{"id":3948,"date":"2020-03-05T06:56:02","date_gmt":"2020-03-05T06:56:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/?p=3948"},"modified":"2022-10-03T09:45:26","modified_gmt":"2022-10-03T08:45:26","slug":"brampton-cumbria-in-five-minutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/brampton-cumbria-in-five-minutes\/","title":{"rendered":"Brampton Cumbria – The Five Minute Spare Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

A quick guide to Brampton, Cumbria<\/h2>\n

Brampton, Cumbria is a small market town and civil parish, situated in the northeast of the county of Cumbria<\/a>, in northwest England<\/a>. Brampton lies about 9 miles (14 km) east of Carlisle<\/a> and 2 just miles (3 km) south of the famed Hadrian’s Wall. Historically part of Cumberland, the town is located just off the A69 truck road which runs east between Carlisle<\/a> and Newcastle<\/a>. At the 2011 UK census, the population of Brampton was recorded as 4,627.<\/p>\n

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Main Street, Brampton. Photo Credit – H Athey\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Go to the Cumbria Business Directory<\/a>\n

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To join the Brampton Group – Click here<\/a><\/h3>\n

Brampton, A Fleeting History<\/h3>\n

The historic market town of Brampton is thought to have been first settled in the 7th century when it was established by the invading Angles. The designation ‘Braunton’, was the first written reference of a name for the settlement, not recorded until the mid-13th century. The name is thought to have been derived from the Old English ‘Br\u014dm-t\u016bn’, meaning “the place where broom grows”. However, by the end of the 13th century, the name \u2018Brampton\u2019, was in use.<\/p>\n

By the 13th century, a settlement had grown up around (the surviving) Brampton Old Church, about 1.5 miles northwest of the existing town centre. In time, the entire village was forced to relocate on the whim of the local Barony, who had decided it was the ideal place for a deer park. However, the parish church stayed put, meaning that the churchgoers of Brampton were obliged to walk a mile or so to church on Sundays for the next six hundred years.<\/p>\n

In 1252, Brampton was granted a charter by Henry III, for a weekly market and an annual fair. It duly became the trading hub for the Barony of Gilsland and the wider area of north-east Cumberland. For the next few hundred years, things in the remote north Cumberland didn\u2019t change that much, and the townsfolk of Brampton quietly got on with their daily lives.<\/p>\n

In 1648, the town\u2019s original moot hall was built. During the mid-17th century, it was utilised by Oliver Cromwell\u2019s forces as a temporary jail, housing as many as 40 prisoners. In 1688, Thomas Denton described Brampton as a ”market well stored with all sorts of corn, especially rye” and observed it was ”improved both in building and trade”. He estimated the population of the town to be 630.<\/p>\n

From the mid-18th century onwards, Brampton began to transform from being just a market town, towards also being an industrial centre. In 1758, this process was greatly enhanced by the opening of the Military Road, which linked Carlisle<\/a> with Newcastle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In 1785, the town\u2019s first brewery was a set-up, originally known as J. Armstong’s, the name was changed to Brampton Old Brewery, around 1910. Circa 1790, a tannery was founded, establishing the town\u2019s long association with the leather industry. By the end of the 18th century, small scale coal mining was also underway in the area. In 1799, Brampton\u2019s coal staith was linked by a waggonway to the Earl of Carlisle\u2019s collieries and quarries at Tindale Fell. By 1801, the town\u2019s population had reached 1,682, with that of the wider parish being at 2,125.<\/p>\n

It was in the late 18th century, as the town began to prosper, that a good deal of the town centre was rebuilt. Most of the new buildings were constructed of the local red sandstone, which was quarried at the nearby Gelt Woods. By the turn of the 19th century, there were 45 pubs in Brampton, serving a population of around 3000. Not surprisingly drunkenness became a major problem in the area. Nonetheless, in 1829, a second brewery was founded in Brampton.<\/p>\n

In 1836, Newcastle and Carlisle Railway opened, where Milton, about 2 or so miles from Brampton, was the nearest stop to the town. A short branch line took passengers by horse-drawn \u2018dandy wagon\u2019 from the Staith ( later renamed Brampton Town Station) to Milton Station. The line closed in 1890, but reopened briefly, twice between 1913 and 1923.<\/p>\n

