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Crackenthorpe Hall, Crackenthorpe
Crackenthorpe Hall
locality:-   Crackenthorpe
civil parish:-   Crackenthorpe (formerly Westmorland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   buildings
coordinates:-   NY66212180
1Km square:-   NY6621
10Km square:-   NY62

evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Wmd 9 14) 
placename:-  Crackenthorpe Hall
source data:-   Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.

evidence:-   old map:- Jefferys 1770 (Wmd) 
placename:-  Hall
source data:-   Map, 4 sheets, The County of Westmoreland, scale 1 inch to 1 mile, surveyed 1768, and engraved and published by Thomas Jefferys, London, 1770.
image
J5NY62SE.jpg
"Hall / Machell Esq."
house 
item:-  National Library of Scotland : EME.s.47
Image © National Library of Scotland

evidence:-   old text:- Pennant 1773
item:-  placename, Whelp Castle
source data:-   Book, A Tour from Downing to Alston Moor, 1773, by Thomas Pennant, published by Edward Harding, 98 Pall Mall, London, 1801.
image PEN6p148, button  goto source
Pennant's Tour 1773, page 148  "... I rode through Crakenthorpe, or the Village of Crows, in the northern dialect Crakes, most likely from there having been here a rookery. The hall has been the residence of the Machebs, a family noted for their gallant actions, and for never rising into the degree of knight, nor sinking to that of yeoman. The name was frequently written, in old times, Mau-chael and Machael - Latinè, malus catulus - Anglicè, sad puppy. From the last, the antiquarian of the house suspects that Whelp-castle (hereafter to be mentioned) took its name from this family, and that De Whelp-dale was of kindred not remote; which last is fully confirmed by its bearing three young greyhounds for its arms, as the Mau-chaels did, a spurious dog with a forked tail - ex Graeco et Tigride nato. He also infers, that, from the Latin name, (which was doubtlessly the original,) they were derived from the Catuli of Rome, which gives a descent from the Conqueror of the Cimbrians, and all the illustrious race."

evidence:-   old text:- Camden 1789 (Gough Additions) 
placename:-  Crackenthorp Hall
source data:-   Book, Britannia, or A Chorographical Description of the Flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by William Camden, 1586, translated from the 1607 Latin edition by Richard Gough, published London, 1789.
image CAM2P158, button  goto source
Page 158:-  "..."
"From thence the Eden runs to Crackenthorp hall, a seat pleasantly situated on its east bank belonging to the Machels, a family of good note in this county from the Conquest to the present time. About it lie several considerable camps, and many antiquities found thereabouts and in other parts of the county were collected and preserved by Mr. Thomas Machel, brother to Hugh Machel, lord of the manor, and late minister of Kirkby Thor, who intended a history of this county."

evidence:-   old map:- Cary 1789 (edn 1805) 
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Westmoreland, scale about 2.5 miles to 1 inch, by John Cary, London, 1789; edition 1805.
image
CY24NY62.jpg
"Hall"
house symbol; large house 
item:-  JandMN : 129
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
placename:-  Crackenthorpe Hall
source data:-   Photograph, Crackenthorpe Hall, Crackenthorpe, Westmorland, by Herbert Bell, photographer, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1897.
image  click to enlarge
HB0011.jpg
Vol.1 no.11 in an album, Examples of Early Domestic and Military Architecture in Westmorland, assembled 1910. 
ms at bottom:-  "11. / Crackenthorpe Hall. Appleby St. Michael. E."
item:-  Armitt Library : 1958.3165.11
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
placename:-  Crackenthorpe Hall
item:-  date stone (1663)
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"CRACKENTHORPE HALL / / / CLIBURN / EDEN / CUMBRIA / II / 422776 / NY6620521793"

evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"TURBINE HOUSE TO SOUTH OF CRACKENTHORPE HALL / / / CRACKENTHORPE / EDEN / CUMBRIA / II / 422780 / NY6625321523"

evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"FOUNTAIN HEAD IN GARDEN TO SOUTH WEST OF CRACKENTHORPE HALL / / / CRACKENTHORPE / EDEN / CUMBRIA / II / 422779 / NY6619621777"

evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"COACH HOUSE TO NORTH WEST OF CRACKENTHORPE HALL / / / CRACKENTHORPE / EDEN / CUMBRIA / II / 422777 / NY6617921818"

evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"SUMMER HOUSE TO WEST OF CRACKENTHORPE HALL / / / CRACKENTHORPE / EDEN / CUMBRIA / II / 422778 / NY6617321796"

ghost story:-  
In the 17th century Elizabeth Sleddal came from Penrith to marry Lancelot Machel, during the rule of Cromwell. Both were Royalists. Peg was slighted by her husbands will, and after she died she haunted the hall, being known as Peg Sneddle, the grey lady of Crackenthorpe. She caused such trouble that a catholic priest was called in to exorcise her ghost; the catholics used Latin, far stronger ... She was exhumed and buried in the bed of the River Eden under a boulder of Shap granite known as Peg's stone. She is said to rise up once a year yet.


Robertson, Dawn & Koronka, Peter: 1992: Secrets and Legends of Old Westmorland: Pagan Press (Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria) &Cumbria CC (library service)

notes:-  
hall

Perriam, D R &Robinson, J: 1998: Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria: CWAAS:: ISBN 1 873124 23 6; plan and illustration

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