Wetheral
Encyclopedia
Wetheral is a village and civil parish
in Cumbria
, England
. The village serves mostly as a dormitory town
for nearby Carlisle. As of the 2001 census
, the population of the Wetheral Ward
is 4,039. The civil parish
of Wetheral is slightly larger, with a population of 5,203. Along with nearby Scotby
, Wetheral is one of the most affluent villages in North Cumbria.
Wetheral stands high on a bank overlooking a gorge in the River Eden
. Parts of the riverbank here are surrounded by ancient woodland
s, including Wetheral Woods, owned by the National Trust
. Formerly a small ferryboat operated to the village of Great Corby
on the opposite bank, and an iron ring can still be found attached to the rocks on the Great Corby side of the river where the ferry would tie up.
The Newcastle to Carlisle Railway has a station
here at the west end of Corby Bridge (popularly known as 'Wetheral Viaduct
') over the Eden which acts also as a footbridge connecting with Great Corby. The station was closed during the Beeching cuts
in 1967, but was reopened in 1981.
In the Middle Ages there was a priory
at Wetheral. All that is left now is the gatehouse
, which is in the care of English Heritage
, and some low ruined walls behind the farm buildings that now occupy the site.
At the historic core of the village lies the village green, in one corner of which stands Wetheral Cross. The cross previously stood in the centre of the green before it was moved. The green is surrounded by large period houses in different styles, and the Fantails restaurant, shop and tea room front the green. The church, hotel (The Crown), village hall, hairdresser and pub (The Wheatsheaf) are not far away. The north western part of the village is known as Wetheral Plain and consists of a ribbon development along Plains Road and the housing estates of Greenacres and Faustin Hill.
There is no school in the village (it closed many years ago) and most primary school children travel to the school at Scotby, although some go to Great Corby or Warwick Bridge. The village lies in the catchment area of the Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle, although the William Howard School
in nearby Brampton
provides a bus service for pupils who wish to attend school there. This is undertaken by most pupils despite having to pay a fee for the service rather than using the free bus to the catchment school.
The ward of Wetheral includes the villages and hamlets of Warwick-on-Eden
, Aglionby
, Scotby
, Cotehill, Cumwhinton
, Wetheral Shield and Wetheral Pasture. The civil parish also includes part of the Great Corby & Geltsdale ward, containing Great Corby
, Warwick Bridge
(but not Corby Hill or Little Corby), and Heads Nook
.
At Wetheral Shield is the Eden Animal Rescue Centre.
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...
in 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...
. The village serves mostly as a dormitory town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
for nearby Carlisle. As of the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, the population of the Wetheral Ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
is 4,039. 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 Wetheral is slightly larger, with a population of 5,203. Along with nearby Scotby
Scotby
Scotby is a village in the City of Carlisle district of Cumbria, England, United Kingdom. It is separated from Carlisle itself only by the M6 Motorway, and is close to other dormitory villages in the area, such as Wetheral, Cumwhinton and Aglionby....
, Wetheral is one of the most affluent villages in North Cumbria.
Wetheral stands high on a bank overlooking a gorge in the River 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...
. Parts of the riverbank here are surrounded by ancient woodland
Ancient woodland
Ancient woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England and Wales . Before those dates, planting of new woodland was uncommon, so a wood present in 1600 was likely to have developed naturally...
s, including Wetheral Woods, owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. Formerly a small ferryboat operated to the village of Great Corby
Great Corby
Great Corby is a village in northern Cumbria, England, above the eastern bank of a wooded gorge on the River Eden. Directly across the river from Great Corby is the village of Wetheral. The two villages are linked by a railway viaduct...
on the opposite bank, and an iron ring can still be found attached to the rocks on the Great Corby side of the river where the ferry would tie up.
