Whinfell Forest
Encyclopedia
Whinfell Forest is now a small area of woodland in the parish of Brougham
, Cumbria
that lies south east of Penrith
in Cumbria
and just off the A66 road
leading to Appleby-in-Westmorland
. The forest is a short distance from the Lake District national park
and is surrounded by a large number of woodlands that are located west of the Pennines
. It is notable today for the presence of Center Parcs
and a Red Squirrel
reserve. It was notable historically for its associations with Lady Anne Clifford
, Brougham Castle
and Inglewood Forest
.
has existed since at least 1203 when it "formed part of King John
's grant of the Barony of Westmorland
to Robert de Veteripont
" (Tyson, 1985). In 1283 it was divided between Isabella and Idonea, daughters of Robert II de Vieuxpont
. It is frequently mentioned in the diaries of Lady Anne Clifford (1590-1676) as she travelled in the area visiting Brougham Castle
and Appleby-in-Westmorland
.
Whinfell Park was at the core of the forest. Its proximity to Inglewood Forest
meant that it was mentioned in court documents relating to disputes between the two areas. The park contained two frequently-mentioned landmark trees: the Harthhorn Tree and the Three Brother Tree. The harthorn tree had a hart
's horn embedded in it. The Three Brother Tree was the sole survivor of three unusually large oaks called the Three Brethren. The site of the Harthorn Tree is marked on old maps. The name "Three Oaks" is used within the Center Parcs site. By 1779, the park had been divided into farms by enclosure
.
Today, the forest forms part of the Lowther estates
. A large part of it is designated by Natural England
as Ancient Replanted Woodland
.
constructed this as "Oasis Lakeland Holiday Village" which featured commercial restaurants and businesses such as Burger King
and a Hard Rock Cafe
. It was later sold to Center Parcs
who removed the commercial ventures and now operate it as "Whinfell Forest Village".
Whinfell Forest is the largest of Center Parcs' four UK holiday villages, with accommodation for 4,668 people in 861 units.
Brougham
Brougham could betransport:* Brougham , a single-engined aircraft of the 1920s and 1930s.* Brougham , a light four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage* Brougham , an automobile with a similar style; later applied to any luxurious car...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
that lies south east of Penrith
Penrith, Cumbria
Penrith was an urban district between 1894 and 1974, when it was merged into Eden District.The authority's area was coterminous with the civil parish of Penrith although when the council was abolished Penrith became an unparished area....
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
and just off the A66 road
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...
leading to Appleby-in-Westmorland
Appleby-in-Westmorland
Appleby-in-Westmorland is a town and civil parish in Cumbria, in North West England. It is situated within a loop of the River Eden and has a population of approximately 2,500. It is in the historic county of Westmorland, of which it was the county town. The town's name was simply Appleby, until...
. The forest is a short distance from the Lake District national park
Lake District National Park
The Lake District National Park is located in the north-west of England and is the largest of the English National Parks and the second largest in the United Kingdom. It is in the central and most-visited part of the Lake District....
and is surrounded by a large number of woodlands that are located west of the Pennines
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 notable today for the presence of Center Parcs
Center Parcs
Center Parcs is a European network of holiday villages incorporating a UK-based company, Center Parcs UK, which runs holiday villages in the United Kingdom and a sister enterprise, Center Parcs Europe, that operates in numerous locations in continental Europe...
and a Red Squirrel
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
reserve. It was notable historically for its associations with Lady Anne Clifford
Lady Anne Clifford
Lady Anne Clifford, 14th Baroness de Clifford was the only surviving child of George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland by his wife Lady Margaret Russell, daughter of Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford...
, Brougham Castle
Brougham Castle
Brougham Castle is a medieval building about south-east of Penrith, Cumbria, England. It is a Scheduled Monument and open to the public. Founded by Robert de Vieuxpont in the early 13th century on the site of a Roman fort, it sits near the confluence of the rivers Eamont and Lowther...
and Inglewood Forest
Inglewood Forest
Inglewood Forest is the name now given on maps to a large tract of mainly arable and dairy farm land with a few small woodland areas between Carlisle and Penrith in the English non-metropolitan county of Cumbria or ancient county of Cumberland....
