{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_46319/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_46319","id":"gutenberg_46319","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46319","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Archaeology & Anthropology","Category: History - Other","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Cumbria (England) -- Description and travel"],"text":"[Illustration: JOHN SALKELD BLAND.\n\n(_Frontispiece._)]\n\n\n\n\n  THE\n\n  VALE OF LYVENNET\n\n  ITS\n\n  PICTURESQUE PEEPS\n\n  AND\n\n  LEGENDARY LORE\n\n\n  A MANUSCRIPT BOOK BY\n  JOHN SALKELD BLAND,\n  of Wyebourne, Reagill\n\n\n\n  EDITED BY\n  F. H. M. PARKER, M.A.,\n  Barrister-at-Law,\n  and Member of Council of the C. & W. A. & A. Society\n\n\n  Kendal\n  Titus Wilson, Publisher\n  Highgate\n\n  1910\n\n\n\n\n  TITUS WILSON, PRINTER, KENDAL\n\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\n\nThe river Lyvennet rises on the northern side of the range of hills\nstretching eastwards across Westmorland from Shap Fells. It runs\nthrough the parishes of Crosby Ravensworth and Morland, receives the\ntributary stream of the Leith, and falls into the Eden near Temple\nSowerby. The distance from its source to its outfall is less than\nten miles measured in a straight line; but the little valley is full\nof varied interest, to which each age has contributed a share. Half\nway down the stream, and out on the west, lies Reagill, and in it,\nWyebourne; and Wyebourne was the home of John Salkeld Bland, who,\nnearly fifty years ago, compiled this manuscript history of \"The Vale\nof Lyvennet.\"\n\nJohn Bland's grandfather was a yeoman farming his own land at Reagill.\nHe had a family of two sons, Thomas and William, between whom he\ndivided it; Thomas, who was an artist and sculptor of no mean ability,\nremaining at Reagill, while William established himself at Wyebourne,\na mile away, married, and also had two children; one being John Bland\nhimself, the other a daughter, now Mrs. Dufton, to whom the thanks of\nthis Society are due for use of her brother's manuscript, and for her\nkindness in supplying information about the family.\n\nJohn Bland was only six months old when he lost his mother, from whom,\nperhaps, he inherited a constitutional delicacy from which he always\nsuffered. He was educated at the well-known school at Reagill, and\nafterwards at Croft House, Brampton. Early in life he began to show a\ngift for drawing, but he never received lessons; his aptitude, like\nthat of his uncle, was purely a natural one.\n\nHe also studied botany, geology and chemistry. Before he was\ntwenty-two he had made a geological map of the district; this came\nbefore the notice of some of the leading authorities of the day, and\nreceived high praise from them; it is interesting, therefore, as it\naffords us proof of the high standard of merit reached by his work. He\nafterwards went over to America for a time; an expedition comparatively\nrare in those days. During the summer of 1866 he made studies from\nnature of about a hundred wild flowers, painted in water colours, and\nhad just finished mounting them before his death. For his weakness of\nhealth had shown itself in attacks of pneumonia when he took cold;\nfinally consumption set in, and he died on January 4th, 1867, aged\ntwenty-seven years.\n\nBut the work in which we are most interested is his manuscript \"The\nVale of Lyvennet.\" The book consists of ninety-one pages about 12 by\n10 inches, filled with drawings and plans, of which there are about\ntwo hundred, large and small; with a written description of each.\nInfinite pains have been spent upon it. He has taken each object of\nlocal interest in turn, recorded minutely what is known about it,\nand accompanied it with at least one drawing. The work has not been\nquite completed, as the last three pages, and pages 79 (a beautiful\nhalf-page drawing of Flass House), and 82, lack text; there are a few\nblanks left for measurements, and several spaces for pictures. It is,\nof course, the pictures that give the book its unique character, for\nthey make everything a reality to the reader. The drawings themselves\nare beautiful; but even apart from them, a better account of the valley\ncould hardly have been made, either in material or arrangement. And it\nis not unworthy to add that the text is written in the most delicate\npenmanship, almost as finely executed as the drawings themselves.\n\nBut his studies were not confined to antiquities or art, nor his\nreputation to his native valley. Mention has already been made\nof his geological work. The map was submitted to the Manchester\nGeological Society at a meeting on December 30th, 1862, with a\npaper entitled:--\"On the Carboniferous Rocks in the neighbourhood of\nShap and Crosby Ravensworth: a section of that series which lies on\nthe northern and eastern extremities of the Lake District.\" He also\nsubmitted a section from Wasdale Crag to the valley of the Eden near\nAppleby--distance about ten miles; which, with the paper, was printed\nin the Society's _Transactions_, vol. iv., p. 44.\n\nMr. Bland was unable to be present, and the paper was read by Mr.\nE. W. Binney, F.R.S. Mr. Binney, who was one of the most eminent\ngeologists of the day, afterwards made the following remarks:--\"I\nbecame acquainted with Mr. Bland last year, in going over that district\nto look over some property. He showed me this map, and it occurred to\nme that I had not seen any map of a limestone district so well worked\nout by a local man. Mr. Bland has devoted many years to the examination\nof the becks and gills of his district, and has formed this section. I\nthink the paper a very valuable one, because it shows how the limestone\nbegins to be separated by coal measures.\"\n\nMr. Joseph Dickinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, President of the\nSociety, added:--\"I could have wished for the map to be published\nas well. I do not think we could hand over our funds for a better\npurpose.\" But the expense was a serious matter, and the map, now\npreserved at Reagill, does not appear ever to have been published. The\npaper is written in a much more matured style than the present work,\npossibly because he is writing of matters that can be ascertained with\ngreater certainty; he expresses himself in the manner of one who has a\ncomplete mastery of his subject.\n\nAs to the sources of his information, Mrs. Dufton says that his\naccount of the manorial disputes was derived from a collection of\nold parchments in the possession of Mr. Salkeld of Meaburn Hill,\nhis great-uncle; representative of a family which had been resident\nin the locality since the reign of Elizabeth. To attack sixteenth\ncentury documents for information must have required a great deal\nof enthusiasm, especially in one with such a love of outdoor life;\nfor these documents are dreary things, and, as Mrs. Dufton observes,\nthey were very hard to read. Another instance of the thoroughness of\nhis work is shown in the fact that he reproduces the heading of one\nof these in the old writing, an undertaking by no means easy; and an\nexcellent reproduction it is.\n\nHe had evidently read a great deal, and had gone carefully through most\nbooks that describe his neighbourhood, and he collected and stored up\nwhat was related to him by his friends. His industry was extraordinary,\nand he is said never to have wasted a moment of time.\n\nHe probably owed much to Canon Weston, then vicar of Crosby\nRavensworth, who took a kindly interest in his work, and used to invite\nhim to the vicarage when he had visitors interested in science or\narch\u00e6ology. Among those whom he met were Canon Simpson, first President\nof the local Arch\u00e6ological Society, who was then incumbent of Shap; and\nProfessor Harkness, who once filled the Chair of Geology at Queen's\nCollege, Cork. He was also appreciated and helped at Lowther, where he\nsaw the paintings by Lady Mary Lowther (wife of the famous \"Sir Jammy,\"\nthe first Earl) some of which he copied; while no doubt he learned a\ngreat deal from his uncle, Thomas Bland.\n\nThe latter, a man of varied talents, also deserves some notice here.\nHe was famous for his Italian garden at Reagill, which he laid out and\ndecorated with statues and oil paintings in the alcoves, all his own\nwork; he was an excellent artist in black and white, and reputed to be\na musical composer of merit.\n\nHis nephew tells us of his sculpture commemorating Charles the Second's\nhalt at the head of the Lyvennet, and of the stone he set up to mark\nthe place where the forefathers of the famous Joseph Addison had their\nhome in days gone by. But there is another work which can be seen by\neveryone; a pedestal and pillar surmounted by a figure of Britannia,\nexecuted by him, and erected at his expense, on the hill facing Shap\nWells Hotel, to commemorate the accession of Queen Victoria. It was\nplaced there in 1842; the railway close by was opened in December,\n1846; so it stands within the view of all.\n\nMr. Bland did not attempt to immortalise himself by putting his own\nname upon it; it is a pity that persons visiting it have not been\nequally modest; for the pedestal, which bears bas-reliefs and an\ninscription, has been defaced by idlers for more than half a century,\nas their dated scratchings show.\n\nHe also celebrated this event each year by a large entertainment. This\nis mentioned by Whellan in his _History of Cumberland and Westmorland_,\nwritten in 1860, who says:--\"A festival of a somewhat unique character\nis held here (at Reagill) annually, on the anniversary of Her Majesty's\naccession, on the grounds of Mr. Bland, which are richly ornamented\nwith pictures, statuary, etc. A band of music is engaged for the\noccasion, and the days amusements are interspersed with lectures,\naddresses, music, dancing, and other recreations.\" The gathering\nwas actually held on the Friday nearest to the anniversary; on some\noccasions as many as 1,400 guests were present.\n\nNo memoir of Thomas Bland would be complete without some account of the\nwonderful garden that he planned and made. John Bland has preserved\none view of it in its old splendour; it is reproduced at the end of\nthis book. The wall on the right of the entrance was known as \"The\nLocal Gallery,\" as paintings of local scenes, Shap Abbey, Lowther,\nBrougham and others, were mounted in alcoves there. Beyond, near the\nangle of the wall, was the \"Shakespeare Gallery.\" Facing the entrance\nstands Sir Walter Scott; below three bas-reliefs, that on the right of\nthe spectator representing Rob Roy, that in the middle Bois-Guilbert\nfighting on horseback, striking Athelstan down; the third, Prince\nCharlie.\n\nOn the left of the entrance is a terrace with a statue of Music,\nholding a lute, emblematic of the Lyvennet; there are also statues of\nAddison, Burns, and Hugh Miller the geologist; for Thomas Bland, like\nhis nephew, was interested in geology. This terrace stretches away to\nthe left; against it, and facing the lower lawns beyond was a building\nfor the musicians. The whole garden was lavishly decorated with\npaintings and sculptures; the last of the former were removed from the\nwalls about three years ago. It seems almost incredible that one man\nshould have accomplished so much work; but he had a marvellous facility\nfor rapid work and simple execution. He could finish his work very\nfinely, but seldom did so.\n\nA description of the gardens, and the statues in particular is\ncontained in Anthony Whitehead's _Westmorland Legends and other Poems_.\nIt would have been pleasant to say something of Mr. Whitehead, whose\nmemories are so closely connected with the work of the Blands; but\nit is a delicate matter to write of a man in his lifetime; and he is\nstill living, and bearing his ninety-one years very lightly. Two of his\nstanzas are quoted in this book, to illustrate the tale of Crosby Hall.\n\nThomas Bland worked at art for its own sake, cared nothing for fame,\nand would have hated notoriety. He had at least one excellent chance\nof becoming known to London art circles, for David Cox (the younger),\nwho had seen some of his drawings, was interested, and wished to\nintroduce him to his friends. He gave Mr. Bland several of his own\nwater-colour paintings, and some correspondence passed between them;\nbut the introduction fell through. He had, of course, many visitors,\nsome of whom came to see him only from idle curiosity. These he could\nnot endure. For their benefit he had a large oleograph of Garibaldi set\nup in his studio. If they fell into the trap, and admired it, they were\nsummarily dealt with, for he could be brusque to those whom he did not\ncare about. The Garden Beautiful was free to all; but he would not\nsacrifice time or convenience to a bore--least of all, an admiring bore.\n\nThere is one story told of a trick which was played upon him: about\n1855 he went to Kendal to hear a lecture on electricity. He was\nsceptical of the marvellous powers claimed for it, and refused to\nbelieve that it would be impossible for him to let go the handles of\nthe battery when the current was turned on. Having the courage of his\ndisbelief, he went upon the platform to try, and unsuspectingly put\nhis top hat between his knees. Then the operator turned the current\non strong, and it was only after that top hat was fairly flattened in\nhis struggles that he was released, amid the roars of the audience;\nwhereupon he fled from the room and back to Reagill, a wiser man--with\na ruined hat.\n\nHe seems to have been credited with a certain amount of eccentricity,\nthough this may have been due to a commonplace reading of unusual\ngifts and vigorous originality; but it is certainly the case that he\nwas highly esteemed as a man of warm heart and kindly disposition,\nwhich attracted all with whom he came in contact; and in his own\nneighbourhood his death was greatly deplored. He died on September\n18th, 1865, in his sixty-seventh year, unmarried.\n\nBut John Bland's work, good as it is, has an additional value, because\nthere was at the time no systematic effort in this field of research.\nThe Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian Society held its inaugural\nmeeting on September 11th, 1866, only four months before he died, and\nfor some six years not much was done. Thus he was the first to plan\nthe important stone circle at Gunnerskeld. This, like its neighbour\nat Oddendale, belongs to a class, rare in Britain, which consists of\nconcentric rings of stone. Mr. C. W. Dymond, F.S.A., in publishing\na plan of Gunnerskeld circle, says:--\"So far as my researches have\nextended, no plan of this megalithic group has ever been published,\nnor, save in a local guide book, have I ever seen it mentioned.\" The\nbook contains a drawing, a ground plan and a description of each of\nthese remains.\n\nBut he never lapses into dulness. Indeed, he pokes quiet fun at\nthe antiquary pure and simple. Certain earthworks, he says, have\nbeen supposed by some antiquaries to be a maze; a dilemma in which\nantiquarians are sometimes found. Writing of Crosby Park, he has a\ngentle thrust at those who deal of venison and vert, and ancient deer\nparks and forests:--\"These things,\" he says, \"are past and gone, except\nto the dreaming poet and the prosing antiquary.\"\n\nHis sketches cover a wide range. He puts before us each object of which\nhe writes; heraldry, old buildings, picturesque landscapes, down to the\nbracelets and rings found in Skellaw quarry. And each of these pictures\nis a work of art, for his was a genius that touches nothing it does not\nadorn. He had no mean imagination; there is a vivid picture of a man\non horseback, rider and beast recoiling in terror before the vision of\nthe Headless Horseman of Gaythorn Plains, which is galloping across\ntheir track in the moonlight. He has a humorous picture of a \"Ghost\nseen by Bet Whistle\"--a dead pollard tree, which makes a most menacing\napparition, though probably the ingenuity of the artist has something\nto do with it. And over the first page, majestic in flight, soars the\nRoman eagle.\n\nIt has been possible to reproduce only a limited number of his\ndrawings: in making a selection (no easy task), some preference has\nbeen given to those which represent objects no longer existing.\n\nIn dealing with the text, variations have been made as seldom as\npossible, and then where the author might have wished an alteration, in\naccordance with later discoveries. Thus, the account of the settlement\nat Langdales has been curtailed, as its great mystery, a bank running\nfrom the pre-Roman village across the Roman Way, has been explained\nby the recent discovery that the bank is modern. Part of the account\nof Harberwain is left out, as he takes _Har_, on the authority of\na distinguished local antiquary, to be a man's name; and reasons\naccordingly. It really means _high_. Some of the quotations from\nOssian are left out, as, though appropriately introduced, they divert\nattention from Mr. Bland's own work. The chapter on the history of\nCrosby Church, compiled from Charleton's _History of Whitby Abbey_, is\nomitted, as a recent account of the church has been published; while in\nthe present book certain limits of size had to be observed. Incomplete\nsentences, where details of measurements are wanting, have generally\nbeen deleted.