Our adventures this week have taken us to a small village called Hesket Newmarket.
You may remember we visited a place called Caldbeck a few weeks ago well, Hesket Newmarket is about 1.5 miles beyond this, down a narrow ‘B’ road.
Carved head on display in a door entrance. Hesket Newmarket
The village is stretched along the main through road and has a Post Office, pub, church and has even been visited by a royalty.
It also has a strange custom of putting orange heads on display.
Possibly to scare away little boys, as we did not see any, or maybe it is a local custom only known to those who live nearby.
Brewery
Our journey today took us out of the city past our frequent walking place of Dalston, past Rose Castle, the home of the Bishops of Carlisle and high onto the Caldbeck fells.
This is sheep country and many of the woolly beasties were to be spotted grazing on the fells.
Bonfire ready for 5th November
After parking the car, in one of the eight or so car parking spaces, we got the whiff of something a bit odd, a bit strong and actually quite sharp.
Hardly noticing the big collection of wooden sticks and debris ready for bonfire night in a week or so we sought out the source of the smell.
Charlie is best at seeking out smells, being a cocker spaniel, so he set to work and came upon a man moving big plastic drums around to and from a van.
Hesket Newmarket Brewery van showing some of the beers produced
It turns out that not only does the village have a pub, The Old Crown, but also has it’s own brewery.
Funnily enough called the Hesket Newmarket Brewery.
All now became clear as mum discovered that the smell was coming from the brewery so was a mixture of hops, yeast and something she called beer.
Co-op
Now that the source of the smell had been resolved dad took our leads and we went for a sniff around the grass and further investigation of the bonfire preparations. Mum meanwhile visited the brewery information area for further research….. Good job she only likes wine and whiskey.
After a few minutes mum returned and recounted that the pub was the first co-operative pub in the country and is owned by over 100 people. The brewery is also a co-operative started by around 60 people after fearing the micro-brewery would close in 1999.
Hesket Newmarket main street
Since this time the brewery has grown and now produces over 50 barrels a week of which some is bottled and sold in many specialist stores in the area.
Prince Charles visited the pub and brewery in 2004 where he opened a new temperature controlled storage facility.
Twelve roads or paths
The Old Crown Pub, Hesket Newmarket
Our expedition finally moved to the main high street and the pavement in front of the Old Crown Pub.
Opposite the pub and across the road is a strip of green grass with a number of ‘Do not park notices’ pushed in to it.
The pavement led, slightly uphill, towards a low canopied structure and the shop.
Hesket Newmarket is very old and is the meeting point of some twelve roads, bridle-tracks and footpaths.
Market Cross
Many of the buildings date from the late 17th to early 18th Century.
Hesket, as it is referred to occasionally, was granted it’s market charter in the early 18th Century. However, the only evidence of this past is the Market Cross and the annual agricultural show held in September.
Unusual
Alongside the Market cross is a building known as the coach house. It is currently for sale with an asking price of around £210k
Finger Post Sign
It is an unusual building and was used to house a carriage on the ground floor with sleeping accommodation above for the groom.
Opposite the Post Office is a fine example of a finger post road sign which looks as if it has been recently refurbished.
Post Office and Shop. Hesket Newmarket
We wondered if the company in Lanercost, Signpost restoration Ltd, had done the work on this black and white icon of our transport past.
Apart from the pub a community must have a good shop for all of life’s essentials.
Holiday rental
The village shop and tea room, with it’s old post box on the wall outside, stood behind us. A wooden bench was a tempting place to stop for a moment for something sticky and a warm cup of hot chocolate but it was a bit too cold and we were not allowed inside.
Temperence Hall. Hesket Newmarket
Maybe we can return in the summer.
As we continued up the hill dad spotted a large wooden sign which read ‘The Temperance Hall‘ .
Research upon our return indicates that this property, like many others in the village, has become a holiday rental often owned by people from outside of the area.
Free Church. Hesket Newmarket
Now at the edge of the village we turned around and returned, this time using the opposite side of the main street, towards the car.
With pink railings, guttering and downspouts the Free Church in Hesket Newmarket would seem a little bit of a rebel, decoration wise that is.
Dr Altham. Hesket Newmarket
Carved into the stonework next to the main door is an unusual inscription for a church which reads, we think, ’Dr Altham’.
We have no idea who Dr Altham is, or his connection to this building, maybe you know?
Crossing Point
Our walk took just about 40 minutes taking time to sniff and investigate so it is not somewhere we would come every week. However, it does make for a Sunday stroll or maybe a transit point on the Reivers Bike Trail to stop off and gather your thoughts over a pint of real ale and a pie from the village shop whilst sitting on the village green.
Further information
Appraisal of Hesket Newmarket Conservation Area -LDNPA
