More Northern than Grit

After a couple of days exploring my family heritage in Cumbria I have discovered that my forebears worked in a textile mill, went to bed four hours after they had to get up again, lived in a small hamlet on a freezing hillside, ate gravel, founded and built a Methodist Chapel. I realise, on my mother's side at least I'm more Northern than I had previously understood.

We set off walking into Sedburgh, first having to walk away up the dale to reach a footbridge across the river to pick up the footpath back in. A lovely walk even if it did start with sleet and snow. About three and a half miles in all, after which we fell into a bookshop to grab a cup of coffee. 

Off into Sedbergh. We went and had a brief look along Main Street (where my Grandmother was born) and made our way to the parish church. Here it was that my Grandma (Eleanor Hall Dinsdale) and Grandpa (Thomas Preston) got married. I have a photo of them standing outside the church entrance on their wedding day so Jo took one of me standing in the same place. Lovely church inside, very warm and welcoming. I can see how it would have been a bit upmarket for a simple Settle Methodist like my Grandpa not to mention being a little too 'high' for Grandma's own Dinsdale family who were Methodist through and through.

Grandma and Grandpa are the couple on the right

​

Main Street, Sedbergh

Sedbergh Parish Church

Off to the pub

​After the church it was across the road to the Red Lion for lunch. I've often stopped whilst driving past on journey's through Sedbergh to glance at this pub. Here it was that Eleanor Dinsdale (Grandma) grew up. Pretty much being adopted by the Hall's who ran the then 'Hotel'. Here she became Eleanor Hall Dinsdale. It was great to go inside especially since it was still very basic, no corporate redevelopment. Maybe a new bar, maybe not; certainly many coats of paint over the years but here was the low ceiling and rustic rafters under which my Grandma would have grown. On the wall were many old photos, the usual local views but one from 1910 had a picture of the Red Lion with the name of W.Hall above the door, amazing.

After lunch we went down to the cemetery but had little luck in finding names we recognised, although there seemed to be many cousins. A cup of tea later we made the track home for evening prayer and an early night.