King's Meaburn

King's Meaburn
Westmorland
Ford across the River Lyvennet by the village
Location
Grid reference:	NY6221
Location:	54°34’59"N, 2°34’59"W
Data
Population:	135  (2011)
Post town:	Penrith
Postcode:	CA10
Dialling code:	01931
Local Government
Council:	Westmorland & Furness
Parliamentary constituency:	Penrith and The Border

King's Meaburn is a small village in the north of Westmorland, located five miles from Appleby-in-Westmorland and ten miles from Penrith, in the valley of the River Lyvennet. The river flows just to the west of the village, and is crossed by a ford on the road to Newby and Morland.

The village has an inn called the White Horse Inn which doubles up as a post office. King's Meaburn used to have a school until it closed down in 1983.

The village is known for its annual Beer Festival at The White Horse.

Name

The name 'Meaburn' is believed to be from the Old English Mædburna, meaning "meadow stream".

The prefix 'King's' comes goes back to the 12th century, when King Henry II confiscated the lands he had granted to Sir Hugh de Morville after the latter's rebellion. The lands granted to Hugh's sister or niece Maud are known still as Maulds Meaburn.

History

King Henry II granted part of the lands of Meaburn to Sir Hugh de Morville, later Lord of Westmoreland, and the other part to his sister, Maud de Veteripont. Sir Hugh was close to the King, and was one of the knights who in an excess of zeal murdered Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. Sir Hugh however joined in a rebellion against the King in 1173 and as a result his lands were forfeit to the Crown. This gave the village the name 'King's Meaburn'.

In 1745 during the '45 Rebellion, Charles Edward Stuart ("Bonnie Prince Charlie") and some of his soldiers crossed the ford in the village on their way to rendezvous with more of his troops in Shap.

Churches

Churches in King's Meaburn include St Mary's, the Wesleyan Chapel and the New Methodist Church.

Watermill

Steele's Mill is now a holiday cottage. It retains a waterwheel, three grinding stones set into a floor, and the original apple-wood cogs and gearing encased in glass.

Other websites

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about King's Meaburn)

• King's Meaburn: "Mauldy"]

References

• Addison, Caroline & Addison, Margaret: 'King's Meaburn Through the Ages'