Hincaster
Encyclopedia
Hincaster is a small hamlet
and civil parish in the South Lakeland
district of Cumbria
, England
, located between Kendal
and Milnthorpe
. It has a population of 195. Hincaster is most famous for the Hincaster Tunnel which is the longest tunnel on the Lancaster Canal
.
, 378 yards (345.6 m) long, it is lined with something like four million brick
s; these in a district where bricks were generally scarce as building material, were made from clay dug at Mosside Farm, on the canalside about 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south south east of Milness, by the present A65. On 4 February 4 1817, it was reported that 'two million bricks had been made and half the length of the tunnel
completed'.
The Mosside brickworks were too efficient, for in 1818, Thomas Fletcher
, the canal engineer, put up for sale 10,000 bricks, left over from the tunnel. Interestingly enough, these clay pits and the brickworks were resuscitated in 1845, employing over 100 men and 30 horses; these bricks were made for the new Lancaster to Carlisle railway.
Navvies, the tough canal 'navigators' who were to dig the Hincaster section, attended the contract meeting in Kendal
, afterwards causing a considerable riot in the town'. The Westmorland
Advertiser promptly declared 'Sound policy demands that the ruffians should be held as an example to the unruly multitude which the culling of the canal will shortly bring to this populous neighbourhood'.
was a single track railway branch line of the Furness Railway
which ran from Arnside
on the Furness main line to a junction with the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway
(later the London and North Western Railway
) at Hincaster Junction (Conolly, 1997). Intermediate stations were provided at Sandside
and Heversham
. The branch was opened in 1867, but passenger services ended on 4 May 1942 and the track between Sandside and Hincaster Junction was lifted in 1966. A short stub from Arnside
to Sandside lasted into the 1970s to serve local quarries.
. He has since moved away.
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
and civil parish in the South Lakeland
South Lakeland
South Lakeland is a local government district in Cumbria, England. Its council is based in Kendal. It includes much of the Lake District.The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972...
district of 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...
, located between Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
and Milnthorpe
Milnthorpe
Milnthorpe is a large village within the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. Straddling the A6 road, the town contains several old hostelries and hosts a market in The Square every Friday...
. It has a population of 195. Hincaster is most famous for the Hincaster Tunnel which is the longest tunnel on the Lancaster Canal
Lancaster Canal
The Lancaster Canal is a canal in the north of England, originally planned to run from Westhoughton in Lancashire to Kendal in south Cumbria...
.
Hincaster Tunnel
The building of Hincaster tunnel removed the major obstacle on the northern section of the canal. Faced with limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, 378 yards (345.6 m) long, it is lined with something like four million brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
s; these in a district where bricks were generally scarce as building material, were made from clay dug at Mosside Farm, on the canalside about 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south south east of Milness, by the present A65. On 4 February 4 1817, it was reported that 'two million bricks had been made and half the length of the tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
completed'.
The Mosside brickworks were too efficient, for in 1818, Thomas Fletcher
Thomas Fletcher
Thomas Fletcher was a minor English poet and priest of the Church of England. He was born in Avington, Hampshire, received his B.A., M.A., and D.D. from New College, Oxford. He received the doctorate in 1707. He was the parish priest for Fairfield Somerset in 1694 and moved on to be the...
, the canal engineer, put up for sale 10,000 bricks, left over from the tunnel. Interestingly enough, these clay pits and the brickworks were resuscitated in 1845, employing over 100 men and 30 horses; these bricks were made for the new Lancaster to Carlisle railway.
Navvies, the tough canal 'navigators' who were to dig the Hincaster section, attended the contract meeting in Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
, afterwards causing a considerable riot in the town'. The Westmorland
Westmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
Advertiser promptly declared 'Sound policy demands that the ruffians should be held as an example to the unruly multitude which the culling of the canal will shortly bring to this populous neighbourhood'.
Hincaster Branch Railway
The Hincaster BranchHincaster Branch
The Hincaster Branch was a single track railway branch line of the Furness Railway which ran from on the Furness main line to a junction with the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway at Hincaster. Intermediate stations were provided at and Heversham...
was a single track railway branch line of the Furness Railway
Furness Railway
The Furness Railway was a railway company operating in the Furness area of Lancashire in North West England.-History:The company was established on May 23, 1844 when the Furness Railway Act was passed by Parliament...
which ran from Arnside
Arnside
Arnside is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, England. It faces the estuary of the River Kent on the north eastern corner of Morecambe Bay, within the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
on the Furness main line to a junction with the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway
Lancaster 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...
(later the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
) at Hincaster Junction (Conolly, 1997). Intermediate stations were provided at Sandside
Sandside railway station
Sandside was a railway station situated on the Hincaster Branch of the Furness Railway. The following station was Heversham, which was the last on the branch before the line joined what is now known as the West Coast Main Line at Hincaster Junction, south of Oxenholme.A Furness Railway local...
and Heversham
Heversham
Heversham is a small village and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. It has a variety of recreational facilities, including tennis courts, bowling green, swimming pool and a playground...
. The branch was opened in 1867, but passenger services ended on 4 May 1942 and the track between Sandside and Hincaster Junction was lifted in 1966. A short stub from Arnside
Arnside
Arnside is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, England. It faces the estuary of the River Kent on the north eastern corner of Morecambe Bay, within the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
to Sandside lasted into the 1970s to serve local quarries.
Famous Residents
The most famous resident to ever live in Hincaster was Dave Benson Phillips, famous for the children's TV show 'Get Your Own Back'Get Your Own Back
Get Your Own Back is a British children's game show, which ran from 26 September 1991 to 31 March 2003. It has been presented throughout by Dave Benson Phillips with the addition of Lisa Brockwell as a co-host from 2001 to the programme's end in 2003....
. He has since moved away.