Blencow

Blencow, in the Eden valley, is sited on the Petteril river, which divides it into two parts: Great and Little Blencow. The Blencow family lived in the area from the early 1300s. A partly fortified house, Blencow hall, not the original seat of the family, was built in the late 1500s and has a ruined tower at each end, one dating from the 1600s. The hall range has mullioned windows and has the date 1590 inscribed over the entrance. Chapel ruins and a burial ground sit nearby.

One of the founding members of the Society of Friends, George Whitehead, went to school here. Another famous son became Lord Chief Justice of England in the late 1700s.

The Crown Inn dates from the 17^th century and was once a row of cottages. In 1865 a railway station opened in the village. It was used by the local limeworks. The station closed in 1972.

Location Map of Blencow
Blencow is on the B5305, four miles north-west of Penrith.

Photos courtesy Andy Wallace

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