Walk around Tunstall, the Brontes and a short walk to the Roman road

The grade 1 listed church of St. John the Baptist is down Church Lane at Tunstall (SD 6147390) via the A683 to Kirkby Lonsdale. It is well known for being attended in 1824 by the Bronte sisters when they were at the Clergymen's Daughters' School  at Cowan Bridge. Charlotte's novel "Jane Eyre" has the school as Lowood and the church as Brocklebridge -the journey to the latter "where a bitter wind , blowing over snowy summits to the north, almost flayed the skin from our faces" made for an unhappy time. Luckily for us, when we visited it was the warmest of autumn days 

The church with sign pointing in the direction of Woodman Lane north

A Roman votive stone in the North aisle

the oldest parts date back to the C13th

the footpath stile in the grounds

Sundial above main entrance

Sundial base C18th in grounds

Further on down the road go across a field on your right and you eventually get onto the public footpath which becomes a charming old track after the bridge over the Cant Beck

Keep on going

and you will see Longriggs Barn over the fields

Straight ahead northwards is part of the course of the Roman road from Wennington  towards Barbon- the Ribchester-Carlisle road (see  Dr. Keith Horsfield's  research "An Old Road from  Lancaster to Ingleton:possibly a Roman route?"for more on Roman tracks in the area )