Hut

Want a cosy woodland shelter?  Here is a recreation of a Bark Peelers Hut at Hay Bridge Nature Reserve which looks as though nature is trying to colonise it.  In past times these would have been the summer residence of a bark peeler who would remove bark from oak trees before they were coppiced to supply local tanneries.  They would also make other woodland products to sell such as brooms, stakes, clothes pegs and baskets. We gathered around to admire the construction but some of those present disputed it was a bark peelers hut and suggested a charcoal burners hut (both occupations having used the Lakeland forests for centuries).

To give you some idea of  of the scale of the hut here is Bob bobbing down to enter.  Bark Peelers Huts had low circular walls and a central heath with a flue. Obviously the degradable material of the poles and sides of the original huts have long gone but the remains of the walls and hearths still can be found in the woods of Cumbria.  Charcoal burners huts on the other hand although the same shape were more temporary structures so their footprint can be harder to find.

Taking a higher view of the hut you can see that this is not the only piece of past woodland industries in this little corner of the Rusland valley for there is also a Potash Kiln.  These were usually built into hillsides and I think this one has been rebuilt by Hay Bridge Nature Reserve as part of their educational remit. Here is a front view...

Wood or more often green bracken would have been burnt in this to make potash for fertilisers but could also be mixed with burnt lime and tallow and boiled to make soft liquid soaps called lyes.  The other use was a combination of potash and alum which can fix the dye in the process of turning wool into dyed bolts of cloth.  About 15 miles east of here is the town that originally produced the colour Kendal Green, famous for being the colour that Robin Hood wore.  I have read that the last potash to come out of a Potash Kiln in Lakeland was about 1840.

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning at H here

History Walk in the Lickle Valley

The Duddon Valley Local History Group walk to visit the abundant settlement sites in the secluded Lickle Valley, South West Cumbria.

Weather: Rain, drizzle and mist.
Distance: 4.5 Miles 

Start: The Hawk Car Park (SD 239 919)

We all set off with full waterproofs out of the car park and up the road to turn off  right onto the fell-side where extensive tree felling has taken place and there was a wire fence at the access point where what had been the step stile had been disposed of by being thrown on the floor (an eagle eyed member spotted part of its remains in the undergrowth). Not deterred, a wire balancing act ensued before we headed up the hill to our objective - The Hawk - an Iron Age or Romano-British settlement.

The Hawk settlement consists of the remains of five round houses in a natural hollow with rocky outcrops, high up but secluded and is indeed perched  like a hawk. The rain came down so unfortunately precluded use of my camera but happily a member of  The Megalithic Portal visited in 2014  so there is  full description with photographs. I believe there have been several archaeological digs at this site and it is certainly one that  inspires the imagination.

We fought our way down through the muddle and disorder of branches, the aftermath of tree felling, and eventually met the forestry road and started the long walk upwards with the River Lickle in the distance below us. Reaching the scenic Natty Bridge over Yewry Syke ravine we crossed to the open fell . There are interesting lone standing stones or way-marks at this point on the hillside.

We continued to Stephenson Ground, Scale and stopped at the boat shaped remains of the double walled Viking longhouse in a sheltered position

A dreich day at the Longhouse

where at last my camera was unfurled as it was only drizzling. Pottery and charcoal have been found here dated to 12th-14th Century although there is evidence the site could be Bronze Age (c2000-800BC).  I presume the place name Scale is from the Old Norse skdli, a hut or shelter.

Duddon History Group at the Burial Cairn

We gathered around the burial cairn below the longhouse where our leader Mervyn and member Stephe discussed the archaeological topography. If it hadn't been deep misty haze there would have been a glorious view down the valley at this point.

Continuing down and reaching Stephenson Ground farm there is a beautifully preserved

Potash Kiln

potash kiln where in the past green bracken (high in potassium) would have been burnt for use as potash fertiliser in other words Pot- Ash.  It could also be used in the making of soaps (lyes) and dyes.

On the Edge

In the present day it is providing a wonderful habitat for growing moss.

The etymology of the name Stephenson Ground refers to the fact that this area was granted as wasteland to the Stephenson family by Furness Abbey in 1509, a farmhouse was built soon after.  The present building is probably 18th Century.

There are extensive barns from varying periods of time around it

and some nice examples of

the stone bars of water yeats over what is a trickle of the River Lickle.  Our walk almost over we turned down the road to head back to the car park passing

Water Yeat Bridge

over Water Yeat Packhorse Bridge where this curious bell shaped object was. One of our party explained it was to prevent carriage wheels from knocking into and damaging the bridge parapet and is the only one he has seen still in place.

Thanks to Mervyn for taking us all on a fascinating history walk.  Sorry for the dubious quality of the photographs a combination of poor conditions and a technical blunder but hope these give some impression of a fascinating place full of the echoes of history.

This was a typical wet February day in the Lake District with the mist hanging in the air and dampening  the sound, rivulets tumbling down rocks and the moss luxuriantly green softly glowing like lanterns in the grey of the day.  The shine of wet tree trunks greeted us in the valley with water droplets clinging to the branches and a profusion of catkins promising the spring to come. 

For more a more informed history of the area visit the Duddon Valley Local History Group site.