There cummeth out of Peterel a Gut

River Petterill  (11)

Penrith is not an ancient town, relatively speaking. It was never a Roman settlement, although there were Roman military bases to the north and the east and a Roman road ran through the area. And there were always problems with attacks from the Scottish raiders, often destroying any economic activity that managed to grow up. There was also a fair amount of infighting amongst various Manors, focused on who owned the land, and several Kings got involved as well. 
 
Anyway, despite the turbulence and plague, a town did develop and began to grow rapidly. Tanning and dyeing were some industries that brought economic growth and Penrith became an important market centre. There was one problem – the town did not grow up around a river, so there was no ready access to fresh water.

Along came William Strickland, a priest from a local wealthy family, who settled in Penrith and became its benefactor. He was to be appointed Bishop of Carlisle in 1396, but before this in 1382 he gave Penrith a wonderful gift – water.

It was Strickland who funded the digging of Thacka Beck, which diverted water from the River Petterill, north of the town, and brought it down to and through the town, so providing the inhabitants and the industries with a water supply. A gift indeed!!

Thacka Beck runs from the Petterill, through Penrith, mostly underground now, and then flows into the River Eamont, near Carleton. It was quite a technical achievement and was most beneficial to the town. There was great admiration for it at the time and in later years – here are the words of a Tudor historian:

Ther cometh at Ingmer medow owt of Peterel a Gut (an outflow) to Penrith and at Carlton half a Myle of yt runneth ynto Emot. Strickland, Bishop of Cairluel did the cost to dig it.
   
There are a few places in the town where Thacka Beck can be seen, this is one of them. Here the beck is running between the houses and behind what was a school and is now Penrith Visitor Centre and Museum. (The decorated wellies seem to be some sort of art installation created by a local nursery class.) I am hoping for some help in finding other places.