Farlam: Church, Industrial and Railway History

Farlam offers a rich historical heritage spanning church architecture, industry and railway history. For travellers looking for a hotel in Farlam, this variety provides a practical way to explore the destination according to their personal interests. Each place tells a different story: St Thomas a Becket represents ecclesiastical architecture and remembrance, while Tindale and Roachburn reveal different aspects of industrial history.

St Thomas a Becket: Church and Remembrance

St Thomas a Becket was built in 1860 to a design by Anthony Salvin, replacing an earlier church dating from 1169. The church stands on a rise on the descending slopes of the Pennines. A memorial in the churchyard commemorates Joseph Bell, chief engineer of the Titanic. Church architecture, an elevated setting and a specific act of remembrance come together at this site.

A key to St Thomas a Becket is available by prior arrangement. Please arrange your visit in advance, as visiting arrangements may change.

The Zinc Industry at Tindale

The 19th-century zinc works at Tindale were the only ones of their kind in northern England and among the first to be built in Great Britain. These two comparisons emphasise different points: the works were unique in northern England and early examples in Great Britain. The 20th-century Fume Works belong to a different period. They are the only works of this kind in England known to retain substantial structural remains at their original site. The zinc works form part of a Scheduled Monument that extends into the parish of Farlam.

Roachburn and Coal Mining

Roachburn was a colliery from the 1860s until 1912. Roachburn Colliery is classified as an industrial mining site and designated a Scheduled Monument. In contrast to Tindale, the focus here is on coal mining; Tindale is characterised by its zinc works and the Fume Works. Together, they illustrate the different industries and periods within Farlam's industrial history.

Great Battery and Railway History

Great Battery adds railway construction to this picture. It is an impressive early 19th-century railway embankment and is privately owned. The railway line from Hallbankgate to Midgeholme ran across the embankment. This was the first standard-gauge line in the country not built by Stephenson to use wrought-iron rails. Farlam's industrial history therefore includes not only mining and zinc processing, but also a distinct chapter in early railway development.

The Construction Phases of Farlam Hall

Farlam Hall Country House Hotel offers another example of the area's architectural history. The core probably dates from the mid-18th century and stands on the site of an earlier building. The house was extended around 1824 and further enlarged and altered around 1860 for the Thompson family. This timeline distinguishes several construction phases: the probably older core, an extension and later alterations for the Thompson family.

The historical themes vary in character: St Thomas a Becket and Farlam Hall represent architectural history, Tindale and Roachburn different industries, and Great Battery railway construction.

Discover more destinations: Storth, Ulverston, Shap, Barrow-In-Furness, Morland, Crosby Garrett, Greystoke, Kirkby Stephen.

For the main travel overview: Cumbria.