Some history of the Travellers' Rest Inn at Whitrigg in the county of Cumberland

Cumberland | Whitrigg | Travellers' Rest Inn

The Travellers' Rest Inn traded on the road junction to the south of Millrigg Farm, the two routes connecting Wigton via Whitrigg with Glasson and Bowness. Now in isolation, the building still stands as a private house in the 21st century.

© Crown Copyright. Reproduced with kind permission of the National Library of Scotland under the Creative Commons Attribution licence.

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"A very serious charge was preferred against an old man, named John Carr, a miller by trade, by William Wilson, of 45, Cecil Street, in the employ of the Rope and Twine Company at Carlisle. Prosecutor arrived at the Travellers' Rest, Whitrigg, Bowness, about half-past one on the 8th of March last, with the sum of £12 in gold, and 10s. 6d. in silver in his possession; was "out and in" during the afternoon, but stayed all night at the inn, sharing a bed with the prisoner, who is in the habit of staying here two or three weeks together. The landlord, at least a person whom prosecutor concluded must be the landlord, slept in the same room. Wilson and his partner for the night retired to rest - [or rather to their bedroom, for as much of the time seems to have been spent up as in bed] about half-past ten; and the prisoner, from Wilson's version of the story, was out of bed about every half-hour, and the occupant of the other bed twice. Once prosecutor observing the old man "working with his trousers," asked him what he was doing, and was told looking for his coat, as his feet were cold, and he wanted it to lay across the bed. Prisoner said he was up a few times getting some water for Wilson, who admitted being up to look for it and being unable to find it. Prisoner was the first to get up in the morning, and when he had gone downstairs Wilson examined his purse and found only £5, 7s. 6d. instead of £12 7s. 6d., which he alleged he had when he retired to rest, having spent 2s. 6d. after his arrival. He went downstairs, and charged prisoner with stealing his money, but he firmly denied it. Wilson said he was sober, but had partaken of a glass or two; prisoner said he was sober himself, [which prosecutor admitted] but said that prosecutor was not. Information was subsequently given to the Kirkbride constable, who traced prisoner to Wigton and apprehended him on Sunday with £2, 10s. 2½d. in his possession. Mrs. Moscrop, of the Greyhound Inn, Oulton, who knew prisoner well, said he called at their house on the 11th, and asked her to take care of three sovereigns for him, which she returned on the following day when he left their house. He had some silver in his possession at the time. Witness was questioned as to an annuity which prisoner has, and said she believed he received £8 a year from a brother - at Candlemas and Lammas. Prisoner said he got £4 on the 20th February from his brother, and the money he had was part of it - The chairman, addressing prisoner, said : The Bench consider that you are not guilty; at any rate there is no evidence to show that you are. The police will return your money, and be careful who you sleep with in future."
"How They Spend Their Nights At Whitrigg"
Wigton Advertiser : March 23rd 1867 Page 4