Nab Cottage was originally built in 1556 though little was recorded of the simple farmstead until over 100 years later when, in 1662, Margaret Parke was left widowed here with 3 baby sons. She was forced to borrow money to pay for her husband’s funeral and spent much of the rest of her life spinning thread to pay back her debts. One of her sons, John, vowed to make a success of the farm. In1676 the family had one cow on the common though by 1699 this had grown to a flock of 60. By 1702 John was well enough off to rebuild the house. He commemorated this with the inscription over the porch. I A P 1702
On March 13, 1802, William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy walked from their home at Townend (now called Dove cottage) to see if there were any letters for them at Rydal. Dorothy wrote in her journal: ‘’it was terribly cold – we had 2 or 3 brisk hail showers. The hailstones looked clean and pretty upon the dry clean road. Little Peggy Simpson was standing at the door catching the hailstones in her hand.’’
