Smardale
Encyclopedia
Smardale is a small village in Cumbria
, England, in the civil parish
of Waitby
.
and 3.5km west of Kirkby Stephen
. To the south is Smardale fell whilst a boundary is formed to the west by Scandal Beck which flows from Smardalegill, a narrow valley to the southwest.
The name Smaredale may derive from smere, an ancient name for clover
, or from the old norse or old english for butter/fat/grease giving either valley of butter or valley of clover.
Chapel well, a Holy well
, is found west of Scandal Beck where it once stood within Smardale church. There are also other signs of ancient human activity: the archeological remains of settlements are found on Smardale fell, and around Smardalegill, pillow mounds, known locally as 'Giant's graves' which are thought by some to be for drying bracken, and not for rabbits. Oxenbrow wood, to the north of Smardale village is the site of a Heronry
.
, now forms part of the structure of the south eastern part of the current house.
The current buildings date from 15th and 16th centuries; being originally built on a courtyard plan with the tower incorporated into a east wing, now demolished. The southern part of the hall (now farm buildings) was the original great hall. Sir George Dalston, the castles occupant from 1761 made considerable alterations to the structure. The west wing, which is the current hall is unusual in having four conically roofed round towers at the corners of the structure, giving the structure an appearance similar to the Scottish baronial style of architecture.
The hall and associated buildings are Grade I listed structures. There is evidence for an earlier fortified structure from a motte and ditch discovered north of the hall.
with the eastern end of the valley of the River Lune
, Scandal beck runs north-northeast through it, as does the former Stainmore Railway.
Smardale Gill quarry was a large Limestone
quarry on the west side of Smardale gill, lime was also produced on site at two Limekiln
s with raw materials brought to the top of the kilns using an inclined plane
and a stationary engine. A railway siding on the Staimore line directly next to the kilns allowed lime to be carried away by rail. Both limekilns, as well as evidence for the engine house and inclined plane are still extant.
Smardale Gill nature reserve is a National Nature Reserve
(NNR) and Site of Special Scientific Interest
managed by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust
. Land in Smardale Gill was first acquired in 1978, later in 1991 the reserve acquired the trackbed of the former Stainmore railway from Smardale to Brownber
from British Rail
The site contains both woodland and grassland habitats and is a good example of a limestone habitat.
There is a small disused Sandstone
quarry at the south of the gill, at the far south end of the valley on the border with Ravenstonedale
civil parish is the 18th Century arched stone packhorse bridge known as Smardale bridge, now a Grade II listed structure.
(now a private dwelling). Going westwards it then crossed under the Settle to Carlisle railway line just east of Scandal beck before curving south through Smardalegill along the east bank. Within Smardalegill the line crosses the beck at a shallow angle by Smardalegill viaduct. The Settle to Carlisle railway line passes Smardale village to the south, travelling east-west; to the west the line crosses Scandal beck by Smardale viaduct.
Smardale Gill viaduct predates Smardale viaduct, being complete in 1861. The viaduct was designed by Sir Thomas Bouch
for the South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway and the construction contracted to Mr Wrigg, costing £11,928 to build. The bridge, which was built of local stone has 14 arches, and is 90 ft (27.4 m) high and 550 ft (167.6 m) long. It was single tracked despite being wide enough for a double line.
After the line closed in 1962 the viaduct fell into disrepair, by the 1980s the structure had become dangerous and was to be demolished. Instead the viaduct became a listed building, and British Rail
offered £230,000 (the estimated cost of demolition) towards its restoration. A charitable trust, the Northern Viaduct Trust was formed in 1989. The cost of repairs was £350,000 which included masonry repair, a new deck and waterproofing, and structural work to the viaduct. In 1992 the restoration was complete, the viaduct being subsequently used for pedestrian access to Smardale Gill nature reserve.
In 2010 after a harsh winter it was found that the viaduct had frost damage and required a further £30,000 of repairs.
Smardale viaduct was built by the contractors Benton & Woodiwiss for the Settle to Carlisle line of the Midland Railway
. The viaduct is 710 ft (216.4 m) long and 130 ft (39.6 m) high, the highest on the line. Over 60000 long tons (60,963 t) of stone was used in its construction. Local limestone was used for its construction, the arch quoin
s were of millstone grit
. Two of the twelve piers - the fourth and the tenth are of considerably heavier construction. The bridge opened in August 1875 having taken 5 years to construct, it crosses both Scandal beck and the former Stainmore railway line.
