Bowes
Encyclopedia
Bowes is a village in County Durham
, England
. Located in the Pennine hills
, it is situated close to Barnard Castle
. It is built around the medieval Bowes Castle
.
of the North Riding of Yorkshire
, but along with the rest of the former Startforth Rural District
it was incorporated into the non-metropolitan county of Durham
for administrative purposes on 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972
.
The A66
and A67
roads meet at Bowes.
name for Bowes was Lavatrae. A Roman army station was located there.
The only pub in the village, The Ancient Unicorn, is reputed to be haunted by several ghosts. This 17th century coaching inn famously played host to Charles Dickens
as he toured the local area. Dickens found inspiration in the village academy, which he immortalised as Dotheboys Hall in Nicholas Nickleby; and the graves of two of the people who inspired characters portrayed by the great author remain in Bowes churchyard to this day.
Until the 1960s, the village was served by Bowes railway station
.
(bap. 1745, d. 1822), dean of Peterborough, was born in Bowes.
John Bailey
(1750–1819), mathematician and land surveyor was born in Bowes.
Richard Cobden
(1804–1865), the famous manufacturer and politician, was schooled in Bowes.
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Located in the Pennine hills
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
, it is situated close to Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle is an historical town in Teesdale, County Durham, England. It is named after the castle around which it grew up. It sits on the north side of the River Tees, opposite Startforth, south southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne, south southwest of Sunderland, west of Middlesbrough and ...
. It is built around the medieval Bowes Castle
Bowes Castle
Bowes Castle is in the village of Bowes in County Durham, England . Historically part of the North Riding of Yorkshire.It was built in the corner of an old Roman fort guarding the Stainforth Pass through the Pennines. Around 1136, Alan, Count of Brittany, built a castle in the north-west corner of...
.
Civic history
Bowes lies within the historic county boundariesHistoric counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
of the North Riding of Yorkshire
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
, but along with the rest of the former Startforth Rural District
Startforth Rural District
Startforth Rural District was a rural district in the North Riding of the historic county of Yorkshire in the Pennines of northern England.It was formed in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894...
it was incorporated into the non-metropolitan county of Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
for administrative purposes on 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
.
The A66
A66 road
The A66 is a major road in northern England which in part follows the course of the Roman road from Scotch Corner to Penrith. It runs from east of Middlesbrough in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire to Workington in Cumbria...
and A67
A67 road
The A67 is a road in England that links Bowes in County Durham with Crathorne in North Yorkshire.-Route:*Bowes *Barnard Castle*Gainford*Piercebridge*Darlington*Durham Tees Valley Airport*Egglescliffe*Yarm...
roads meet at Bowes.
History
The RomanRoman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
name for Bowes was Lavatrae. A Roman army station was located there.
The only pub in the village, The Ancient Unicorn, is reputed to be haunted by several ghosts. This 17th century coaching inn famously played host to Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
as he toured the local area. Dickens found inspiration in the village academy, which he immortalised as Dotheboys Hall in Nicholas Nickleby; and the graves of two of the people who inspired characters portrayed by the great author remain in Bowes churchyard to this day.
Until the 1960s, the village was served by Bowes railway station
Bowes railway station
Bowes railway station was situated on the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway between Barnard Castle and Kirkby Stephen East. It served the village of Bowes. The station opened to passenger traffic on 26 March 1861, and closed on 22 January 1962....
.
Education
Bowes has a single primary school at the centre of the village, Bowes Hutchinson's C of E (Aided) Primary School.Notable people
Thomas KiplingThomas Kipling
Thomas Kipling was a British clergymen.He entered St John's College, Cambridge University in 1764 at age 18 and was senior wrangler in 1768. He received an M.A. in 1771, a B.D. in 1779, and a D.D. in 1784....
(bap. 1745, d. 1822), dean of Peterborough, was born in Bowes.
John Bailey
John Bailey (agriculturist)
John Bailey , was an English agriculturist and engraver.-Life:Bailey was the son of William Bailey, of Blades Field, near Bowes, then in Yorkshire, now in County Durham. where he was born in 1750. At an early age he manifested artistic tendencies...
(1750–1819), mathematician and land surveyor was born in Bowes.
Richard Cobden
Richard Cobden
Richard Cobden was a British manufacturer and Radical and Liberal statesman, associated with John Bright in the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League as well as with the Cobden-Chevalier Treaty...
(1804–1865), the famous manufacturer and politician, was schooled in Bowes.