Harding Nebb - the oldest house in Seascale?
If you read the early histories of our village that were written in the late 1800’s you will find that there was great preoccupation with all matters Viking connected with the early history of Seascale.
A typical description was
” Tradition has it that the oldest part of Seascale is Herding Neb. The oldest written reference to the Neb is in a title deed where it is called “Harda Nab”. It has been suggested that this is derived from the Old Norse - “Yarda knappi” - the burial point. When Shingle Terrace was built by Mr.Anthony Tyson some 60 years ago, the men digging the foundation discovered a clay burial urn containing “small bones”, probably the remains of bones and ashes of a burnt body. “
The local historian, C.A.Parker of Gosforth, wrote an account of a Viking landing on the shore at Seascale at the time that the Viking settlers of the Isle of Man were fleeing the wrath of their King for non payment of their taxes. The leader of one group was said to a man name Herd and he was killed during the landing when his boat came ashore on the rocks rather than the sandy beach. His followers were said to have given him a traditional Viking cremation followed by the burial of the ashes in an urn. The urn was then buried on the high ground close by and hence became known as Herds Nab - Herds burial point. This account is given in the “Story of Shelagh, Olaf Curans Daughter”, 1909
This account by Parker was based upon the important Norse saga “Helge Lay” where the great Norse leader Barna led the exodus of his people from Man.
The actual derivation of the name turns out to be a little more prosaic.
The second part of the name is simple in that the word Nab is a geographical term used to describe a promontory or mound of land, which derives from the Old English word Neb meaning a nose,
The first part of the name, Herding or Harding, was explained during the Court case & Lord Muncaster enquiry into the Sescale / Drigg boundary dispute - see the last magazine. Several of the Seascale farmers gave evidence to the High Court as follows
John Sherwen of Seascale Howe said that:
I am a yeoman, living at Seascale, and have been proprietor of my own land since 1844, and have lived in the Parish and the adjoining parish all my life. I was a Herd (Herdsman) for two years, having two stints, and have been more than once. I had to go out and see that the cattle were all right, and give notice to people whose cattle ailed anything, and help to get them home. We used Herding Nebb to watch the cattle.
John Porter of Black How said that:
I am one of the respondents in this case. I heard Mr.Sherwens evidence, and I quite agree with it. I was a stint holder and occupier as well. I owned two and farmed two (farms). I knew every foot of the ground, and have grazed upto the fence without interruption or disturbance. I have also been a herdsman. He agreed that the name on the map, Herding Nab, was important as showing where the herding began. I had to do all the repairs (to the fence), and, amongst other things, keep the beck course clean.
Council for Mr.Wrigley said that:
The question in this case really was whether the property in dispute was part of Seascale Banks, or was part of Drigg Common. In early times the Commons of Drigg and Seascale were unfenced, and the live stock used to wander backward and forward. The configuration of the land was important. Herding Nab was important as it was a point upon which the Herdsmen of the two commons stood, in order to see where the cattle were when they had strayed. The two Commons were low-lying, and a man standing on the commons could not see them (cattle) round the Nab, and so they ascended to the top of the Nab for herding purposes.
This only leaves the matter of Nebb house. It is always claimed to be the oldest house in Seascale, if you leave the farmhouses out of the reckoning then it is a true statement. The houses that predated Nebb house are all long gone. The original farms are Seascale How, Lane End, Seascale Hall, Brown Bank, Swang, Croft Head, Whole House, Town end, Black how & Bailey Ground. The three cottages which were probably used by agricultural labourers were Elven How, Gatehouse, Thack & Lowhouse.
The reality is that two farm labourers cottage were built on the Nebb in the early 1820’s by Peter Leech the then owner of Whitriggs farm. At some later date they were combined together to make the house that we see today
Quoting an early copy of the Parish magazine we find
“In 1801 Seascale consisted of ten farm houses, the Manor house and its farm, and thatched cottages near Bailly Ground, Elven How and Whole House. Six of the farms were owned by fore-elders of the present owners. There was no Smithy, Mill or Hotel. The oldest house now in Seascale, except the farm houses, is the Herding Nab, built in the early eighteen twenties by the grandfather of Thomas Poole of Hall Senna. The first tenant was Thomas Leech (now) of Fern Bank.
Much has been written about Nebb House over the years the following is typical:
Although now modernised it originally featured an outside staircase which necessitated the tenants to “gang outside to gae to bed”. Harding Nebb was originally two cottage with the staircase to the bedrooms outside the building. The Nebb was at one time a “jerry shop” ie. a beer house - which was frequented by local poachers. The figure head above the porch, said to represent Lord Byron, was taken from a vessel wrecked in the storm of January 1884 on Selker Rocks.
The date given for Herding Nab does spoil some of the more colourful stories surrounding this house. It was a beer house in the 1851 census under the stewardship of Charles Cannon, Alehouse Keeper. It is possible that it was first used as an ale house during the period of railway building. There would have been a demand from the labourers involved in the project and Nebb house was adjacent to the line. In 1861 he had been replaced by Elizabeth Singleton, a beerseller. The first entry in the Drigg Register for this house is in 1825 - the baptism of Ruth, the daughter of John & Mary Leech.