Torpenhow brings together architectural history and interpretations of the place name with historical information about the common land; cheese-making is also one of the topics to explore during a stay. You can weigh up different interests: architecture, the history of the place name and former land use, or products from a family farm.
Church and manor house: two periods of construction
St Michael and All Angels in Torpenhow dates back to 1120. The church is almost entirely Norman in character and has a central Norman arch. The date places its history in context, while the style description identifies its architectural character. The arch adds a specific structural feature to this picture. For those interested in architecture, the church’s age, style and a particular part of its structure therefore offer distinct points of reference.
Torpenhow Hall is a manor house dating from the mid-16th century and is now used as a farmhouse. Compared with the church, which dates back to 1120, the Hall represents a distinctly later period; its present-day use is also part of the building’s story. Anyone looking to trace local history through its buildings can compare two clearly distinct dates and building functions.
Place name and historic landscape
One interpretation of the place name Torpenhow, recorded by the 17th-century historian John Denton, traces it to three words: “tor” means hill in Saxon, “pen” means hill in British, and “how” also means hill in Old Norse. Taken together, the name would therefore mean “hill-hill-hill”. This is one of several proposed explanations of the name’s origin. It offers a distinct way into the history of the place by assigning the same meaning to three linguistic elements and combining them in one name.
The common lands of the parishes of Bothel and Torpenhow covered 2,200 acres and were enclosed in 1811. The area and the year provide two different pieces of information: the extent of the common land and when it was enclosed. This makes the landscape’s history tangible through a specific area and date.
A racecourse also features in the recorded history of the common land: in the 17th century, it lay between Caermote and Moota. The racecourse therefore belongs to an earlier period than the enclosure of the common lands in 1811. Together, these details offer two different perspectives on the common land: its area and enclosure on the one hand, and its use in connection with a racecourse on the other.
Cheese and buying direct
Torpenhow Farmhouse Dairy makes artisan, award-winning cheese from fresh organic milk produced by grass-fed cows from a single herd. These details give the food-related highlight a specific profile: it is not just cheese in general, but also the production method and the milk’s origin.
At the end of the drive to the family farm, The Cheese Hut offers the chance to buy organic cheese and organic butter directly. Visits to Park House Farm are by appointment only. If you plan to visit, arrange an appointment in advance and check before travelling whether direct sales are currently available.
Discover more destinations: Pooley Bridge, Hawkshead, Killington, Windermere, Penrith, Grange Over Sands, Garrigill, Oulton
For the main travel overview: Cumbria.
