Discover Westward: Churches, Roman history and historic farmhouses

If you are looking for a hotel in Westward, you can plan your trip around your cultural and historical interests. The evidence ranges from St Hilda’s parish church and the hermitage at Isle Kirk to Roman fortifications and settlement traces, as well as farmhouses. Along the way, you will encounter different kinds of historical evidence: rebuilt or altered buildings, an earthwork still visible above ground, and remains preserved beneath the ground.

Churches and historic architectural styles

St Hilda’s parish church was rebuilt in 1785–1786. Its exterior is made of red sandstone; the stepped roof is covered with green slate. A square bellcote or tower with a pyramidal top complements the distinctive roofline. At the church, you can observe both its building history and the different materials and forms of its exterior. Opening hours are not currently listed. For further information, please contact the church.

The hermitage at Isle Kirk dates from no earlier than the 13th century. In 1374, it was recorded as a chapel called “Hildkirk”. These two dates refer to different historical milestones: the earliest possible date for the hermitage’s construction and its later recording as a chapel under this name.

Roman traces and archaeological remains

The Old Carlisle (Olerica) monument comprises the remains of a Roman fort, its surrounding civilian settlement, or vicus, and an associated road. The fort survives as an earthwork still visible above ground; the settlement remains are preserved as well-preserved archaeological deposits beneath the ground. The fort itself covers approximately two hectares. Its plan is rectangular, with rounded corners. Here, two different forms of archaeological remains can be seen side by side: the fort surviving above ground and the settlement traces preserved beneath the ground.

A settlement enclosure 450 yards (410 m) south of Greenhill survives as a square cropmark surrounded by a double ditch. Its remains provide insight into the Roman occupation of Britain, particularly the relationship between Roman military occupation and native settlement. The square shape and double ditch characterise this site; its historical significance also lies in the insight it offers into the relationship between the occupying forces and native settlement.

The stones at Islekirk Hall also have a connection to Old Carlisle: two of them suggest that they may have come from the nearby Roman fort, along with other stones. This origin is an archaeological interpretation and remains a possibility, not a confirmed attribution.

Historic farmhouses

Stoneraise Farmhouse and its adjoining outbuildings form an intact example of a small vernacular farmstead dating from the late 18th century, which was altered in the 19th century. This farmstead therefore combines an early building phase with later alterations. Meadow Bank Farmhouse is a rare dated example of a house type. In comparison, the emphasis at Stoneraise is on the intact relationship between the farmhouse and its outbuildings, as well as the alterations; at Meadow Bank, it is the rarity of the dated example. The two houses thus offer different points of interest for exploring rural architectural history.

Discover more destinations: Underbarrow, Brigham, Baycliff, Nether Wasdale, Winscales, Crosby Garrett, Morland, Levens.

For the wider travel overview: Cumbria.