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King's Head, Thirlspot
King's Head
locality:-   Thirlspot
civil parish:-   St John's Castlerigg and Wythburn (formerly Cumberland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   inn
coordinates:-   NY31701776
1Km square:-   NY3117
10Km square:-   NY31

photograph
BLQ10.jpg  Innsign, Charles I?
(taken 15.2.2006)  
photograph
BLQ09.jpg (taken 15.2.2006)  
evidence:-   descriptive text:- Otley 1823 (5th edn 1834) 
source data:-   Guide book, A Concise Description of the English Lakes, the mountains in their vicinity, and the roads by which they may be visited, with remarks on the mineralogy and geology of the district, by Jonathan Otley, published by the author, Keswick, Cumberland now Cumbria, by J Richardson, London, and by Arthur Foster, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, 1823; published 1823-49, latterly as the Descriptive Guide to the English Lakes.
image OT01P111, button  goto source
Page 111:-  "There is a public-house at the King's Head, six miles from Keswick, ..."
evidence:-   descriptive text:- Ford 1839 (3rd edn 1843) 
placename:-  King's Head
source data:-   Guide book, A Description of Scenery in the Lake District, by Rev William Ford, published by Charles Thurnam, Carlisle, by W Edwards, 12 Ave Maria Lane, Charles Tilt, Fleet Street, William Smith, 113 Fleet Street, London, by Currie and Bowman, Newcastle, by Bancks and Co, Manchester, by Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, and by Sinclair, Dumfries, 1839.
image FD01P050, button  goto source
Page 50:-  "... There is an inn here, the King's Head, whence Legberthwaite and the grounds of Dalehead Hall can be more readily visited. A"
image FD01P165, button  goto source
Page 165:-  "..."
"King's Head is a decent house of entertainment, situated in Legberthwaite,"
evidence:-   old map:- Ford 1839 map
placename:-  Dale Head Inn
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Map of the Lake District of Cumberland, Westmoreland and Lancashire, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, published by Charles Thurnam, Carlisle, and by R Groombridge, 5 Paternoster Row, London, 3rd edn 1843.
image
FD02NY31.jpg
"Dale Head Inn"
item:-  JandMN : 100.1
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old advertisement:- Atkinson 1847 (5th edn 1850) 
placename:-  King's Head Inn
source data:-   Advertisement for John Atkinson at the King's Head Inn, Legburthwaite, Cumberland, 1850.
image  click to enlarge
AK2A17.jpg
At the end of a Handbook to the English Lakes, 5th edn. 
item:-  Armitt Library : A1144.25
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old advertisement:- Martineau 1855
placename:-  King's Head Inn
source data:-   Advertisement for John Atkinson at the King's Head Inn, Legburthwaite, in A Complete Guide to the Lake District of England, by Harriet Martineau, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, 4th edn 1871.
image  click to enlarge
MNU1Ad17.jpg
Advertisement pages at the end of the guide. 
item:-  JandMN : 192.5
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
item:-  carriage; horse
source data:-   Photograph, sepia, King's Head, Thirlspot, St John's Castlerigg and Wythburn, Cumberland, by Herbert Bell, photographer, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s.
image  click to enlarge
HB0736.jpg
The bridge is over Helvellyn Gill. 
internegative at lower right:-  "H. Bell"
stamped on reverse:-  "HERBERT BELL / Photographer / AMBLESIDE"
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS400
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old print:- Pearson 1900s
placename:-  Thirlspot Inn
item:-  cart
source data:-   Print, halftone photograph, Thirlspot Inn, the King's Head, St John's Castlerigg and Wythburn, Cumberland, published by C Arthur Pearson, Henrietta Street, London, 1900s.
image  click to enlarge
PS1E66.jpg
On p.187 of Pearson's Gossipy Guide to the English Lakes and Neighbouring Districts. 
printed at bottom:-  "THIRLSPOT INN."
item:-  Armitt Library : A1188.73
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
placename:-  Kings Head Hotel
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"KINGS HEAD HOTEL / / / ST JOHNS CASTLERIGG AND WYTHBURN / ALLERDALE / CUMBRIA / II / 72188 / NY3171117769"
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"Hotel. Mid C18 with C20 alterations. Painted roughcast walls, under graduated greenslate roof with roughcast chimney stack. 2 storeys, 9 bays. C20 plank door with C20 porch. Older centre part has irregular fenestration of sashes with glazing bars and small ground-floor firewindow to right. Extension to left has larger sash windows with glazing bars, all windows in plain reveals. C20 extension to right is not of interest."
hearsay:-  
 There used to be an old innsign in the house, reading:-
"I, Stanley, lives here and sells good ale
Come in and drink before it grows stale.
John Succeeded his father Peter,
But i' th' old man's time t'was never better."
John Stanley was once innkeeper.
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