Blencowe Reunion 2010

Blencow Hall restored

The Restored Blencowe Hall

Time moves on and it is less than a year before our next reunion held at Blencow in June 2010. It will have a special significance as 2010 sees the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Association in 1985.

Blencow Hall has just twelve double or twin rooms and clearly all those who would liked to attend, and would have liked to stay at Blencow Hall canít be accommodated there. Six months ago places on offer were rapidly taken up and there is a waiting list both in Australia and the UK. I am sorry for those who applied too late, but you may yet be lucky, as plans do change.

Accommodation in the Area

However there is plenty of Hotel and B & B accommodation in Penrith, Greystoke and nearby. Details can be obtained from the Penrith Tourist Office website. www.visiteden.co.uk. In addition here are few nearby places to try: Mrs Barbara Fawcett, Little Blencowe Farm, Blencowe, Penrith CA11 0DG. Tel: 017684 83338, Mrs Susan Foster, The Mill Farm. Blencowe, Penrith Tel: 017684 83916. Both of these are within a mile or two of Blencow Hall, and I can well recommend them. Other possibilities are The Crown Inn, Little Blencowe tel: 017684 83369. At Greystoke there is the Boot and Shoe, Greystoke, Penrith. tel; 017684 83343 and Brathen, The Thorpe, Greystoke, Penrith CA11 0TJ tel: 017684 83595. At Newbiggen, The Old School House, Stainton, Penrith CA11 0HT tel: 017684 83709 and Tymparon Hall tel: 0178684 83236. Slightly further away in Penrith there are numerous hotels and B & B which I list separately.

Reunion Program Activities

Greystoke Castle

Greystoke Castle where Adam de Blencowe's headstone is displayed

At the present moment, a reunion Dinner is planned for Saturday evening in the village hall and provided by the Crown Inn, a tea party in the gardens of Blencowe Hall on Sunday afternoon and a visit to Greystoke Castle on Monday morning. It will be necessary to make a charge for each of these, but I wonít know the figures till October after my wife and I have been north.

Hadrians Wall

Nearby Hadrian's Wall built from c. 122 to keep out the marauding Scots

I plan to issue formal invitations in the November newsletter with costs indicated. Reunions, I believe, should not be over organized, for members will need time to just meet each other and explore the neighbourhood. Carlisle, Hadrian's Wall and the Ullswater are all within easy reach. I will have other suggestions of visits to make later.


Penrith Accommodation

For those who have difficulty in finding a bed nearer or who would like to be about 5 miles away!

A short footnote with which to end: I have recently noticed that 'Blencow' Cumbria is now more often than not spelt 'Blencowe'. I enquired from the locals as to which is correct. The answer is that both are now used, however, the pronunciation remains 'cow' rather than 'coe'. Please excuse if I use both spellings!

Peter Blencowe

Refer to article "To 'e' or not to 'e' that is the question?" in February newsletter

Anne