Families of the Lyth Valley

Toll Bar Cottage

South Low

This small cottage was built in 1847, and had 3 acres of land plus a small field rented from the County Council (Savin Hill Quarry). The cottage had a toll gate and charged a fee for the use of the road belonging to the cottage owned by the Turner family.

Owners and Tenants

1851(Census) William Millburn, tenant
1855(Crosthwaite Church records) William and Eleanor Millburn baptised three children at Crosthwaite
1877John Moon, tenant
1878(Westmorland Gazette report) Mr Moon of Savin Hill injured in sandpit. Lost a leg and fingers excavating sand for work on Crosthwaite Church
1880Mr Strickland tenant 
1881George Woof tenant
1897(Westmorland Gazette advert) to let spring 1898, tenant William Belton. Rent now £18 would accept £12. Tenant to repair road, owner Mrs E Turner
1901(Census) William James tenant
1907(Westmorland Gazette advert 20 April) for sale, William James will show
1912(Westmorland Gazette advert 30 January ) M B Hodgson will sell by auction, 1 cow, hay, implements and furniture for Miss Noble
1930sWalter and Margaret Millburn – two sons Walter and Edward, tenants
1940sWalter Millburn doing war service. His wife and her sister Grace managed the estate – 1 cow
1946Walter Millburn, gamekeeper on Whitbarrow for the Scott family of Windermere (Matson Ground)
Late 1950sToll road was taken over by the Council. Toll charges dropped (were three pence for a horse and cart, a farthing for a sheep, halfpenny for a cow or horse and one shilling for a car).
1960sMillburns left Toll Bar and went to live in Levens.
1960sTrustees of the Turner Charity which were the Vicar, H Trotter Senior and Ernest Dobson, sold Toll Bar to Mr Wilkinson, an Architect. He raised the roof on the cottage and developed the under-housed barn into a dwelling.
2010Toll Bar Cottage – Mr Nick Aubrey demolished the existing cottage and built a completely new house and garage.
2010The Barn (renamed Owl Cottage) – Michelle Partington occupant (Savin Hill Meat Products)