Gilsland
| Gilsland | |
| Northumberland, Cumberland | |
|---|---|
 Gilsland Main Street | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NY633664 |
| Location: | 54°59’28"N, 2°34’26"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Carlisle |
| Postcode: | CA8 |
| Dialling code: | 016977 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Northumberland / Carlisle |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Hexham / Penrith and The Border |
Gilsland is a village on the border of Northumberland with Cumberland, the greater part of the village falling within Northumberland. The county boundary here is marked to the north of the main road by the River Irthing and to the south by the Poltross Burn, a minor tributary stream. Gilsland is about twenty miles west of Hexham in Northumberland, and about 18 miles east of Carlisle in Cumberland.
The village provides an amenity centre for visitors touring Hadrian's Wall and other features of historical interest in this area of rugged Cheviot country.
The village has a population of about 400, most of whom live on the Northumberland side.
History
As in most areas of Britain, Bronze-Age and Iron-Age settlement in Northumberland is represented by cup and ring marked stones, standing stones and hill forts, though few such monuments, with the possible exception of the Popping Stone, have been found near Gilsland. Recent field walking activities by a local archaeology group have produced flint artefacts dated to the Bronze Age and Neolithic. The evident antiquity of the civil parish boundaries may also be traceable to the Iron Age.
Gilsland stands on the line of Hadrian's Wall, the Roman frontier wall built in the early part of the second century. Consequently, a superficial layer of Romano-British remains, remarkable chiefly for their quantity, is strewn across the surrounding landscape and dominates archaeological writings on the region. Prominent remains of military structures form tourist attractions, the focus being almost entirely on their stone-built phases, most having been repeatedly re-constructed in turf & timber.
The Barony of Gilsland arose in the Middle Ages, possibly under Henry I, and it is claimed that it was named after an individual, hence 'Gil's Land', but despite sporadic speculation by historians, this apparent progenitor has never been identified. The barony encompassed a great portion of northern Cumberland, stretching from Carlisle to the Northumberland border at the present-day village of Gilsland. It was famously ruled by William Howard during the 16/17th century.
Gilsland Spa, a locally renowned mineral spring, was named from the Barony and the name was transferred from there to the village, although most of the population live on the Northumberland side, outside the original borders of the Barony.
The original Gilsland Spa hotel was built in the 1760s, was already a popular summer resort by the 1780s and went on to provide a nucleus for the accumulation of guest-houses we now recognise as Gilsland. The opening of a railway station in 1836 led to a boom in tourism. In the 1860s the name of the station was changed from Rose Hill to Gilsland, and residents of Rosehill, Mumpshall, Crooks, The Gap and surrounding farms and hamlets were invited to think of themselves as a single village, the name having been derived from the surrounding Barony of Gilsland.
Present
Today the village is somewhat isolated, as it always has been, with large tracts of forestry and high ground – laced with popular public footpaths, cycle trails and bridleways – to the north and south. The A69 east-west trunk road runs nearby, providing access to Hexham and Carlisle.
The railway station has been closed for many years but there is now a campaign to reopen it.
In the recent past, several small coalmines operated nearby, but occupation has mainly been in farming and building trades, also haulage, and a white-lining business is located in the village. Funding is currently being invested in the development and promotion of the area for tourism, and residents are increasingly offering flourishing 4 and 5-star rated B&B and Guest House accommodation. Some 100 local people earn part or whole of their living from tourism. Hadrian's Wall Heritage Limited – the body charged with maintaining the World Heritage Site corridor – estimate that visitor numbers (already circa 400,000 a year) are set to rise 8% per annum over the next 3 years, which could be problematical, considering that current numbers are already causing damage to the main attraction.
About the village
- Gilsland Spa, known in the past for its sulphurous spa waters, is close by.
- Milecastle 48 Fort of Hadrian's Wall, known locally as The King's Stables, is situated on the outskirts of Gilsland.
- Triermain Castle, fragmentary remains dating from the 14th century, lies 3 miles west of Gilsland.
- Thirlwall Castle A picturesque ruin of a mediæval castle, is two miles to the east.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Gilsland) |
- Gilsland Bits & Pieces – Accommodation guide with comment and reviews on historical sites, attractions, walks etc.
References
- Alexander, M. (no date) Gilsland Past & Present; Griffin Press, Gilsland. Compendium of local history, myths & legends and ghost stories.
- Bird, W.G. 1913. Gilsland and Neighbourhood, 3rd Edition; James Gregg, Gilsland. Still the best guide book to Gilsland, by the vicar at the time. 5 editions, 1908, 1910, 1913, 1922, 1927.
- Jenkinson, H.I. 1884. Jenkinson's Practical Guide to Carlisle, Gilsland, Roman Wall, and Neighbourhood; Edward Stanford, London. (Also a first edition, 1875, and "Jenkinson's Smaller Practical Guides" of the same dates.) One of the more useful guides to Gilsland, having a Gilsland section of 113pp. The information appears to have been carefully researched by an author familiar with the area and the numerous walks described from Gilsland to nearby destinations contain a wealth of detail.
- Mounsey, G.G., [1865], Gillesland; Lonsdale, Carlisle. This is the only competent history of Gilsland, much plagiarised by subsequent writers. It is very rare, but there are copies in Carlisle library and public records office, and the full text is online at Gillesland Online
- Gilsland is frequently mentioned in books about the area, and for a relatively complete annotated list of these see Gilsland Bibliography