\n\nThis brief memoir attempts nothing more than a record of the life and\nwork of John Salkeld Bland. If he should be forgotten, we should be the\npoorer for the loss; and yet his work was done so unobtrusively that a\nstudied appreciation seems out of place. The publication of his book\nmay cause his name to be connected in local literature with that of\nthe Lyvennet. Perhaps this is the most fitting memorial for him--to be\nremembered as the chronicler of the valley he loved so well.\n\n\n\n\nWICKER STREET.\n\nTHE ROMAN ROAD CONNECTING THE STATIONS AT BOROUGH BRIDGE AND KIRKBY\nTHORE.\n\n\nThe earliest historic record respecting the North of England was\nmade by Tacitus, from whose works we learn that the Roman armies\nled by Agricola first advanced into this district and conquered the\ninhabitants then known as the Western Brigantes in the year A.D. 79, in\nthe reign of the Emperor Vespasian.\n\nThe base of Agricola's operations was Chester, (Deva), the station\noccupied by the 20th Legion; with these he advanced northwards by the\nmodern towns of Manchester, Preston and Overborough, and up the vale of\nLune to Borough Bridge, at each place forming a station and connecting\nthem by roads cut through the forests; the last station he placed in\nthe only pass by which Westmorland could be conveniently entered from\nthe south-west.[1] From Borough Bridge the road had gone nearly direct\nto Kirkby Thore, traversing the whole length of the vale of Lyvennet.\nMany antiquarians supposed it went to Brougham, but the name Wicker\nStreet applied to an extensive hill on the west side of Crosby--a name\nsignificant of a Roman way--led to examination a few years ago and a\nroad was found traceable from near Black Dub to Dale Banks, a distance\nof more than two miles, indisputably in the direction of Kirkby Thore:\nit is regularly formed and rounded in the middle, about thirty feet\nacross, the ground being generally hard and dry; no trace of paved work\nis to be found.\n\nThe march of Agricola's army is said to have been straight as the\ntrack of a sunbeam, and his roads are generally considered to be\ncarried in a direct line surmounting every obstruction. However this\nmay have been in an open country, it is more reasonable to suppose\nthat in a district like this they would overcome a difficult ascent\nby deviating to the right or left. In leaving Borough Bridge they\nhave crossed the Lune twice, considerably to the right, in preference\nto going straight over the steep hills and numerous ravines of Loups\nFell, which would have been almost impossible; then again, where are\nthe first traces of the road, instead of ascending the steep cliff of\nthe scar near Bousfield How, they have gone to the west, ascending\nand so coming by easier gradients to the top of Wicker Street. This\nis the most commanding point overlooking the vale of Lyvennet, and no\ndoubt, as its name implies, it was an important point to the invading\nRoman armies, Wicker Street according to some authorities meaning \"the\ngateway of the pass.\" It was from this point probably that Agricola's\narmy first beheld our lovely valley; for he, after establishing a\nstronghold at the gorge of the mountain pass at Borough Bridge would\neither lead or send out a party of soldiery to survey the country\nnorthwards, a district abounding in forests and fastnesses in which\nroamed the fierce and revengeful Britons; their scouts would of course\navoid the craggy heights of Orton Scar, and following up the course of\nthe stream from the north be led to ascend by the way along which the\nroad was afterwards laid out: though we may reasonably allow that all\nthe low districts were at that time densely wooded, yet it is highly\nprobable that on the high lands were extensive openings clear of wood,\nor perhaps here and there patches of brushwood; such the character of\nthe soil and its general void of wood at the present time leads us to\nimagine; the only brush now to be seen is on the top of the hill and\nknown as Wicker Street Thorn, which, like the Shap Thorn and Johnny\nHall Trees is a guide mark for many miles round. Here by the side of\nthe road is a square oblong enclosure of earth and stones which, after\nthe construction of the road perhaps served as a _mons exploratorum_\nby which, and others such, the garrison at Borough Bridge could be\nwarned of the approach of the enemy. The road from this point descends\nand crosses the Blea Beck; an embankment has been raised on each side\nand brought near together; quantities of huge boulders have been used\nto bank it up and probably form a culvert. From here it crosses Slack\nRandy, passing near some entrenchments and curious stone circles called\nYow Locks and descends Long Dale. In this field on the brow of the hill\nabove Dale Banks is what antiquarians affirm to be a British village;\nit presents earthworks covering three or four acres of ground: these\nconsist of irregular squares, circles, &c., formed of earth thrown up\nto the height of from one to three feet.[2]\n\nContinuing the course of the road, it is traceable to the bottom\nof the hill, where it has crossed Odindale beck, after which all\nfurther traces have been obliterated by enclosures and the plough; the\ndirection however is straight for Kirkby Thore, crossing the Lyvennet\nnear Dairy Bridge, where there is an ancient paved wath, then past\nLofterns and over Castriggs in King's Meaburn township, across the\nEden about two hundred yards above the present bridge at Bolton, where\nthere are remains of an abutment, as of a bridge, with mason-work and\ngrouting now overgrown with brushwood; thence in the direction of\nKirkby Thore joining the more important road known as Watling Street\nfrom Bowes in Yorkshire. No remains of decided Roman character have\never been found in connection with this road, but this is accounted\nfor by the fact that no settlement was made in the valley, it\nbeing but a thoroughfare along which passed and repassed the Roman\nlegions employed in the somewhat vain attempt to subjugate the wild\nCaledonians. It is possible this road or track was previously used, but\nof this we have no proof, but from that time up to the making of the\npresent road over Shap Fell it was used as the great highway between\nthe southern parts of England and Scotland.\n\n[1] The route by Overborough, Borough Bridge and Kirkby Thore was the\nMaiden Way; but it is probable that Agricola's first advance to this\ndistrict was made along the coast.\n\n[2] For full details of the most recent excavations and finds, with\nplans, see reports on \"A Romano-British settlement at Ewe Close, Crosby\nRavensworth,\" by W. G. Collingwood, F.S.A., (1907-8) _Transactions_,\nCumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Arch\u00e6ological Society, N.S.,\nvols. viii. and ix.\n\n\n\n\nEARTHWORKS.\n\nTHE SITES OF ANCIENT BRITISH VILLAGES.\n\n\nThe most important monuments left by the ancient Britons who inhabited\nthis country previous to the Roman invasion are the several remains of\nvillages. C\u00e6sar, in describing what the Britons call a town, says:--\"It\nis a tract of woody country surrounded by a vallum and a ditch for\nthe security of themselves and cattle against the incursions of their\nenemies.\" Strabo confirms this, and says further:--\"That within the\ninclosures formed of felled trees they build houses for themselves and\nhovels for their cattle: these buildings are slight, and not designed\nfor long duration.\" The vallum is expressed in Welsh by _caer_ or\n_dinas_, the same with the Gaelic _dun_. Diodorus Siculus and Strabo\ntell us that the houses of the Gauls were wretched cottages, being\nconstructed with poles and wattled work in the form of a circle with\nlofty tapering or pointed roof, and C\u00e6sar also says that the houses\nof the Britons were similar. These it is true were of south Britain,\nbut it is reasonable to infer that with little alteration those of the\nnorthern inhabitants would be similar. Some authors suppose the present\nWelsh pigsty to represent the form of the ancient British house. This\nis a circular building with a conical roof, and having a large circular\nenclosure attached.\n\nIn the district under consideration there are remains of earthworks\nwhich may be considered of this character. They generally consist of\nridges of earth and stones varying in height from one to three feet,\nforming irregular squares, circles, passages, &c., covering a greater\nor less area of ground. In five of these are to be found small\ncircular enclosures generally six yards in diameter, with a gap or\nopening on one side; each of the other larger enclosures have also an\nentrance and in some places a sort of street or passage communicates.\nThe most extensive and distinct are the remains of Long Dale, which\nare skirted by the Roman road: in the middle part of these are seven\nor eight of the small circles. Another though much smaller is on\nWickerslack Moor: this has five small circles, with two or three\nirregular squares and a large circle; a large area is also enclosed\non the high side which is not cut up by any earthworks. In two of\nthe small circles was found a rude pavement formed of large slabs of\nsandstone rudely laid down and fit together with smaller boulders of\ngranite, &c., but no limestone; these stones bear evident marks of\nhaving been exposed to fire. The ground chosen for these enclosures\nwithout exception are upon the hard limestone rock, covered by a very\nthin layer of earth; this with the loose rock has been bared off and\nused to form the earthworks. They are also generally at a considerable\ndistance from water.\n\nYow Locks, another of these villages, is on the open moor called Slack\nRandy; here only one or two small circles can be traced; but the ridges\nare very marked, many of them being formed of large boulders rolled\ntogether. These are very plentiful near; there are two peculiar oval\nenclosures formed solely by large boulders, the longer diameter of each\nbeing nine yards. Another village may be seen in a field near Gilts;\nthough very irregular, yet it affords traces of eight or ten of the\nsmall circles.\n\nHow Arcles, a little above Wood Foot affords a large circle, but only\none or two of the small ones; these may have been obliterated by\nthe plough. Bellmouth, probably a corruption of Bermont, is another\nbetween Reagill and Sleagill; part of this is quarried away, and about\ntwenty years ago a human skeleton was found behind one of the outer\nearthworks. Another on Wickerslack Moor has only one small circle\nattached to a larger one, and enclosed by a large irregular square.\nThe new road cuts through it, and the plough will soon obliterate\nall trace of it, as it doubtless has done of many others in the now\ncultivated parts of the country. At Harberwain is another though in\na great measure obliterated, yet still exhibits a few squares, &c.;\nconnected with it is a rampart of earth; this seems to have been for\nsome extraordinary defence.\n\nOther entrenchments are still to be found more or less obliterated by\nthe advance of agriculture; some of a strategic character which will be\nafterwards noticed, and others again that will forever puzzle enquiry\nfor what purpose they were raised and by what people.\n\nTo the most ancient inhabitants many authors ascribe the origin of the\nvarious stone circles to be found in different parts of the country.\nThere are two remarkable ones in this district, one in Gunnerskeld\nbottom, and another near Odindale Head. The former is situated on a\nlevel area elevated a little above the bed of the stream. It is a\ncircle of large granite boulders eighteen in number, some of which are\nstill standing upright seven feet high, while many have fallen one way\nor the other. The circle is thirty-eight yards in diameter; and within\nit is another formed by thirty-one stones much smaller in size and\neighteen yards in diameter; within this has been apparently a mound,\nmost of which is removed for the sake of the stones and the earth has\nbeen thrown into a heap outside; there are still some large stones left\nand three in the centre are situated as though they may have formed\npart of a cromlech. There is no record of anything having been found,\nand the word Gunnerskeld is of too modern a character to throw any\nlight on the matter.\n\nThe one near Odindale Head is similar, at first sight inspires a truly\nOssianic feeling. It is situated on a hill of \"dark brown heath,\" it\nis formed of an outer circle of thirty stones not so large as those at\nGunnerskeld, twenty-five yards in diameter, within which is another\ncircle of twenty-one stones closely packed to each other seven yards\nin diameter; within this are a number of other stones irregularly laid,\nsimilar to Gunnerskeld. It was opened in presence of Rev. J. Simpson,\nbut nothing was found excepting a small portion of black carbonaceous\nmatter. A peculiar feature is that there is an upright stone placed\noutside the inner and within the outer circle on the south-east side.\nOn the north side about seven yards distant is the remains of another\ncircle, fourteen yards in diameter, having another within of four\nyards, but many of the stones have been removed.\n\nRespecting the origin of these circles authors differ considerably,\nsome considering them to be the temples of the Druids, within whose\nmystic bounds sacrificial rites were performed; while others attribute\nthem to a later people, the Pagan Saxons, Angles or Danes.\n\nOdindale, like Gunnerskeld, is a name significant of the latter people.\nOdin was the one great god of the Gothic nations, from whom they all\nclaimed descent, and to whom, of course, their greatest honours were\npaid.\n\nThere are also other circles much smaller in size and each on elevated\nground, one near Threaplands is formed of seven granite boulders, and\nis five yards in diameter; some of the stones are six feet in length.\nAnother on Harbyrn Rigg is six yards in diameter and formed of eight\nstones and another outside. On Wicker Street is another formed by\neleven stones five yards in diameter, and near to it is a small one of\nfour stones, three yards in diameter. Another on Harkeld is formed by\nten stones, and is six yards in diameter; in digging in this one, a few\ninches deep was found a stratum of charred bones. The one on Harbyrn\nRigg has three stones in the centre, but no trace of ashes: some of the\nstones are six or seven feet long, and have all originally been placed\nupright. These we may also attribute to the ancient Britons, probably\nthe monuments erected around the funeral pile of important personages\nwhose names and fame they have failed to record, but yet, in the words\nof the poet, \"have spoken to other years.\"\n\nThe Druids in their temples had generally a spring or stream of water\nnear. This is the case with the one at Gunnerskeld, but not so with the\nother, unless we can associate Anna's Keld with it; which is, however,\nhalf a mile distant. This well is mentioned by Camden, who says that\nlike Euripus of old it ebbs and flows with the tide.[3] However it may\nhave been then, it is not the case now; but devoid of this interest\nits position is one of dreary grandeur, being situated in the midst of\nthe dark brown heath. To what people we may attribute the saintly name\nof Anna is doubtful, but it has at some time been an important spot,\nfrom the fact that it is the source of Crook Syke, whose waters have\nrun through the gigantic temple at Shap, now known as Carl Lofts; a\ntemple like Avebury in the south dedicated to the dread worship of the\nserpent.[4] It is now almost destroyed, but it is considered to have\nbeen one of the most important monuments of antiquity in the north of\nEngland.\n\n As Mr. Bland arouses our curiosity as to the origin of remains of\n this kind, it may interest readers to have a short account of the\n various opinions which have been expressed on the subject. These have\n been based mainly upon researches in Wiltshire, more particularly at\n Stonehenge and Avebury; and if these relics prove their founders to\n have possessed much knowledge and ingenuity, it can hardly have been\n more marvellous than that embodied in some of the theories formed\n about them.\n\n The first scientific report on Stonehenge was made by Inigo Jones,\n at the wish of James I.; he thought it was a temple erected by the\n Romans, after the Tuscan order. Charleton, physician to Charles II.,\n held that it was a monument of the Danish period. Aubrey, about the\n same time, attributed it to the Druids. Next came Stukeley's famous\n theory. Stukeley, a man of great learning, had read of the Druids,\n and had seen the circles; then he found a grotesque story in Pliny\n about an egg, miraculously produced from the saliva of serpents, and\n regarded as a charm by the Druids. So, he reasoned, the Druids made\n the circles for serpent worship; and, according to his argument, the\n complete temple consisted of a diagram of a snake, miles long, done in\n boulders, the circles being the reptile's coils! To demonstrate this,\n Stukeley made a plan of the Avebury remains. The result was not very\n convincing; essential parts of the creature's anatomy were wanting;\n and a snake is nothing if not continuous. But he sketched in these\n missing parts out of his own head, and the thing was done. Somewhat\n similar results were got from a hurried survey of Shap, about 1725.