The Hidden History of Foulyeat: From Ancient Gate to Mining Estate

If you have ever driven past the Westlakes Science and Technology Park near Moor Row, you have likely passed a charming cluster of stone buildings known as Foulyeat. Today, they are quiet residential cottages, but as local maps prove, their roots go much deeper than the grand estate that eventually surrounded them.

What’s in a Name? (The "Fowl-yat" Factor)

 While it is spelled Foulyeat, a true Cumbrian knows that the 19th-century mapmakers didn't quite get the phonetics right. The name is a dialect version of Fold Gate. In West Cumbria, the "Fold" shifted to a local "Fowl" sound, and a gate is always a "Yat". To say it like a local, it’s "Fowl-yat".

The People of Fowl-yat: The Patrickson Family

While many assume Foulyeat was built for the nearby Ingwell Hall, it was actually home to independent Cumbrian families over a century earlier. Recent discovery of parish records shows that William Patrickson of Foulgate was buried at St. Bees on 30 June 1729.

Described as a "yeoman" (a farmer who owned his land) and a "mariner," William’s life reflects the dual nature of West Cumbria - bound to both the soil and the sea. The Patricksons were living at "Foulgate" long before the industrial "Iron Kings" ever arrived.

Parish records show that the Patrickson family held "Foulgate" for over 100 years:
  • William Patrickson (d. 1729): A yeoman and mariner who established the family’s presence at the farm in the early 18th century.
  • William Patrickson (d. 1825): Buried at age 80, this William lived at "Foulyeat" during the final years of its independence before the land was absorbed into the grand Ingwell Estate.
By 1841, the independent farmers had been replaced by a specialized team of estate workers. The census reveals that Foulyeat was no longer a single farmstead but a cluster of residences housing the machinery of the grand estate:
  • The Head Gardener: Living in one of the cottages was William Smith, who was responsible for the elaborate "gentleman's gardens" and hothouses that Joseph Gunson was installing to show off his wealth.
  • Estate Labourers: The other cottages were filled with agricultural labourers and their families. Unlike the Patricksons, who owned the land, these residents were employees of the "Big House."
  • The Groom and Coachman: As the "Home Farm," Foulyeat likely housed the men responsible for the Gunson family's horses and carriages, ensuring the transition from the ancient "Fold Gate" to a functional Victorian service wing was complete.
The Patricksons were independent "yeomen" - farmers who owned their land - and their story reminds us that Foulyeat was a home long before it was a "home farm."

Moor Row - Foulyeat Cottages
Foulyeat Cottages Illustration

Older Than the "Big House"

By the time Thomas Donald drew his famous map of Cumberland in 1774, "Foulgate" and its neighbour "Starmire" were already established landmarks.
  • The Newcomer: Ingwell Hall wasn't built until around 1826, over a century after the Patricksons were already recorded at the gatehouse.
  • The Absorption: When the wealthy Gunson and Burns-Lindow families arrived, they didn't just build on empty land - they bought up these ancient holdings to create their formal estate.

The Rise of the Iron Kings

When Joseph Gunson and later the Burns-Lindow family (the "Iron Kings") developed the Ingwell Estate, they absorbed the existing farmstead at Foulyeat. It was promoted to the "Home Farm," housing the staff who managed the estate while, just over the boundary, the industrial revolution was exploding.

The Montreal Mine sat right on the estate boundary, producing 250,000 tons of ore a year. For the residents of Fowl-yat in the late 1800s, the view was a landscape of pit-head gear, steam engines, and the constant thrum of the Moor Row Railway Junction.

1947: From Gentry to Education

In 1947, following the death of Colonel Isaac William Burns-Lindow, the estate was sold to Cumberland County Council for £5,000. The Council converted the mansion into Ingwell School. For 40 years, until 1987, the buildings at Foulyeat served as vital outbuildings and cottages for the school community.

Foulyeat Today: The Ghost of the Iron Giant

Today, the grounds of the old estate have become the Westlakes Science & Technology Park. While the "Big House" serves as the park's centrepiece, Foulyeat Barn and Foulyeat Cottages have returned to their origins as independent residences.

When you walk the nearby cycle path today, it is hard to imagine the noise and red dust of the Montreal Mine. Foulyeat remains as a rare surviving link to the pre-industrial "Fowl-yat" that stood guard over the moor long before the first iron ore was ever pulled from the ground.

Chronicles of Fowl-yat: A 300-Year Timeline

Year Status Details
1729 Independent Yeoman Farmstead Burial record of William Patrickson of "Foulgate" identified as a mariner and yeoman farmer.
1774 Established Regional Landmark "Foulgate" and "Starmire" are formally documented as established sites on Thomas Donald’s Map of Cumberland.
1825–1826 Transition to Gentry Estate Death of William Patrickson (age 80) at "Foulyeat". Joseph Gunson commissions Ingwell Hall.
1841 Estate Staff Residences Census records William Smith (Head Gardener) and estate labourers residing in the Foulyeat cottages.
Mid-1800s Home Farm for "Iron Kings" The Burns-Lindow family expands the estate; Foulyeat supports the peak of the Montreal Iron Ore Mines.
1947 Sale to Local Authority Estate purchased by Cumberland County Council for £5,000 to establish Ingwell School.
Present Private Residential Cluster Foulyeat Barn and Cottages operate as private dwellings adjacent to the Westlakes Science & Technology Park.

Speaking West Cumbrian: The "Fowl-yat" Glossary

Term Meaning / Origin
Fowl-yat Derived from 'Foul' (dirty/muddy) and 'Yat' (gate) — The Muddy Gate.
Beck A stream or small river (Old Norse 'bekkr').
Garth A small enclosure or yard, often near a farmhouse.
Yeoman A farmer who cultivates his own land.
Foldgate - Foulyeat - Moor Row
Foulyeat A595 Access Illustration
Location: Moor Row CA24, UK

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