It is a statutory local authority set up under the Local Government Act 1972. It operates in the area of a defined civil parish and is made up of councillors elected by the electors of the parish.
Nicholforest is the most northerly Parish church in England.
Bulmer’s History and Directory of Cumberland, 1901, tells us that “Nicol Forest Chapelry covers an area of 8,497 acres, and extends about 10 miles along the rivers Liddel and Kershope which separate it from Scotland.”
The Church is dedicated to St Nicholas. There is a small wooden bell turret with a spire. There are many stained glass windows, all by John Scott & son, with a five light East window depicting Christ the Good Shepherd flanked by the four Evangelists. The church of St Nicholas is located at the gates of Kingfield House, in a semi wooded situation about half a mile from the village hall.
Built in 1866, it is Gothic architecture in style, to a design by Alexander Graham of London “The church was entirely rebuilt and enlarged by the addition of a chancel in 1866, at a cost of £2,000. It is a handsome stone building, lighted by several stained glass windows. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. (from Wikipedia, October 2016)
Services
A warm welcome to our Church is extended to local residents and visitors to the parish.
Weddings, christenings and funerals are by arrangement with the ministry team.
Up to date information on the Church website:
There has been a church in Nicholforest for many hundreds of years. There is but a single reference to a church in Nicholforest in medieval documents but it is impossible to say where the church was located or which saint it was dedicated to.
In 1663 there is the earliest post medieval reference to a church in the area. In that year Bishop Stearne licensed William Blathwait [sic] to teach boys to read and write in the chapel at Nicholforest (Capella de Foresta) thus proving of an existing chapel and referring to possibly the oldest school at Nicholforest.
There has been a church in Nicholforest for many hundreds of years. There is but a single reference to a church in Nicholforest in medieval documents but it is impossible to say where the church was located or which saint it was dedicated to.
In 1663 there is the earliest post medieval reference to a church in the area. In that year Bishop Stearne licensed William Blathwait [sic] to teach boys to read and write in the chapel at Nicholforest (Capella de Foresta) thus proving of an existing chapel and referring to possibly the oldest school at Nicholforest.
Parish registers begin in the 1750’s nut there are gaps in the early years. The church was situated near Chapel Burn, approximately 250 metres south of the Vicarage and in 1814 Archdeacon Fletcher described it thus:
“I visited this chapel 31 August 1814 and found it a most miserable place-very small – with a dirt floor – no altar etc.”
The Archdeacon then cajoled local landowners and landholders to rebuild the chapel and this had certainly been achieved on his next visit in 1817 when he noted that it was rebuilt at Warwicksland and now had a churchyard.
Fletcher goes on to say
“There was no chapel yard before. Some few were buried in the field without the service being read. Some were carried to Stapleton and the clerk there assured me ‘If the minister was not in the way, they just happed* them up and left them.”
*Happed-cover up, to wrap up
The first burial was the following year when 50-year-old Jane Glendinning from Hawick was buried in the new churchyard.
In 1862 a momentous event occurred in the life of the church when the Rev Henry Morrogh Joyce was installed as vicar. Within four years he oversaw the demolition of the 1817 church and the erection of the present church built in 1868 to the design of Alexander Graham, a London architect.
The Rev Joyce stayed in the parish for 54 years till 1916 when he retired to Loweswater. Upon his retirement, he was one of the longest serving incumbents in Carlisle Diocese. The Rev Joyce was the son of John Joyce from Cork, a customs officer at Port Carlisle who succumbed to pneumonia the day after rescuing a boy from drowning in the Carlisle Canal in 1845. At least three generations of the Joyce family took Holy Orders.
The church sports several stained glass windows all by the Carlisle firm of John Scott and has an chancel apse. The previous church had no separate chancel.
A major annual event organised by the Penton Discussion Group is the Penton Sheepdog Trials held on Bank Holiday Saturday at the end of May. A popular trials event in the North it attracts 50 or 60 competitors mainly from Cumbria, Northumberland, Durham, Lancashire, and the Scottish Borders. In recent years competitors have come from as far afield as Bristol, Holland, the Shetland Isles, and Cairndow in Argyll. The trials are run at the Haithwaite Farm in Penton and the day now includes a dog show during the lunch interval. Visitors and spectators are very welcome indeed at any time throughout the day.
In the Railway Building era of the mid 19th Century it was proposed to construct a railway through the Central Borders.
In 1850 a plan was drawn up to take the route from Carlisle through Longtown, Kirkandrews, Canonbie, Langholm, Ewes Vale and onwards to Hawick. The Engineers Blyth and Jopp pointed out the fact that this proposed route would cross rivers eleven times near Hawick.
Negotiations continued in the next few years until 1858 when another plan was proposed to take the route through Liddesdale. This route was to be known as the Border Union Railway. Later it was renamed the Waverley Route.
Bessiestown
Bessiestown is a luxurious retreat, in the heart of Border Reiver country. Situated in the ‘Debatable Lands’ – a relaxing and refreshing base from which to explore some of the most beautiful countryside in northern England.
Pentonbridge Inn
Pentonbridge Inn is a relaxed fine dining restaurant with rooms set in a historic coaching inn on the English and Scottish border.
Liddel Water
The cabin is constructed from locally felled larch trees and has a cedar shingle roof, it is in a truly fantastic private location on the banks of the river Liddel which is only yards way from the Scottish Borders.
Twin Willows
A Caravan Park situated in the idyllic countryside location near Carlisle, Cumbria. It is a quiet, beautiful location where we guarantee you an absolutely delightful holiday in our brand new facility.
John Sisson Contracting
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Log Homes Finland
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Taxis
Buses
There is a bus that runs on Tuesdays and Fridays between Newcastleton and Carlisle which passes through Penton once in the morning and twice in the afternoon.
Postcodes
If you struggle to find us by Sat Nav here are some postcodes for specific landmarks in our Parish.
The Bridge Inn, Penton CA6 5QB
Nicholforest Hall, CA6 5QD
Nicholforest Church CA6 5QD
Penton Linns CA6 5QU
Catlowdy CA6 5QP
Scugg Gate CA6 5 RY