The ancient manor house of Reagill, or more properly the Grange,
occupied nearly the same site as the present house, except that
it has been a little more to the north, where, on excavating for
the foundation of some outbuildings, were found various remains of
groundworks and old floors. This position is immediately on the edge of
a deep and rocky ravine, down which runs a stream.
On the opposite or north side of this stood the chapel, in a small
field called Chapel Garth. Other fields near are still called Chapel
Lands. Its site may still be seen as an irregular rectangle of about
22 yards by 6 or 8, formed by banks of earth, etc., on which are a
number of large boulders; but it is nearly all covered with brushwood.
This, after the Dissolution, would be pulled down, and the material
used for building the present Grange. This manor being solely in the
hands of the monastery of Shap, a lay brother would be located here as
bailiff, (the lands above Grange are still known as the Bailiff lands),
to collect and transfer in kind the different products of the manor to
the Abbey. There are also traces of other branches of work having been
carried on, for at the bottom of the field, in front of the Grange,
were remains of tanpits, and some of the refuse. Other remains are also
to be seen, to which we cannot now attribute any use, but it evidently
seems to have been a place of active industry.
The manor house was at Barnskew, and what is called the Mill Road is
still traceable from Grange past the Chapel through Byesteads and away
by Hardbank to Barnskew. The mill is now quite gone, though the race
is yet traceable, having fallen into disuse about 60 or 70 years ago.
The present house bears the date 1676, being then in the possession of
a family of the name of Holmes, whose descendants still reside there,
but now as tenants of the Earl of Lonsdale.
[Illustration: REAGILL GRANGE.]
Reagill Grange, after the Dissolution, became the property of the
Whartons, and a branch of the family resided at it. According to the
Register at Crosby, Anthony Wharton of Reagill Grange died in 1590; he
was previously in the occupation of Meaburn Mill. In 1630 is another
entry of the death of Mr. Thomas Wharton, an ancient gentleman. The
next date we find connected with Reagill Grange is 1652; it is cut
above a fireplace in an upstairs room, but whether it records the
erection of the present building, its position renders somewhat
doubtful.
The present Grange is one of those antique cross houses of Elizabethan
style, massively built, with small, single mullioned windows, having
dripstones above. Another feature peculiar to such houses is the stacks
of tall, circular chimneys. On the north side is a small addition,
up which winds the staircase; and on the south side is a picturesque
porch, overshadowed by a gigantic sycamore, which might be almost
coeval with the house itself.
According to tradition, the house when built was left unfinished, there
being merely the shell without ceilings, and having unplastered walls,
in which state some of the upper rooms remained till about 50 years
ago. This was undoubtedly erected by the Wharton family. The Whartons
(in what year there is no record), sold Reagill Grange and half the
demesne to Dr. Lancelot Daws of Barton Kirk, and the other half to Sir
John Lowther. Dr. L. Daws was educated at Queen's College, Oxford, and
afterwards took the degree of Doctor of Divinity at one of the Scotch
Universities. He was instituted vicar of Barton in 1608. He was also
rector of Asby, instituted in 1618. He was likewise prebendary of
Carlisle, and, according to Dr. Burn, died in 1653; so that the date,
1652, for the erection of the Grange, is somewhat questionable, if
built by the Whartons.
[Illustration: PLEASURE GROUNDS AT REAGILL