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Community Hall, Longsleddale
Community Hall
Longsleddale School
locality:-   Longsleddale
civil parish:-   Longsleddale (formerly Westmorland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   village hall
locality type:-   school (ex) 
coordinates:-   NY50100292
1Km square:-   NY5002
10Km square:-   NY50


photograph
BRH86.jpg (taken 7.8.2009)  

evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Wmd 27 11,12) 
source data:-   Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.
image
C5E015.jpg
"School"

evidence:-   old map:- Hodgson 1828
placename:-  school
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, 4 sheets mounted together on linen and rolled, Plan of the County of Westmorland, scale about 1.25 inches to 1 mile, by Thomas Hodgson, engraved by W R Gardner, Harpur Street, London, published by Thomas Hodgson, Lancaster, and perhaps by C Smith, 172 Strand, London,1828.
image
HDG6lsl2.jpg
map courtesy of Mark Cropper
"school"
item:-  private collection : 371
Image © see bottom of page The old school building here was demolished in 1863 with the church. The new school was built across the road. 

evidence:-   old text:- Whellan 1860
source data:-   Book, History and Topography of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland, by William Whellan, published by W Whellan and Co, Pontefract, Yorkshire, 1860
"..."
"In 1853 the Rev. Miles Walker, brother of the present incumbent [of the chapel], gave L300, on condition that the inhabitants of the township would raise a similar sum, and devote it to the education of the poor of the chapelry. The inhabitants subscribed L250, to which the master and fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge, added L50, thus making up the amount required, which was invested in the Three-per-cent Consols, and now produces about L21 per annum. The Hon. Mrs. Howard also subscribes L10 a year for the education of poor children. A new schoolhouse is much needed."

evidence:-   descriptive text:- Bulmer 1880s (1st edn 1885/Wmd) 
source data:-   Series of books, each the History, Topography, and Directory of a county in the NW, mostly by T F Bulmer, published by T Bulmer and Co, Manchester, Lancashire, 1880s; 2nd editions 1900s-10s.
"The parsonage and school were also rebuilt at the same time [1863] by the benevolent lady of the manor [the late Hon. Mrs. Howard of Levens Hall]. The latter is endowed with L600, L300 of which was given by the Rev, Miles Walker, and the remainder by the inhabitants."
"Marshall Miss Georgina, schoolmistress"

evidence:-   old directory:- Kelly 1894
source data:-   Kelly's Directory of Cumberland and Westmorland, published by Kelly and Co, London, 1894.
"National School (mixed) built in 1863, for 45 children: average attandance 26; Thomas B. Wright, master."

evidence:-   old directory:- Kelly 1897
source data:-   Kelly's Directory of Cumberland and Westmorland, published by Kelly and Co, London, 1897.
"National School (mixed) (Walker's school trust of L19 16s. 4d. with an endowment from Long Sleddale, in the hands of the Charity Commissioners), built in 1863, for 45 children; average attandance 24; Miss E. J. Halstead, mmistress."

evidence:-   descriptive text:- Ffinch 1983
source data:-   Book, Kendal and the Kent Valley, by Michael Ffinch, published by Robert Hale, London, 1983.
"Near the church stands the old school, though it has long been closed as a school. ..."

 directory entries

evidence:-   map:- OS Six Inch (1956) 
placename:-  School
source data:-   Map series, various editions with the national grid, scale about 6 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, scale 1 to 10560 from 1950s to 1960s, then 1 to 10000 from 1960s to 2000s, superseded by print on demand from digital data.
image
SINY5002.jpg
"School"

evidence:-   old newspaper:- Z8900705.txt
source data:-   Z8900705.txt
Westmorland Gazette
Transcription from the Westmorland Gazette 5 July 1890 
page 6:-  "... the statesmen, ... they [?long ago] built the school and endowed it, thus indicating the estimate of the character we venture to give them. Perhaps, also, viewing some colour of truth to the saying attributed to one of them, "We dinna care what kind of parson we get, nobbut send us a gude schulemaister.""

MN photo:-  
Children from Bannisdale Head attended the school at one time. They walked to and fro each day over the fell top; their father put in a row of posts to guide them. They did not attend during the winter season. Their exact route isn't known, but these pictures show a way up across Capplebarrow to Bannisdale.
PLEASE NOTE that there is no right of way onto this land from Longsleddale.

photograph
BXS60.jpg  Path over Capplebarrow,
(taken 29.11.2012)  
photograph
BXS61.jpg  Path over Capplebarrow,
(taken 29.11.2012)  
photograph
BXS62.jpg  Path over Capplebarrow, looking back,
(taken 29.11.2012)  
Extracts from the school log book:-
10 May 1895:-
"... The Whitwells (4) have only attended school two days this week. They have to go over the top into Bannisdale, and on Wednesday had only reached the summit of the hill at 5.30, going home."
23 October 1896, winter coming:-
"The Whitwells have come this afternoon to tell me they will not be able to come any more until the Spring and have taken some books, so as to be able to partly go on with work at home."
30 August 1889:-
"...rain fell plentifully .... Four girls who come over the fells from the next Dale were prevented from coming three days."
Variously in March to June 1898:-
"The 3 children from Bannisdale affected ... wild and stormy weather."
30 September 1898:-
"... v. wet ....Bannisdale ... only 1 day this week."
28 October 1898, winter approaching again:-
"The three children from Bannisdale have again been absent the whole of the week. The reason I should think is because of the short days, part of the walk over the mountain being taken in the dusk."

hearsay:-  
The school closed in 1947.


Ward, Humphrey, Mrs: 1888: Robert Elsmere
An old attitude to teaching is expressed in chapter 2:-
"But there were one or two old men still lingering in the dale who could have told him [Mr Thornborough, the vicar] a great deal ..., whose memory went back to the days when the relative social importance of the dale parsons exactly expressed by the characteristic Westmoreland saying: "Ef ye'll nobbut send us a gude schulemeaster, a verra' moderate parson 'ull dea!" ..."

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