Kirkby Stephen Mart: Kirkby Stephen is an excellent spot to pick up a few bargains as well as view some lovely sights, with a plethora of family-owned stores and a market every Monday. Since 1352, the Cumbrian town of Westmorland has had a market charter, and its stalls sell everything from textiles to foods from local farms. A building with a triangular roof and a series of stone Pillars may be seen from the market square at any time.
The Cloisters were created in 1810 as a refuge for those heading to the Parish Church after visiting the market, and they may look like something from old Rome. It includes an inscription on the front dedicated to the remembrance of John Waller Esq, a local Navy man who left the necessary funds in his will for the construction. A location just outside of town takes you even further back in time. Pendragon Castle is now in ruins, but according to mythology, it was erected by King Arthur’s father and served as one of the north’s most important fortifications.
While little proof exists, legend has it that Pendragon and 100 of his warriors died on the spot after Saxon invaders poisoned the well. The current building is from a different era. It was built in the 12th century by Norman Sir Hugh de Morville, who is thought to have chosen the site because of its historical significance and proximity to the River Eden. He was one of Henry II’s most devoted knights, and he is well remembered for being one of three people engaged in the assassination of Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket in 1170.
Known as Countess Pillar
The castle was passed down via de Morville’s family, although it was seriously damaged by fire in 1541. Countess of Dorset Lady Anne Clifford took over the property in the 17th century and restored it to its former splendor. The castle, however, was abandoned and demolished following her death. Lady Clifford was evidently a fan of de Morville since she arranged for a pillar to be erected atop Hugh Seat, the fall that marks the border between Cumbria and Yorkshire and overlooks Kirkby Stephen, with a dedication to the knight.
Known as Countess Pillar, it also pays tribute to Lady Clifford’s mother because it stands where she last saw her before her death. The position, like the rest of Hugh Seat, provides spectacular views over Cotterdale and Wensleydale to the southeast, as well as Mallerstag to the west. Brough Castle is another historical location near Kirkby Stephen. It, too, is in ruins, but it dates from a century older than Pendragon. It was built in approximately 1092 by William I on the site of an earlier Roman fort. Because it was a Royal home, it was repeatedly attacked by Scots. It was even taken by William the Lion, King of Scotland, in 1174, who ordered his forces to burn it down.
Robert de Vieuxpont was given the castle by King John in 1203 and renovated it with a new keep and gatehouse. The building passed into the hands of the Clifford family later that century, and then to the aforementioned Lady Anne more than three centuries later. She restored most of the structure and added major modifications, including additional stables, but degradation set in after her death, as it had with Pendragon. In 1763, some of the castle’s stone was stolen for Brough Mill restoration work, causing it to fall deeper into disrepair.
The remaining structure is now maintained by English Heritage and is open to the public for free. The Poetry Path is a popular hike near Kirkby Stephen. It was built by the East Cumbria Countryside Project to commemorate the region’s natural beauty and is centered on “a year in the life of a fellside farmer.” Meg Peacocke wrote a sequence of 12 poems, with the words cut into stone tablets and pillars set at strategic locations along the trail. The town is also on Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route, which stretches from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay on the east coast.
Kirkby Stephen has a Train station on the Settle line
Kirkby Stephen, at the top of the Eden Valley, has the best of both worlds, with the Lake District’s fells and streams to the west and the Yorkshire Dales National Park’s valleys and moorlands to the east. This medieval market town isn’t often thought of as a “honeypot” site in the Lake District, but for those who know, it’s right on the doorstep of one of the region’s few remaining wild and untouched landscapes.
Hundreds of miles of quiet roads and trails are available to those seeking the serenity and peace of a walking holiday away from the hustle and bustle of larger cities. Despite its remote location, Kirkby Stephen is a self-contained community with a diverse choice of shops, stores, restaurants, cafés, inns, a post office, two banks, and, of course, top-quality tried and tested holiday accommodations ready to lay out the red carpet for their visitors.
Market
Roger de Clifford, Baron of Westmorland, received a license from King Edward III in 1352–1353 to hold a market and two annual fairs in the town. A charter was granted by King James I in 1605 to George, Earl of Cumberland, for “one market on Monday and two fairs yearly; one on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday after Whitsuntide and the other on the two days next before the feast of St Luke” reaffirmed this.
The Monday market, which includes animal sales at the Mart on Faraday Road and stalls on Market Square, is still a big deal in the town and surrounding region. The 400th anniversary of King James’ charter was commemorated with special events. Every year at the end of October, St Luke’s Fair, or Charter Day, is commemorated with the reading of the Charter at the Charter Stone in Market Street. Tup sales, which are particularly significant in this sheep-rearing area, are still held around this time each year.
Facilities
There are various antique shops, restaurants, cafés, bars, and an Upper Eden Visitor Centre in the town. Cumbria/Britain in Bloom has given Kirkby Stephen multiple awards. Kirkby Stephen is a popular tourist destination in the Upper Eden Valley, as well as a starting point for walking excursions of the area. It is part of Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk, which he designed in 1973.
The “Mallerstang Horseshoe and Nine Standards Yomp,” travels a hard route along the high ground on both sides of the neighboring dale of Mallerstang, including Wild Boar Fell and the top of nearby Nine Standards Rigg, takes place every June. Walkers are drawn to the surrounding countryside. There is a Mountain Rescue Team in Kirkby Stephen to help anyone who is not properly equipped for the hard conditions on the fallen peaks. The library’s community and council center provide information and services to all local councils, including county, district, and parish councils.
Governance
Kirkby Stephen is part of the Penrith and the Border parliamentary constituency. At the 2019 General Election, Neil Hudson was elected as the Conservative Party’s Member of Parliament, succeeding Rory Stewart. Prior to Brexit, the town was part of the European Parliamentary Constituency for North West England.
Kirkby Stephen has a parish council and serves as a hub for Nateby, Ravenstonedale, and Mallerstang, among other villages and parishes. The same-named electoral ward spans south to Aisgill, having a total population of 2,580 according to the 2011 Census. The town’s population was 1,522 in 2011, although it was predicted to have climbed to 1,647 in 2019.
