East Loups on Historic Maps

East Loups appears clearly on late nineteenth century Ordnance Survey maps, where it is marked as a small farmstead within the parish of Cotherstone.

Detailed mapping from the 1800s shows a group of buildings along with surrounding field enclosures and tracks crossing the moor. Nearby wells and water sources are also marked on the maps, which would have been essential for any isolated upland farm.

The farm sat on raised ground between two shallow valleys, giving wide views across the surrounding moorland. This type of elevated position was typical for upland farms, providing better drainage and visibility across grazing land.

These historic maps confirm that East Loups formed part of the wider agricultural landscape that once covered much of Cotherstone Moor.

East Loups in the Teesdale Mercury

Memories of East Loups were recorded in the Teesdale Mercury in a 2017 article titled “Bombed out – but not forgotten.”

The newspaper described the ruined farmstead as “a link to a forgotten way of farming.”

Local resident Jenny Braddy recalled growing up across the moor at Cuckoo Farm after the Second World War, when the surrounding land had already become part of the Battle Hill military training ranges. She remembered hearing explosions echo across the moor as soldiers used the empty buildings during training exercises.

According to the article, the Tinkler family were believed to have lived at Loups for around three centuries, representing generations of upland farmers who worked this remote landscape.

Life on the farm would have been shaped by the harsh Teesdale climate. Crops were often harvested late in the year, peat was gathered for winter fires, and meals were cooked over an open hearth where a traditional kail pot hung above the flames containing mutton, barley and vegetables.

The article also recalled how the surrounding fields once showed ridge and furrow cultivation, suggesting that parts of the moor had been ploughed in earlier centuries before returning to rough grazing.

Today little remains of East Loups beyond the stone walls of the farmhouse, standing quietly on the hillside within the Battle Hill training area.

Source: Teesdale Mercury, 28 June 2017.

Life at an Upland Farm

Farms like East Loups were small mixed holdings where families relied heavily on livestock and the surrounding moorland.

Sheep and cattle would have grazed the nearby hills, while small enclosed fields closer to the farmhouse provided hay and shelter during the winter months. Historical accounts suggest the land around the farm once showed ridge and furrow cultivation, indicating that parts of the moor had been ploughed in earlier centuries.

Transport across Teesdale was difficult before modern roads and bridges were built. Ponies were commonly used for carrying goods and working the land, as wheeled carts struggled on rough upland tracks.

Although remote, farms like East Loups played an important role in the rural economy of Teesdale for generations.

Evidence of lime burning also survives on Cotherstone Moor, with the remains of a small lime kiln located not far from the East Loups farmstead. Lime kilns were used to produce quicklime by burning limestone, which farmers then spread on fields to improve the soil and increase crop yields. The nearby kiln suggests that the farmers of East Loups may have taken advantage of locally produced lime to help cultivate the difficult upland ground.

The Name “Loups”

The name Loups may have an interesting local origin.

One suggestion recorded in the Teesdale Mercury is that the word comes from a Scots term describing a place where a beck is narrow enough to leap across in a single stride.

Some local people historically referred to the farm as Leap House, while others pronounced the name as “Lowpses.” These variations reflect the strong connections between Teesdale dialect and older northern and Scottish words.

Abandonment and the Battle Hill Training Ranges

During the twentieth century the character of this landscape changed dramatically.

Large areas of Cotherstone Moor became part of the Battle Hill military training ranges, used by the Ministry of Defence for live firing exercises and military training.

As the land was taken over for training purposes, farms across the moor were gradually abandoned. Without maintenance the buildings at East Loups slowly deteriorated, their roofs collapsing and walls falling into ruin.

Some local memories recorded in the Teesdale Mercury suggest that the empty structures were occasionally used as targets during military exercises, which further accelerated the damage to the buildings.

Today only the stone shell of the farmhouse and surrounding walls remain.

Important Access and Safety Information

East Loups lies within the Battle Hill military training area.

This area is still used by the Ministry of Defence for live firing exercises and military training. When red flags or warning lamps are displayed, the training area must not be entered.

Anyone exploring Cotherstone Moor should always respect MOD warning signs and check whether the ranges are active before visiting.

Range activity times can be checked by searching Battle Hill Ranges on the Ministry of Defence website.

The Ruins Today

Today the remains of East Loups stand quietly on the hillside, surrounded by rough grass and scattered stone walls.

The surviving stonework reveals the outline of the former farmhouse, with doorways, window openings and collapsed interior walls still visible. Large sandstone lintels and dressed stonework around the entrances show the practical building techniques used by upland farmers.

Mature trees now grow beside the ruins, offering shelter where farm buildings and yards once stood. From this elevated position the farm would once have overlooked grazing land stretching across the moor.

Although the roof and interior have long disappeared, the remaining walls continue to tell the story of a farm that once stood at the heart of this remote Teesdale landscape.