\n Such is the groundwork of the popular belief in \"Druids' Circles,\"\n and yet, at the time, it was received almost as a revelation. John\n Wood, of Bath, about 1747, introduced the idea that the numbers of\n the stones corresponded to certain astronomical cycles or periods of\n time. Rev. Edward Duke, writing in 1846, saw in the Wiltshire remains\n a vast plan of the solar system as known to the ancients; the small\n circles at Avebury were the sun and moon at the summer solstice;\n the avenue of stones on either side was the northern portion of the\n ecliptic; Silbury Hill, a mile south, the Earth. Four miles north of\n Silbury, Winterbourne Basset circle stood for the planet Venus; south\n of it were Mercury; Mars; Jupiter, represented by Casterly Camp,\n nine miles from Silbury; and Saturn by Stonehenge, sixteen miles\n off. The vastness of the scheme will be appreciated by saying that\n an equivalent of this in Westmorland would place Saturn at Tebay,\n Jupiter at Shap, and the Earth at Eamont Bridge; or, following the\n railway, the viaduct crossing the Eamont. Mr. Duke notices that all\n the points are in almost exact line due north and south; and that\n Stonehenge points directly towards the sunrise at the summer solstice.\n About twenty years later, a good deal was made of practically the\n same fact, that from the so-called Altar Stone within Stonehenge, the\n sun on Midsummer Day appears to rise immediately over a distant stone\n called the Friar's Heel; hence it is argued that Stonehenge was an\n observatory. This is the modern popular theory, possibly because of\n its simplicity. Fergusson, about 1870, published a most interesting\n argument that these circles were set up after the Romans left; his\n conclusion is not generally accepted, though his views are treated\n with respect. Those who think that arch\u00e6ology must be dull, should\n read his racy satire at the expense of poor Stukeley. One of his\n suggestions is that Long Meg, or perhaps the Grey Yauds circle, may\n be a memorial of King Arthur's battle in the Caledonian Forest. The\n best opinion is that of Mr. W. C. Lukis, who thinks that the object,\n in the first instance, was that of burial-places; that they were\n formed before the Roman invasion; while Mr. Arthur Evans assigned to\n Stonehenge an approximate date of 450 B.C.\n\n[3] The exact wording is:--\"Near the head of which (the Lowther) is\na well which, like Euripus, ebbs and flows several times in a day,\"\na much less remarkable thing. Apparently Mr. Bland's informant has\nmisquoted in conversation. The second edition of Camden's _Britannia_\n(1723) comments that this phenomenon is not infrequent in rocky\ncountry, and not usually lasting; and that there was then no ebbing\nfountain to be heard of near Shap.\n\n[4] This idea is that of Stukeley; it had, at the time, a very large\nfollowing, but is now rejected.\n\n\n\n\nANCIENT BURYING PLACES.\n\n\nThe remains next under consideration are the cairns or burial mounds.\nThese have been very numerous on the high grounds and unenclosed moors\naround the source of the Lyvennet. Thirty or forty may still be found\nperched upon the highest peaks, or otherwise on commanding situations,\nothers on the overhanging banks of the streams, while some have been\nplaced without any characteristic choice of site. Some of these bear\nsignificant names or more often the name is applied to an extended\narea of the hill or plain on which they are found; and others there\nare with which no name can be connected. The word _How_, Danish--a\nhill, is generally significant of a mound, but is often applied to the\nwhole, as Sill _How_, Raise _How_, Bousfield _How_, _How_ Arcles, _How_\nNeuk and _How_ Robin; on each of which are mounds. _Raise_ is an older\nword of similar meaning, and is applied more directly to a mound, as\n_Raise_ How on Bank Moor. This name is more common in the neighbourhood\nof Shap. _Pen_, of Cambro-Celtic origin, having the same meaning, is\nfound in _Pen_hurrock. Others again bear the ordinary name of _Hill_,\nas Iren _Hill_, Round _Hill_, &c. Though these mounds have been raised\nby different people each in their day, yet they are often found to have\nbeen named or rather called _Hills_ by whatever word in the language\nor dialect of the succeeding races expressed the same. Others again\nthere are bearing names peculiar to themselves, as _Iren_ Hill, _Sill_\nHow, _Hollinstump_, Pen_hurrock_, Robin Hood's Grave, Lady's Mound,\n&c. Though they are numerous, yet many of them have been opened by\nthe hill-breakers of the last century, or been more or less ravaged\nfor the sake of stones, earth, &c.; for this reason it is difficult\nto distinguish those belonging to different ages, though it is highly\nprobable the great majority are British.\n\nOn Gaythorn Plains--an extensive tract of comparatively level moor\non the north side of Orton Scar, are two mounds 100 yards apart,\nrespectively fourteen and [ ] yards in diameter; the larger of these,\non being opened by Rev. J. Holmes, was found to contain in the centre\nan urn of baked clay, ornamented with rude zig-zag work on the outside;\nthis was broken but had contained ashes; besides this the mound\ncontained remains of five different skeletons which, from the wear of\nthe teeth, had been of different ages; some being sharp and pointed,\nwhile others were worn quite flat. It is a remarkable fact that no\nteeth found in any mounds show the slightest symptoms of decay.\n\nAt the extreme edge of the Plains on the brow of a cliff overlooking\nSale Bottom is another mound composed solely of stones; it is\ntwenty-six yards in diameter, and has originally been about seven\nor eight feet high. It is known as Hollinstump, a corruption, as\nsome think, of Llewellen's Tomb. Llewellen was the last of the Welsh\nKings, and was beheaded about 1280 in the reign of Edward I., but it\nis improbable the King would trouble to send his mangled remains for\ninterment to such a distant part. It was opened by some gainseeking\nhill-breakers, who say they found a large slab of sandstone, under\nwhich was a full length skeleton and a small implement--in the\nwords of the finder:--\"He seemed t'eve been buried in his cleayse\nwid a jack-a-legs knife in his waistcwoat pocket.\" Of the sandstone\nslab:--\"They brak it up an' gat three carfull o't finest sand et iver\nwas carried to Appleby Low Brewery.\" Bone dust was not then come into\nfashion, or else we may be certain his bones would have been sold to\nthe crushing mill. This place is said to be haunted, the apparition\nbeing a headless horseman who dashes along at a furious yet noiseless\nspeed. Those who have seen him describe him as having in place of a\nhead something like a blaze of fire, and others like a backboard laid\nupon his shoulders--perhaps the distinguished spirit of the wronged and\nheadless Welsh King, whose sole revenge is to dash on the midnight wind\naround his tomb, to the terror and dismay of each benighted wanderer.\n\nRound Hill near Towcett, was opened by a similar class, out of which\nwas got a sandstone slab of large size, afterwards made into a\nchimney-piece; under it were also found human bones. A like one existed\nat Flatt Neuk on Bank Moor, but is now removed; within it was a cist\nformed of rude stones set up edgewise, in which was the skeleton,\nand alongside a bronze spear-head; this cist was covered by a large\nsandstone slab, over which had been heaped, as in the others mentioned,\nearth and stones even to hundreds of cartloads in quantity; in some\ncases brought from a large distance.\n\nPenhurrock, the highest point by the road leading from Crosby to Orton,\nwas a large mound of stones, but it has been removed and broken up\nfor road metal, with the exception of a few boulders of granite. Its\ndiameter was about twenty yards, having in the centre a cist surrounded\nby an irregular circle of stones about eleven yards across; the\nboulders are only very small, and have been covered up in the mound.\nA quantity of bones was found, some of them of gigantic proportions:\nand what is rather curious, in a small cavity on one side were found\na quantity of ashes, remains of the fire by which the bodies had been\nconsumed. As no account was kept of the deposition of its contents,\nin what position the entire skeletons were found, or where the ashes\nof those consumed had been placed, we can form no decided opinion\nrespecting its age; but from its mixed contents it was probably used as\na burial place by different succeeding races.\n\nOn Long Scar Pike is a large mound of stones twenty yards in diameter,\nand eight or nine feet high. It has been opened, but no account kept.\nThere is another on How Nook Pike, a little further south; these\nare the highest points in the parish of Crosby Ravensworth, and are\npositions truly worthy as the resting-places of some ancient chieftains\nor warriors, overlooking as they do the vale of Orton, the Lune and\ntheir tributary dales of Bretherdale, Langdale, Wasdale, and the vale\nof Birkbeck with its far-famed medicinal spa, backed by the bleak and\nrugged peaks of Shap Fells.\n\nOn Wicker Street, near the stone circle, is a large irregular oblong\nmound, twenty-four yards in length, and another at no great distance,\nbut small and circular, on the east side of the Roman road. A more\nremarkable one is on a limestone cliff overhanging the Lyvennet, in\nCrosby Gill; it is an oval, or keel-shaped, ten yards the longer\ndiameter, and six the less, and about seven feet high.\n\nRobin Hood's Grave is an oblong mound, seven yards by three. It is\nsituated at the bottom of a narrow rocky dell at the head of Crosby\nGill, where the footpath from Orton to Crosby enters the woods, once\nthe chase of Sir Lancelot Threlkeld. It is noticed by Mr. Sullivan in\nhis \"Cumberland and Westmorland,\" but he speaks of two heaps: this is,\nhowever, a mistake, there being only one. Of this mound he says \"It was\nonce customary for every person who went a-nutting in the wood, at the\nsouth end of which this heap is situated, to throw a stone on Robin's\ngrave, repeating the following rhyme:--\n\n    Robin Hood, Robin Hood, here lie thy bones;\n    Load me with nuts as I load thee with stones.\"\n\nWhoever was the original of the famous outlaw, and whether he was\nproperly Robin of the Wood or Robin with the Hood, his name is now\nconnected with mounds and stones innumerable in various parts of\nEngland. On Ploverigg Edge are two large stones, known as Robin Hood's\nChair and Punch Bowl; in short, too much popularity has converted him,\naccording to the view of critical investigation, into a myth. Probably\nthe well-known rhyme of schoolboy notoriety may be in allusion also to\nthe famed outlaw of Sherwood Forest:--\n\n      Robin a Ree, Robin a Ree, if I let thee dee\n    Many sticks, many steanes be heaped o' my weary beanes\n      If I sud set Robin a Ree to dee:\n\nThis game is usually attendant on bonfires, near which, those joining\nthe game stand in a row; the first then takes a fiery stick, and\nwhirling it round and round repeats the rhyme, then handing it to\nthe next, who repeats it, and so on till the stick dies out; the\nunfortunate individual, in whose hand this happens, is then at the\nmercy of the grimy sticks and wet sods of his companions.\n\nNot far from Robin Hood's Grave is a spring known as \"King's Well,\"\nwhich is supposed to bear its royal title from being visited by King\nHenry VII.; but of this we have no more reliable proof than we have\nthat Robin Hood's remains lie beneath the mound, which, on being\nopened, was found to contain only an old sheep's skull.\n\nThere are three mounds near to each other on the east bank of the\nstream near Gilts; they are about seven or eight yards in diameter\neach. None of these have been opened. Between Gilts and Lodge is one;\nbelow it are a number of parallel and other earthworks, suggesting to\nthe mind of some antiquaries the idea of its having been a maze; a\ndilemma in which antiquarians are often found.\n\nA little south of How Arcles is a mound near which are circular and\nsquare entrenchments.\n\nLady's Mound is near the high road over Meaburn Moor, from which it is\nsaid the Countess of Pembroke once stood and remarked that she could\nsee from that point three of her ancient castles, namely, Brough,\nAppleby and Brougham.\n\nOn the east side of Morland Bank is a mound on the edge of what has\nonce been an extensive marsh now known as Redmires. It is here worthy\nof remark that Morland Bank is a corruption of Mere or Mireland Bank,\nfrom _mere_, a marsh; literally meaning \"the bank amongst the marsh\nlands.\" It is a tongue of high ground which has at some time been\nalmost surrounded by marshes. These though now drained still retain\nthe significant names of Redmires on the east side, through which runs\nLyvennet, and Eelmires on the west, drained by a tributary stream. That\nthese have been more extensive and of a more marshy character is proved\nby the fact that when Redmires was drained in 1863, at the depth of\n4-1/2 feet, in black marshy earth, was found part of the head and horns\nof a deer. The skull has been forcibly broken from the neck, while the\nhorns have been cut round with some sharp instrument and then broken\noff; the four tips on the part of the horns left are also cut and\nbroken off. The remainder of the horn, being useless, has been thrown\naway into the marsh, on the banks of which would have been the scene of\nthe slaughter; whether by Briton, Roman or Saxon we know not: but it\nis certainly a relic of the chase when the native deer of Westmorland\nranged wild and free over its forests and fells. In the same drain and\nabout the same depth was also found a small stone ornament. It is best\ndescribed as half of a large marble one inch in diameter, with the\ntop flattened and a hole made through it about a quarter of an inch\nin diameter, slightly wider on one side than the other; it is of blue\nslate. These, by some, are called Druids' rings.\n\nReturning again to mounds, one was removed in Reagill Croft, in which\nwas found what was called a bronze spear-head. On Wickerslack Moor\nanother was removed, having on the original surface a layer of black\nearth surrounded with boulders, but all covered up. Others of various\nsizes may also be seen on Ploverigg Edge, Hardendale Nab, near Murbur,\nPotrigg, near Starbey Field, &c., possessing no features particularly\nworthy of remark. Near Harberwain Plantation was formerly a circle of\nstones eight yards in diameter, within which had been a mound; but it\nis all now removed.\n\nOn Harberwain Rigg is a remarkable mound occupying a very elevated\nposition; its diameter is fourteen yards, and surrounded by eighteen\nlarge boulders. It was carelessly opened a few years ago, and in the\nsouth-west side was found a human skeleton of gigantic proportions;\nbut whether he had been in a cist or how laid was not noticed. Along\nwith the bones were found portions of the horns of the red deer. The\nmound is called Iren Hill, doubtless a corruption. Half way between it\nand the stone circle was found in a cleft of the rock a bronze dagger\nblade, thirteen inches in length and four inches broad at the hilt.\nIt is of very good workmanship. Whether it is coeval with the mound\nis doubtful; but it is a good specimen of the weapon which supplanted\nthose of the stone age, and in the hand of the Briton opposed the\nadvance of the Roman legions. Another relic of the same age is a small\nbronze celt three inches in length, which was ploughed up in a field\nnear Blinbeck, and now in possession of Mr. Markham of Morland. Iren\nHill is the only mound now left in the neighbourhood having a circle of\nstones round.\n\nOrton Scar, an extensive tract of high ground, is a dreary wilderness\nof rocks, extending for many miles, presenting little more than the\nbare limestone cut up in its original formation by deep chasms into\nblocks of various sizes. These again are carved and worn into most\nfantastic shapes by the wearing power of winds and rains. The only form\nof vegetable life flourishing in the crevices are of the fern species,\nsome of which are peculiarly rare in other localities. Here and there\nare patches of earth affording a scanty herbage of bent and moss for\nthe few hardy mountain sheep. These rocks break off on the south-east\nside forming bold escarpments overlooking the vale of Orton, while on\nthe other side they slope away in the opposite direction for a mile\nor more, variously broken up into rocky valleys and ravines unadorned\nby either bush or brake. The scenery is, of course, in the immediate\nneighbourhood, of a wild and dreary character; but its high situation\naffords a wide panoramic view of the surrounding country, bounded all\nround by the more or less distant mountains, even to the blue line of\nthe Cheviots. Of arch\u00e6ologic interest there are a few mounds located in\ndifferent parts on the high elevations; but the observing eye cannot\nbut note that it has been more a place of refuge and safety in life to\nthe ancient inhabitants than a resting place after death; and in such\nlocalities would we expect to find the fastnesses of the Celtic races\nto which they would fly when the Roman armies made their appearance\nthrough the gorge at Borough Bridge, and also the people of after ages\nseeking safety from the marauding Scots or Danes up to the last Border\nforay. Associated with the last-named times is the highest point: from\nwhich often has blazed the beacon fire signalled from other heights,\nand warning the inhabitants below to prepare for the approaching danger.