A history of Hollow Creek Farm
Hollow Creek Farm, built during the Georgian period, currently consists of Hollow Creek Farm House
and Hollow Creek Cottage, a mid eighteenth century farm workers’ cottage. These two buildings had
been connected to form one, larger property but were separated again in 2009. This series of Grade
II Listed Buildings is set in 7.5 acres of land on the perimeter of the village of Kirkandrews-on-Eden.
The building is constructed of traditional brick with
lime mortar, welsh slates with lower courses of
sandstone slates.
Photograph of Hollow Creek Farm taken 2012
It is believed that the farm was built in 1760 for Joseph
Hines, whose initials and date appear above the door
leading from the porch to the sitting room (see below)
and a date of 1778 on a date stone on the roadside
wall of the large Granary Barn. The land (150 acres at
that time) was given to him by the Baron of Burgh
(pronounced Bruff).
Photo of cottage porch door showing date
Hollow Creek Cottage
On the ground floor, Hollow Creek Cottage comprises a porch, a sitting room, kitchen/dining room
and a shower room.
The sitting room has a large inglenook fireplace now containing a multi-fuel burner. Originally, this
room would have been the main room for living, cooking, eating and washing. The inglenook was
discovered after the removal of two other fireplaces which had been built in front of it. In front of
the stove, there is a grating in the hearth. This replaces the original iron grating which we found set
into the flagstones under the concrete floor. Georgian cooking fires had an “ash-pit” in front of
them, which allowed the ashes to be raked out of the fire during cooking and which also conducted
air up from under the fire to keep it burning brightly. There are various hooks and rings at the sides
of the fireplace, from which the kettle crane and spit would have originally hung.
Above and in front of the fireplace is the smoker which extends up into the bedroom above. This has
now been boarded up and the clothes airer fixed to the false ceiling. However it originally contained
oak beams with hooks and pulleys for the drying and preserving of meat, herbs and fruit. The
ancient beams visible in this room and the kitchen were originally ships’ timbers that were
“recycled” by the Georgian builders. Sea-faring vessels were pulled by horses from nearby Port
Carlisle, along the canal which ran through Kirkandrews-on-Eden, and into the large docks which
used to be behind the site where the Cumberland Royal Infirmary stands, originally the hospital for
seamen. This meant that plenty of well seasoned oak was available whenever a ship was dismantled.
The kitchen and dining area were originally two separate rooms with a loft room above. The floor
level was about a foot down from the current level and one of these rooms may have been a dairy.
There is a door lintel hanging in mid air which would originally have led from the loft straight into the
bedroom. Perhaps there was a ladder or staircase at that end of the room up into the loft. The small
low-level window was discovered when the plaster and render from the walls in 2011. It originally
had bars rather than glass.
The shower room was originally part of the wash-house and still contained a copper and mangle in
2008.
On the first floor, the worker’s bedroom can be found with some of the original wallpapers
preserved on the beam on the stairs. Most of the beams in the house were either plastered or
papered historically. In some cases the wood has been chopped into to provide a key for the plaster
to stick to. You can also see the Notches in this beam which were part of the construction of a ship.
A very good example of an unaltered Georgian farm can be seen at Townend, which is a National
Trust property near Windermere.
Hollow Creek Farm c1968
Hollow Creek Farmhouse
As of 2013 the house consists of two reception rooms with a kitchen on the ground floor and two
bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor. The bathroom was previously known as “the hired lad’s
room”. It is a small room with a steeply sloping ceiling which would allow a person less than 5 feet in
height to stand upright in only half of the space. There was no heating and a window with one mesh
covered pane open to the elements. Having the hired lad in a room just off the owner’s room
allowed the farmer to make sure that the boy was up in good time in the mornings.
Major refurbishment of the house and extension into one of the barns is due to commence in 2014.
Photograph of Hollow Creek taken November 2010
Other buildings and land
There are 13 outbuildings forming an enclosed surround to the house and cottage courtyard. In the
past they would have served as barns and byres for cattle and other livestock on the ground floor,
with access to three hay barns above via high external doors. In three of the outbuildings to the
south of the house, stalls originally used to hold cattle over-winter can be found. These haven’t been
used as such for several decades. There is evidence of doors, that were subsequently blocked up,
that would have given the farmer direct access into the barns from the house without the need to go
outside.
The large “Granary” barn to the south is the reason why the rest of the property was listed. Large
beams, thought to have their origins from ships brought up the Carlisle to Silloth canal, supports the
roof, much of the wall is built using stones from the roman wall. The barn has a hayloft which covers
about a third of the floor space. Villagers tell stories of barn being used for barn dances many years
ago with the children sitting and watching the dancing from the hayloft floor above.
The outbuildings to the north of the property are currently used as workrooms, but would, in the
past, have housed the working horses of the farm together with their tack.
Outside the property is a sitting area to the front with BBQ with a large garden and pond. To the rear
of the property a small garden which has steps down onto the footpath through the village. Some of
the farm outbuildings are made with stones which were taken from Hadrian’s Wall. This was a very
common practice (there is nothing new about recycling, making-do and mending!) and, according to
the experts, the Romans cut their stone blocks differently from the “locals” and so it is possible to
tell which stones are from the Wall and which were new at the time of building. However, we are
not experts and so have no idea which is which.
Hollow Creek Farm is on Hadrian’s Wall Path and the associated Vallum. The farm is approximately
500 yards from the River Eden and the Cumbrian Coastal Path.
Time line for the owners of Hollow Creek Farm and associated land
Date
Purchaser
Land owned by Lord of the Manor Lord Lonsdale
Pre 1760
Land owned by Stephen Hinde
1760
Hollow Creek Farm built
First owner
William or Joseph Hinde
1934
Property Listed as of Architectural or Historic Interest (Ancient Monuments Act)
1943
William Story registered as a joint owner with Arthur & Doris Mary Marshall
1949
George Walton Millican previously of Scotby Lane, Scotby purchased Hollow Creek
1952
Property listed as Grade II
1952
George Walton Millican purchased two fields No. 126 +127 from Charles Edmund
Carlile of Monkhill Mill
1954
Fred Nobel previously of Croft Farm, Stainton purchased Hollow Creek Farm.
1960
Isaac William Milburn previously of Foulbridge, Wreay purchased Hollow Creek
farm.
1965
Thomas William Mallinson previously of Beaver Farm, Belle View, Carlisle, purchased
Hollow Creek Farm
1965-1966
Hollow Creek Farm let to Captain John Anthony Graham of 9 Dukes Terrace, Carlisle.
1985
Thomas & Louise Savage purchase 3 fields at the bottom of Hadrian’s Wall Path
2008
William Brian Mallinson gains power of attorney for Agnes Elizabeth Mallinson
2008
Albinas Stasaitis & Bryony Kirk previously of Derbyshire purchased Hollow Creek
Farm
2009
Restoration work commenced, starting with the separation of the cottage from the
farm house.
Photograph of William Brian Mallinson in his workshop taken in 1968.
Brian manufactured the majority of the locks, hinges and gates for the property during his 40 years
at Hollow Creek Farm.