Originally a small farm built on the long house style. The first known occupant, John Harrison,
was recorded as the inhabitant in 1587. The farmhouse had been built on raised ground
so as to be free from flooding and was also close to the old road connecting Crosthwaite and
Witherslack, with easy access to the river Gilpin for a supply of animal drinking water. The
Townson family owned the property for 200 years, 1666 – 1861 and in this time added
to the size of the house by building extensions. They also erected a new barn, a necessity
due to the extra acreage received during the Heversham Award allocation (see The Heversham Award on the Parish web site).
1871 Census - James Trotter and his wife Anne (nee Anne Hartley) were the next to farm South
Low where they raised a family, one of whom was Hartley Trotter, grandfather of John Hartley
Trotter. Mrs Anne Trotter died at an early age and their son Daniel married Bessie Jackson
of Row Farm and they took over the tenancy. They vacated the farm to farm at Oxenholme
Farm near Kendal.
Saturday, 13 June 1894 new burial ground at Crosthwaite Church consecrated by the Bishop. James
Trotter of South Low contributed 10s. 0d. towards the cost of draining the burial ground.
In 1908 - Gazette report – an accident at Trotter’s hill (South Low) when a motor
vehicle ran into a horse and cart belonging to Thomas Strickland. The horse sustained
a broken leg and had to be shot. James Inman and James Inman junior of Draw Well gave
evidence – they had been working near the scene - and stated that the vehicle was travelling
at 30 miles per hour. Grandfather told John Hartley Trotter about when his father’s
horse developed lameness he resorted to digging over an entire field next to the toll road
with a spade – quite a task.
1587 |
Tenant John Harrison |
1665 |
Leonard Townson purchased South Low Farm from Myles Rowlandson 20
acres for £294 (eight shillings and four pence per year due
to the Lord of the Manor |
1667 |
Leonard Townson and his wife Jenett died and left South Low to their
younger son Thomas who was 20yrs old and apprenticed to a glove
maker at Beckhead Witherslack |
1668 |
Thomas had an illegitimate child by Anne Cartmell |
1669 |
Thomas Townson allocated seating in the Chappel |
1671 |
Thomas Townson of South Low fined five shillings for disturbing
the bracken mowers (bracken was burnt in kilns for potash essential
for soap making and the wool trade evidence of a kiln at the bottom
of Thorny orchard) |
1672 |
17th August Thomas Townson married Agnes Garnett, Daughter of Wm
Garnett. They had 2 children Agnes baptised 7th Feb 1672 and William
baptised 11th October 1676 |
1674 |
Hearth tax had gone from 2 hearths to 3 (indicating that extensions
to the house had been carried out) |
1689 |
Thomas Townson leased for £8 10s. 0d per year a neighbouring
farm (probably Christopher Partners Tenement indicating that there
could have been three farms in the cluster at the Low) |
1700 |
Thomas Townson died |
1705 |
Agnes Townson (wife of Thomas) passed South Low farm to her son
William (1676 – 1745) where he farmed all his life |
1709 |
William married Margaret Barrow of Broadoak Crosthwaite. They
had 10 children |
1730 |
Margaret Townson (Wife of William ) died |
1745 |
William Townson died left 21 Beasts 4 Workhorses and some sheep |
1745 |
William Townson left South Low to his son Thomas |
1749 |
Thomas Townson died (unmarried) |
1749 |
Leonard Townson (1727 – 1790) married Mary Dickinson at Cartmel
Priory (they had seven children) and moved into South Low farm |
1785 |
Thomas Townson (son of Leonard) married Elizabeth Dickinson and
lived in the Row. They had 2 children, Robert February
1786 and Ellen December 1786.
Thomas farmed with his father Leonard
at South Low |
1790 |
Leonard Townson died aged 63 |
1793 |
Thomas Townson died aged 35. In his will his son Robert was
to inherit South Low Farm at the age of 21. |
1797 |
Robert Townson his sister Ellen and Mother Betty (Elizabeth)
moved into South Low. George Bennett aged 23 came to
manage the farm |
1797 |
George Bennett married Betty Townson 11th December. They had
two children daughter Isabella 7 January 1798 and son George 23
November 1802.
George continued to farm at South Low until 1815.
Betty died 1835 |
1819 |
Robert Townson (son of Thomas and Betty Townson) married Mary
Wilson 13 May 1819, daughter of John and Elizabeth of Low Farm.
They moved into South Low and had 5 children. Robert was granted
3 fields (10 acres ) under the Heversham Award making the farm 35
acres. |
1861 |
Census Robert and Mary Townson South Low Farm |
1860s |
Robert Townson sold South Low Farm to Mr Argles |
1861 |
(Census) Robert and Mary Townson farming South Low |
1871 |
(Census) James and Ann Trotter, farming 43 acres |
1881 |
(Census) James Trotter and five children (wife deceased) |
1901 |
(Census) Daniel Trotter aged 31 and Bessie Trotter (formerly Bessie
Jackson of Row Farm) farming at Low Farm. |
1910 |
Joe Park married Margaret Martindale. They had 2 sons and 2
daughters – Dennis, Edgar, Clara and Betty |
1926 |
Joe Park purchased South Low Farm, 35 acres, from Argles for £1,660. Previously
rent had been £88 |
1946 |
M B Hodgson sale of 41 cattle, horses and implements for Joe Park |
1947 |
Edgar Park farmer |
1964 |
Mrs Joe Park died, funeral 30 April 1964 |
1965 |
Joe Park died |
1992 |
Annie Park died |
2000 |
Edgar Park died.
He willed a barn and adjacent field and “thorny” orchard
to Lynda Smith, a second orchard and 2 adjacent meadows to Colin Park |
2000 |
12 May - Kendal Town Hall - Michael C L Hodgson offered South Low
farmhouse and orchard for sale. Bid to £200,000 – not
sold. Later sold privately to Mr & Mrs John
Sceal |
2000 |
Field at Toll Bar road end, 3.92 acres, sold to Ann Wilson for £12,000 |
2000 |
Swan Nest, 6.14 acres, sold to Mr Gibson for £18,000 |
2000 |
Nabs, 6.32 acres, sold to Mr J Hewitson for £18,000 |
2000 |
Tunnel lot, 4.67 acres, sold to Mr Edmondson for £13,500 |
2000 |
Mr & Mrs John Sceal purchased South Low |