Wigton
Wigton maps (2 available)
Map of Cumbria
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
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Wigton memories
Read and share memories of Wigton and Cumbria inspired by Frith photos
wigton boy
I was born in wigton in 1951. We lived at 19 Brackenlands, a friendly housing estate where everyone knew everyone. My early years were spent at Saint Cuthberts school and at the age of eleven attended the secondary modern or affectionately called the whitewashed cow shed. The school has been replaced by houses now. On leaving school I went to work for Ike Wilkinson as an apprentice carpenter on Market Hill the business having been bought from Jack Hutton. I later went to work at Banks Woodyard on station hill opposite the railway station. On leaving there I went into the merchant navy. My mother still lives in Wigton at The Crofts. I can still remember collecting rose hips, brambles and ...read more here
Contributed by richard robinson
Early years!
I lived in Wigton for the first 8 years of my life, so 1955 is a mid point!
I have happy memories of the town. We lived in West Avenue when it was known as 'the avenue' - an unmade up road and for years I thought that if a road was called 'avenue' it was full of puddles when it rained and dry mud when it didn't. We played on that avenue all the time - 'dens', climbing trees, hooa hoop! I remember being bitten by a dog on my way to Sunday School when I was about 4 - just missed my eye! I remember a dentist opposite the church I think, where the smell of gas was always ...read more here
Contributed by Kath Panes
I have fond memories of Brookfield School, Wigton.
I was a foreign exchange student at Brookfield School in 1984-85. Coming from Mexico I found the place to be a completely different planet from what I was used to at home. I must say that year was one of the happiest and most exciting in my whole life. I am now 40. I was there when the school was taken over by another administration. Later I learned that it had disappeared due to a fire. I have to mention my good friend Mr Trevor Green the headmaster. He made me feel at home thousands of miles away from my home country. I will never forget Mrs Barbara Rowe (maths), Mr John Woodcock (PE), and Mrs Celia Howarth (French, Italian). To ...read more here
Contributed by Bernardo Garza
Cumbria memories
I have fond memories of Brookfield School, Wigton.
I was a foreign exchange student at Brookfield School in 1984-85. Coming from Mexico I found the place to be a completely different planet from what I was used to at home. I must say that year was one of the happiest and most exciting in my whole life. I am now 40. I was there when the school was taken over by another administration. Later I learned that it had disappeared due to a fire. I have to mention my good friend Mr Trevor Green the headmaster. He made me feel at home thousands of miles away from my home country. I will never forget Mrs Barbara Rowe (maths), Mr John Woodcock (PE), and Mrs Celia Howarth (French, Italian). To ...read more here
A memory of Wigton contributed by Bernardo Garza
Extracts From Wigton & Cumbria books
Here a group of visitors pause to admire the view from Purse Point across the lake towards Glenridding. Ullswater, or
‘Ulph’s-water’, takes its name from the Viking settler Lyulph, whose name was popularised in the 18th century when the
Duke of Norfolk, then owner of Greystoke Castle, built the folly called Lyulph’s Tower on the north side of the lake.
An extract from from"Penrith Photographic Memories".
Penruddock is a small village on the edge of the Lake District
National Park, about five miles west of Penrith. Its name is
thought to be Celtic in origin. The slightly raised location affords
fine views of the Lake District hills to the west and south. The
view is of the east end of the village, looking towards Saddleback.
Modern buildings have since replaced some shown here.
An extract from from"Penrith Photographic Memories".
About half a mile south of the village of Blencow is the house
known as Ennim Bank. The name derives from ‘innam’, meaning
a piece of land which was enclosed or taken in. It is thought to
have been the original residence of the Blencow family before
they moved to Blencow Hall. In the mid 19th century George
Troutbeck greatly improved the mansion and ornamented it with
‘plantations’. More recently it was the home of Viscount William
Whitelaw of Penrith until his death in 1999.
An extract from from"Penrith Photographic Memories".
This hall near Greystoke
was built with defence in
mind. The pele towers of
such buildings protected
owners, their livestock and
goods against raiding Scots
and from the lawlessness
to which they were more
vulnerable due to the
remoteness of the region. The
Act of Union ended border
warfare and Henry Blencow
who lived here was knighted
by King James I and became
Sheriff of Cumberland.
An extract from from"Penrith Photographic Memories".
Hutton John was anciently
part of the Baronry of
Greystoke, and was held
by the Hutton family.
When Thomas Hutton
died without an heir in the
reign of Elizabeth I, the
estate passed by marriage
to Andrew Huddleston
and the mansion became
the main residence of the
Huddleston family. It began
as a square castellated pele
tower to which was added
a hall range. It was further
extended and modernised in
the 19th century.
An extract from from"Penrith Photographic Memories".