has a fixed cupboard of the local type with recessed top, frieze, turned posts and the initials G. and E.B. 1672. The house contains some 17th-century panelled doors and other panelling.

The Barn, on the E. side of the road S.E. of the house, is of stone and of half H-shaped plan with a small wing at the back. Between the front wings is a wooden gallery at the upper floor level and approached by a ramp. On the S.W. wing is a panel with the initials and date G. and E.B. 1666.

Condition—Good.

Monuments (5–32)

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. Many of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good, unless noted.

^c(5). Town End Farm, house 140 yards S. of (4), is of L-shaped plan with the wings projecting towards the N. and E. On the S. front is a stone with the date and initials 1611 W.B. Inside the building are some original panelled doors.

^c(6). Town End House and barn, the former 100 yards S.S.W. of (5). The House, now two tenements, is of two dates in the 17th century with a modern E. block. Inside the building are some moulded muntin and plank partitions of the local type. The early 18th-century staircase has turned balusters and there is some original panelling on the upper walls.

The Barn, 60 yards N. of the house, is of four bays.

^c(7). Town Foot, house 50 yards S. of (6), has a wing on the N. and later extensions at the W. end. Inside the building is a moulded muntin and plank partition and a small cupboard with the initials and date G. and A.B. 1694.

^c(8). Glenside, house on the W. side of the road 760 yards S.W. of the church, has large modern additions. Inside the building two heavy wall-posts may indicate the existence of a crutch-truss. In the kitchen is a three-stage cupboard (Plate 35) with carved upper panels and projecting fascia with turned pendants; it bears the date and initials W.I. 1634.

^c(9). Low House, on the E. side of the road 160 yards N.N.E. of (8), has a 19th-century addition on the S. On the W. front is a tablet with the initials and date W.B., M.B. 1627. Inside the building is a cupboard of the local type dated 1634.

^c(10). House, now outbuilding 30 yards S. of (9), retains some original windows with solid frames. Inside the building is an original staircase with symmetrically turned balusters and moulded muntin and plank partitions.

^c(11). Robin Lane Cottage, two tenements, 100 yards W. of (10), retains some original windows. The central chimney-stack has a cylindrical shaft and a panel with the date and initials 1626 G.B. (for George Birkett). Inside the building is a three-stage cupboard of the local type with panels carved with a type of linen-fold ornament.

^c(12). North Fold, house and outbuilding at the roadfork 600 yards W.S.W. of the church. The House is of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N. and W.; the W. wing, probably of 1674, is rather later in date than the N. wing. On the E. side is an oriel-window of five lights, now blocked. Inside the building the W. wing has a three-stage cupboard (Plate 40) of the local type with turned pendants to the carved fascia and the date and initials, 1674 C.B. and C. and A.B. A room in the N. wing has a muntin and plank partition of the local type with two panelled doors. A bedroom on the first floor retained till recently an original fixed bedstead and cupboard (Plate 59); the bedstead has crudely carved posts and the cupboard has panelled doors in two stages. There are also partitions like that on the floor below.

The Outbuilding, W. of the house, has an open timber spinning-gallery on the E. side approached by an external stone staircase.

^c(13). Brow Head, house on the W. side of the road 60 yards N. of (12), has a tablet on the S. front with the date and initials 1692 T. and M.B. (probably Thomas and Margaret Braithwaite). The W. chimney-stack has an original cylindrical shaft. Inside the building are some original panelled doors and a two-stage cupboard of the local type, with pendants and carved fascia bearing the same initials and date as the tablet. These are again repeated on one of the two small cupboards flanking a fireplace, while the second has the initials T.B., M.B. 168–.

^c(14). High Fold, house on the E. side of the road 50 yards N.E. of (13), has an original entrance door with three round-headed panels. The E. chimney-stack has a small cupola above the opening of the flue. Inside the building is a cupboard of the local type with pendants, fascia and the initials and date S.B. 1689. The original staircase has symmetrically turned balusters.

^c(15). House in garden of Crag House and 550 yards W. of the church, is roofless and ivy grown.

Condition—Ruined.

^c(16). Cottage, at Longmire Yeat, 530 yards N.W. of the church.

^c(17). Longmire Yeat, cottage, two tenements immediately N. of (16), has a chimney-stack with the initials and date G.B. 1649. Inside the building is a three-stage cupboard of the local type with carved upper panels, pendants and a fascia with the initials and date M.B. 1643.

^c(18). Barn, 150 yards N. of (17), has a later extension at the N. end and loop-lights.

^c(19). Great House, on the W. side of the road and nearly opposite (18), was formerly part of a larger building. Inside the house is a small cupboard with a carved panel above and the date and initials 1677 I.L. (for I. Longmire).

^c(20). Drummermire, house 700 yards N.N.W. of the church, contains an early 18th-century fireplace with a projecting head and fluted key-stone; next to it is a small cupboard with the date and initials 1686 W.B.

^c(21). Jownie Wife House (Plate 23), 20 yards N.E. of (20), has various later additions.

^c(22). Mortal Man Inn, incorporates the remains of a 17th-century building. It contains an early 18th-century fireplace with a projecting head and fluted key-stone. There is also a small cupboard with the initials in metal I. and A.C. Incorporated in modern work is a timber with the date and initials 1689 I.C. (for Isaac Cookson).