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, in the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Waitby
Waitby
Waitby is a small village and civil parish in the Eden district of Cumbria, England. The parish contains two small villages, Waitby and Smardale, plus the small hamlets of Riddlesay, Stripes and Leases, all of which are in the farmed and enclosured northern part at an elevation of around 200–300m...
.
Geography and history
The village of Smardale lies in hilly agricultural land at a height of around 220 m (721.8 ft) 1.75 km southeast of Crosby GarrettCrosby Garrett
Crosby Garrett is a hamlet and civil parish in the Eden District of Cumbria, England.In May 2010 the Crosby Garrett Helmet, a copper alloy parade helmet dating to Roman Britain was discovered near the hamlet.-Description:...
and 3.5km west of Kirkby Stephen
Kirkby Stephen
Kirkby Stephen is a civil parish and small market town in Cumbria, in North West England which historically, is part of Westmorland. The town is located on the A685, surrounded by sparsely populated hill country, and about from the two nearest larger towns, Kendal and Penrith...
. To the south is Smardale fell whilst a boundary is formed to the west by Scandal Beck which flows from Smardalegill, a narrow valley to the southwest.
The name Smaredale may derive from smere, an ancient name for clover
Clover
Clover , or trefoil, is a genus of about 300 species of plants in the leguminous pea family Fabaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution; the highest diversity is found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, but many species also occur in South America and Africa, including at high altitudes...
, or from the old norse or old english for butter/fat/grease giving either valley of butter or valley of clover.
Chapel well, a Holy well
Holy well
A holy well, or sacred spring, is a small body of water emerging from underground and revered either in a Pagan or Christian context, often both. Holy wells were frequently pagan sacred sites that later became Christianized. The term 'holy well' is commonly employed to refer to any water source of...
, is found west of Scandal Beck where it once stood within Smardale church. There are also other signs of ancient human activity: the archeological remains of settlements are found on Smardale fell, and around Smardalegill, pillow mounds, known locally as 'Giant's graves' which are thought by some to be for drying bracken, and not for rabbits. Oxenbrow wood, to the north of Smardale village is the site of a Heronry
Heronry
A heronry is a breeding ground for herons, sometimes called a heron rookery.- Asia :* Kaggaladu Heronry is in Karnataka state of India...
.
Smardale Hall
There has been a substantial dwelling in Smardale since at least the 14th century; a tower house, a remnant of which, a newelNewel
A newel, also called a central pole, is an upright post that supports the handrail of a stair banister. In stairs having straight flights it is the principal post at the foot of the staircase, but it can also be used for the intermediate posts on landings and at the top of a staircase...
, now forms part of the structure of the south eastern part of the current house.
The current buildings date from 15th and 16th centuries; being originally built on a courtyard plan with the tower incorporated into a east wing, now demolished. The southern part of the hall (now farm buildings) was the original great hall. Sir George Dalston, the castles occupant from 1761 made considerable alterations to the structure. The west wing, which is the current hall is unusual in having four conically roofed round towers at the corners of the structure, giving the structure an appearance similar to the Scottish baronial style of architecture.
The hall and associated buildings are Grade I listed structures. There is evidence for an earlier fortified structure from a motte and ditch discovered north of the hall.
Smardale Gill
Smardalegill is a small steep sided valley connecting Smardale and the valley of the River EdenRiver 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...
with the eastern end of the valley of the River Lune
River Lune
The River Lune is a river in Cumbria and Lancashire, England.It is formed at Wath, in the parish of Ravenstonedale, Cumbria, at the confluence of Sandwath Beck and Weasdale Beck...
, Scandal beck runs north-northeast through it, as does the former Stainmore Railway.
Smardale Gill quarry was a large Limestone
Limestone
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....
quarry on the west side of Smardale gill, lime was also produced on site at two Limekiln
Limekiln
A lime kiln is used to produce quicklime through the calcination of limestone . The chemical equation for this reaction is...
s with raw materials brought to the top of the kilns using an inclined plane
Inclined plane
The inclined plane is one of the original six simple machines; as the name suggests, it is a flat surface whose endpoints are at different heights. By moving an object up an inclined plane rather than completely vertical, the amount of force required is reduced, at the expense of increasing the...
and a stationary engine. A railway siding on the Staimore line directly next to the kilns allowed lime to be carried away by rail. Both limekilns, as well as evidence for the engine house and inclined plane are still extant.
Smardale Gill nature reserve is a National Nature Reserve
National Nature Reserve
For details of National nature reserves in the United Kingdom see:*National Nature Reserves in England*National Nature Reserves in Northern Ireland*National Nature Reserves in Scotland*National Nature Reserves in Wales...
