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Beckermet

Beckermet is an attractive village on the western edge of the Lake District, surprisingly unaffected by its near neighbours at Sellafield.

The village is located a couple of fields to the east of the River Ehen. Two streams meet in the village - Kirk Beck coming from the north-east and Black Beck from the east. Close to where Kirk Beck flows under the A595 are the remains of a second, rather lesser known, Caernarvon Castle, now only present as grassy lumps in the landscape.

A railway running up to Egremont used to run along the western edge of the village, part of the area's industrial heritage. The area once had a number of iron ore mines, but these are long gone. The nearest industry now is the giant complex at Sellafield, just over two miles to the south. On a more scenic note the nearest beach is only a couple of miles to the west, at Braystones.

In the same direction is the tiny church of St. Bridget's, located on a dead-end lane that leaves the village heading south west. This church has some Norman elements, and is still used four times a year. The graveyard is also still in use. The newer church of St. John's is located in the centre of the village, and is in regular use. Also between the village and the sea used to be Ehenside Tarn. When this was drained in 1871 an impressive number of stone age axes were found, suggesting that the area's industrial heritage goes back even further than suspected.

The village has two pubs - the White Mare on the village green and the Royal Oak on the road east out of the village. To the right of the White Mare is a house made up of four former cottages, and with a public right of way running right through its garden!

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