Chair – 01229 716564 email: chair@duddonhistory.org.uk | Secretary – 01229 716441 email: sec@duddonhistory.org.uk

Welcome to the Duddon Valley Local History Group Website

Winners of the Marsh Award for Community Archaeology presented at the AGM of the Council for British Archaeology in London in November 2019

DVLHG was formed in the early 1990s and runs a programme of activities and talks for its members. Our five year long study of the whole valley has restarted extending the survey to cover areas not walked in earlier phases. Our findings led to our current major project with Oxford Archaeology North excavating three medieval longhouse sites near Seathwaite Tarn.

Select the Category of the Section

Duddon Valley Local History Group Home Page

Latest News

 

 

New Survey project for the Duddon Valley

There will be  surveys next week starting to look into a joint LDNP/DVLHG project to survey shard fencing in our area. It is sometimes referred to as vertical stone fencing and a survey has already taken place in the Hawkshead area.

Like the washfold project, we will be looking to set up groups of volunteers from both our members and Lake District Archaeology Volunteers to carry out the survey.

As a  starting point, please get in touch with locations that you know.

More information now on the projects page of the website

Contact:  shardfencing@gmail.com

Walks Programme –

The programme for the coming year will feature many of the walks we had to cancel, with something to suit everyone. If you intend to go, please contact the Leader at least the day before stating where you will meet.  In the event of very bad weather confirm with leader on the day to see if the walk is going ahead.

22 Wednesday 18th  September 2024

Silecroft & its places of historical interest.

kenwlindley@gmail.com   tel:07895 565812

6 miles; Height gain:791′ ; Terrain is through field and well trodden paths with some road walking and some bracken.  Approx.. 6 hrs.
 
Car share: 9.30 Broughton Square
Start: 10.00 Miner’s Arms Car Park, Silecroft   Public Transport to and from Silecroft Station but please check times.

Mostly easy with one medium ascent. Opportunity to stop at William IV pub for refreshment.

No dogs.    Booking essential: 10/12 max.

As ever, please contact Ken in advance to book your place.  e.mail: kenwlindley@gmail.com   tel:07895 565812

(The walk will be led by Keith Nixon as Ken has a back injury but will be there to meet you and join at various points en route)

See Walks Page for details of the Walks programme – 

 

Talks Programme –

 

1  25th September 2024;

“Skeletons in the Cupboard at Sizergh Castle. The story of Cecelia
Strickland and her dysfunctional family, 1741-1814”

Stan Aspinall (warning contains adult themes)

 

See Talks Page for details of the talks programme.

 

New PublicationsBroughton Photos Book Cover

Flyer for Angerton Moss Book

Stan Aspinall’s sell-out book featuring Photographs of Broughton is now available to view on the Publications Page.

 

The story of Angerton Moss and its uses is predominantly by William D Shannon PHD, FSA from whom permission to reproduce his work is recorded and acknowledged. Lex has added his own research and provided many of the photos and graphic interpretation.The actual book is A5 size. It is a quality publication, beautifully illustrated and runs to 66 pages. It is a splendid read.

Copies are £5 each when purchased directly from the History Group or £6.50 if posted.

Duddon Sonnets Map Display
Display at Wordsworth Museum 2021

 

Recent Projects

Wordsworth’s Duddon Sonnets

It was the publication of the thirty three sonnets in 1820 that made a star out of the provincial poet living in the lake District. He followed the river from source to the sea, making the journey an allegory for the life of a man. Wordsworth later added a thirty-fourth sonnet in which, as Jonathan Bate says, ‘the poet deconstructs, then reconstructs, the analogy between human life and the life of the river.

The celebration was delayed by a year due to Covid19. we didn’t intend to do anything for inside the museum. Our original plan was a self guided walk from Wrynose to Askam, using signposts at parking places taken people down to the river. This wasn’t going to be possible, so we used a map, photographs and selections from the sonnets to provide a visual representation of the river.

Gail Batten, Dave Hughes and Stephe Cove

Furness Railway 175th Anniversary

Station board at Foxfield

Following contact with Stephen at the level crossing and Richard at the signal box, we got involved in the celebrations for the 175th Anniversary of the Furness Railway with a plan for a display at Foxfield Station. It seemed a very disjointed project and it was hard to find out who was organising it, so Dave and I thought we go ahead anyway. Photos from our archives, from photographers on the web and valuable help from Geoff Holme put together a board over a metre square in the waiting room at the station. It gets it official opening on 24th of August with a representative from Northern Rail doing the honours.

A second board for Broughton and the line to Coniston is with Furness Plastic at the moment. CGP have generously agreed to make a plinth and install the board on the old line leading our of the village.

Dave and Stephe

 

T   CCM   HHBB 75

Our Projects Gallery

Click on the images below to view more images in the gallery…