^c(23). Backside Cottage, two tenements, 100 yards N. of (22), has a later addition on the E. On the S. wall is a plaster panel with the date and initials 1686 W. and I.B. (for William and Jane Browne). Inside the building is an early 18th-century fireplace similar to that in (20).

^c(24). High Green Farm, house 80 yards N.E. of (23), has two original panelled doors.

^c(25). Stone from former cottage, re-set in a drinkingfountain at the Queen's Head Inn 1,050 yards N. of the church, bears the initials and dates 1631, T.B. 1666.

^c(26). Cottage, at Town Head 70 yards N.N.E. of (25), has a modern addition on the S. Inside the building is a cupboard of the local type with pendants and carved fascia bearing the initials and date T. and E.W. 1693.

^c(27). Buckcess, cottage 20 yards N. of (26).

^c(28). Cottage, 80 yards N.E. of (27), is of late 17th or early 18th-century date.

^b(29). Troutbeck Park, house nearly 2 m. N.N.E. of the church, was built probably late in the 17th or early in the 18th century but has been much altered and enlarged. It contains a cupboard of the local type, dated 1667 but brought from elsewhere.

^c(30). Wood Farm, house nearly 1½ m. S.W. of the church, has been much altered and enlarged. It retains an original chimney-stack with a cylindrical shaft. Inside the building a beam in the drawing-room has the date 1685 carved on it; beside the fireplace is a low projection with a shallow niche on the front and a shallow basin or sinking on the top; a small cupboard bears the initials and date W. and B.M. 1685. On three sides of the room is a plaster frieze (Plate 50) with fleurs-de-lis and other enrichments. Another room has a cupboard of the local type with the initials and date W. and B.M. 1688. Elsewhere there is a partition of moulded muntins and planks. A bedroom on the first floor has remains of painted inscriptions in black letter and simple enrichments; one inscription runs "O God of thee one thing do I require, Thine holy place for that is my desire." There are a number of original doors.

^d(31). Middlerigg, house ¼ m. S.S.E. of (30), was built probably early in the 18th century and subsequently enlarged. Inside the building is a fireplace similar to that in (20).

^d(32). Ecclerigg Farm, house 380 yards S.W. of (31), has stables and a long cow-house forming a S.W. wing.

Unclassified

^b(33). Stone Circle, on the W. edge of Hird Wood and ¼ m. W.N.W. of (29), occupies a natural terrace on the hill-side. Only one stone is now left standing upright and is of a height above ground of approximately 3½ ft.—but a fallen stone adjoining it and two other fragments which would appear to be approximately in their original position suggest that this was a ring of about 38 ft. diameter. Some 15 ft. to the W. is a modern stone wall, incorporated in the base of which are three standing stones (one 3 ft. high) suggesting that they formed part of an outer ring. The inner ring stands on a slight mound, the top of which is of an average height of 2¾ ft. above the surrounding ground, the base having a diameter of 55 ft.

An unpolished stone celt was found near the site in 1893 (C. and W. Trans. N.S. XXXIV. 91).

Condition—Bad.

^{a and b}(34). Cairns, in Troutbeck Park over 3 m. N. of the church, form two groups. No. 1 group consists of two cairns. The more southerly still retains a few stones but these have been built up to form two small shelters probably in modern times. The other has now disappeared except for a very slight roughly circular rising in the ground suggesting that a few stones may have remained embedded in the ground and have been overgrown. The two cairns are approximately 10 yards apart.

No. 2 group again consists of two cairns about 50 yards apart; both are rather the sites of cairns, the more northerly now showing nothing more than one or two stones showing up through the soil, while the more southerly retains a few of its stones. All these cairns would appear to have been about 20 ft. in diameter.

Condition—Bad.

^a(35). Foundations of buildings in Troutbeck Park about 3½ m. N. of the church. The middle group is situated on the S. bank of Sad Gill and 145 yards from its junction with Troutbeck and consists of the faint traces of the foundations of a roughly rhomboidal structure which would appear to have been divided into three chambers (plan, p. xlvi). All that can be seen are slight banks with a few small heaps of stones, the former being very slight and indistinct in places. About 14 yards further down the bank of the Gill are some outcroppings of stones which suggest further works but are too fragmentary to indicate any plan.

The N. group, 350 yards N.N.E. of the first and situated towards the end of a small spur running down into the valley, is now very faint but appears to be traces of two roughly rectangular buildings one about 18 ft. by 15 ft. with faint traces of a transverse wall and the more southerly building about 12 ft. by 9 ft.

The S. group, 100 yards S.E. of the first, lies between two small mounds which would appear to be natural and consists of a rectangular foundation about 5½ yards by 13 yards with traces of a passage dividing it into two chambers about 8 yards and 4 yards long respectively (plan, p. xlvi). Immediately to the E. one or two odd stones showing through the turf suggest that the aforementioned remains were part of a larger structure. Further down the spur on which this work stands and running roughly down its centre until the spur dies out just short of the bank of the Troutbeck is a line of boulders, forming a straight line which would appear probably to bear some relation to the neighbouring structures.

Condition—Bad.