Heversham is a small village and
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of Parish (administrative division), administrative parish used for Local government in England, local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below district ...
in the
South Lakeland
South Lakeland is a local government district in Cumbria, England. The population of the non-metropolitan district was 102,301 according to the 2001 census, increasing to 103,658 at the 2011 Census. Its council is based in Kendal. It include ...
district of
Cumbria
Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. ...
, England. In the
2001 census the parish had a population of 647, increasing at the
2011 census to 699.
It is situated above the marshes of the
Kent estuary which gives some fine views, notably from Heversham Head where there is a
toposcope.
It has a variety of recreational facilities, including a fully functioning outdoor activities centre, tennis courts, bowling green and a playground. There are also rugby, football and hockey fields, as well as a cricket ground and pavilion.
History
Heversham had an abbey in the early Anglo-Saxon period. According to the ''
Historia de Sancto Cuthberto'', in the early tenth century its abbot, who was called
Tilred, purchased the village of
Castle Eden and gave half of it to
Norham abbey so that he could be abbot there, perhaps because Heversham Abbey had been destroyed by the Vikings. Part of a carved stone cross still survives. It was found under the lych-gate of
St Peter's Church, which may indicate that the monastery was located nearby.
Transport
Rail
It was on the
Hincaster branch railway line from 26 June 1876. Passenger services ended on the branch on 4 May 1942.
Road
Heversham is situated just off the
A6. It formerly straddled the A6, but the centre of the village was bypassed in the 1920s.
However, the
Stagecoach bus route 555 still passes through the centre.
The new section of road was opened by the future
Edward VIII and was named Prince's Way.
The Heversham Hotel, referred to by the locals as the "Blue Bell", is on this bypass.
Schools
Heversham Grammar School existed for more than 370 years from 1613 until 1984, when it amalgamated with the comprehensive school in Milnthorpe to become the boarding house and 6th form college of
Dallam School.
The boarding and outdoors section of Dallam School are situated in Heversham and the outdoors centre is open to the public.
The local primary school, Heversham St Peters, was closed in 2017. It used to be next to the church but was moved to Leasgill due to the fact that the toilets were right above the village water supply.
Famous people
*
Geoffrey Bibby, archaeologist
See also
*
Listed buildings in Heversham
References
External links
Heversham Parish Council Cumbria County History Trust: Heversham
(nb: provisional research only - see Talk page)
* http://www.heversham.org/heversham_history_bingham_1.html
* http://www.railscot.co.uk/Hincaster_Branch/frame.htm
* http://www.dallam.eu
* http://www.dallam.eu/outdoors
{{authority control
Villages in Cumbria
Civil parishes in Cumbria
South Lakeland District