Throughout the 19th century, the local leather industry continued to thrive. By the mid-1800s, there were 17 businesses employing around 80 shoemakers in town. At the same time, textiles were employing around 200 people. In 1865, the Scotch Tweed Mill was opened, and by 1873, it was employing 150 people. Other manufacturing at the time, included hat making and nail making, and by the late 19th century, mineral water production.<\/p>\n

By 1841, the town\u2019s population had grown to 2,754, and in 1871, reached a peak of 3,557. In 1875, the Scotch Tweed Mill was destroyed by fire. Although, the mill was quickly rebuilt it failed to flourish and closed within a few years. This event marked a turning point in Brampton\u2019s fortunes, as the town\u2019s manufacturing base began to decline. By 1931, the town\u2019s population had decreased to 2,526. However, it was in the 1930s, that the town began to modernise its housing stock, with the support of the Brampton Public Utility Society.<\/p>\n

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Brampton, The Modern Era<\/h3>\n

In 1951, construction began on the RAF\u2019s Spadeadam rocket testing site at Gilsland, about 10 miles from Brampton. This brought in a large influx of skilled workers to the area. which resulted in the building of two new housing estates in Brampton. Although the flood of new arrivals was relatively short-lived, Brampton continued to grow, albeit very slowly, as a dormitory town for nearby Carlisle. By 1971, the population of the town had surpassed its previous peak, rising to 4,033.<\/p>\n

During the 1980s, a small industrial estate was developed at Townfoot, maintaining some jobs in the town. By 2001, the town\u2019s population had only grown by around 8% from its 1971 level.<\/p>\n

Brampton operates one of about 500 community-based trusts in the UK. The ‘Brampton and Beyond Community Trust’ is a registered company and registered charity, which is wholly community-based, owned and led. The Trust provides some community-based services that were formerly funded by the County Council.<\/p>\n

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Getting to Brampton<\/h2>\n

By Road<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s quite easy getting to Brampton by road. From the South, take the M6 to Junction 43, then head east for 10 miles along the A69. From Scotland<\/a>, take the A74(M), which becomes the M6 at the border with England. At Junction 44 of the M6, turn left on to the A685, then head east for about 9 miles until you reach the crossroads with the A69, just to the west of Brampton. From the East, head to Newcastle<\/a>, and then take the A69 and head west towards Carlisle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By Bus<\/h3>\n

Arriva in partnership with Stagecoach operates the daily bus service between Carlisle and Newcastle. The 685 bus departs from Eldon Square Bus Station, Newcastle and ends its journey at Carlisle Bus Station and vice versa. The service runs about every hour from around 6.00 am to about 8 pm with a journey of 1 hr 50 mins to Brampton from Newcastle. The travelling time between Brampton and Carlisle is about 25 minutes.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a local bus, the \u2018Border Rambler\u2019 which travels each way between Carlisle and Laversdale, passing through a number of villages and Brampton en-route. However, the bus only runs twice per week, with a journey time of 37 mins between Brampton and Carlisle.<\/p>\n

By Train<\/h3>\n

To get to Brampton by train, head first to either Carlisle or Newcastle, as the town is a stop on the line between the two cities. The journey time between Carlisle and Brampton is about 20 minutes; and between Newcastle and Brampton, about 1 hr 10 mins. There are 11 trains in each direction that pass-through Brampton bound for either Carlisle or Newcastle.<\/p>\n

By Air<\/h3>\n

The nearest airport to Brampton is the newly opened Carlisle Airport. It\u2019s only about 7 miles along the A685 and not more than a 15-minute drive. However, you can currently only fly to Carlisle<\/a> from Belfast<\/a>, Dublin<\/a> and Southend (London). The alternative is to fly to Newcastle International Airport and then travel to Brampton via any of the above.<\/p>\n

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A Prime Sporting Event<\/h3>\n

The Brampton to Carlisle 10 Mile Road Race, which is held annually in November, is the oldest 10-mile road race in the UK. Past winners of the prestigious race include British running legends Steve Cram and Ron Hill.<\/p>\n

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Did you know?<\/h3>\n