Our Year 7 students have launched their History studies by exploring the rich heritage of their own local area. As part of their introduction to the subject, each class is taking a guided “whistle-stop” tour of Brampton, discovering how the town’s landmarks connect to wider historical events.
The tours include key sites such as St Martin’s Church, The Half Moon shop (formerly an inn), The Moot Hall, and The Scotch Arms. Pupils were fascinated to learn that Bonnie Prince Charlie once established his headquarters in Brampton during the siege of Carlisle in 1745, and that Oliver Cromwell imprisoned 40 men here in 1648.
At the Moot Hall, students saw the iron stocks—used to punish offenders and last used in 1836—and a large iron ring in the ground that once tethered bulls for the brutal sport of bull baiting, previously located outside the Howard Arms.
Pupils learned that there was a 12th century motte and bailey castle at the Mote, and that the market has been held in Brampton since the early 16th century.
A special thank you to staff at Charlie’s Bistro who invited us in to look at their local history information panels and the old metal pot that was discovered during the recent renovations.
