Bewcastle is now a quiet place, full of natural beauty and a rich history that will match anywhere in the UK and surpass most. But it is understated and off the beaten track – on the road to nowhere but itself. There are no shops within twelve miles, no villages, no road names, no street lights, no buses, no mobile coverage over most of the area, no sound of distant traffic, few ‘tourist attractions’, just a couple of hamlets, but mainly scattered farmsteads or ‘towns’ as they are called here. It is not a place for people who need distractions or are easily bored.
But for those looking for somewhere that offers stillness, depth, ancient character, wild fells, woods and rivers, it is unspoiled and undiscovered. It goes under the banner of ‘The Forgotten Lands‘ of Cumbria.
Much of life here exists as it has for decades past. Land is farmed by families, not corporations, who have been doing it for generations. They have built up, and handed down, the local knowledge and skill to grow some of the best native breed cattle and sheep in the country on some of the most severely disadvantaged land, consistently winning national and international awards for ‘best in show.’ So things are deliberately slow to change. And that tradition and ‘slowness’ is one of the great strengths of this borderland, tucked away in the north-east corner of England’s north-west county. And with that tradition comes old–fashioned hospitality and the friendliness of a community at peace with itself; the welcome of the stranger, the wave to the passers by, the helping hand when someone is in need or trouble, but also a quiet reserve and respect for others.
It is a place to slow down, to be still – a place to come for a few days or a week to walk, to watch, to read, to listen, to paint, or even to pray. For this ancient place has been a centre of prayer for over two thousand years, and a home of Christian prayer for over 1,300 of them. The 7th century Anglo-Saxon house of prayer at Bewcastle was part of a line of monastic settlements that stretched across the land from Wearmouth/Jarrow and Lindisfarne in the east to Whithorn in the west. It held a key place in the kingdom of Northumbria’s Golden Age, as home of the Bewcastle Cross, with its sister at Ruthwell.
It is a place to ‘re-member’ times long past, collect perspective, and ponder possible futures. For Bewcastle has seen so much; it has been a place of Celtic worship, of foreign occupation, of monasticism, of invasion, subjugation and warfare, of border reiving, and now of peace. Home to the Carvetii celtic tribe, a clan of the Brigantes, before the Romans, and a regional centre of worship of their god, Cocidius. Base of one of the largest Roman forts north of Hadrian’s Wall, housing a thousand horse, and the northern endpoint of a seven-mile Roman road, sometimes mistakenly referred to as the Maiden Way, north from Birdoswald. Home of the great Bewcastle Cross, one of the most important and spectacular Anglo-Saxon monuments in northern Europe. It is possible that this is the location where St Cuthbert came to confirm recently baptised believers on his journey from Hexham to Carlisle in around 685/6AD, an incident which may have given Bewcastle its name (“booths in the castle”) and founded a monastery here in doing so (see Ch XXXII). There are legends of a Viking presence before it became a strategic site in the defence of the English Norman border with Scotland, a border that was so ill-defined it became known as the Debatable Lands, and gave rise to centuries of rustling, pillage, rape, murder and arson known as border reiving. The names of Armstrong, Nixon, Elliot, Graham, Noble, Telford, Tweddle and Moscrop all still abound here, but thankfully that horrific history is now that, history. As Maddy Prior, who lives here, sings, ‘we give thanks for peace on the Border.’
So now Bewcastle is a quiet place.
If you are looking for somewhere quiet to come and contemplate, or to explore the area, there are several places to stay that can be found through traditional searches. But for those who are seeking to come on Christian pilgrimage, explore their faith, or wanting a secluded place of retreat to pray, in a traditional north Cumbrian cottage, with traditional decor, furniture and amenities, one of our community is offering a place that may be of interest. Rose Cottage has been in Barbara’s family for generations and nestles in its own garden beneath great ash and beach trees. It is a single bedroomed cottage with twin beds, a lounge with television (and a record player), a kitchen, and a shower/toilet. It has an open fire, and night storage and electric heaters. You won’t find a hot tub here, but you will find peace. See pictures below. For enquiries, please write to Barbara at reiverarts138 (at) btinternet.com
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