THE EDGE
VACATION & HOLIDAY GUIDE TO
CUMBRIA & THE LAKE DISTRICT
KIRKBY STEPHEN, CUMBRIA
Town Centre, Kirkby Stephen.
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THE EDGE VACATION & HOLIDAY GUIDE TO CUMBRIA & THE LAKE DISTRICT KIRKBY STEPHEN, CUMBRIA |
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Kirkby Stephen Location: OS ref NY 775085 Sheet 91. At the SE corner of the county. Nearest Towns: Brough NE on the A685 4mls/7km. Appleby NW on the A66 12mls/ 20km, via Brough. Kendal SW on the A685 23mls/37km. Accommodation:
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Kirkby Stephen is at the head of the beautiful Eden Valley and at 600ft is the highest town on the Eden river. The town is narrow, mainly built along the length of Market Street, perhaps a mile long. A weekly market brings more life to an already bustling town.The Coast to Coast walk, one of the most spectacular long walks in Britain, runs through the town which is a favoured place for walkers to rest. Kirkby Stephen is on the magnificently scenic Settle to Carlisle railway line, though the station is a mile or so to the south of the town on the A685.
The town dates back to the time of the Danes, roughly AD850 to just after 1000, who were responsible for the "Loki Stone" of the C10, a stone carving representing the Norse God Loki, a bound devil, and one of only two in Europe. It can be seen in the parish church of St. Stephen parts of which date from 1175 with additions made from the early 1300s through to 1847. In 1361 King Edward III granted Kirkby Stephen a market charter and the market is still held every Monday. The Square has an unusual feature in the form of an area marked out in cobble stones, used unfortunately for the 'sport' of baiting Bulls. This barbaric sport came to an end in 1820 after one of the Bulls managed to escape and ran round the town causing havoc.
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