DEEPDALE HALL

PATTERDALE

• THE FARM
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• ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
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• VISITORS

ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES

Deepdale Hall is a typical Lake District fell farm in a steeply sided valley rising to high fells of nearly 3000 feet.

GEOLOGY

The farm sits on the Borrowdale Volcanic series and the valley bottom has glacial moraines deposited at the end of the last ice age. These include gravels and boulder clay.

FAUNA
Red squirrels are living in an area of woodland which is designated as a SSSI. There is evidence of barn owls living in the Olk Hogg House barn and peregrine falcons have also been sighted on the farm.

FLORA

With the reduction in sheep numbers, heather moorland is regenerating on the fell. The farm has an area of ancient alder woodland which has been fenced off to prevent grazing damage.

© Copyright 2007

ARCHAEOLOGY

There are two iron ore mines dating from the late 1800s and numerous small scale slate quarries. On the lower ground, there is evidence of a bronze age settlement in the form of earthworks indicating the presence of bronze age roundhouses. On the fell land, there is evidence of Viking settlements.

Other features include old charcoal burner pitsteads and a potash kiln. The kiln was used to burn bracken to make potash which was used in the linen industry. The kiln can be seen as a cobbled hollow.

DRY STONE WALLS

Around 95% of the field boundaries are dry stone walls and son, Jimmy, does most of the walling repairs himself.

VERNACULAR BUILDINGS & FEATURES

The farmhouse dates back to 1670. There are two 17th century half crook hogg houses which would have housed sheep on the lower storey with hay stored in the loft. One of the hogg houses was originally used as a cattle byre.

Opposite the main farmhouse is a barn also dating to the 17th century which would have been used to store wool.