Swarthmoor Hall and last day in Cumbria

Thursday September 13 we drove to Ulverston, about 20 miles south west of our cottage near the coast, to go to Swarthmoor Hall for a Meeting for Worship at 12:30, and to visit the Hall itself.  We

drove through Ulverston and through the village of Swarthmoor without seeing any signs, so we circled back on a back road and finally found a sign near the train station that directed us to a half mile footpath to the Hall.  The walk took us between a school and a wall separating us from the back yards of a row of houses, then down a hill, over a stream, through two fields and finally to a lane that led to the house. 

Swarthmoor Hal

There is an office/visitor center there which was staffed, so she was able to give us a map so we could drive back.  The Hall is not normally open for visitors until the afternoon, we found out, and there was a retreat going on, so we did walk back and get the car.  It turned out that there was adequate signage going back, just not the way we came.  We had time to stop at the Meeting House, which is just a couple of blocks from the Hall.  It is still used regularly, but midweek it was locked up, and also surrounded by a high stone wall which made it seem very defensive.  I don’t know if they felt the need for defense, or if it is just that walls were normal back then.

Swarthmoor is not a pretty building to look at from the outside, just grey stucco or concrete, but it is very pleasant inside.  It is famous among Quakers as the home of Margaret Fell, the founding mother of Quakerism, and as a refuge for Quakers during the early years of persecution.  It eventually left the family and fell into disrepair.  In 1914, a descendant, Ms. Abraham, repurchased the house and started to restore it.  In the ‘50s it was donated to the Society of Friends (Quakers).

Meeting for Worship was held in the Great Hall, which is lined with wood paneling installed (and carved!) by Ms. Abraham.  There were about 24 people there because of the retreat.  Afterwards, we had the traditional tea and biscuits and chatted with some of the participants.  Then we were able to take the tour with audio phones that did a good, and lengthy, job of explaining the history of both the house and the Quakers.  

Swarthmoor bay window

George Fox visited the area early in his ministry and convinced Margaret Fell when she heard him preaching at the church.  Apparently the churches in those days often had lecture days when it was acceptable for members of the audience to stand and speak or dispute with the minister.  Margaret was gentry, and married to Judge Fell, an important magistrate in the district.  Margaret invited Fox to stay at the Hall.  She worried about whether she would end up with a conflict between pleasing God and pleasing her husband.  When the Judge returned, he was warned on the way that his wife had been bewitched.  However, he came with an open mind and respected Margaret’s convincement and allowed the house to be used by the Quakers.  Although he never formally joined, and indeed did not participate in Quaker Meeting, he would sit in his study next door with the door open and listen.  His patronage protected Quakers in the area until his death.  Eventually Margaret and George married, although they didn’t actually live together very often, since they both traveled a lot or were in jail.

Kendal riverside cafe

The rooms in the Hall are large and well lighted, which is the main reason they felt so pleasant.  They are filled with an eclectic array of furniture from the time period, but not original to the house, except perhaps for one bed.  The first floor has the great hall and the judge’s study, an entrance hall and staircase.  The second floor had three spacious bedrooms.  The third story was one large room, originally probably both the servants quarters and a workroom.  It had a large exhibit about the history of the house, the various stages of building, remodeling, decay, and restoration. 

Kendal Parish Church

About a third of the house has been converted into modern suites used for visitors like the people participating in the retreat.  Where a barn had been there is now additional meeting space and an apartment for the caretaker, and also the building for the offices and volunteers.  There are quite a few gardens around the house also.  By the way, the history said that the footpath we originally followed was probably the main access route until the 19^th century when the roadways were built.

Kendal street view

After we were done with Swarthmoor, we drove back to Kendal for lunch at a vegetarian café there next to the river, and walked around for a while taking photos of various places we liked, but it was too late to do anything.

St. Mary's church Crosthwaite

Friday was our day of rest.  About ten o’clock we heard the changes being rung in the church across the road, so we walked over there and were finally able to get inside for a look.  It is a nice country church – I am glad it was finally open.  Then we took a walk along a footpath past the cemetery, up a lane and then back home.  After doing laundry and eating lunch, we went back into Kendal to go to the local museum.  It had a very eclectic range of exhibits from prehistoric stone tools through Roman occupation and medieval life to the 20^th century. 

Inside St. Mary's

There was a nice little exhibit about Arthur Eddington, a Quaker and famous physicist who was born and raised in Kendal.  The second floor had a great geology display about the different rock strata that can be found throughout the Lakes District going back 450 million years ago.  I love reading this stuff even though I don’t necessarily absorb it all – I love the sweep of geological eons.  This exhibit was clearer than most about continental drift.  Apparently 450 million years ago England was down around the equator.  It has been underwater 2 or 3 times and experienced various episodes of mountain building, either volcanic or uplift.  Sometimes it has been dry as the Sahara.   I had been interested in a limestone ridge that we drive over to get to Kendal – it is a very dramatic escarpment, and apparently it is one of the well-known features and the second oldest rock in the area.  This floor also had stuffed animals, so we could look at little hedgehogs and eagles, etc.  A thoroughly worthwhile museum.  This was our last day in Cumbria and we greatly enjoyed our visit.

View from our cottage

English oak