All that's left

River Eamont (Part 16)
 
Back with the River Eamont and we're now heading out of Eamont Bridge, but on the other side of the river from where I was last time. If you just want to see what this blip is and not wade through the following ramble, then just glance at the last paragraph.
 
I have discovered so many ways in which the river has been used through the centuries, but what I don't think I have mentioned yet is that it was used as a border - between the two counties of Westmorland and Cumberland. Last time when I was looking for the Heron, I was on the Westmorland side and this time I am on the Cumberland side. It made Eamont Bridge into a border town. Of course these counties were eventually amalgamated into 'Cumbria'.

So, to get to this spot (and you are all dying to know what it is!) we have taken a lane known as Todd's Lane and walked for a short while alongside the river.
 
The first thing we come to is Low Mill, but there was no point blipping that, as the mill was 'redeveloped', i.e. it was flattened and a new house was built. Low Mill was at various times a corn mill and a snuff mill, but there is no trace of it now. I did look on the 1891 Census and found a Thomas Todd (must be him of the lane, as that is only place the lane goes to!), a Miller and his family living there. The mill race is still in the grounds of the new house and the weir that was built for the mill is a quite spectacular feature of the river. Hard to see from this side, but look at this - taken by Bimbo yesterday from the other side - that really shows the weir.
 
I did find a reference to Low Mill being a pumping station, taking water from the Eamont and pumping it up to reservoirs to provide water for Penrith. I can find out no more than that, although some pipes can be seen under the water at this point.
   
So hastily past the mill and we come across this - the remains of a bridge. It obviously had stone footings and steps and there are metal fastenings further out, so quite a complex bridge system. Why it was built and why it was taken down is a mystery. Some local people I spoke to, including Bimbo, remember using this bridge when they were young, although they do say it was rather 'wobbly'! Strange that a substantial bridge like this should be taken down and not replaced. I do have a theory though, but it will wait until next time.