Brampton

Brampton, the main market town and base for exploring Hadrian's Wall, is surrounded by the gently rolling countryside of the Irthing Valley and Geltsdale, leading up to the rugged beauty of the North Pennines AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). A rich mosaic of woods, fields and moorlands crossed by numerous footpaths, bridleways and quiet roads makes for perfect walking and cycling country.

Close to the town, pockets of woodland and forest with open access await discovery, many with waymarked routes and information panels – Gelt Woods, Miltonrigg Wood, Rowbank Wood, Talkin Tarn and The Mote/Ridge Wood. Further afield are the beautiful hanging woodlands along the Irthing gorge at Combe Crag Wood and Gilsland Spa.

The low rolling hills conceal the outlying rural villages of Laversdale, Irthington, Walton, Lanercost, Talkin, Low Row, Hallbankgate and the former mining communities of Tindale and Midgeholme on the Pennines, whilst Gilsland, a spa town on the eastern edge of the county, straddles Cumbria and Northumberland.

Carlisle

Carlisle is England's biggest city by area and is the official capital of Cumbria. The city sits on the doorstep of both the Lakes and Hadrian's Wall and blends 2000 years of human occupation with everything you would expect from a vibrant 21st century city

Brampton, the main market town and base for exploring Hadrian's Wall, is surrounded by the gently rolling countryside of the Irthing Valley and Geltsdale, leading up to the rugged beauty of the North Pennines AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).

Wigton

Tall Georgian houses lining its streets, an attractive memorial fountain gracing the old market place and an elegant Georgian church all suggest that Wigton was a market town of some importance in days gone by, with its jumble of streets, narrow lanes and alleyways somehow earning it the nickname ‘The Throstle's Nest'.

BOOK YOUR STAY

Lanercost Bed & Breakfast

Guest Accommodation with 4 rooms, £72-£101 prpnb

Long Byres at Talkin Head

Self-catering with 7 units, £207-£600 pupw sleeps 1-7

Hullerbank

Farmhouse with 3 rooms, £38 pppnb

THINGS TO DO

On the doorstep of the famous Hadrian's Wall, there are some fascinating attractions in and around the Brampton area. Check out where you can visit your during your stay.

BROWSE ALL ATTRACTIONS

Lanercost Tea Room

Sue Wardle Tour Guide

The Walker's Baggage Transfer Company

Lanercost Priory

Banks East Turret; Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail

Brampton Tourist Information Centre

WHAT'S ON

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There are a variety of events taking place in Brampton and the surrounding areas over the year. Why dont you check out the calendar and see what's on while you're here?

For events happening around the county, click below for our What's On page.

Browse All Events

SURROUNDING AREAS

LONGTOWN

With its attractive 18th century bridge, Longtown makes a good starting point for walks along the River Esk and through the surrounding countryside. The Solway Firth is also popular with birdwatchers looking for wading birds and wildfowl. A 60-acre country park, Oakbank, offers fishing, a bird sanctuary, lakes, and walks. Built in 1776, the red sandstone estate church in Longtown, St Andrew (Kirk Andrews upon Esk) is a rebuilding of an earlier one and restored itself in 1893. Longtown's Gothic styled parish church is dedicated to St. Michael and stands on land once called Arthur's Head. The parish name became Arthuret. A cross in the churchyard also represents the knights of Malta.

LANERCOST

Standing close to Hadrian's Wall, the Augustinian priory of Lanercost was much involved in the Anglo-Scottish wars. During his last campaign in 1306-7 the mortally sick King Edward I rested here for 6 months before dying at Burgh-by-Sands as he prepared to enter Scotland. The abbey suffered terribly from Scottish raids, being sacked four times. It was finally dissolved by Henry VIII in 1537 but today its beautiful 13thC church remains remarkably well-preserved, standing to its full height; part is now in use as the parish church. See the unique 16thC wallpaintings in the Dacre Hall.

CULTURE HERITAGE

The original settlement of Brampton is thought to have been near the old church, but was cleared with the creation of a deer park. A new town was established a short distance away and granted a market charter in 1250. In the centre lies the Moot Hall where matters relating to the barony of Gilsland were discussed. Today’s octagonal building of 1817 replaced an earlier square structure. At the base are the iron stocks and a bull-tethering ring – a reminder of the days when bulls were baited prior to slaughter.

Brampton, along with other areas within the disputed border, was frequently targeted by reivers – organised family gangs on both sides of the Border who would steal, burn, kill and use extortion as a means of survival. During this period many fortified pele towers (Newby East, Askerton Castle) were built and Wardens of the Marches were appointed to keep the peace. In the ‘Western March’, this responsibility lay with the Lords Dacre of Naworth Castle who held the title for almost 300 years until the union of the English and Scottish crowns in 1603 spelled the end of reiving as a way of life.

During the Jacobite rebellion of 1745, Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) laid claim to the English throne and amassed an army of Jacobites to march on London. During his siege of Carlisle, Charles ‘rested’ in Brampton. Following his victory in Carlisle he moved south, but encountered the Duke of Cumberland’s army advancing north, and the Jacobites were forced to retreat. Carlisle was quickly re-taken and many Jacobites were taken prisoner and sent to the gallows. In Brampton six of the rebels were hung from the ‘capon’ tree on Capon Tree Road. The tree is no longer there, but a monument marks the spot and records their names.

To the north is Hadrian’s Wall, a 75-mile (120 km) long fortification extending from the Solway Firth to Wallsend-on-Tyne that signified the northern frontier of the Roman Empire. Its strategically placed forts, fascinating milecastles, turrets and signal stations can be easily accessed by the Hadrian’s Wall bus (AD 122), which links to Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail and Hadrian’s Cycleway.

Brampton Old Church

This tiny church on the banks of the River Irthing overlooks an ancient crossing point to Irthington. The church lies within the ramparts of a Roman fort – one of a series along the Stanegate and is partly built of Roman stone. Only the chancel remains, as the nave and tower were demolished in 1788. Many trades are recorded on the gravestones – shoemakers, butchers, glovers, even a violin maker!

Sir Walter Scott

The famous poet and novelist, stayed in Gilsland in 1796 whilst seeking inspiration for his narrative poems. He met his future wife here and proposed to her at the Popping Stone in the Irthing Gorge. Scott wrote ‘The Bridal of Triermain’ and ‘Guy Mannering’, among other works.

St Martin’s Church

19th century Pre-Raphaelite church commissioned by George Howard, the 9th Earl of Carlisle and a patron of the arts. The architect was Philip Webb who employed Edward Burne-Jones to design a series of magnificent stained glass windows, which were installed by William Morris. The Pre-Raphaelites were noted for their strong use of colour and detailing, with emphasis on natural and medieval themes.

Naworth Castle

Stronghold of the Dacre family from 1335, before passing to Lord William Howard though marriage. Since 1660, Naworth has been the home of the Earls of Carlisle. The castle is generally not open to the public (except during special events) but can be easily viewed from a public road which passes through the estate.

Bonnie Prince Charlie

At the far end of Capon Tree Road in Brampton is a memorial to six of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobites, who were hanged on 21 October 1746 from a ‘capon tree’ that once grew here. Now a quiet cul-de-sac, Capon Tree Road was once the main route to Carlisle (via Low Gelt Bridge).

The Rocket

George Stevenson’s famous ‘Rocket’ was used on the Midgeholme to Brampton line between 1837 and 1844 and is now on display in the Science Museum, London.