Killington Reservoir and the Old Hutton Mole Fund
Background and History
The Lancaster Canal Act of Parliament became law in 1807 and 86 acres of land in the parishes of Old Hutton and Holmescales, New Hutton and Killington, were purchased by the Lancaster Canal Company in 1810. Killington Reservoir was completed in 1819. Common grazing land used by residents of the three parishes was flooded and the farmers with grazing rights received compensation. Also flooded were the main peat workings for the three parishes which destroyed the parishioners rights of turbary. The reservoir was enlarged twice over the next few decades extending it to its current size of 140 acres. In 1841 the New Hutton, Old Hutton, Killington, Mansergh and Lupton Enclosure Award Act became law which allowed the vast area of common land to be divided into fields and the people with grazing rights to gain ownership of areas proportional to their grazing rights. It appears that during the enclosure process the Lancaster Canal Company bought a further 26 acres and the money was divided between the three parishes. The figure of £321 9s 3d which went to Old Hutton and Holmescales appears to have formed the basis of the original Mole Fund and Thomas Woodhouse, mole catcher of Preston Patrick, was employed in December 1853.
Throughout this period of time, the landowners of the three parishes were adamant that the fishing rights on Killington Reservoir belonged to them because they believed those rights had not been transferred to the Lancaster Canal Company when the land itself was purchased. In 1840 they appointed Mr William Richardson as a bailiff with “full powers to protect the fish and fishery”. In 1880 the Lancaster Canal Company challenged this assumption and claimed the fishing rights on the reservoir for themselves. Eventually the dispute was settled in the High Court in November 1912 in the favour of the land owners of the three parishes. As a direct result of that decision the revenue from the fishing rights (currently £750 per annum) is divided equally between the three parishes, the portion for Old Hutton going to the Mole Fund.
Killington Reservoir Fishery Charity
Since January 1964 the fishing rights have been controlled by the Killington Reservoir Fishery Charity which has three trustees, one from each of the three parishes. The governing document of the charity makes reference to a Conveyance dated June 1841 and was first issued as part of the Order of the High Court of Justice in November 1912.
For many years the fishing rights on Killington Reservoir have been leased to the Kent Angling Association. The current annual rent is £750 and that is divided equally between the Old Hutton Mole Fund, New Hutton Institute and Killington Village Hall. Residents and landowners of the three parishes are entitled to purchase annual permits to fish on Killington Reservoir at a cost of 50 pence for landowners and £5.00 for all other residents. Full details of the rules in place on Killington Reservoir are available here:
http://www.kentangling.co.uk/fishing.htm
Anyone fishing the reservoir will also require an Environment Agency Fishing Licence which can be purchased at a Post Office or online here:
https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences
Old Hutton Mole Fund Charity
The present Old Hutton Mole Fund Charity was established in November 1963 with five residents of the parish acting as trustees. The governing document of the charity refers only to the Order from 1912 and was amended in January 1976 when the funds available became insufficient to employ a mole catcher for the entire parish. At a meeting of the trustees in 1975 it was decided to look into the possibility of transferring the income, capital and accumulated funds towards the upkeep of the village hall or some other use in the parish. Solicitors were instructed to contact the Charity Commission who replied saying that the trustees could use the fund for charitable purposes for the general benefit of the inhabitants of Old Hutton and Holmescales for which provision was not made out of the rates, taxes or other public funds. A meeting of all the landowners in the parish was called on October 31st 1975 and the meeting was unanimously in favour of the scheme being accepted.
Since that date numerous grants have been given to organisations operating within the parish including the Village Hall, the Helme Youth Group and the Old Hutton Pre-School and Playgroups.
Contact details for both the Old Hutton Mole Fund and fishing permits for Killington Reservoir are as follows:
Michael Atkinson
Crosslands Farm
Gatebeck
Kendal
LA8 0HT
Mobile: 07772 081 912
The Lancaster Canal Act of Parliament became law in 1807 and 86 acres of land in the parishes of Old Hutton and Holmescales, New Hutton and Killington, were purchased by the Lancaster Canal Company in 1810. Killington Reservoir was completed in 1819. Common grazing land used by residents of the three parishes was flooded and the farmers with grazing rights received compensation. Also flooded were the main peat workings for the three parishes which destroyed the parishioners rights of turbary. The reservoir was enlarged twice over the next few decades extending it to its current size of 140 acres. In 1841 the New Hutton, Old Hutton, Killington, Mansergh and Lupton Enclosure Award Act became law which allowed the vast area of common land to be divided into fields and the people with grazing rights to gain ownership of areas proportional to their grazing rights. It appears that during the enclosure process the Lancaster Canal Company bought a further 26 acres and the money was divided between the three parishes. The figure of £321 9s 3d which went to Old Hutton and Holmescales appears to have formed the basis of the original Mole Fund and Thomas Woodhouse, mole catcher of Preston Patrick, was employed in December 1853.
Throughout this period of time, the landowners of the three parishes were adamant that the fishing rights on Killington Reservoir belonged to them because they believed those rights had not been transferred to the Lancaster Canal Company when the land itself was purchased. In 1840 they appointed Mr William Richardson as a bailiff with “full powers to protect the fish and fishery”. In 1880 the Lancaster Canal Company challenged this assumption and claimed the fishing rights on the reservoir for themselves. Eventually the dispute was settled in the High Court in November 1912 in the favour of the land owners of the three parishes. As a direct result of that decision the revenue from the fishing rights (currently £750 per annum) is divided equally between the three parishes, the portion for Old Hutton going to the Mole Fund.
Killington Reservoir Fishery Charity
Since January 1964 the fishing rights have been controlled by the Killington Reservoir Fishery Charity which has three trustees, one from each of the three parishes. The governing document of the charity makes reference to a Conveyance dated June 1841 and was first issued as part of the Order of the High Court of Justice in November 1912.
For many years the fishing rights on Killington Reservoir have been leased to the Kent Angling Association. The current annual rent is £750 and that is divided equally between the Old Hutton Mole Fund, New Hutton Institute and Killington Village Hall. Residents and landowners of the three parishes are entitled to purchase annual permits to fish on Killington Reservoir at a cost of 50 pence for landowners and £5.00 for all other residents. Full details of the rules in place on Killington Reservoir are available here:
http://www.kentangling.co.uk/fishing.htm
Anyone fishing the reservoir will also require an Environment Agency Fishing Licence which can be purchased at a Post Office or online here:
https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences
Old Hutton Mole Fund Charity
The present Old Hutton Mole Fund Charity was established in November 1963 with five residents of the parish acting as trustees. The governing document of the charity refers only to the Order from 1912 and was amended in January 1976 when the funds available became insufficient to employ a mole catcher for the entire parish. At a meeting of the trustees in 1975 it was decided to look into the possibility of transferring the income, capital and accumulated funds towards the upkeep of the village hall or some other use in the parish. Solicitors were instructed to contact the Charity Commission who replied saying that the trustees could use the fund for charitable purposes for the general benefit of the inhabitants of Old Hutton and Holmescales for which provision was not made out of the rates, taxes or other public funds. A meeting of all the landowners in the parish was called on October 31st 1975 and the meeting was unanimously in favour of the scheme being accepted.
Since that date numerous grants have been given to organisations operating within the parish including the Village Hall, the Helme Youth Group and the Old Hutton Pre-School and Playgroups.
Contact details for both the Old Hutton Mole Fund and fishing permits for Killington Reservoir are as follows:
Michael Atkinson
Crosslands Farm
Gatebeck
Kendal
LA8 0HT
Mobile: 07772 081 912
