Kirkoswald, Cumbria
Encyclopedia
The village, civil parish and former market town
of Kirkoswald lies in the Lower Eden
Valley of Cumbria
, formerly Cumberland
, about 9 miles (14.5 km) from Penrith
. The village is usually referred to locally as KO.
The village's name means Church of St Oswald and the parish church is dedicated to Saint Oswald
, King of Northumbria
. The church lies on the southern edge of the village overlooking the River Eden close to the bridge which connects Kirkoswald to Lazonby
. St Oswald's Church is unique in having a 19th century bell tower on top of the hill 200 yards from the church itself. Parts of the church date from the 12th century, the chancel being added in 1523, when the "College" was founded by Thomas Dacre, 2nd Baron Dacre
and his wife. A sacred spring lies under the nave of the church, and a well is found on the west wall.
One of Kirkoswald's most splendid buildings is the "College", its name recalling the days when St Oswald's Church was a collegiate church. Originally built in 1450 as a Pele Tower
it became home to the Fetherstonhaugh family, after dissolution in 1547, who previously lived at Featherstone Castle
in Northumberland.
The village consists mainly of one main street rising up a steep hill passing through a market place on which the village's two pubs ("The Crown Inn", and the "Fetherston Arms") are situated. A third pub, The Black Bull, which at one time won awards for its food, overlooked the square but this closed in the early 1990s.
The village also has one shop which houses a Post office
, a Methodist church
and a well-attended primary school. Until quite recently there were further shops including a butcher, and a branch of the Midland Bank
.
Given market charter in the 13th century, the village held a market before it was resited at Lazonby and Kirkoswald railway station
after the creation of the Settle to Carlisle Railway Line
in 1876.
Kirkoswald is within the Eden District
of Cumbria. Included in the parish are the nearby village of Renwick
and the hamlets of Staffield, High Bankhill, Parkhead and Scales. From 1866 to 1934 Renwick and Staffield were separate civil parishes. The parish council meets at the village hall in Kirkoswald's former market square.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
of Kirkoswald lies in the Lower Eden
River Eden, Cumbria
The River Eden is a river that flows through Cumbria, England on its way to the Solway Firth.-Course of river:The Eden rises in Black Fell Moss, Mallerstang, on the high ground between High Seat, Yorkshire Dales and Hugh Seat. Here it forms the boundary between the counties of Cumbria and North...
Valley 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...
, formerly Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
, about 9 miles (14.5 km) from 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....
. The village is usually referred to locally as KO.
Oswald of Northumbria
Oswald was King of Northumbria from 634 until his death, and is now venerated as a Christian saint.Oswald was the son of Æthelfrith of Bernicia and came to rule after spending a period in exile; after defeating the British ruler Cadwallon ap Cadfan, Oswald brought the two Northumbrian kingdoms of...
, King of Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
. The church lies on the southern edge of the village overlooking the River Eden close to the bridge which connects Kirkoswald to Lazonby
Lazonby
Lazonby is a village and civil parish in the Lower Eden Valley of Cumbria about north north east of Penrith.The total population of the ward of Lazonby, which also includes the nearby villages of North Dykes, Great Salkeld and Salkeld Dykes, was 1,425 at the time of the 2001 UK Census...
. St Oswald's Church is unique in having a 19th century bell tower on top of the hill 200 yards from the church itself. Parts of the church date from the 12th century, the chancel being added in 1523, when the "College" was founded by Thomas Dacre, 2nd Baron Dacre
Thomas Dacre, 2nd Baron Dacre
Thomas Dacre, 2nd Baron Dacre of Gilsland, KG was the son of Humphrey Dacre, 1st Baron Dacre of Gilsland and Mabel Parr; great-aunt of queen consort Catherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII of England.-Early career:He was born in Cumberland...
and his wife. A sacred spring lies under the nave of the church, and a well is found on the west wall.
One of Kirkoswald's most splendid buildings is the "College", its name recalling the days when St Oswald's Church was a collegiate church. Originally built in 1450 as a Pele Tower
Peel tower
Peel towers are small fortified keeps or tower houses, built along the English and Scottish borders in the Scottish Marches and North of England, intended as watch towers where signal fires could be lit by the garrison to warn of approaching danger...
it became home to the Fetherstonhaugh family, after dissolution in 1547, who previously lived at Featherstone Castle
Featherstone Castle
Featherstone Castle, a Grade I listed building, is a large Gothic style country mansion situated on the bank of the River South Tyne about southwest of the town of Haltwhistle in Northumberland, England....
in Northumberland.
The village consists mainly of one main street rising up a steep hill passing through a market place on which the village's two pubs ("The Crown Inn", and the "Fetherston Arms") are situated. A third pub, The Black Bull, which at one time won awards for its food, overlooked the square but this closed in the early 1990s.
The village also has one shop which houses a Post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, a Methodist church
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
and a well-attended primary school. Until quite recently there were further shops including a butcher, and a branch of the Midland Bank
Midland Bank
Midland Bank Plc was one of the Big Four banking groups in the United Kingdom for most of the 20th century. It is now part of HSBC. The bank was founded as the Birmingham and Midland Bank in Union Street, Birmingham, England in August 1836...
.
Given market charter in the 13th century, the village held a market before it was resited at Lazonby and Kirkoswald railway station
Lazonby and Kirkoswald railway station
Lazonby and Kirkoswald railway station is a railway station which serves the villages of Lazonby and Kirkoswald in Cumbria, England. It is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services. It is situated in the centre of Lazonby and, like many other stations on the line, was...
after the creation of the Settle to Carlisle Railway Line
Settle-Carlisle Railway
The Settle–Carlisle Line is a long main railway line in northern England. It is also known as the Settle and Carlisle. It is a part of the National Rail network and was constructed in the 1870s...
in 1876.
Kirkoswald is within the Eden District
Eden, Cumbria
Eden is a local government district in Cumbria, England. Its council is based in Penrith. It is named after the River Eden which flows north through the district toward Carlisle....
of Cumbria. Included in the parish are the nearby village of Renwick
Renwick, Cumbria
Renwick, formerly known as Ravenwick, is a small village in the English county of Cumbria. It forms part of the civil parish of Kirkoswald in the District of Eden...
and the hamlets of Staffield, High Bankhill, Parkhead and Scales. From 1866 to 1934 Renwick and Staffield were separate civil parishes. The parish council meets at the village hall in Kirkoswald's former market square.