Milburn, Cumbria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Milburn, Cumbria nestles at the Eastern edge of the Eden Valley as it meets the Pennine Mountain range. It lies some 200 feet above sea level directly beneath the highest point of the Pennines, Cross Fell. The area is predominated by farming and to the north of Milburn is the market town of Penrith and to the south, Appleby, the county town of the old county, Westmorland.

Consisting of about 50 houses arranged in a rectangle around a large village green, it is reached only by a single road adjoining the village at its Western end. Historically, this arrangement made it more easily defended from raiders. All the animals in this farming community could be herded into the green between the safety of the houses and the road gated. Even to this day, many houses still have few windows facing away from the green. In lawless times, the resulting lack of light emanating from the village during the hours of darkness kept the whereabouts of the village secret from marauders and animal rustlers.

The main occupation of the village is sheep farming although the nearby gypsum works provides additional employment. On the slopes of Cross Fell to the East of the village there is evidence of mining, a track called the Lonnin. Whilst farmers have grazing rights for their sheep on the fells, this imposing countryside is a nature conservancy area and is only accessible to walkers via the Pennine Way which traverses Cross Fell from North to South. Wild ponies roam the fells and the area is rich in bird life including curlews, buzzards and even Peregrine falcons. Only here, above Milburn can one experience the ferocious Helm Wind that rises once in a while reaching tremendous speeds. The village itself misses the worst of the damage that the wind can inflict as it hides in a slight hollow at the foot of the mountain.