The Newcastle to Carlisle Railway has a station
Wetheral railway station
Wetheral railway station is on the Newcastle-Carlisle Tyne Valley Line in northern England, situated some seven minutes from Carlisle. The station serves the affluent village of Wetheral.Passenger services are provided by Northern Rail....
here at the west end of Corby Bridge (popularly known as 'Wetheral Viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
') over the Eden which acts also as a footbridge connecting with Great Corby. The station was closed during the Beeching cuts
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
in 1967, but was reopened in 1981.
In the Middle Ages there was a priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
at Wetheral. All that is left now is the gatehouse
Wetheral Priory Gatehouse
Wetheral Priory Gatehouse is almost all that remains of the Benedictine Wetheral Priory in Wetheral, Cumbria. Wetheral Priory, was founded in 1106 from its motherhouse of St. Mary's Abbey, York. The gatehouse is virtually the only standing remnant of the much grander Priory buildings, and was the...
, which is in the care of English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
, and some low ruined walls behind the farm buildings that now occupy the site.
At the historic core of the village lies the village green, in one corner of which stands Wetheral Cross. The cross previously stood in the centre of the green before it was moved. The green is surrounded by large period houses in different styles, and the Fantails restaurant, shop and tea room front the green. The church, hotel (The Crown), village hall, hairdresser and pub (The Wheatsheaf) are not far away. The north western part of the village is known as Wetheral Plain and consists of a ribbon development along Plains Road and the housing estates of Greenacres and Faustin Hill.
There is no school in the village (it closed many years ago) and most primary school children travel to the school at Scotby, although some go to Great Corby or Warwick Bridge. The village lies in the catchment area of the Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle, although the William Howard School
William Howard School
The William Howard School is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school on Longtown Road in Brampton, Cumbria, England for pupils aged 11–18.-The school today:...
in nearby Brampton
Brampton, Carlisle, Cumbria
Brampton is a small market town and civil parish within the City of Carlisle district of Cumbria, England about 9 miles east of Carlisle and 2 miles south of Hadrian's Wall. It is situated off the A69 road which bypasses it...
provides a bus service for pupils who wish to attend school there. This is undertaken by most pupils despite having to pay a fee for the service rather than using the free bus to the catchment school.
The ward of Wetheral includes the villages and hamlets of Warwick-on-Eden
Warwick-on-Eden
Warwick-on-Eden is a small village in the City of Carlisle District of the county of Cumbria, England.- Location :It is located on the River Eden and also near the River Irthing and is on the A69 road about seven miles from Carlisle and about seven miles from Brampton.- Other nearby settlements...
, Aglionby
Aglionby, Cumbria
Aglionby is a village in Cumbria, England.Aglionby lies within the civil parish of Wetheral and thus forms part of the district administered as the City of Carlisle....
, Scotby
Scotby
Scotby is a village in the City of Carlisle district of Cumbria, England, United Kingdom. It is separated from Carlisle itself only by the M6 Motorway, and is close to other dormitory villages in the area, such as Wetheral, Cumwhinton and Aglionby....
, Cotehill, Cumwhinton
Cumwhinton
Cumwhinton is a small village in Cumberland, England. It is around one mile away from both Scotby and Wetheral, and four miles from Carlisle. The village lies in Wetheral civil parish-History and facilities:...
, Wetheral Shield and Wetheral Pasture. The civil parish also includes part of the Great Corby & Geltsdale ward, containing Great Corby
Great Corby
Great Corby is a village in northern Cumbria, England, above the eastern bank of a wooded gorge on the River Eden. Directly across the river from Great Corby is the village of Wetheral. The two villages are linked by a railway viaduct...
, Warwick Bridge
Warwick Bridge
Warwick Bridge is a village in the City of Carlisle District of the county of Cumbria, England.- Location :It is located on the River Eden and also near the River Irthing and is on the A69 road, about seven miles away from the small city of Carlisle and about seven miles away from the small town of...
(but not Corby Hill or Little Corby), and Heads Nook
Heads Nook
Heads Nook is a village in the City of Carlisle District, in the English county of Cumbria. The village was served by Heads Nook railway station.- Nearby settlements :...
.
At Wetheral Shield is the Eden Animal Rescue Centre.