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Packhorse Court

Built on the site of one of Keswick's burgage yards. A burgage plot was a strip of land held by the tenant upon payment of an annual rent.

Fronting a plot would be a timber framed house, none are discemible in Keswick today.

Packhorse Yard was where the coachmen and hauliers of the day stabled their animals, took their ale and food and slept.

No doubt it attracted other characters less savoury. It was a dirty, noisy and often boisterous place with blacksmiths and slaughterers also plying their trade. The town 'shambles' (butchers yards) were on the site and also a byre for cattle that belonged to the Central Hotel - now part of Ye Olde Friars sweet shop.