The brutal 1880 murder of Robert Snowball at Belmont Farm remains a mystery. The housekeeper was the main suspect.

The roof collapsed and the walls are now buckling. It’s a decaying reminder of a sad event. The remains of Belmont Farm witnessed a murder in 1880, a crime that has never been solved.
Robert Snowball was a young farmer described as “exceedingly handsome”. He was popular in the dales, but someone beat him to death with a hammer at Belmont Farm. The murder happened on New Year’s Day, 1880.
Jane Barron, the 27-year-old housekeeper, was the main suspect. She, along with Snowball’s frail father, were the only people present at the farm.
Before the murder, Snowball visited the Angel Inn in Blanchland, calling his housekeeper “a decent, useful lass”. The Angel Inn is now part of the Lord Crewe Arms hotel. After that, Snowball went home, though he ventured out again that evening.
Barron claimed she milked a cow that night and noticed blood dripping from the barn loft. John Snowball, old and sick, believed a sheep slaughtered earlier caused the dripping blood.
The next morning, Barron found more blood and Robert’s injured body in the loft. His face and head were severely hurt, and a bloody hammer lay nearby. After a short investigation, police arrested Barron.
Police suspected Barron committed the murder because Snowball’s father was too frail. An inquest jury decided it was murder without naming the guilty person. A judge then decided Barron should face trial soon.
Barron didn’t reveal much to the police, maintaining her innocence. A large crowd, including many villagers, witnessed her arrest and watched as they took her to Stanhope station.
As she awaited trial, various theories emerged. Some believed Barron was fond of Robert but he rejected her affections. Others suggested a thief might have killed him after being disturbed.
A cap, possibly not Robert’s, was found near the body. The killer might have fled with Robert’s cap, leaving their own behind.
The trial began that April. Despite the judge finding the situation suspicious, the jury quickly acquitted her. The mystery of the farmer’s murder persists to this day.