Dufton Family History.. Dufton name

Throughout history the story of Dufton village has been dramatically influenced by its location.

Dufton Village

The village of Dufton lies in the East Fell side region of Cumbria, just three miles from the ancient market town of Appleby-in-Westmorland. This is where the eastern edge of the Eden valley meets the bottom of the Pennine escarpment, to the west are the high rugged Lakeland mountains and to the south the Howgill fells. But, to the north the valley opens up, and this unguarded northern side has had such a dramatic influence on the fortunes of Dufton village.
High above the village are the wild moorlands of Dufton Fell. Not only is this region designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty, but from these fells spring the Tyne, Tees and Wear rivers that, along with materials extracted from their hills, provided the power to drive forward the Industrial Revolution, a period that had such a dramatic effect not only on the development of Britain, but the whole world.

Two of the most magnificent places in the whole of England are on Dufton Fell, these are High Cup Gill and the Cauldron Snout, both locations have inspired artists to produce outstanding work. JMW Turner, arguably Britain's finest landscape painter was moved to paint both scenes when he trekked across Dufton Fell into Westmorland in 1816. He stayed at the small Dufton inn, and while there sketched much of the landscape around the village which formed part of his History of Richmondshire collection.

Water fountain at Dufton
Water fountain on Dufton village green

WH Auden a central figure of English poetry wrote about Dufton, Dufton Pike, Dufton Fell, High Cup Nick and the Cauldron Snout in his poems and letters. He referred to Dufton as.......

......the loveliest village in all England

But it was the fells above Dufton that had such a spectacular impact on his writing. He describes those fells as one of the most sacred places of this earth. In his poem New Year Letter, written in New York whilst in excile during the war, Auden expresses his thoughts about the north Pennines, which highlights his fascination and obsession with the landscape around Dufton.

Whenever I begin to think...

An English area comes to mind
I see the nature of my kind
As a locality I love
Those limestone moors that stretch from Brough
To HEXHAM and the ROMAN WALL
This is the symbol of us all
There where the EDEN leisures through
Its sandstone valley, is my view
Of green and civil life that dwells
Below a cliff of savage fells
From which original address
Man faulted into consciousness
Along the line of lapse the fire
Of life's impersonal desire
Burst through his sedentary rock
And, as at DUFTON and at KNOCK
Thrust up between his mind and heart
Enormous cones of myth and art
Always my boy of wish returns
To those peat-stained deserted burns
That feed the WEAR and TYNE and TEES
And, turning states to strata see
How basalt long oppressed broke out
In wild revolt at CAULDRON SNOUT
WH Auden

Dufton village green with Dufton Pike behind
Dufton village with Dufton Pike behind

From way back in the mists of time it seems certain that others would have made journeys across those fells, over the ancient trade routes, as they migrated to the sheltered fertile land around what is now Dufton village.
If in your lifetime you only make one long walk, it must be the same trek taken by the artist JMW Turner in 1816 when he strolled along the well trodden Pennine path.
Starting in Teesdale by the waterfall in Gibson's cave, and then following the river Tees, passing the beautiful Low Force and spectacular High Force, and then to Dufton Moss, Langdon Beck, Falcon Clints and on to the magnificent Cauldron Snout where the river Tees cascades from Cow Green into the Maize Beck.

High Force, water flowing from off Dufton Fell

Cauldron Snout, Dufton Fell on left bank

Then strike out towards the wilderness of the moors on Dufton Fell, with falcons overhead and the beautiful blue gentian at your feet. But beware, it is said that those ancient fells have their secrets, and the unfortunate traveller that is caught up there in the mist when the ferocious Helm Wind roars may well hear the legend of the 'Cloud stealers of Dufton' whispered in that chilling wind. On reaching High Cup Nick you gaze down at the spectacular glacially formed valley, and look towards the Vale of Eden and then across to the beautiful mountains of the Lakelands.

High Cup Gill

Finally, walk onwards past the verticle rock pinnacle of Nichol's Chair where in times past a cobbler from Dufton would perch high aloft mending boots and shoes. Then past Narrowgate Beacon where in troubled times a warning fire was lit to call the villagers to arms. On to Hannah's Well and Peeping Hill, then a gentle stroll along the Billy Beck down the fellside to Dufton village.

Nicholl's Chair
Nichol's chair

On the descent you see the impressive Dufton Pike, where in times past the villagers would hide their cattle from the raiding Scottish moss troopers as they plundered the borderlands. There is a rather romantic legend that Dufton Pike is the burial mound of an ancient Celtic warrior hero. Various writers have stated that the sunset over Dufton Pike has the appearance of a mountain on fire. The rocks that formed Dufton Pike, like those on Skiddaw, are the oldest rocks on earth.

Dufton Pike

Finally, passing the gates to the imposing Dufton Hall, the old manor house, and reaching the village green with its intriguing water fountain standing as a monument to the part lead mining has played to this area of the north Pennines. And now perhaps a deserved visit to the Stag Inn. Sadly, the village shop that also served as the local Post Office for so many years, has finally closed. An unfortunate sign of the times that has damaged so many of our local communities.

The Dufton Landscape.

A collection of short videos that show the various landscapes on the fells above Dufton village.

The legend of the Cloud Stealers of Dufton.

There is a local legend that when the ferocious Helm wind blows down from Dufton Fell cattle and people mysteriously disappear. The legend tells of the wind sweeping up everything in its path into the Helm clouds and casting them down in strange places.

This is a link to a short YouTube video, filmed near Dufton, that tells all about the mysterious Helm wind.
(English sub-titles)

The Ghost of Dufton Fell

I found this great ghost story which is set near the village of Dufton and Dufton Fell. Although unable to find who the writer is I hope he will approve of his story being included here.

Sketch map of Dufton village

History records a famous occasion when this trek was taken, but in the opposite direction. In the year 875 Bishop Eardulf, Abbot Eardred and seven honoured monks were carrying the sacred remains of Saint Cuthbert as they fled from Lindisfarne, which was being pillaged by the invading Vikings. Records indicate that the holy party were resting at Dufton when the alarm was given that the Vikings were nearby. The party hurriedly left Dufton, heading over Dufton Fell, they travelled along the Pennine path to Cotherstone, 'St Cuthbert's stone', in Yorkshire, and finally to Durham where Saint Cuthbert was laid to rest in Durham Cathedral.

The little church on Lindisfarne has a life size carving of the monks carrying Saint Cuthbert's open coffin, one can easily imagine them being on that misty track across Dufton Fell.

And, finally......

It is claimed that St Cuthbert's bones as well as being sacred, also had miraculous healing powers. There is a legend, and poem, that suggest that the remains in Durham Cathedral are in fact not those of St Cuthbert. That fearing St Cuthbert's precious remains would be stolen the monks hid his bones whilst on their journey to Durham. They were able to substitute the remains, and continued on their travels.
So, could the remains of Saint Cuthbert still be hidden somewhere on Dufton Fell?

And, is Dufton the site of King Arthur's Camelot?
Some interesting and very impressive research by Richard Dufton, a professional historian, suggests that Camelot was indeed on the old Celtic estate of Dufton. Part of his research can be viewed on
the 'Place of Doves' page on the website......fascinating reading!

There is a wide range of photographs on the 'Dufton Photo' page, that might be of interest, showing scenes in Dufton and the surrounding area.

Dufton Family Website