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Staveley

Staveley is a large village located about half way between Windermere and Kendal, at the mouth of the quiet Kentmere valley. The village is now bypassed by the main road, but is still quite a busy place.

The village contains a woodturning mill for well over 150 years, although the site has now been turned into a business park, with a wide range of companies. The village name means 'a wood or glade where staves are cut', so this was a rather fitting industry for the area.

The village can be traced back at least to 1135 when there were two fulling mills in operation. At its peak Stavely contained eight mills, a mix of smelting, corn, wool and bobbin mills.

Staveley is technically a market town, having been granted a market charter in 1281. William de Thweng, who was given the charter, was also given permission to hold a fair, which took place on 17-19 October. He also built the church of St. Margaret, of which only the tower remains. The current church of St. James dates back to 1864.

Directions: Staveley sits just to the north of the A 591 as it heads from Kendal to Windermere on the south approaches to the Lakes.

Grid Reference: SD 470 982

URL: http://www.knowledge.me.uk/areas/lakes/staveley.html

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