Natland | |
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The village green and St Mark's church |
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Natland shown within Cumbria | |
Population | 796 (2011 Census) |
OS grid reference | SD521892 |
Civil parish |
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District | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | KENDAL |
Postcode district | LA9 |
Dialling code | 01539 |
Police | Cumbria |
Fire | Cumbria |
Ambulance | North West |
EU Parliament | North West England |
UK Parliament | |
Natland is a village and civil parish about two miles (3 km) south of Kendal in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, close to the village of Oxenholme. At the time of the 2001 census the population was 74, increasing to 796 at the 2011 Census.
The civil parish of Natland covers 892 acres (3.61 km2) of open countryside on the east bank of the River Kent. It extends from the river to the sudden steep slope of Helm, which rises to 185 metres above sea level providing a fine viewpoint. Natland village stands at the centre of the parish.
Village landmarks include St Mark's Parish Church, built in 1910, (the third church on the site and an example of the work of the Lancaster architects Austin and Paley), St Mark's Church of England Primary School, the Village Hall and the Village Store & Post Office (formerly a public house, the Horse and Farrier). The village green, with its Coronation oak tree (1952), picnic table and two memorial seats, is a popular venue for locals and visitors alike.
The Village Green and Helm are both common land owned by the Strickland family, who live nearby at Sizergh Castle.
The Lancaster Canal ran through the west of the parish until its closure in 1947. Plans are now afoot to restore the canal and link it to the national waterways network. Natland is served by a regular bus service between Kendal and Silverdale and a mobile library.
There is a long-standing legend that Natland has a Treacle Mine. What is certain is that there is a cave system running under the village from Helm to the river although the precise route is not known. For more information see Natland Treacle Mines [1] and Natland Treacle Tours [2]. Yan, Hamilton and Woody of the rock band British Sea Power were raised in the village, as was their former manager Roy Wilkinson.