\n\nCastlesteads, about half a mile further east, is an elevated plateau\nof rock, having a sloping level surface of about half an acre, covered\nwith bent and moss. On nearly every side it presents an escarpment of\nrock from three to fifteen feet high; along the top of this has been a\nrude wall or barricade of stone to serve partly as a defence against\nattack, or more likely as a fence to enfold horses and cattle. Within\nit on the south side are two oblong enclosures about twenty yards long\nby eight each, and on the north-west side is a large pile of stones as\nthough it may have been a rude tower. This elevation is situated in a\nhollow and immediately all round it is an impassable plain of rocks\nand chasms. These are continued, more or less similar, for a mile or\nmore on every side; so that this stronghold could only be gained by\nhorses and cattle by circuitous windings, known only to those most\nfamiliar with the locality. In this place and others similar, then, in\nages past, we may conclude that in times of invasion or when marauders\nravaged the country, the inhabitants of Orton and Crosby would remove\ntheir cattle and other goods for security, which it certainly would\nafford, if such were to be had; first, from its secluded situation,\nfor, unless previously known, it would escape discovery, and if known,\na few men well armed and familiar with the crags would have baffled\nand perhaps overcome a whole army. Some authors suppose the word\nCastlesteads to be associated with Roman works, and possibly this place\nmay have held out and been reduced by them. However this may have been,\nat no great distance to the north were found in April 1847 a beautiful\nsilver brooch (Fibula Vestiaria) and a silver torque, in a crevice\nof the rock at a depth of about five feet. Possibly these may have\nbeen in the possession of some reckless Roman captain whose hardihood\nand reckless daring led him amongst the treacherous scars and hardy\nBritons, which when he discovered, in his haste to retreat flung away\nhis cloak to free himself of its encumbrance, unmindful of its valuable\nornaments.[5]\n\nAbout a mile from Castlesteads, descending by a rocky ravine in an\neasterly direction, is a remarkable hollow called Sale Bottom, where\nare the remains of mounds and earthworks, to all appearance of a\nstrategic character--perchance the battlefield on which the owners of\nthe fold on Castlesteads have struggled to defend themselves and their\nproperty. It is a narrow area of level land, bounded on the north side\nby an escarpment of limestone more or less bold; on the opposite side\nis a more regular slope, while the ends are gorges more or less rocky.\nAcross the level area of this bottom have been formed five or six\nembankments of earth and stones running from the rocks on one side and\non the other ending in counter entrenchments, two of which, at about\ntwenty-five yards apart, run parallel along the slope of the hill, and\nso defending the most approachable side. The entrenchment at the upper\nend has also a ditch on the outside and runs between the cliff in one\nravine over a hill to another ravine. Scattered over this area are also\nseven or eight mounds, which lead us to suppose that after the action\nwas over the dead were buried on the field. The principal mound is\ncircular, nine yards in diameter; near it is another, forty yards long\nand about five broad. These are of earth and stones, and have been made\nof the materials forming one of the breastworks, parts of which are\nstill left at each end; besides these, further up, are three irregular\nshaped ones, about ten yards long each by five; there are also three\nother smaller ones in different places, all within the area of the\nentrenchments. These mounds have never been opened, so that no idea can\nbe formed of the people by whom they were formed. The word Sale is by\nsome supposed to mean strife or battle, and possibly the various forms\nof Sel and Sill may be of similar derivation, for example, Sill How,\nnear Odindale.\n\nOn the eastern slope of Sill How are the remains of raised banks of\nearth and stones running in different directions, apparently for a\nsimilar purpose to those in Sale Bottom--defence against the attacks of\nhorsemen or chariots. Crowning the hill, not far from the stone circles\nis a mound which, on being opened, was found to contain in the centre a\nsmall chamber formed by four flat stones set edgewise, making a cavity\nabout eighteen inches by ten and six deep; this contained a quantity of\nashes and charred bones; over it was laid a rude limestone slab about\nthree feet long by two. Upon this was loose earth and then another much\nlarger stone.\n\nOutside in the body of the mound were also found quantities of\nhuman bones and teeth and also the teeth of horses. Amongst the\nearthworks are one or two mounds, one of which contained human bones,\nmiscellaneously thrown in at a slight depth. The south-west slope of\nthe hill is called \"Outliers Brow,\" on which, on making a road, a\nbronze spear-head was found.\n\nIn Stony Gill, near Winter Tarn, are also similar remains of irregular\nearthworks, running across a level piece of ground at different\ndistances from one steep breast of rock to another, the scene of\nanother of those struggles constantly occurring in savage ages. The\nmost remarkable feature is a mound on the top of which has been erected\na memorial or bauta-stone commemorative of victory. This has fallen\nfrom its erect position, and a portion of the top having broken off is\nstill lying at no great distance. This again illustrates Ossian when\ncommemorating a victory. He says:--\"I took a stone from the stream\namongst the song of bards, we raised the mould around the stone, and\nbade it speak to other years.\" Then contemplating of what would happen\nin after years he says:--\"Prone from the stormy night the traveller\nshall lay him by thy side: the whistling moss shall sound in his\ndreams, the years that are past shall return. Battles rise before him.\nBlue-shielded kings descend to war. The darkened moon looks down from\nheaven on the troubled field. He shall burst with morning from his\ndreams and see the tombs of warriors round. He shall ask about the\nstones.\" But the time is now too far past; the chief is forgot--and who\nshall reply?\n\nOn the high ground east of Winter Tarn is a mound ten yards in\ndiameter, near to which are some faint traces of an irregular oblong\nenclosure. Within this are two circles, respectively fifteen and eleven\nyards in diameter and three yards apart. The traces of these are very\nslight, as though a small trench had been made around some temporary\ncamp. To the south-east of this, on what is called The Edge, is one of\nthose large circular ramparts of earthwork; it is nearly obliterated\nby the plough, but seems to have been about fifty or sixty yards in\ndiameter. There is another similar near Hard Ing, much more perfect,\nwith a mound and ditch; some antiquarians attribute these to be the\nwork of the Danes, as strongholds in their forays.\n\nThe last remains of a strategic character to be enumerated are on Bank\nMoor. Here there is a level plateau of land which has been fortified on\nthe west and north by a deep ditch, formed along the brow of the hill.\nWhen the brow is a rocky crest no ditch is made, but it is continued\nacross the north end to another breast of rock. This extends still\nhigher, away at about an average of 150 yards, parallel to the other,\nto Raise How, a large mound at the southern extremity. The whole length\nof the plateau is about a quarter of a mile.\n\n[5] More probably both are pre-Roman. They are now in the Museum of the\nSociety of Antiquaries.\n\n\n\n\nRELICS OF THE STONE AGE.\n\n\nNear Winter Tarn at different times have been found various relics of\nthe ancient Celts belonging to the Stone Age. Two stone celts, one of\ngreenstone, the other of basalt. The one of basalt is broken and only\na portion left; the other is perfect--with a hole in it to receive a\nshaft and be used as a mace or battle-axe. Another similar was found on\nCrosby Fell, near Hause Edge, but is now lost. One of another character\nwas found in Threaplands Gill; it is of green slate, smoothly polished.\nThis has been broken, the portion found is the narrow end. Its length\nwould originally be about [  ] inches, having a sharp broad edge.\nAnother, of basalt, was found near Gunnerskeld, of similar character,\nbut more pointed at the narrow end. The use of these is doubtful; they\nare, however, though much larger, similar in shape to two others found\nnear Winter Tarn, and these are almost exactly similar to such as are\nused by the North American Indians to strike off the skins of deer and\nother animals. They are used by placing the narrow end in the palm of\nthe hand, and with the broad, sharp edge beat off the skin from the\nflesh; and undoubtedly those found in this neighbourhood have been used\nby the ancient inhabitants of Westmorland for a similar purpose.\n\nIn the neighbourhood of Winter Tarn at different times and at different\nplaces have been found three annulets, or as they are sometimes called,\nDruids' rings; they are all similar, being small flat circular stones\nof slate, and half an inch thick and an inch in diameter; there is a\nhole in the middle around which are concentric rings on the flat sides:\nthey are also grooved round the edges.\n\n\n\n\nA RETROSPECT\n\nOF THE CONDITIONS OF THE COUNTRY UP TO THE TIME OF THE NORMAN CONQUEST.\n\n\nThe northern counties of England have, through all historic record, and\nin times previous from monumental evidence, been the scenes of constant\nstruggles, sometimes between the different tribes of the inhabitants\namongst themselves, or marauders; and at other times united as a people\nopposing the invasions of foreign aggressors, as the Romans, and after\nthem the Scots, Picts, Angles, Saxons and Danes; each in their turn\nconquering in whole or part, and so settling as a separate people, or\nmingling with the previous inhabitants. How remote may have been the\ninflux of our first colonists we have no clue; but ethnologists agree\ngenerally that these were the Hiberno-Celts, who came not later than\nfour centuries before our era. These came in from the north, generally\nfollowing and forming settlements along the hills and valleys. To them\nis attributed the erection of the stone circles and several of the\nmounds on our hilltops. As a natural consequence they were the first\nto give names to the various natural objects. These, as in every new\ncountry, are the hills, streams, valleys, and natural clearings in the\nforests, which they called by words synonymous in their language. To\nthem belong such words as _knock_, (a hill). They, have, however, left\nbut few names, being found more on the east and west fell sides.\n\nThe next race were the Cambro-Celts, who have come in from the\nsouth. These we trace in the name _Pen_ (a hill) as Penhurrock, and\nthe affix _Cum_, &c. Other tribes and people also mingled in the\ncountry from various sources, forming what were called at the time\nof the Roman invasion the Brigantes. During the Roman sway, which\nin the north was not more than 350 years, little change would take\nplace in the real character of the inhabitants, as the Romans almost\nnever intermixed with the native population. It was probably thinned\nof its inhabitants--not only from the draughting of young men for\nforeign service in the army, but more particularly from the fearful\nvisitations of fire and sword on the revolting tribes, which was\noften the case with the Brigantes. The Roman era, was, however, a\nperiod of peace to the north compared with the succeeding 400 years,\nduring which time it was subject to various invasions, first from the\nPicts and Scots, who ravaged the poor, helpless Britons, after the\nwithdrawal of the Roman legions, for upwards of 150 years. Then came\nthe Angles, who invaded from the east coast along the Roman roads.\nThe Saxons followed, amongst whom there were constant wars. After\nthem came the wildest and most erratic of all--the Danes. Under these\nGothic tribes other words were introduced and affixes added to older\nnames; villages and more permanent settlements began to be formed,\nrequiring definite names: thus we have the affixes _ton_ (Angle),\n_ham_ (Saxon) and _by_ (Danish), meaning a town or settlement. Thus\neach having a different language or dialect, words belonging to each\nhave been blended into one forming the present Westmorland dialect;\nand so, as civilization advanced, and names were required, they have\nbeen bestowed by each different race and retained to the present day;\nand, what is a remarkable proof of the addition of names by different\nraces, we often find two or three syllables in one name, each given by\na different people, and yet each and all having the same meaning. The\nnames now borne by fields have generally been applied to the same land\nfor ages previous to its enclosure; and are consequently indicative of\nthe existence of some particular race of people; or it may be some\nevent. Others again bear peculiar names which they derive from some\nremains, even though these have been removed. These are often from\nmounds, as Affleber, a corruption from Anglebarrow; from earthworks,\nas Borwans, or from stone circles, as Stannerstones. Another curious\nfact is that many of these places where earthworks or mounds are\nor have been are said to be haunted. Such is the case near Reagill\nGrange, where a gate noiselessly is opened for the midnight passenger,\nand again as noiselessly closed. At other places a figure suddenly\nappears, passes by, and vanishes; sometimes a dog, swelling into an\nenormous size; again a calf or black swine, and not unfrequently a\nlady in white, whose antics are as various as her observers. This myth\nof the midnight air has often appeared to belated travellers, who, on\ndaring her, have fallen victims to her fury. Major White of Reagill,\none night coming through Blinbeck on horseback, saw something white in\na tree, which he supposed to be a howlet. Having a gun with him, he\nfired at it. With this salute it began to swell and grew bigger till\nit took the form of a lady in white. She jumped on to the horse behind\nhim, and galloped him through hedge, ditch and brake at a terrible\nspeed. At last he landed home, his clothes torn to shreds, and his\nhorse panting and white with foam. Another boggle haunts Langland's\nGeayte. This is supposed to be a Barghast from its peculiar _wawl_\nor _beal_. One old man tells the story that he was coming along on\nhorseback with some sacks under him. On hearing the wawl he jumped\noff, and pulled off his sacks, thinking some one had put a cat in;\nhe found none, but presently cats began to wawl on all sides of him.\nHe then knew it was the Barghast, so mounting his horse he made all\nspeed along the haunted lane. Another man walking in the same lane saw\nsomething black in the middle of the road; he, foolhardy, punched at\nit \"an' wi' that it gev the awfullest beal. I tewk to my heels than,\nfor I knew 'twas a Barghast.\" He told his tale to an old neighbour next\nmorning, who replied \"La, man' it'll be our cuddy, it niver come heayme\nyesterday neet,\" so off they went to see; and the cuddy it certainly\nhad been. These appearances are often in the most lonely places, and\nin many instances the memory of some deed has in the ghost survived\nall remembrance of the action. Such is the case at Skellaw Quarry.\nHere a black man was seen to glide from point to point of the rock,\nand then mysteriously disappear, invariably at the same spot. It is\na curious fact that there, a few years ago, some quarrymen came upon\nthe skeletons of eleven human beings. These had been laid in an open\nchannel or crevice formed in the rock, and then covered up. One of\nthese had been highly jewelled, which bespoke considerable importance,\nhaving gold rings and bracelets on his fingers and wrists, and bronze\nearrings; the latter had discoloured the bones of the skull. The bones\nwere carefully taken up, and devoutly interred in Morland churchyard.\nWe do not know that the divine rites of the church were performed\nover them, but \"The Black Man\" has never more been seen. Along with\nthe human bodies were also found the bones of the lower jaw and other\nparts of a swine, the provisions doubtless of the party who, whether\nexplorers, merchants or hunters, have been fallen upon and murdered\nby some band of marauders; but at what period there is no means of\nascertaining.\n\nBetween Reagill and Reagill Grange is a stone called \"The Boggle\nSteayne;\" it is haunted by a black swine, which crosses before the seer\npast the stone, and then vanishes in a deep pool of water. The stone\nis of immense size, but is half buried in the earth. Upon its upper\nsurface is a natural mark resembling a footprint. This is said to have\nbeen left by the boggle. Another was formerly seen on the school, and\nanother on the house between it and the stone; evident traces of some\nspirit of evil or perhaps of good, and who, like the Brownie of Bledwock\n\n              .... though lang sen geayne\n    The mark o' his foot's left on mony a steayne.