Pin Money

Pinfolds or Pounds were found in most villages and date from around the 16th century. They were used to pin or pen stray animals until their lawful owner could come and pay the pinder his pin money to release them.

Around ten years ago, artist Andy Goldsworthy built a cone inside six of the pinfolds around the Eden Valley area. He built cones to reflect the Nine Standards, large stone cairns on Hartley Fell that look down on Kirkby Stephen.

This is one at Bolton, a village a few miles away from where we live. The cones are quite extraordinary when you look at them closely, all made by hand by Goldsworthy himself. He said at the time: I enjoy the unpredictability of working by eye and hand. Each time I try to achieve a perfect cone, but somehow always lose control in the making. This one looks pretty perfect to me!

He planned nine cones, but there are as yet only six. I have a list and feel a new project coming on!! However, I'm not sure that six pictures of a cone would make for very exciting images. We'll see! Around Cumbria there are also Sheepfolds that Goldsworthy rebuilt and added to. Now there's another idea!

Despite the title, it is doubtful whether this is actually the origin of the term pin money as used today. It is much more likely that it was from a time when pins were expensive and women were given money by their husbands with which to buy them.