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History of a North Pennine Farm
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THE
CHAMPION OAK
Tottergill Farm presides over Castle Carrock from its perch on the Penn
i
nes; seen and seeing for miles
around. For those who come from far and wide to holiday in its converted barns,
it provides a
spectacular retreat, a base for
exploration, a vantage point over the Solway Plain, the Lakeland and Scottish
hills. Turning in through the farm gate and starting the climb up the hill,
visitors pass a tree It is a Common English oak, the Champion Oak Tree 0f
Cumbria, with the largest girth 0f any in the county. It may be a relic from the
Forest of Geltsdale and has witnessed all that has happened on
Tottergill
land for possibly 800 years.
The history of Tottergill is the story of the people who have known this tree.
For the most part their day’s were bound up with the seasons, the farming
year, village life and the changes that affected all the lands along the border.
The hand 0f history reached even this quiet backwater and left its mark in
border raids, power generation, water supply and agricultural improvement.
Life at Tottergill today’ reflects current farming trends, letting out the
fields 0f grass for grazing and diversifying Into tourism to generate income.
The old barns and mill have found new uses as
holiday
homes. The great wooden beams and sandstone walls are now appreciated for their
aesthetic value, more than their agricultural purpose But not so long ago, this
was a working farm, where crops were grown and fed to cows and sheep, pigs.
chickens and horses; where the weather dictated events, where travel was slow
and change even slower.
Tottergill Farm, Castle Carrock, Carlisle,
Cumbria, CA4 9DP, ENGLAND
Tel: + 44 (0) 1228 670615
Mobile: + 44 (0) 07785 996950
Fax: + 44 (0) 01228 670727
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