\n\nIn following up the history of a people we find that each age had\nits characteristic superstitions, and supernatural appearances. The\nremote inhabitants believed in the transmigration of souls, and the\nreturn of the spirit to haunt its earthly tomb; these and the later\nScandinavian races, imaginative to a high degree, and whose religion\ngave to every object and event a presiding spirit, have peopled our\nhills and bye-places with boggles, which for ages have kept in awe the\nminds of many successive generations. To such means, and the native\nwild and superstitious feelings descended from our forefathers, may we\nascribe the belief in apparitions such as the reappearance of those\ndead, the lady in white, black swine, wraiths, &c. From the older\nreligions we have the Barghast, the ghost of the tomb, whose unearthly\nlamentations warn mortals of fell mishaps, the Taisteral, a mischievous\nspirit of evil; the dobbies, brownies and fairies. In these mysterious\nspirits of the night do we trace the imaginings of a people long gone,\nwhose works are almost lost; yet tradition has never failed to hand\nthem down and down from father to son, yet each time ebbing weaker and\nweaker, till now the advance of the nineteenth century has marked the\nbounds \"Thus far shall they go and no further\"; now no longer the ingle\nnewk resounds with the dread tales of a grandfather, and by the next\ngeneration all this will be forgot.\n\nDuring the Roman sway Christianity was introduced into Britain, but\nit is highly probable that it took but little root in the North. The\nfaint gleam of the true faith, if ever it existed, would be completely\nextinguished by the introduction of the Pagan creed of the Gothic\nnations, to the deities of which we are indebted for the names of\nthe days of the week, and for several local names throughout the\ncountry. This wild religion, however, eventually gave way before the\nadvance of Christianity, for about the year 630 when Edwin was king of\nNorthumbria, the true light of the cross was first introduced into the\nnorth by Paulinus, who is said to have converted the Northumbrians.\nHe probably followed the example of Augustine, who, to bring from the\nold idolatry and not to offend the feelings of the people, consecrated\nthe heathen temples, and observed the heathen festivals; but dedicated\nto the observance of Christian saints. The next advance was to erect\nrallying places of truly Christian origin; these were crosses of wood\nor stone, which to this day remain in reality or in name in almost\nevery village. One has been erected at Crosby by some devoted to the\nreformation of the people around, which would assemble the new converts\nto hear discourses on the blessings and comforts of the new religion.\nBut this was not all straightforward. The country became subject to\nthe incursions of the Danes, who brought back the old religion in its\nwildest and most erratic form. The infant Christianity fell before\nthem, and Paganism was again in the ascendancy. Such, as its name\nimplies, has been the case at Crosby Ravensworth. The Danes coming,\nfind here a village with the cross planted on the green. They, without\nrespect to rights of property or religion, throw down the cross, and\nhoist their standard \"The Raven\" symbolical of the mighty Odin, in\nits place.[6] The village, to its previous name of Crosby, receives\nthe further appellation of Raven's-warth (the village or place) thus\ndedicating the valley to the presiding care of the Raven God. This,\nwith Ravengill and Ravencrag in Crosby Gill, and the more direct\nname of Odin in Odindale, all indicate the ascendancy of that people\nwho in their plundering inroads fought under the banner dedicated and\nsacred to the Warrior God. Christianity, however, again gleamed forth;\nthe crosses were renewed and others erected. One has existed, erected\non Maulds Meaburn green; the pedestal was found when the present\nschool was built, and there is authentic record that it stood there\nin the reign of Queen Elizabeth. A curious custom at one time existed\nconnected with these crosses. When a funeral procession passed, the\ncorpse was lowered and the people, uncovered, sung a hymn; this custom\nis still remembered to have been observed in passing Meaburn by old\npeople, though no vestige of the cross remained, neither did anyone\nknow the origin of the observance,--an example of what we often find,\na custom existing when its origin and the object of its observance is\nforgot. Another is also likely to have been on the hill bearing the\nsignificant name of Cross Bank, near Reagill Grange. Thus Christianity\nbecame firmly established, and wandering priests supported by the\nvoluntary contributions of his hearers went from place to place,\npreaching the true faith, now holding forth from the steps of some\ncross, or with his hearers beneath some wooden shed which received\nthe name of a church. A building of this character in all probability\nanswered that purpose at Crosby for many years previous to the erection\nof the first stone structure. Churches were first built of stone\nabout the end of the seventh century, when Theodore was Archbishop\nof Canterbury. He reformed the existing state of religion by having\nstationary priests supported by a fixed salary raised by a tax called\n\"kirk scot\" on all cultivated lands.[7] When the church at Crosby was\nfirst built of stone, we have no record.\n\nThe condition of the people up to the time of the Norman Conquest had\nmade great advance since the first influx of the Saxons. A regular\ngovernment prevailed, and permanent settlements had been made. Nearly\nall our villages may be traced back as having been first founded and\nnamed in those times, and even many of the single houses betray in\nthe names a similar parentage. Cultivation was begun, and the land\ndivided into hundreds, tithings and hides. The choice of boundaries\nis rather curious, and in some respects is proof of their antiquity.\nThe first objects chosen, when convenient, are rivers or streams; the\nnext landmarks are the wells and large boulders; of the former we have\nexamples in Gunnerskeld, Rudkeld, Anna's Keld and Ned's Well, &c. Of\nthe latter, in a district like this where large granite boulders are so\nplentiful, they have often been chosen, and in the old boundary rolls\nare called \"Thunder Stones,\" the name by which granite boulders are\nknown in the neighbourhood. Some of the more remarkable are the Cross\nStone at Kiverriggs, where the parishes of Crosby, Shap and Morland\njoin; the Stooping Stone on Harkeld is by some thought to have been a\nrocking stone; it is six feet high and lodged on a point of rock. It is\nmentioned as a boundary in a grant made by Thomas son of Gospatric of\nthe manor of Hardendale to Byland Abbey.[8] Like all similar stones it\nis said to be haunted, and also has a remarkable propensity of turning\nonce round every time it hears the cock crow! Another stone near Murber\nbears the name of \"The Dead Man's Grave;\" it is small and has two\ncavities in the top end, which gives it the resemblance of a skull.\n\nThe next objects chosen are the mounds or ancient burial places, and\noccasionally the stone circles. These were then regarded with a fear\nand sacred reverence which we might expect the common people of those\ntimes, young in the belief of Christianity, would have for the numerous\nmonuments of their Pagan forefathers[9]; and it is quite probable that\neven then the same mode of burial might be adhered to; consequently\nthese landmarks were as secure boundaries as either the wells or\nrivers. Another boundary often adopted in elevated lands is the\nwatershedding line, or, according to the old wording, \"where the water\nfalling from Heaven runs both ways.\" As a proof of the antiquity of\ntownship boundaries it is worthy of remark that the manorial boundaries\nwhich were made soon after the Norman Conquest very frequently do not\ncoincide, especially where the older boundaries have not been very\ndefinite.\n\n[6] Canon Weston gave as a possible meaning of the puzzling word\nRavensworth, \"Hill of the Standard of the Raven,\" with the reservation\nthat this failed if the Danes did not reach here. Others think the\nname is corrupted from Ravensthwaite, Raven's clearing. But far more\ninteresting than the meaning is the pains with which the author traces\nout the historical steps by which the name, as he understands it, was\nbuilt up.\n\n[7] According to Stubbs, the belief that Theodore was the founder\nof the parochial system is mistaken; but his legislation aided its\ndevelopment.\n\n[8] The authority for this sentence is not clear, as the charter\ngranting Hardendale to Byland Abbey is not forthcoming. Perhaps Mr.\nBland has been misinformed by some one who had read the charter of\nThomas son of Gospatric granting to Shap Abbey the land on which the\nabbey stood; here a \"great stone\" is mentioned, but this is between\nRaset and the Lowther, quite a different spot. Mr. Bland is certainly\nnot responsible for the confusion.\n\n[9] Prof. Boyd Dawkins relates a remarkable instance of this feeling\nwithin living memory. About 1859 a Manx farmer offered up a calf as a\nburnt sacrifice, to appease the spirits of the tumuli, disturbed by\narch\u00e6ological spade-work!\n\n\n\n\nMANOR OF CROSBY RAVENSWORTH.\n\n\nThorphine de Alverstean, son of Uctred, son of Gospatric, is the first\nlord of the manor of which there is any account. In 1140 he gave the\nchurch, with lands in the manor, to Whitby Abbey. He was succeeded by\nhis son, Alan de Alverstean, who reclaimed the church, but afterwards,\nin 1174, confirmed all previous grants of his father. In 1218 Hugh\nde Hastings had a grant of free warren in Crosby and Tibbay; he held\nthe manor under John de Veteripont, son of Robert. In 1221, Thomas\nde Hastings, grandson of Alan de Alverstean, confirmed all previous\ngrants to Whitby Abbey. Also in 1243, this Thomas, who was brother of\nNicholas, Lord of Alverstean, again confirmed all former grants.\n\nHe was succeeded by Thomas, his son, who freed the monks and their\ntenants from suit to his mill there, and gave them leave to grind their\ncorn where they pleased. In 1265, William, son of Thomas de Hastings,\nconfirmed all previous grants.\n\nIn 1313, Nicholas de Hastings, on the Inquisition post mortem of Robert\nde Clifford, held this manor, and Nateby, by homage and fealty, and\n27s. 2d. cornage. The wardship whereof, when it should occur, was\nestimated at \u00a340. In 1350, Ralph de Hastings held it in like manner,\nand in 1423 it was in the hands of Richard de Hastings by like cornage.\nIn 1453 by a feodary it appears that Edward Hastings held Crosby by\ncornage of 13s. 7d. subject also to wardship, marriage, relief, and\nsuit to the county court; and about the same time Lancelot Threlkeld\nseems to have held the same of the said Edward. From this time there\nare no more of the name of Hastings in connection with Crosby. The only\nrelic of this family is a slab which was found in the churchyard,\nhaving an incised cross and shield upon it, bearing the arms of the\nHastings; which differ from those of the Threlkelds only in colour.\nThe principal residence of the Threlkeld family was at Threlkeld in\nCumberland; but they had large possessions at Crosby long previous\nto this time, for in 1304 and 1320 Henry Threlkeld had a grant of\nfree warren in Yanwath, Crosby, Tibbay, &c., and in 1404 occurs the\nname of William Threlkeld, Knight, of Crosby. Sir Lancelot Threlkeld,\nKnight, was the son of Sir Lancelot Threlkeld, by Margaret, daughter\nand heiress of Henry Bromflatt, Lord Vescy, and widow of John de\nClifford. He was wont to say he had three noble houses; one at Crosby\nRavensworth for pleasure, where he had a park full of deer; one at\nYanwath for comfort and warmth, wherein to reside in winter; and one at\nThrelkeld, well stocked with tenants, to go with him to the wars. This\nSir Lancelot has been buried in Crosby Church beneath the large tomb\nin the chapel belonging to Crosby Hall. The tomb is solid mason-work,\nornamented with flutings on all sides, and on the south side with\nthree blank shields, on which the armorial bearings would probably be\npainted. On the top is an immense polished limestone slab, without any\nornament whatever; but on which it may have been the intention to have\nafterwards placed an effigy. Above this as a canopy is a low, flat\narch, richly moulded, and on the north side enriched at each end with\nthe arms of the Threlkelds, and in the centre the same impaling that\nof Bromflatt. At a later period the vault beneath was appropriated for\nthe occupation of Robert Lowther, Esq., of Maulds Meaburn Hall, and\nprobably at the same time the tombs underwent some alteration.\n\nSir Lancelot Threlkeld had three daughters, coheiresses; one was\nmarried to Thomas Dudley, Esq., who with her received Yanwath; the\nother two married two brothers, sons of Sir Christopher Pickering of\nKillington, Knight, by his wife Anne, who was daughter and sole heiress\nof Sir Christopher Moresby, Knight. One received with his wife the\nThrelkeld property; the other, James Pickering, and his wife Elizabeth,\nreceived Crosby. In 1527 this James Pickering held the manor of Henry,\nEarl of Cumberland, by cornage of 13s. 7d., owing also wardship,\nmarriage, relief, and suit to the county court. He was succeeded by his\nson, William Pickering, Esq., who in 1532 was an arbitrator in a cause\nbetween Guy and Hugh Machell of Crackenthorpe. William was succeeded by\nhis son Lancelot, who lived many years at the Hall. In 1568 he married\na daughter of Thomas Blenkinsop of Helbeck; he had two sons, Thomas\nand James, and several daughters; who were married to different people\nin the parish, amongst others, some of the Thwaytes, at that time a\nnumerous and respectable family in Crosby. James was bailiff of Crosby\nand lived at Craik Trees. He died in 1607. His father Lancelot died in\n1603, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas. He, in the reign of\nJames I sold the manor and part of the demesne to Sir John Lowther,\nKnight, of Lowther; and thus ended the dynasty of the Pickerings.\n\nAbout this time there were considerable disputes between the lords\nof manors and tenants, the lords claiming an absolute estate in the\ntenements, and the tenants insisting upon an inheritance therein,\naccording to the customs of the manor. The dispute between Sir J.\nLowther and his tenants of Crosby Ravensworth was brought to issue in\nthe High Court of Chancery, and a decree obtained in 1624; whereupon a\ngrant was made to the tenants of all the lands upon payment of certain\nfines. This deed bears date 1629, but for eight years longer the fines\nremained unsettled. Sir John Lowther was at last compelled to agree\nand to confer to the tenants their estates to descend according to the\ncommon law, except that the eldest daughter or sister should inherit\nand not all; paying only two rents for a fine, reserving nevertheless\nthe freehold estate therein, and suit of court and mill; but releasing\nto the tenants all services of ploughing, harrowing, shearing, raking,\npeat-leading, &c. This dispute lasted about fifteen or sixteen years.\nPreviously and about this time Sir John Lowther and also other lords\nsold many parcels of land totally free, reserving only the royalties\nand suit of mill after the twentieth moulter.\n\nAbout the same time another dispute arose about the cornage, commonly\ncalled noutgeld, and serjeant oats or bailiff corn throughout the\nbarony of Westmorland. In 1634 it was decreed that these duties were\ndue to the Earl of Cumberland, and were to be paid according to the\nfollowing agreement: the cornage was to be paid in money, and Sir John\nLowther, escheator-general for the North, regulated the measure of\noats. Instead of the old pecks containing eight and ten quarts being\nup-heaped, they were to pay thirteen quarts straked measure.[10] There\nis a list also of pout-hens collected by the land serjeant. These\nduties in Crosby parish were as follows:--Cornage: Crosby Ravensworth,\n13s. 4d.; Maulds Meaburn, 20s. 2d.; Wickerslack, 2s. 6d. Serjeant oats:\nCrosby Ravensworth, 44 bushels 3 pecks; Maulds Meaburn, 70 bushels 1\npeck. Pout hens: Crosby, 10; Gilts, 9; Harberwain, 6; Maulds Meaburn,\n30; Odindale, 7; and Wickerslack, 8.\n\nSir John Lowther gave the manor and estate of Crosby in marriage with\nhis daughter Frances to John Dodsworth of Thornton Watlass, Yorkshire;\nhe had issue John, who succeeded his father about 1659. This John\nDodsworth had a son Robert,[11] who, it appears, though he lived at\nthe Hall, or at least in the parish, did not succeed his father;\nfor, according to Dr. Burn, John devised the estate to Francis Bayly\nin 1673, his faithful servant and steward, second son of Dr. Bayly of\nPenrith. He had issue Margaret Bayly, who was lady of the manor in\n1696; and about the year 1700 she sold the whole manor and estate to\nthe Worshipful Richard Lowther, Esq., of Maulds Meaburn Hall.\n\n[Illustration: CROSBY HALL\n\nPREVIOUS TO ITS BEING REBUILT.]