Askham, Cumbria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Askham is a village and civil parish in the Eden district of Cumbria, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 360. It is situated in the eastern edge of the Lake District National Park, about five miles south of Penrith.

Nearby are the magnificent remains of Lowther Castle, the site of the annual Lowther Show, a three day event of country pursuits.

Many public houses, such as the 'Punch Bowl' in Askham, near Penrith in Cumbria have old beams with splits in them where coins are forced 'for luck'. This practice may be linked to examples, called 'Wish Trees', often Hawthorns which are traditionally linked with fertility, as in 'May Blossom'. The trunk and branches in these cases are covered with hundreds of coins which have been driven through the bark and into the wood. The local traditions are that a wish will be granted for each of the coins so treated (Rodger 2006).

Another local custom is the throwing of coins from the bridge onto a boulder that lies below the water level. Getting the coin to stay on the rock gives the thrower 'good luck'. These are examples of 'Touch Pieces'. Obvious connections exist with water generally and the practice of throwing in coins to seek 'favours' of the water spirits.

  • Rodger, Donald, Stokes, John & Ogilve, James (2006). Heritage Trees of Scotland. The Tree Council. P.87. ISBN 0-904853-03-9
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