Crossrigg Hall

Crossrigg Hall is situated on the road from Bolton to Cliburn in the parish of Bolton. It is a Grade 2 listed building the original dating from the 1700s and there may have been a building on the site much earlier than this. In the early 1700’s Nicholas Temple a wine and brandy merchant from Fleet Street owned the estate.

The 1787 census for Westmorland lists a Nicholas Temple living at the Hall with his wife, children Robert and John and a servant Ann Robinson. .. In 1810 Nicholas inherited 50 acres of land from Nathan Temple. The relationship between the three Temples is not known but Nathan could have been the Grandfather to Robert.

In 1820 an indenture of mortgage was drawn up between Robert Temple and Thomas Lowis of Brampton and there was some question as to whether this was ever activated because Thomas Lowis died and his will was never proved.

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In 1823 Mr Robert Temple a victualler of Clerkenwell Street was admitted to the estate. Had Robert followed his Grandfather into the wine and brandy business? In the Court Rolls for 1824 it is stated that Crossrigg Hall belonged to” Nicholas Temple a bankrupt received by this morning’s mail the deed” and dated 15 May 1824. Robert could have been trying to save Crossrigg from his father’s debts when he tried to draw up a mortgage with Thomas Lowis.

In his last will and testament Roberts father Nicholas left an annuity for his wife Elizabeth of £200 yearly and his best Meld Cow which she could choose for herself and requested that his executors maintain the cow for her. He left her all his household goods and furniture and exclusive use of three rooms in the hall – the parlour, forehouse and parlour loft. Was this an arrangement made with Robert before Nicholas died?

In May 1834 preparation was being made for the sale of the Hall and it was recorded that “the admittance of Nathan and Nicholas Temple herein mentioned do not appear in the title deeds”.

Who owned the premises at this time is a mystery but it seems to have passed to a Margaret Robinson and her daughter from Culgaith on the 14th November 1827. The Hall was for sale in two lots to be held at the house of Thomas Nicholson inn keeper. Both lots were bought by Robert Addison of London. In 1851 he is farming 203acres and employed 12 labourers. He died a bachelor in 1862 aged 86 years.

In 1871 Colonel Hugh Rigg a great nephew of Robert inherited the estate. He was the son of the Reverend Hugh Rigg from Yorkshire and Maria from Crosby Ravensworth, a niece of Robert Addison. Hugh replaced the old Crossrigg Hall with a new building using stone from Barwise Hall Quarry. A timber raising ceremony took place in September 1863 for the new hall. The Penrith Observer reported that Mr Monkhouse of the Grey Goat Penrith supplied the dinner for the celebration on the Colonel’s behalf.

Colonel and Mrs Rigg had seven sons and two daughters and his eldest son Hugh Cartland Rigg inherited the estate. The house at Bolton Lane Ends known as Crossrigg Farm was built for Hugh junior by his father so Hugh could serve his apprenticeship before inheriting the estate. Hugh Cartland Rigg never married and died in 1913 when Joseph Torbock bought the Hall.

Joseph Torbock had made his money from steel and shipbuilding. He married Florence Hoste Henly who was the heiress of the original owners of the Sandringham Estate. Mr and Mrs Torbock had two sons Richard Henly and Henry Cornish. In 1915 the Torbocks extensively enlarged the hall and since that time remained untouched until Crossrigg Hall was sold in July 1992. Inhabitants of Bolton who attended the preview of the sale will remember seeing the interior of the hall as if it were in a time warp transporting them back to the early 1900’s the last time it had been altered. £930,474 was paid for the hall and contents. The 1500 acre estate remained with the Henley family and a smaller “mansion” was built nearby for them to occupy.

Mr David and Mrs Anita Wood became the new owners from Northumberland. The fixtures and fittings were brought up to date and as much of the original as possible refurbished; wallpaper taken from some of the bedrooms to repair that in others and the plumbing and wiring brought up to date and there was a good deal of old asbestos all of which had to be removed. The wiring was the original from1919 with a 110 volt system and generator.

There were plans to open the Hall as a hotel but that has never happened. It was licenced for weddings and has often been used for fund raising events for the NSPPC and the RNLI.

On the Crossrigg Estate are several Grade 2 listed buildings some of which can be viewed from the road or the public footpath signposted to Glenton Vale. A brief description is given as follows:

The main entrance to the hall was originally built for the old house in about 1830 and the gate, walls, and piers are listed

At the rear of the hall, forming a courtyard are pigsties and a two-story dovecote.

Garages, workshops and storerooms which at one time could have been the original Hall with stables added later. Once the motor car came into being the buildings were conveniently used as garages.

Having walked down the side of the Hall and through the gate a low wall and railings can be observed. on the right. The cast iron railings are identical to those used on parapets of the bridge dated 1835 and Grade 2 listed

The Summer House to the South East of the Hall and the barn to the South of the Hall are also listed.

Keeping to the footpath to the left of the bridge is a beautiful circular walk via Glenton Vale and Morland. On a summers day when the water is low in Morland Beck what better way for children to play and picnic by the stepping stones on the way?