\n\nBlack Dub, at the head of Crosby Gill, is the source of the Lyvennet,\nwhere, according to Dr. Burn, King Charles II., when he came in with\nthe Scots in 1651, rested, dined, and drank of the water. This is\nauthenticated by the Countess of Pembroke in her memoirs. The entry is\nthat\n\n\"On August 8th, 1651, His Most Gracious Majesty King Charles II. with\nhis army on his way from Scotland--passed Appleby about 7 miles to the\nWest.\"\n\nTradition says that as they were passing over Crosby Fell a shepherd\nwas met with. He was brought to the King, and questioned respecting\nthe locality, and even acted as guide to the army over the moors. His\nname was Thwaytes, a family then numerous in Crosby. A rustic obelisk\nhas been erected to commemorate the event, and a more vivid description\nof the place cannot be given than the following, extracted from a\nprovincial paper published at the time.\n\n\"This place is one of the most solitary and dreary that can well be\nimagined, surrounded on all sides by an unenclosed heath; and, since\nthe formation of the road over Shap Fells, seldom seen except by the\nshepherd or the sportsman. However, it must be recollected, that,\nthough now so still and silent, it was once the great thoroughfare\nfrom Scotland through Lancashire, to the metropolis of England. To\nthe solitary passer-by, who now can only hear the sighing of the\nbreeze among the heather, or the bleating of a sheep, it may not be\nuninteresting to reflect on the noise and clamour that must have\nprevailed here on the day in question when the neighing of horses, the\nclang of arms and the shouting of men on a hasty march, (for Cromwell\nand his victorious army were not far behind), must have made a medley\nof sounds that can be better imagined than described.\"\n\nOn one side of the obelisk is the following inscription:--\n\n    HERE, AT BLACK DUB\n    THE SOURCE OF THE LYVENNET\n    CHARLES II\n    REGALED HIS ARMY ON THEIR MARCH\n    FROM SCOTLAND\n    AUGUST 8TH, A.D. 1651.\n\nThis obelisk was renewed in 1861 at the expense of Mr. Gibson, and\nbesides the inscription on the lateral sides are bas-reliefs, on one\nside of a crown, for which Charles was ardently striving; on the other\nside is a lion, which unfortunately came in his way and overthrew his\nhopes at the battle of Worcester. It has been further commemorated in\na poem, \"The Lyvennet,\" by A. Whitehead, and also by Mr. T. Bland, who\nhas sculptured \"The Lyvennet Vase,\" on which the King, dismounted,\nis receiving a drink from the hands of the presiding goddess of the\nstream.\n\n[10] Straked, levelled off at the top, as opposed to heaped measure.\n\n[11] There must be a mistake here, for if this Robert had been a\ndescendant in any degree of John and Frances, he would have succeeded\nto Thornton Watlass, and lived there. As a matter of fact, the\nestate went to John's next brother, whose descendants have it still.\nJohn Dodsworth was never more than heir apparent; according to the\nVisitation of Yorkshire in 1665, he was dead, his father was seventy\nyears of age, and he and Frances had had two children, Helen, who died\nyoung, and John, then aged sixteen. Hence, when the latter died, his\nson, if he had one, would be in the direct line of descent. Perhaps\nRobert was a servant, and had adopted his master's name; as was\nsometimes done in olden times.\n\n\n\n\nTHE PARK.\n\n\nThe Park at Crosby Ravensworth, of which Sir Lancelot Threlkeld boasted\nas affording him unbounded pleasure, lies to the south of Crosby, and\nis now known as Crosby Gill. It has originally been enclosed by a wall\nthree yards in height, and of immense thickness; portions of this are\nstill to be seen, the most perfect specimen being on the roadside from\nCrosby to Gilts. It has certainly been a chase of princely dimensions,\ncontaining within its bounds upwards of 700 acres, with a circumference\nof over six miles. The chase is of a very irregular and romantic\ncharacter, being cut up into glens and ravines. A stream rising at\nKing's Well runs the whole length down a beautiful yet wild valley,\nthickly covered with brushwood. This is joined in its course by three\nor four tributary streams. The Lyvennet from Black Dub runs down a deep\nand craggy glen, Raven Gill, down which the stream, after forming a\nsuccession of cascades, flows round the base of Raven Cragg, forming a\ndeep pool called Aggy Lum; around which hangs a gloomy horror from the\nfact that it was once the scene of the last dreary plunge of a frail\nforsaken mother. Gilts beck, which gathers its waters from the bleak\nscars around Penhurrock, has also formed its course down a deep ravine.\nIt is crossed, near Gilts, by a very picturesque bridge; the water runs\nthrough a cleft in the rock. This has been taken advantage of as an\nalmost natural bridge. Its workmanship is attributed to Michael Scott,\nor, as some say, the Devil, who, flying over with a load of stones in\nhis apron, the strings accidentally broke, and down fell the stones.\nHe, unwilling to reload, but still wishful to turn them to some useful\npurpose, descended and formed the present bridge. On another occasion,\nhowever, he has not been so industriously inclined, for an immense heap\nof boulders near Wood Foot are also attributed to a similar accident;\nwhich he left in so careless a manner, as, according to the expression\nof an old farmer, \"to spoil a lump of good land.\" A load these stones\ncertainly have been, but more likely that of some antediluvian iceberg\nthan that of his Satanic Majesty.[12]\n\nThe lodge, where probably resided the keepers, &c., is situated on an\nelevated part of the chase, commanding a view of the whole surrounding\nwoods; it is now used as a farm-house, and has been rebuilt.\n\nMany a time, doubtless, did the knight and his visitors at the Hall\nenjoy the excitement of the chase as the sound of hound and horn echoed\namong the dells.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThese were jovial days at Crosby; but like their noble originators they\nare past and forgotten, except to the dreaming poet or the prosing\nantiquary, who have preserved for us something of the past in that fine\nold song:--\n\n    Oh those indeed were merry days\n      The merry days of old.\n\n[12] It has been remarked that in England anything ancient is\nattributed to one of four authors--Julius C\u00e6sar, King Arthur, the\nDruids or the Devil. Julius C\u00e6sar did not reach the north, and Michael\nScott fills his place.\n\n\n\n\nCROSBY RAVENSWORTH.\n\n\nThe village of Crosby Ravensworth is remarkably picturesque, being\nsituated near the junction of the stream from Odindale with the\nLyvennet; these streams afford marked features of natural beauties, and\nare enhanced by the splendid sycamore trees in the neighbourhood of the\nChurch and Hall. It is also a very good specimen of villages arranged\nunder the feudal times, when the resident lord of the manor exercised\nan almost despotic sway over the tenants and other inhabitants. The\nHall, therefore, as the manorial residence, would be a centre near\nwhich were the dwellings of the villagers. One series of buildings is\nknown as Tenter Row; probably a corruption of The Enter Row, being at\none entrance of the village, and thus called in contradistinction to\nLow Row at the other end. In these would live the tenants immediately\ndependent on the Hall, while others, not so closely connected, resided\nfurther up the village. There is the church also, impropriated to\nWhitby Abbey by one of the earliest manorial lords. It is dedicated,\naccording to Randal Sanderson, to St. Lawrence; but Rev. Thomas Machell\nsays it was dedicated to St. Leonard. This latter might originate from\nthat hospital at York having lands here. There is a tradition of some\nreligious buildings having existed on the north side of the churchyard,\nand a great portion of the land belonged; and from it must have\noriginated the names of Monks' Barn, Monks' Bridge and Monks' Garth.\nOpposite the church is the vicarage, a truly characteristic building;\nit has undergone many alterations and additions under the late vicars,\nbut is especially indebted to Rev. G. F. Weston, who has enlarged and\nlaid out the grounds with admirable taste.\n\n[Illustration: CROSBY RAVENSWORTH.\n\nBATTLING TREE, MONKS' BRIDGE, VICARAGE AND SCHOOL.]\n\nThere is the mill, where the tenants were required to grind their\ngrain, subject to the lord's moultre. The inn, too, opposite the\nchurch, is a genuine specimen of a village alehouse, with its sign\nof \"The Rising Sun,\" significant of the landlord's good ale, \"always\nrising never to set,\" \"cheering the heart it never saddens.\"\n\nUp the village is a large spring; near it stood an ancient elm tree,\nabout which the lazy wives of the village gathered in groups to gossip\non the characters of their absent neighbours. The well still flows as\nusual, but the picturesque old tree is gone; its place is, however,\noccupied by a young one planted by Mr. Weston.\n\nAnother rendezvous of the fair sex was the Battling Tree on the Low\nGreen; but those frequenting this were of a more thrifty class; for\non the butt of the tree they were in the habit of battling or beating\ntheir homespun webs after immersing them in the water.\n\nNear the Battling Tree are the Butts, where the young men were wont\nto practise archery and athletic games, such as running, wrestling,\nthrowing geayvelock, &c. They consist of two mounds about 100 yards\napart; upon these were erected temporary marks to shoot at. To the\npractice on these butts we may attribute the skill of the yeomanry as\nmarksmen in times gone by. Every village green had its butts, and the\nvillagers were required by the lord of the manor to practise, so that\nthey might be able to contend with the Scots in case of an invasion, or\nborder foray. In some places the mounds have been levelled away but the\nname still retained. They are to be found at Reagill near the school,\nand also at Maulds Meaburn. Time, however, has made great revolutions.\nThese customs are now laid aside, being no longer required, and the\nhouses in which the actors dwelt have undergone alterations more than\nonce, especially Low Row, which was rebuilt in 1860, on the site of\nthe old house seen in the sketch. The previous house bears the date\nof [   ] and was built by John Hall, a rather noteworthy character.\nWhen the building was in progress he was so struck with its symmetry\nthat he kept stepping back and back, remarking at every step that it\nwas \"farther off an' finer\"--\"spacious and uniform,\" till he stepped\nbackwards over into the beck; where, no doubt, his admiration was\ncooled.\n\n[Illustration: OLD HOUSE AT LOW ROW, CROSBY.]\n\nDuring his life he made himself a monument, unknown to himself--which\nwill bear his name, for centuries perhaps--by planting a clump of trees\non an elevated piece of ground on Meaburn Moor; a landmark to all the\nnorth of Westmorland, and known to every one as \"Johnny Haa' Trees.\"\n\n\n\n\nCROSBY CHURCH.\n\nITS ARCHITECTURE, &C.\n\n\nThe architecture of the Church may be best understood from the\nforegoing illustrations, which require little or no description.\nThe Church was built after the usual cruciform plan, having a nave,\nchancel, transept, side aisles and tower. The first historic record\nconcerning it is in the year 1140, when it was granted to Whitby Abbey.\nPrevious to this time (if it existed) it would merely be a wooden\nstructure, which would then be replaced by a stone one built after the\nlater Norman style of architecture. Part of this original structure\nis still to be seen in the massive piers supporting the transept\narches. Then again in the early part of the thirteenth century it has\nbeen partly pulled down and rebuilt in the early English style. Of\nthis character are the columns and arches of the nave. Similar arches\nhave also been erected upon the old piers in the transept. The change\nis very marked in one instance, where the arch is brought down and\nplaced upon one of the old low columns, considerably to one side of\nthe capital. At that time the Church would assume the character which\nit still in general retains. The richly moulded doorway belongs to\nthis period, and also some of the windows, removed when last rebuilt,\none of which is in the Churchyard wall. Towards the end of the same\ncentury the Decorated Style was introduced, to which the two north\nwindows may be considered to belong. The next style introduced was the\nPerpendicular, which prevailed in the fifteenth century till near the\nReformation. To this belongs the east window, which, from being badly\nproportioned and not in character with the rest of the architecture,\nis somewhat objectionable. To about the same period also belongs the\narchitecture of the Threlkeld Arch and Chapel. The steeple window is\nanother specimen of this style, but of a later period. There is a\ntraditionary record that this tower was built about the same time as\nthat of Shap Abbey, some time in the latter part of the reign of Henry\nVII.\n\nThe next most important change in its architectural history was\nin 1811. In this and the following year it was in a great measure\nrebuilt. The roof of the old church was leaded, and where the present\nnew chancel arch is, near to the roof, were twelve small round-headed\nwindows, representing numerically the twelve apostles; these were\nentirely removed. Most of the other windows were also taken out and\nreplaced by the present ones, which are of a character that deservedly\ncomes under the style The Debased. At this time the embattlements were\nremoved from the tower, and some elaborate work introduced surmounted\nby pinnacles ornamented with crotchet work; many of the buttresses are\nalso surmounted by similar ones. The porch and chancel doorway were\nornamented with elaborately carved work, which though highly creditable\nto those engaged in the good work of remodelling the sacred edifice,\nare far from being in accordance with ecclesiastical architecture of\nthe present day. The interior sittings, pulpit, &c., were refitted at\nthe same time, and the interior decorated with texts from Scripture,\nscroll work, &c., chiefly done by George Gibson, Esq.\n\nAnother change in its history took place about 1849, when G. F. Weston\nwas instituted vicar. He began by having the whitewash and plaster\nremoved from all the columns and arches, which were re-hewn. At the\nexpense of himself and friends he built the lofty chancel arch in\nplace of what was before but temporary woodwork, and another arch\nbetween the north transept and the small chapel belonging to Crosby\nHall. The sittings were rearranged and the handsome seats introduced\nin the choir. By the voluntary contribution of landowners, residents,\n&c., money was raised for erecting a vestry and heating the Church by\nthe circulation of hot water; at which time the body of the Church\nwas somewhat lowered, while the chancel was raised to its proper\nproportions. Previous to rebuilding in 1811, it was entered by a\ndescent of three or four steps, and was then filled up.\n\nThe next objects demanding attention are the monuments. The oldest\nof these are the Threlkeld tomb and a small incised slab bearing the\nHastings arms before noticed. These are in the small side chapel.\nThere is also another, lately removed from the Churchyard into it,\nhaving an inscription of a Puritanical character; and from the half\nobliterated letters it has been to the memory of Ann Wharton, probably\none of that family resident at Reagill Grange. Long ago a number of\nthroughstones stood in front of the Church; but these were removed when\nit was rebuilt, and the stones used as flags, which, with their half\nobliterated inscriptions, may be seen in different parts of the Church.\nOn one near the doorway may be seen an hour-glass and on another a\nsmall cross, and several others of individuals, who, although their\nnames may be still engraven on stone, are themselves quite forgot.\n\nOf modern monuments there is a large one in the south transept to\nthe memory of George Gibson, Esq., of Crosby, erected by public\nsubscription. It displays a good deal of artistic taste, having affixed\nto it three pieces of sculpture in marble, representing the figures\nFaith, Hope and Charity.\n\nThe pulpit bears record to the memory of John Salkeld, Esq., of Meaburn\nHill; it is tastefully designed in the early English style, and well\nexecuted. The stone is a beautiful sandstone, brought from Hause\nQuarry. The window and its masonry is the work of the Rev. G. F.\nWeston, in memory of Mary, his first wife. The architecture is very\ntasteful, and the colouring of the window rich--in the group, Christ\nreceiving little children--are to be seen family likenesses.\n\n[Illustration: INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH SHOWING THE THRELKELD TOMB.]\n\nThe coloured window in the steeple was lately put up in memory of some\nof the Thwaytes family. A number of neat monuments have of late years\nbeen added to the Churchyard, chiefly introduced by the present vicar,\nto whom not only are the inhabitants indebted for the neatness and\ncomfort of the sacred edifice, but for many material good works as well\nas spiritual benefits which he has done amongst them; and our earnest\nwish is that he may still be induced to dwell among us, and that he may\nlong live to fulfil his parochial duties.