A Brief History of the Village Hall

Great Salkeld is a small village in the beautiful Eden Valley about five miles to the east of Penrith and Junction 40 of the M6. It is situated about 20 minutes from Pooley Bridge, Lake Ullswater and the Rheged Centre. Keswick, Kendal and Carlisle are less than 20 miles away. The area is very rural and has the following facilities – a Village Hall, St. Cuthbert’s C of E Church, a Methodist Chapel and the Highland Drove pub and restaurant. The village is on the Coast 2 Coast walking and cycling route and enjoys stunning views of the Pennine Fells.

Due to the support of Richard Heywood Thompson Great Salkeld Reading Room and Library was built in 1895 and the Village Hall was added in 1911. For about 50 years the facilities were used for their intended purposes and as a social centre for the village. Around the late 1950s or early 1960s a snooker table was introduced into the Reading Room and this was used regularly until the 1980s. Over the last 20 years, as lifestyles have changed, the Snooker Room has been  used less and less. Similarly during the 1960s, the library became less popular and began to be used as a very basic kitchen providing simple refreshments for social activities that continued to take place in the Village Hall.

In 1963 the Village Hall became a registered charity. Great Salkeld Parish Council is the custodian trustee of the charity and the Village Hall is governed by both the original trust deed of 1917 and by the charity commissioner’s scheme for the regulation of the village hall.

During recent years a new entrance has been built which enables easy access for those who are disabled. New toilets have both disabled facilities and facilities for very young children. A new kitchen with cooker, hob and larder fridge now provides modern facilities. The snooker room has been turned into a small meeting / function room (re-named ‘The Thompson Room’) and hot water made available in the toilets.

This work has been made possible by grant support from Cumbria County Council, Eden District Council, The Hadfield Trust, Cumbria Waste Management Environment Trust, Great Salkeld Parish Council and Great Salkeld Sports Committee.

A great facility in a thriving village come and enjoy the experience.