.
History
Whinfell ForestRoyal forest
A royal forest is an area of land with different meanings in England, Wales and Scotland; the term forest does not mean forest as it is understood today, as an area of densely wooded land...
has existed since at least 1203 when it "formed part of King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
's grant of the Barony of Westmorland
Barony of Westmorland
The Barony of Westmorland was one of two baronies into which the English county of Westmorland was divided, the other being the Barony of Kendal. The barony covered the northern part of the county, and was divided into two wards — East ward and West ward. The barony included...
to Robert de Veteripont
Robert de Vieuxpont
Robert de Vieuxpont or Robert de Veteriponte was an Anglo-Norman landowner and administrator in the north of England.He was born the younger son of William de Vieuxpont and his wife Maud de Morville....
" (Tyson, 1985). In 1283 it was divided between Isabella and Idonea, daughters of Robert II de Vieuxpont
Vieuxpont
Vieuxpont is the name of a significant family in the history of Westmorland. According to Thomas the name originated in France on or about 1066 as Vieuxpont - alternative spellings include Vieuxpont, Veteripont Vezpont, Veepon, Vexpont, Vipont, Vypont, Vispont, Vypunt, Vespont, Vipond, Vypond,...
. It is frequently mentioned in the diaries of Lady Anne Clifford (1590-1676) as she travelled in the area visiting Brougham Castle
Brougham Castle
Brougham Castle is a medieval building about south-east of Penrith, Cumbria, England. It is a Scheduled Monument and open to the public. Founded by Robert de Vieuxpont in the early 13th century on the site of a Roman fort, it sits near the confluence of the rivers Eamont and Lowther...
and Appleby-in-Westmorland
Westmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
.
Whinfell Park was at the core of the forest. Its proximity to Inglewood Forest
Inglewood Forest
Inglewood Forest is the name now given on maps to a large tract of mainly arable and dairy farm land with a few small woodland areas between Carlisle and Penrith in the English non-metropolitan county of Cumbria or ancient county of Cumberland....
meant that it was mentioned in court documents relating to disputes between the two areas. The park contained two frequently-mentioned landmark trees: the Harthhorn Tree and the Three Brother Tree. The harthorn tree had a hart
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
's horn embedded in it. The Three Brother Tree was the sole survivor of three unusually large oaks called the Three Brethren. The site of the Harthorn Tree is marked on old maps. The name "Three Oaks" is used within the Center Parcs site. By 1779, the park had been divided into farms by enclosure
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
.
Today, the forest forms part of the Lowther estates
Earl of Lonsdale
Earl of Lonsdale is a title that has been created twice in British history, firstly in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1784 , and then in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1807, both times for members of the Lowther family....
. A large part of it is designated by Natural England
Natural England
Natural England is the non-departmental public body of the UK government responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, freshwater and marine environments, geology and soils, are protected and improved...
as Ancient Replanted Woodland
Ancient woodland
Ancient woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England and Wales . Before those dates, planting of new woodland was uncommon, so a wood present in 1600 was likely to have developed naturally...
.
Holiday village
In 1993 a leisure resort was planned for the site under the proposed name "Lakewoods Holiday Village". The Rank GroupThe Rank Group
The Rank Group plc is a European gaming and leisure business. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
constructed this as "Oasis Lakeland Holiday Village" which featured commercial restaurants and businesses such as Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
and a Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
. It was later sold to Center Parcs
Center Parcs
Center Parcs is a European network of holiday villages incorporating a UK-based company, Center Parcs UK, which runs holiday villages in the United Kingdom and a sister enterprise, Center Parcs Europe, that operates in numerous locations in continental Europe...
who removed the commercial ventures and now operate it as "Whinfell Forest Village".
Whinfell Forest is the largest of Center Parcs' four UK holiday villages, with accommodation for 4,668 people in 861 units.