\n\n\n\n\nCROSBY HALL.\n\n\nOf the architecture and character of the Hall little can be said, as\nit was almost wholly rebuilt about forty years ago. According to a\nmanuscript history of Crosby written by Mr. George Gibson in 1801,\nhe says:--\"In the time of the Pickerings it is said to have been a\nbuilding of stately dimensions in the form of a lofty tower; but this\nancient fabric being suffered to decay was totally taken down and\nremoved almost within memory,\" so that it may now be about 120 or 130\nyears ago. \"The place was fortified with walls, ditches and ponds of\nwater, and numbers of beautiful sycamores were planted all round.\" If\nthis was the case, these trees must now be upwards of 260 years of age,\nand are, according to the same author, of the same age as those around\nGaythorn Hall. Burn, in describing the Hall in his day, says:--\"In\nthe entrance tower are two windows, one above the other, of no mean\nworkmanship; above the door are the letters I.D. for John Dodsworth,\nwho repaired the tower, and cut those letters in the old work. There is\na coat of arms, quarterly of eight, which seems to have been put up by\nthe Pickerings.\" This is now above the door of the present house, and\nin the window above are some portions of stained glass with a coat of\narms, Lowther impaling Fleming. A great portion of the moat is still\nto be seen; it encloses an area of an irregular oblong; the moat is\nsupplied with water by a spring at the north corner. The entrance, a\nmantle tower and drawbridge were on the north side, next the Church,\nwhere the moat is now completely levelled up. Within this outer moat\nwas another, immediately around the building, which is also still\npartly traceable.\n\nAssociated with the Hall is a curious legend which has been handed\ndown in firm belief for two or three generations. The Hall was almost\nnightly visited by what was called a dobbie, a supernatural being\nwhich was no small terror to the inhabitants, and which made a great\nexcitement in the village at the time. Various accounts are given of\nits form, sometimes a sheeted skeleton, sometimes a white bull, which\nwas wont to lick the window-panes at night; it chiefly frequented the\nold tower, and when that was pulled down, it ceased its nightly walks;\nbut not till it disclosed to the old man of the Hall the whereabouts\nof some hidden treasure, and also the exact time and manner of his\ndeath, which, it is affirmed, happened accordingly. Another account\nis that the old farmer had some hand in making away with the lawful\nheir, and as a consequence was haunted by the apparition. This version\nsays nothing about the treasure; but his death was foretold, and when\nit happened the dobbie also departed. The story is well told by Mr.\nWhitehead, in his Westmorland Legends,--ending thus:--\n\n    Sometimes it lick'd the window pane,\n      In shap of a girt white bull;\n    Sometimes it shak'd the mantle tower,\n      Sometimes it towl'd the bell:\n\n    And thus it carried on for years,\n      To think on't maks yan whidder,\n    Till't auld man cock'd his teas--an' than\n      They beaythe went off togidder.\n\n[Illustration: THE DOBBIE OF CROSBY HALL.]\n\n\n\n\nMANOR OF MAULDS MEABURN.\n\n\nThe first historic record of Meaburn is in the reign of Henry II, at\nwhich time the Barony of Westmorland was in possession of the Morville\nfamily. Roger de Morvill had a son and heir, Hugh, and a daughter,\nMaude. This daughter was married to William de Veteripont, and carried\nwith her in marriage to her husband part of the manor of Meaburn. This\nmanor previously included both the Meaburns (sometimes spelt _Medburn_\nor _Mayburn_), and all the lands between, called Meaburn Field. The\nother portion of the manor belonged, in the right of succession, to\nSir Hugh; he, being one of the four knights who assassinated Thomas\na Becket, his lands were confiscated, and became the property of the\nKing; whence the two divisions of Meaburn were afterwards known as\n_King's_ Meaburn and Maud's or Maulds Meaburn. William de Veteripont\nthen held the manor in right of his wife, and gave four oxgangs of land\nat Maulds Meaburn to the Hospital of St. Leonard at York. Ivo their son\nalso gave lands to the same hospital, circumscribed by the following\nlimits:--\n\n\"From the nether or lower head of Undercot gill, into the syke which\nis in the upper head, and so all along by the same sike southwards on\nto the ditch by the highway side which leads from Appleby to Tibbay,\nand so, nigh unto the public way or street westwards unto the boundary\nof Askeby, unto the mills, and unto the ground which the said Ivo had\nbefore given to aforesaid hospital.\"\n\nIvo de Veteripont was brother to Robert, to whom King John granted\nthe confiscated lands of Sir Hugh de Morville, and made him Baron of\nWestmorland. Ivo was succeeded by his son Robert, who gave to the Abbey\nof Shap 22s. yearly, to be paid out of Maulds Meaburn in the name\nof alms corn. In 1243 Robert granted the manor to John le Fraunceys,\nson of Hugh, to hold to him and his heirs, rendering yearly for all\nservices one pound of cumin.\n\nThis payment was to Ivo, but there were other services to be performed\nto the Barons of Westmorland, paramount lords of the fee. John le\nFraunceys granted on the other hand that Johan, daughter of Ivo, should\npeaceably have and hold the several lands and tenements granted to her\nby her father, with the service of villans and bondsmen.\n\nIn 1257 Philip le Fraunceys had a grant of free warren in Westmorland\nand Cumberland. He had a son Gilbert, whose son Richard married a\ndaughter of Sir Michael de Harclay, then the King's ward, about 1278.\n\nIn 1292 occurs the name of John Franceys of Cliburn, of an ancient\nfamily there, as a juror in a case at Appleby, and also in 1307; so\nthat it is probable the family of Frauncis holding Meaburn, and holding\nand living at Cliburn were of the same stock. In 1315, at the death\nof Robert de Clifford, the inquisition finds that Richard de Frauncis\nheld of him the manor of Meaburn Maud and Whale, by homage and fealty\nand the cornage of 33s. and the wardship, worth 40s. In 1342 Isabella\nde Vernon held Meaburn, the family of Frauncis having doubtless ended\nin a daughter married to Vernon. The name Richard de Vernon occurs as\nholding the manor in 1370, 1392 and also in 1423, including Whale, by\ncornage of 33s. In 1519 we find a Richard Vernon of Nether Haddon,\nDerby, holding lands in Newby and succeeded by a son George, doubtless\nof the same family. In 1553 we find Sir George Vernon, Knight, lord\nof the manor of Maulds Meaburn by the like previous services. He was\nsucceeded by Sir Thomas Stanley, Knight, who sold it to Sir Richard\nLowther, Knight, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.\n\nSir Richard Lowther gave his tenants of Maulds Meaburn their choice to\nhold their tenancies after the customs of any one of a certain number\nof manors. They chose Ravenstonedale, then under Philip, Lord Wharton,\nand the copy of an indenture made between Philip, Lord Wharton, and\nhis tenants in the 3rd and 4th of Philip and Mary and also in the 22nd\nof Elizabeth was to stand as an indenture between Richard Lowther and\nhis tenants of Maulds Meaburn. Sir Richard Lowther, during his life,\ngave the manor to his eldest son, Christopher, and he also confirmed\nthe indenture; but when he came into possession he was so heavy in his\nexaction of service from his tenants that they refused in many cases to\ncomply, alleging that such was not the custom in Ravenstonedale, nor\nnamed in the indenture. The consequence was an appeal to some court of\nlaw.[13]\n\nThe land at that time was for the most part unenclosed, and was known\nas Oxgang, Demain and Improved Lands, or lands enclosed. The most\nimportant of the last were the Cow Pasture and the Ox Close; the latter\nhad been enclosed sixty years previous to this period, and contained\nabout 100 acres. The Cow Pasture, 250 acres; they were both used as\ncommon pasture. Another large enclosure was the Park, at that time\nfenced half way round with a wall of stone, and the other half with\nquickset hedge. Dryevers, Mires, Flass, Garth and others were enclosed\nabout thirty years previously. For these improved lands the lord\ndemands 12d. an acre and eight years fine; the tenants refuse, and it\nis proved that such were laid on in his father's time, and the Demain\nlands were raised 13s. 4d. in lieu. Then again he wishes the tenants\nof all lands that were Demain to pay eight years fine. In this he is\ndefeated, it being ordered that they were to enjoy them for one year's\nfine, on account of having compounded with his father, and paying \u00a3500\nand so having the customs alleviated.\n\nAccording to the relation of John Lambe of Kirkby Stephen, aged\nninety years, there were, when he lived at Maulds Meaburn, sixty\nyears before, seventy-four oxgangs of land (the oxgang land was the\ngreatest portion), and that then, and in the time of his father, the\ntenants paid 5s. for each oxgang as rent due to the lord yearly, paid\nat Pentecost and St. Martin's, and 7d. likewise as a mylne ferme, in\nrespect of grinding corn; for this reason, their moulter was very\nlight, only one peck of meal for ten bushels, and also the same for\nevery ten bushels of shillings. The Demain lands also paid the same.\n\nThis Christopher denies, claims the 7d. as part of the rent, and that\nthey ought to pay moulter after the rate his witnesses say is done\nin Ravenstonedale, namely, for all corn ground at the lord's mylne,\nexcept oats, they pay the 30th part of corn unground, and one 30th\npart in meal after being ground, and for shilling oats one 13th part\nfor shilling and for making groats of the same one 30th part and for\ngrinding the same into meal one 30th part. The tenants refuse, and\nthe miller, at the command of Mr. Lowther, refuses to grind; so they\ncarry to the neighbouring mills of Barnskew, Crosby, King's Meaburn\nand Rutter, at the same time saying they are not compelled to grind\nat his mill at any rate, except for a certain portion of land. This\nrouses his anger considerably, and he reminds his oxgang tenants that\nit is their duty to keep in repair the millstones, wheels, hopper, and\nrace pertaining to the mill. The case was brought before the Queen's\nCounsellors at York, and it was ordered that suit be done to Mr.\nLowther's mill only for 154 acres and 32 perches of the oxgang land;\nthat for oats only are they bound to Mr. Lowther's mill; and for all\nother grain they can go where they will. This order is dated 31 Queen\nEliz., 1589, and as affirmed, was publicly read to and served upon\nabout thirty of the wayward tenants on Meaburn Green, hard by The\nCrosse thereupon; but they were either not there, or being a stubborn\nset, heeded it not; for Mr. Lowther's mill was still deserted; law\nwas again referred to, and from the evidence given there were various\ninfringements of the order; amongst the rest Thomas Kitchen of\nWickerslack borrowed a peck of big of a neighbour, and got half of it\nground at Crosby and the other half at Barnskew. However, to set all\nright a commission was ordered to set out the 154 acres, 32 perches.\nAfter much difficulty it was settled and a list drawn out of the\noccupiers, areas and names of the lands where each piece was situated.\nThey are scattered all over the township, each tenant having a portion,\nand curiously enough the names are those retained by fields at the\npresent day, with scarcely any alteration.\n\nMr. Lowther requires a general fine of one year's rent on the change of\nthe lord, in lieu of which it is agreed: The tenants to pay 100 nobles\non St. Peter's or Lammas next at the Feast of Pentecost, if Christopher\nLowther and his brother Jerrard will be bound that it shall not be\nchanged for eight years after October 11th, 1592. He next wishes to\nhave imposed a running fine or gressome, which in Ravenstonedale is \u00a312\n15s. 5d., paid by a certain number of the ancient customary or oxgang\ntenants every seven years. The tenants of Oxgang land had to pay 25s.\n8d. as boon rent yearly, and those of the Demain; after the rent they\ntook their tenements with or without boon. The lord demandeth boon days\nover and beside, but in this case is defeated.\n\nAnother complaint is that the tenants do not comply with the following\ncustom in Ravenstonedale, namely: If the lord or his officers cause a\ntree to be felled on any man's tenement, whoever gets the tree has to\npay 2d. to the tenants, who also had the top, and was bound to fence up\nthe gap or stoven till it was out of harm from cattle; if he neglected\nthis, he had to pay 6d. to the lord for each stoven not fenced up. Also\neach tenant had to plant three ashes on his tenement each year, and two\nfor every tree felled, for the increase of wood. Some of these demands,\nhowever, he could not succeed in having fulfilled.\n\nAnother grief is that the Demain tenants have unlawfully felled scores\nof ash trees in the park, and spoiled the coppice or young wood for\nspring. The tenants say it grew on part of their own tenements, and if\nthey had gone beyond bounds, they had been cleared at the late court.\n\nAnother service disputed was the carrying of coals. The tenants of\nMaulds Meaburn had to carry sixty horseloads, every and each horseload\ncontaining two bushels after the measure used at the pit; they had to\nbring them from wherever Mr. Lowther chose to buy them, which was on\nStanemore, and to carry them to his residence, which was at Lowther.\nThey had to give notice to Mr. Lowther, each when he was going to bring\nhis share, and Mr. Lowther was bound to pay the bringer the price he\npaid for them at the pit. Christopher complains that they do not bring\ntheir yearly suit, and are behindhand for the last year, twenty-five\nbushels. The tenants say he refused to pay them for the coals they\nbrought. To remedy this Mr. Lowther has to pay for the coals at the pit\nfirst, which if not done, the tenants shall not be obliged to carry\nthem.\n\nAnother grief is that Mr. Lowther had felled trees in the park, and\nwished the tenants to spring and fence; this they refused to do, and\neven pulled down the fences there were, and thus it remained for some\ntime. It was finally concluded by a commission being sent to set out\nwhat ought to be springed. The first part was the lower part of the\npark, next the Lyvennet, which was to be cut and then well fenced for\nseven years. The next portion is the north part of the park, which was\nto be cut at the lord's pleasure, and then fenced as spring for seven\nyears. The next was the south corner of the park, to be cut, also at\nthe pleasure of the lord, and then fenced for seven years; but only\none of the three parts to be fenced at one time, and at any time after\nthese springs have had sixteen years growth. Mr. Lowther or his heirs\nmay cut down the hazel and birks at twenty-one years growth, and the\nashes at thirty years growth; it was also ordered that the tenants\nshould fence the first, as their cattle were most likely to have the\ngrass, Mr. Lowther being resident at a distance, but who was to fence\nthe other two was not decided.\n\nThe fiercest squabble of all was the following. Christopher Lowther\ncaused to be erected, as he and his witnesses affirm, a little\ncourt-house, on the middle of Meaburn Green; a number of workmen were\nat work upon it, and it was on the point of being finished, the frame\nand timber was set up; lathed and sparred, and thatched with straw on\none side. At this time, being the 22nd October, 1585, a large number\nof the wives of the tenants, instigated by their better halves, abused\nthe workpeople and Mr. Lowther, and even threw stones at them. This\ndid not cause them to desist building, so on the night of the 28th,\na number of the tenants, headed by James Fletcher, armed themselves\nwith pitchforks, handsaws, axes, long-piked sticks, swords, daggers,\nand other unlawful engines, and levelled it to the ground. Mr.\nLowther wished to have recompense for the timber destroyed, and the\npullers-down punished. This trial is held at York, where the tenants\nand their wives had to appear in defence; in which they say that what\nChristopher affirms is all utterly untrue about their unruly conduct:\nthat according to the indenture the lord could not build on the waste\nwithout general consent of the tenants; that if he was allowed to\nbuild this he would build others: they had spoken to him quietly, but\nhe refused to listen, and so they pulled it down, for by so doing he\nwas infringing upon the green within the town gates on which they\ngrassed their horses for service upon the Borders; they say the house\nwas a large one, intended for a court-house and for Mr. Lowther to put\nhis horse in when he visited the town. A recompense of \u00a38 seems to have\nbeen awarded him, and the pullers-down fined, some to \u00a33 6s. 2d. and\nsome to 40s. This does not satisfy, and he brings the trial on again,\nbut does not seem to succeed, only in obtaining a decree to have a\npiece of waste ground on which to build a court-house.[14]\n\nThese disputes have been examined before commissioners who held courts\nat different places, some bearing date from Kirkby Stephen, Morland\nChurch and Brougham Chapel; but when the cases were brought before the\nQueen's Counsellors, they are dated at \"Eboracum.