Moresby Hall - Izeria

Moresby Hall is a former manor house and hotel in Parton, Cumbria, England, overlooking the Cumbrian Fells, and just to the north of the village of Moresby. The hall is located south of Lowca, off the A595 on the A66-595, two miles (3.2 km) north of Whitehaven and 12 miles (19 km) south-west of Cockermouth. Dating back to the 12th century, it is a Grade I listed building and has been cited by English Heritage as being one of the most important buildings in Cumbria. Moresby Hall adjoins St Bridget's Church, built 1822 to 1823. The chancel arch of the previous building still stands in the graveyard.

1. History

The name derives from the original builder named Morisceby, Mawriceby or Moricebi as early as 1150, when the Rosmerta Cottage was built using a spiral stone staircase believed to be from an original stone pele tower that preceded the property. The adjacent church is on the site of a Roman fort named Gabrosentum, the earth banks of which can still be seen. The graveyard of the church contains many of the people who lived and died at Moresby Hall and the hamlet of Low Moresby.

The wealthy Moresby family owned the estate for centuries during medieval times and had contacts with English royalty. Christopher de Moresby fought in the Battle of Agincourt and was knighted by King Henry V, and Anne, his great-granddaughter who was sole heiress of the estate, saw her fiancé Sir Francis Weston executed by King Henry VIII along with Queen Anne Boleyn. Later the very wealthy Fletcher family (from Cockermouth) owned Moresby Hall for a 250-year period. During this period it underwent some changes by architect Inigo Jones around 1620 and later between 1670 and 1690, by either William Thackery or Edward Addison. During the 18th century, the house was owned by several different people after Thomas Fletcher died childless. It fell into disrepair and was used as a farmhouse for some years, before it was restored in 1910 and became a small manor house again until 1955. Until the late 1990s it was owned by High Duty Alloys as a business venue. Moresby Hall is now a hotel and was purchased by new owners in 2023.

1. See also

Grade I listed buildings in Cumbria Listed buildings in Parton, Cumbria

1. References


1. External links

Official website Companies house details

Nearby Places View Menu

Parton Halt railway station

Parton Halt railway station was opened by the LNWR and FR Joint Railway ("The Joint Line") in January 1915 and closed by the LMSR fourteen years later in 1929. The halt never appeared on any public timetable, as it was provided to enable workmen to get from Whitehaven to the isolated colliery, coke ovens and bi-products plant on the hilltop at Lowca. The halt was at the foot of steep tracks up to these workplaces.

Landmark Train

Lowca Beck

Lowca Beck is a beck in the county of Cumbria, England. The beck rises (as Distington Beck) in the vicinity of Gilgarran and flows by Distington and the remains of Hayes Castle before flowing between Lowca and Howgate, emptying into the Solway Firth at Parton Bay.

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Parton railway station

Parton railway station is a railway station serving the village of Parton in Cumbria, England. It is on the Cumbrian Coast Line, which runs between Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains. Immediately north and south of Parton, the line runs almost on the seashore, at the foot of cliffs which require supervision and occasional stabilisation to prevent landslides. Sea erosion is also a danger, and 15 m.p.h speed restrictions are in force over much of the section between here and Harrington, which is restricted to a single line. There was a signal box immediately to the north of the station that formerly controlled this section, but this was closed and demolished due to its deteriorating condition in May 2010 (control passing to the adjacent box at Whitehaven Bransty).

Train

Parton, Cumbria

Parton is a village and civil parish on the coast of Cumbria, overlooking the Solway Firth, approximately 2 miles (3 km) north of Whitehaven in England. At the 2021 census, the parish had a population of 997. Formerly a port and a mining centre, Parton is located on the A595 trunk road and the Cumbrian Coast railway line.

Neighbourhood