RAISGILL HALL

GAISGILL, TEBAY

THE FARM

ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES

VISITORS

ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES

The Orton fells are an area of limestone upland with limestone pavements and flower rich meadows.

GEOLOGY

Limestone.

SOIL TYPE(S)

The valley bottom has relatively fertile loam soils as a result of the history of lake sediments. There are limestone soils on the upper pastures with a mixture of thin limestone soils and peat on the fell tops.

ARCHAEOLOGY

The farm has a cockpit which dates from the 1700s. This is thought to have been provided by the landowner at Raisgill Hall for local entertainment.

Cockpit

There is evidence of ancient drove routes as a result of the farms location as a good crossing place over the River Lune.

FAUNA

There are wading birds on the limestone pastures including curlew and oyster catchers. There are also between 6 and 8 pairs of buzzards and the River Lune tributary contains salmon and trout. Hares are commonly seen.

FLORA

The Dunnings planted 5.5ha of mixed woodland in 1995 and have also planted a number of smaller parcels of woodland containing a mixture of species including bird cherry, mountain ash, juniper and larch.

HEDGEROWS

There are around 400 metres of hedgerows on the holding.

DRY STONE WALLS

Around 95% of the field boundaries are dry stone walls. Maintenance of the walls takes two contractors two weeks each year – a cost to the farm of around £2000.

VERNACULAR BUILDINGS & FEATURES

Raisgill Hall, now two cottages, dates from the 1600s. The hall was believed to have been built on the site on an existing dwelling and the stone used in building was taken from the local burial site. The names of the dead can be seen on the chimney breast.

There are two traditional barns on the holding, one of which was built at the same time as Raisgill Hall. The barn contains wood from around the world as it was sourced from ship breaking carried out on the South Cumbria coast.