REPORT ON THE MEETING OF SHAP LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY HELD ON MONDAY 22nd MAY 2006

Tales of Alston Moor.
Members of Shap Local History Society were welcomed by secretary Liz Amos, who then introduced the speaker Alistair Robertson, the Vice Chairman of the Alston Moor History Group, who gave an entertaining account of the history of Alston Moor he also said that he had found three slight links to Shap, the first of these being the altitude and heavy snowfalls.
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Mr Robertson began by explaining why Alston is within Cumbria despite its topography, for it is remote from anywhere. This goes back to the 12th century, when the King Henry of England wished to retain the valuable mineral rights, even founding a Royal Mint in Carlisle. The mines produced two per cent of all the iron in Cumberland, also lead and silver.

Ecclesiastically, Alston is part of the Newcastle Diocese. The schools have pupils from a wide catchment area, and the Cottage Hospital originally founded to deal with mining accidents is currently fighting the threat of closure.

Mr Robertson showed slides of prehistoric sites around Alston, including the defensive ditches at the site at Whitely Castle. He also showed a slide of the Kirkhaugh gold earring dating from the Bronze Age, that is believed to originate from Spain. and one of a fine arrowhead. The Romans were also in the area, and aerial views showed the line of the Maiden Way..

Mr Robertson said that the Veteripont family once held lands around Alston and were also benefactors of Shap Abbey, this being the second link. He than gave information about the mines at Nenthead, where the landowner once was the Greenwich Hospital, and how some of the mining companies had been great benefactors to Alston. He also told the group that in the 1930’s there was a drop of over thirty per cent in population, and how a local set up a lime works, this gave the third link to Shap, on analysis, the Alston limestone was found to be purer than that from Shap. This industry flourished until the 1950s. There had once been a foundry that had manufactured canons and chains for ships, these had played an important part in the Second World War.

Mr Robertson entertained the group with several ghost stories, some of them fairly recent. There were slides of local beauty spots, and a whistle stop tour of the town itself with slides of buildings such as the Town Hall, Market Cross, and several old standpipes known as ‘pants’, the old workhouse, former chapels and schools.

Vice Chairman, Jean Scott-Smith thanked Mr Robertson, and said that members were looking forward to their visit to Alston in July, when Mr Roberson will act as guide. This meeting was the last indoor gathering until September, and Mrs Scott-Smith gave members information about the outing to Cockersand Abbey, southwest of Lancaster, this was the mother foundation for Shap Abbey. She had maps available for the trip on Sunday 25th June.

The Summer Exhibition reopened for the Bank Holiday and will now be open every Saturday and Sunday afternoon 1-4p.m. throughout the summer.