(NNR) and Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
managed by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust
Cumbria Wildlife Trust
Cumbria Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the county of Cumbria, England. It is a registered charity and was established in 1962. It is a member of The Wildlife Trusts.-Aims:It aims to broaden the awareness and knowledge of the wildlife in Cumbria...
. Land in Smardale Gill was first acquired in 1978, later in 1991 the reserve acquired the trackbed of the former Stainmore railway from Smardale to Brownber
Brownber
Brownber is a hamlet surrounding Brownber Hall near Newbiggin-on-Lune in Cumbria, England....
from British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
The site contains both woodland and grassland habitats and is a good example of a limestone habitat.
There is a small disused Sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
quarry at the south of the gill, at the far south end of the valley on the border with Ravenstonedale
Ravenstonedale
Ravenstonedale is a village and large civil parish in Cumbria, on the watershed between the River Lune and River Eden. Historically also known as "Russendale", the parish is divided into four parts, Town, Newbiggin-on-Lune, Bowderdale and Fell End.-Village:...
civil parish is the 18th Century arched stone packhorse bridge known as Smardale bridge, now a Grade II listed structure.
Railways
Two railway lines ran through Smardale and past the village. The Stainmore Railway passed Smardale on the northern edge of the village, where there was a small halt, Smardale railway stationSmardale railway station
Smardale railway station was a minor station on the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway between Tebay and Kirkby Stephen East. It served the villages of Smardale and Waitby...
(now a private dwelling). Going westwards it then crossed under the Settle to Carlisle railway line just east of Scandal beck before curving south through Smardalegill along the east bank. Within Smardalegill the line crosses the beck at a shallow angle by Smardalegill viaduct. The Settle to Carlisle railway line passes Smardale village to the south, travelling east-west; to the west the line crosses Scandal beck by Smardale viaduct.
Smardale Gill viaduct predates Smardale viaduct, being complete in 1861. The viaduct was designed by Sir Thomas Bouch
Thomas Bouch
Sir Thomas Bouch was a British railway engineer in Victorian Britain.He was born in Thursby, near Carlisle, Cumberland, England and lived in Edinburgh. He helped develop the caisson and the roll-on/roll-off train ferry. He worked initially for the North British Railway and helped design parts of...
for the South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway and the construction contracted to Mr Wrigg, costing £11,928 to build. The bridge, which was built of local stone has 14 arches, and is 90 ft (27.4 m) high and 550 ft (167.6 m) long. It was single tracked despite being wide enough for a double line.
After the line closed in 1962 the viaduct fell into disrepair, by the 1980s the structure had become dangerous and was to be demolished. Instead the viaduct became a listed building, and British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
offered £230,000 (the estimated cost of demolition) towards its restoration. A charitable trust, the Northern Viaduct Trust was formed in 1989. The cost of repairs was £350,000 which included masonry repair, a new deck and waterproofing, and structural work to the viaduct. In 1992 the restoration was complete, the viaduct being subsequently used for pedestrian access to Smardale Gill nature reserve.
In 2010 after a harsh winter it was found that the viaduct had frost damage and required a further £30,000 of repairs.
Smardale viaduct was built by the contractors Benton & Woodiwiss for the Settle to Carlisle line of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
. The viaduct is 710 ft (216.4 m) long and 130 ft (39.6 m) high, the highest on the line. Over 60000 long tons (60,963 t) of stone was used in its construction. Local limestone was used for its construction, the arch quoin
Quoin (architecture)
Quoins are the cornerstones of brick or stone walls. Quoins may be either structural or decorative. Architects and builders use quoins to give the impression of strength and firmness to the outline of a building...
s were of millstone grit
Millstone Grit
Millstone Grit is the name given to any of a number of coarse-grained sandstones of Carboniferous age which occur in the Northern England. The name derives from its use in earlier times as a source of millstones for use principally in watermills...
. Two of the twelve piers - the fourth and the tenth are of considerably heavier construction. The bridge opened in August 1875 having taken 5 years to construct, it crosses both Scandal beck and the former Stainmore railway line.
Images
- Smardale gill Limestone Quarry www.mine-explorer.co.uk
- Images from grid NY7206 Smardale Gill and surroundings, www.geograph.org.uk
- Images from grid NY7308 Smardale village and surroundings www.geograph.org.uk
- Smardale Viaduct www.visitcumbria.com
- Smardale Gill Viaduct www.forgottenrelics.co.uk