Firbank Fell
Fox's Pulpit
At the end of Witsun week 1652 George Fox was
encouraged to attend a large gathering of 'Seekers' in and
around the small chapel on Firbank Fell a
few miles from Sedbergh.
Fox wouldn't go into the chapel to
preach but instead spoke for three hours to the gathered crowd from the
top of a near by crag - this is now known as Fox's Pulpit.
On that occasion many were convinced and that event is now widely seen
as the start of the Quaker movement.
The chapel at Firbank was destroyed in the 19th century but the
enclosure of the churchyard remains along with a few stunted trees and
a solitary gravestone.
The rock upon which Fox stood to preach is now marked with plaque that
reads:
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LET
YOUR
LIVES SPEAK
HERE
OR NEAR THIS ROCK GEORGE FOX PREACHED
TO ABOUT ONE THOUSAND SEEKERS FOR THREE
HOURS ON SUNDAY JUNE 13 1652. GREAT POWER
INSPIRED HIS MESSAGE AND THE MEETING PROVED
OF FIRST IMPORTANCE IN GATHERING THE SOCIETY
OF FRIENDS KNOWN AS QUAKERS. MANY MEN AND
WOMEN CONVINCED OF THE TRUTH ON THIS FELL AND
IN OTHER PARTS OF THE NORTHERN COUNTIES WENT
FORTH THROUGH THE LAND AND OVER THE SEAS WITH
THE LIVING WORD OF THE LORD ENDURING GREAT
HARDSHIPS AND WINNING MULTITUDES TO CHRIST. |
Annual Open
Air Meeting for Worship
Each year close to the anniversary of the 1652 Meeting on Firbank Fell,
Friends from a wide area come to Meeting on the fell-side.
Last year (2010) the Meeting was on Sunday 13th of June. There was
as usual a mix of Friends from local and not so local Meetings
present but the weather was awful and the Meeting on the fell was
abandoned and held instead at Brigflatts. An
introduction was given by Angus Winchester.
This year
(2011) the Meeting is on Sunday 12th June and the guest speaker to
introduce the Meeting will be Liz Eddington, former Clerk of the
recently laid down '1652 Committee' and granddaughter of the astronomer
Arthur Eddington.
As always, if it is raining the Meeting will be held at Brigflatts FMH instead.
Enquires to the Warden
Directions
to Firbank Fell
Firbank Fell lies some 2Km East of the M6 and a similar distance North
of the A684 about 4Km from Sedbergh
(OS Grid Ref SD 621 938).
Access is generally by driving north up the unclassified road from the
A684 at the junction known as 'Black Horse' where the B6256 joins the
A684. ("Black Horse" being the name of the former public house which
stands on the corner and is still identifiable from the black horse
relief in the front of the building.)
The lane up to the fell is very narrow and in places very steep.
Meeting oncoming traffic can result in one party having to reverse for
some distance.
Visitors to Fox's Pulpit are generally infrequent and usually there is
no difficulty parking on the verge close to the crag. However, for the
annual Meeting for Worship in June a field is usually made available
for parking (on these ocasions there is a local Friend there to direct
traffic.) The more athletic can leave their cars in the lay-by some
200m or so beyond Black Horse towards Sedbergh on the A684 and walk up
the lane.
Turning in the lane is difficult but there is a gateway some 300m past
the crag where a car can be turned. Alternatively visitors can continue
for another 2.5Km to the junction with the 'Old Scotch Road'.
Turning left here will bring you back to the A684 close to Junction 37
of the M6. Turning left again will bring you back to Black Horse from
whence you came!
Returning to Brigflatts
From Black
Horse take
the A684 to Sedbergh. About 200m past the 30mph limit on the
outskirts of Sedbergh take the very sharp right turn onto the A683
towards
Kirkby Lonsdale. The entrance to Brigflatts Lane is on the left about ½
mile from the junction of the ‘A’ roads. (Friends who have embraced the
technology may use the postcode LA10 5HN in their Sat-Nav system.)
Parking for visitors is usually in the lay-by on the main road opoosite
the end of the lane. Visitors with mobility difficulties may wish to
drive down the lane - there are a very few parking spaces nearer to the
Meeting House. On the day of the open-air Meeting for Worship on
Firbank Fell, there will be parking available in a field adjacent to
the lay-by.
Where to stay
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