11-26-51 Ravenstonedale

Having subsumed the branches of Wakefield Crewdson’s Kendal Bank in 1883, the Bank of Liverpool embarks on a programme of expansion in what will one day become the Northern District of Martins bank. A number of very small branches are opened in the front rooms of private houses in many of this area’s most idyllic beauty spots.

Ravenstonedale opens for business in 1898, and remains in service for seventy-two years. Martins’ Branch at Kirkby Stephen has sub-Branches scattered throughout the north of Westmorland.

In Service: 1898 until 29 December 1970

Some are only open once a week, but they are, nevertheless a lifeline for these remote places in the days before the M6 extension, and the kind of vehicle ownership and transport choices we have today. Five sub branches are open at various points in the life of Martins Bank Limited: BROUGH , NEWBIGGIN ON LUNE , ORTON , Ravenstonedale and TEBAY . For those either resident, or on holiday in this picturesque little village, the Bank opens for just one hour each Tuesday. It is no surprise then, that this sub-Branch lasts only a year under Barclays…

The images that remain of this lovely old sub-Branch are from 1937 and 1970. In the earlier picture we are able to see what the whole building looked like, and the later one shows the new owners have already announced what will be their VERY short-lived presence here…