\"\n\nThe names of those called as witnesses give some light as to the\nresidence of the neighbouring gentry, or those who lived in the\nmanorial houses. At Reagill Grange lived Anthony Wharton, who some\ntime was in tenure and occupation of Meaburn Mill. At Shap Abbey lived\nRichard Wharton, gent., who, as well as he at Reagill Grange, were\nmembers of the Wharton family to whom the lands of Shap Abbey were\ngranted. At Little Strickland lived John Rigg, Esq.; his father was\nsteward of the manorial courts at Maulds Meaburn in Sir George Vernon's\ntime. At Craik Trees lived Ambrose Lancaster, aged eighty years, and\nalso Thomas Lancaster, both of whom were strenuous supporters of\nthe lord of the manor. The disputes have evidently been very warmly\ncontested by both parties, some of the cases standing on for five or\nsix years. There are also accusations of base and wilful perjury.\nWhether the courts granted justice in every case or not, we know\nnot; but the truth seems to have been often tampered with. At last\nChristopher Lowther, in summing up his griefs, concludes by praying to\nhave an end of suits, and says he has been kept so for ten years by his\ntenants, that he has become impoverished, and having so many children\nhe is utterly unable to do Her Highness' service upon the Borders,\naccording as he is bound, as others of his calling. The tenants humbly\nreply that they too wish an end of suits; they too are impoverished;\nbut that Mr. Lowther has always been plaintiff against them.\n\nAnother important service due to the lord, but about which they have\nnot had dispute, was the Border service. When this service was required\nby the Prince, the lord's steward sent a letter to the bailiff and\nconstables telling them what service was required, and with how many\nmen. These they appoint and muster in great haste, some on horse and\nsome on foot, according to their rate. Four men were also sworn to\nrate the charges for victuals and carriage in such journeys as going\nto the Borders required. This tax was levied only when summoned to go.\nThose who refused to go when warned were sent by the bailiff to the\nwarden to receive what punishment he chose to inflict. In 1595 a list\nhas been made out bearing the date February 19th of that year, of all\nmen musterable in the Lordship of Maulds Meaburn for this service,\nof tenants and young men from sixteen to sixty years of age, levied\nby the constables, James Fletcher, Robert Atkinson, Anthony Wharton,\nRichard Hodgeson and John Winter, and Mr. Christopher Lowther, Esq.,\nLandlorde of ye Lordship, and Leader of ye men; 39 on this list are\nentered as \"archers furnished,\" each having to serve with \"a nag;\" one\nof these, it appears, is \"deceased,\" two \"under age,\" and three having\nsubstitutes entered as \"his son.\"\n\nThe next list is \"Tenants that are footmen\" 59 in number, of whom 18\nare archers furnished, 7 entered as archers, 2 as billmen, 16 not\nfurnished, and 15 before whose names is the letter F. These were\nthe fighting men, besides whom is a list of 28, who are \"sons, and\nmen not being tenants.\" From an abstract of the muster for Border\nservice within the counties of Cumberland and Westmorland, taken in\n1584, that of the two counties amounted to 8350, of whom Westmorland\nfurnished 4142; 1400 of these were archers furnished, 1300 billmen\nfurnished, 1342 able men unfurnished, and 100 light horsemen furnished\namongst the gentlemen and their household servants. The mustering\nplaces were Sandford Moor, where mustered 1981, Greenholme 2669, and\nStrickland Moor 1269. The last place was the rendezvous of the Maulds\nMeaburn tenants. There is still a lingering tradition of the last as\na mustering place. In 1618 Mr. C. Lowther was in a special commission\nwith Lord Wharton and Lord William Howard and others for repressing\ndisorders on the Borders. When King James I came into England on his\naccession to the Crown, in 1603, he attended him with a gallant company\nfrom the Borders of Scotland to Newcastle, where the King conferred\nupon him the order of knighthood, and there is little doubt but that\nin that gallant company were some of the staunch yeomanry of Maulds\nMeaburn. In the list of names for those deputed to serve on the Borders\nare five Robinsons, five Parkins, five Winters, five Harrisons, four\nTeasdales, four Whartons, three Fletchers, two Salkelds, two Kitchens,\n&c. But by far the most numerous are the Addysons, who mustered 16; a\nname now quite extinct in the parish.\n\n[13] It seems that the documents from which Mr. Bland gathered\nthese curious particulars, represent the defendants', that is the\ntenants', side of the question; and it is very hard to tell whether\nthe oppression they allege was real or imaginary. On the other hand,\nMr. Lowther undoubtedly had cause for complaint, for on Mr. Bland's\nshowing, the tenants more than once did wilful damage, and refused to\ncomply with the order of the court.\n\nA possible explanation is this: the Vernons were absentee landlords,\nand left things to take care of themselves; Sir Richard Lowther\nexpected things to be managed properly, and saw that they were; and the\nchange would not be popular, though perfectly just and fair. Something\nabout the story suggests that the trouble was organised by some\nindividual who possessed professional knowledge; perhaps the former\nsteward had been dismissed by Sir Richard, and was taking his revenge\nin this way.\n\n[14] We are inclined to think that this result, which Mr. Bland rates\nrather low, constituted a decisive success. The court had already shown\nthat the tenants' method of redress was unlawful, had punished them for\nit, and made them pay compensation for the damage they had done. It\nmight be argued at this point that they had a genuine grievance, and\nwere merely wrong in their choice of remedy; but the decree deprives\nthem of this excuse; for the court would not have permitted Mr. Lowther\nto have a piece of waste land for this purpose, if by building there he\nwould be infringing the rights of the tenants. Hence his position is\njustified from the very beginning.\n\n\n\n\nMAULDS MEABURN HALL.\n\n\nThe Manor House of Maulds Meaburn originally stood on the site of the\npresent Hall, but we have no record of any of the manorial families\nresiding at it. The present Hall has been built at different times.\nThe oldest portion is the north part of the body of the Hall. It has\noriginally been nearly square, and lofty, somewhat in the character\nof a tower. This has been strongly built of hewn sandstone. This\nold portion may be traced by having around the bottom a champhered\nbasement. This portion, has, however, been so much altered, re-roofed\nand built around, that it is difficult to form a correct idea of its\noriginal features. Afterwards the buildings have been extended; the\nsouth side has been partly pulled down and extended in that direction,\nforming an oblong, to the ends of which have been added wings. The\nsouth wing has two large rooms on the ground floor, one of which is\nwainscoted in the old Elizabethan style, and also one of the upper\nrooms; these are gained by a broad oaken staircase, which forms a\nprojection on the west end of the wing. These rooms are lighted by\nlarge mullioned windows, and a tall projecting chimney gives a marked\nfeature to the south front. A corresponding wing has been built at the\nother end, which projects beyond the north end of the old building.\nThis has been used as a subordinate part of the house, in which were\nthe wine-cellars, store-rooms, &c. At the same time also has been added\nto the north-west side of the old part a series of lower buildings,\nserving as kitchens, laundry, &c., and servants' rooms in general.\nStill later, the central part or large hall, between the old Hall and\nsouth wing has been pulled down, and again rebuilt in a mere vulgar\nand temporary style; at which time the present door and chief entrance\nhas been made. Above it, in bas-relief, a date of 1610, but at some\nafter time it has been changed; the 10 being made to represent 76, by\nincising a top to the 1, making it 7; and also a top to the 0, making\nit 6.\n\n[Illustration: MEABURN HALL, SOUTH FRONT.]\n\nThis date in its present form raises a query: Is it a doorway of the\noldest part of the Hall, removed to its present position, and recording\nthe date of its first erection? If so, it must have been built in Sir\nChristopher Lowther's time, three years after he came into possession\nof his father's estate. The date, however, is not very reliable, but\nit is very probable that it was built by his son, John Lowther, Esq.,\nafterwards Sir John, upon whom, and his wife Ellinor, daughter of\nWilliam Fleming, Esq., of Rydal, a settlement was made of the manor of\nMaulds Meaburn in 1615; and after coming into possession he purchased\neight tenements, which make up the present demesne of Maulds Meaburn\nHall; for in his time there was scarcely any left, the lands having\nbeen previously so parcelled out amongst the religious societies. Sir\nJ. Lowther was one of the knights of the county in 21st James I, and\nalso in three Parliaments in Charles I's reign. He bought the manor\nand part of the demesne of Crosby of Thomas Pickering, Esq., and then\ngave it in marriage with his daughter Frances to John Dodsworth.\nHe also bought half of the demesne of Reagill. For his second son\nChristopher he bought the Whitehaven estates. This Christopher married\na coheiress, daughter of Christopher Lancaster of Craik Trees, and by\npurchasing the interest of the other two sisters added the whole of\nthe Lancaster property to the Lowthers of Whitehaven. Sir John died in\n1637, and according to a memorandum extant, his widow lived afterwards\nat Maulds Meaburn Hall, where she died in 1659; and by her last will\nand testament left the sum of \u00a335 to the poor of Maulds Meaburn. The\nreturns of this not being used till 1687, the person on whose land it\nwas, was required to make it up to \u00a340, and pay 40s. yearly; which\nwas done: from which time it was regularly divided up to 1770. The\nfirst few years there were between 20 and 30 recipients, but they have\ndwindled down to 15, 12, and as low as nine.\n\nSir John was succeeded in the estates by his eldest son, Sir John\nLowther, who in 1640 was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia. He was a\ngreat sufferer for the royal cause in the reign of Charles I, and\nduring the usurpation lived retired; but was one of the Knights for\nWestmorland in the Parliament which restored Charles II. His eldest son\ndied during his father's life, so that he was succeeded in the family\nestate by his grandson, Sir John Lowther, who afterwards received the\nepithet of \"The Rich.\" To his second son Richard he gave the manor of\nMaulds Meaburn. This Richard lived at Meaburn Hall, and was chosen\nMember for Appleby in 1688 and 1690. To him may we attribute the\ngeneral enlargement and extension of the Hall, and the laying out of\nthe grounds in the way in which they still remain. These improvements,\nto all appearance, correspond in character to about the time of the\naltered date--1676.\n\nAt a short distance to the north of the Hall are a number of\nsubordinate buildings, of barns, stables, &c., of more or less modern\nerection, the oldest of which is a well-built block on which is a\nsquare tablet having the initials R.L., Richard Lowther, and the date\nof their erection, 1693.\n\nAnother remarkable building stands near the road, known as Fletcher\nHall; it is a lofty building, of about seven yards square, containing\none lower room and one upper; it is entered by a door on the east side,\nand the lower room lighted by a window of three lights in the north;\nthe upper story is lighted by two similar windows on the east side. Its\nuse was probably as a residence for the stewards or managing bailiff\nof the lords of the manor, and from this has derived its name \"The\nFletcher\" from families of that name. These have been an influential\nfamily in Meaburn for many generations. In 1618 we find record in the\nregister of the death of James Fletcher of Meaburn Hall Fold, and\nthere are Fletchers recorded so far back as 1588. The present Fletcher\nhas been rebuilt at the same time that the buildings of the Hall were\nextended.\n\nThe grounds have been laid out in the then fashionable Elizabethan\nstyle, and tradition yet affirms that they were at one time the finest\ngardens in the north. The entrance from the road is by a doorway with\ncheeks of solid masonry surmounted by balls, and a court on each side,\nmantled with ivy. Within this is a large level area in front of the\nHall, flanked on each side with a row of now ancient yews; passing\nto the left through another doorway we come to the south front. Here\nis another large open quadrangle, laid out as a bowling green with a\nraised terrace on three sides; at the south-east and south-west corners\nare two garden houses in which the players might regale themselves\nin the intervals of the play. Running between these is a row of yew\noverhanging the once gravelled esplanade, which is ascended from the\ngreen by a few ornamental steps. Along the lateral terraces were\nalso at one time yews and spruces; the former are all gone, and the\nlatter represented by a few remarkably tall and half-blasted trunks\nof spruces, towering far above the surrounding trees. To the south of\nthe green is an area covered with a number of remarkably tall trees;\nthis is surrounded by a high wall, alongside of which on the south\nside are a row of yews overshadowing what have once been neat walks.\nAfter making an angle, this wall, forming the western boundary of the\ngrounds, runs direct to the north, where the road forms the boundary.\nThe garden is entered from the field outside by three postern doors.\nWithin the wall is a broad, raised terrace, running the whole length;\nornamented with here and there a holly, yew or laburnum, all of which,\nlike the other trees, have gained a large size. Along the north wall\nare also rows of yews, some of which have fallen victims to the axe.\n\nIn the back garden is a large well, walled around, five yards by three.\nThis supplies a large stream which flows direct north; on the east bank\nis a row of yews, and on the other, laburnums, which in summer enliven\nwith their gay flowers their dark and sombre neighbours. Overtopping\nthese on each side is a row of gigantic Scotch firs, the largest in\nthe surrounding district. The extensive area included in these grounds\nhave been ornamented by walks and shrubs, the latter of various kinds,\nfantastically cut. The last which disappeared was two rows of box,\nforming a long walk amongst lawns or flower beds. All the different\nrows of yews, hollies, &c., have in the times of the Hall's splendour\nbeen trimmed and kept cut, and afterwards allowed to grow their own\nnatural way, which in their present neglected state are perhaps finer\nthan when they received the tender nursing care of the gardeners. All\nthis was no doubt done by Richard Lowther, when wealth was pouring into\nthe hands of the family, at a time when a princely residence was the\ngreat ambition of the nobility and gentry.\n\nAfter these tasteful decorations of the residence followed the\nbeautifying of the neighbourhood. The park was planted with the present\ntrees, which though now few, are noble specimens of what were, in the\nmemory of those still living, so close and thick and dark that no\nvegetation flourished beneath them. The thick forest of oaks in the\nMains would also be planted, with the avenues of yews and holly. The\noaks have disappeared, and a young spring has overgrown the whole.\nThe most remarkable neighbouring feature is the avenue on Morland\nBank. This is a long, elevated piece of land, stretching out into the\nlow-lying holmes, and probably its name is a corruption of Mer--or\nMireland, from the marshes around. This has been planted on each side\nwith Scotch firs, forming an avenue of about a mile in length. The\ntrees are traditionally said to have been brought from Lowther, and\nwere, at the time of planting, a cart load each. From being so large\nwhen planted, they never attained so great a height. At the north end\nare Ratla Park and Hard Bank plantations, of about the same age. Of\nthis we have a good guess: a man of the name of Wharton, who died about\n55 years ago, aged 90, assisted in his youth to plant them; so that\nit will be about 130 years ago; while the yews and park at Meaburn\nHall, if planted soon after the erection of the present Hall, may be\nabout 180 or 190 years old. We are no doubt indebted also to Robert,\nafterwards Governor Lowther, son of Richard, who would follow in the\nfootsteps of his father in beautifying the lovely valley, in which it\nwas their lot to be placed. Nature had formed a district having great\ncapabilities, and with all respect to the memories of those men, they\nhave done their duty towards it with most praiseworthy taste, and\nwhat is chiefly to be regretted is, there are none to follow their\nfootsteps, but \"hewers of wood and drawers of water.\"\n\nIn the year 1700, Richard purchased Crosby Hall and the manor of\nMargaret Bayly. He married Barbara, daughter of Robert Pricket,\nEsq., of Wresal Castle, Yorkshire, and died about the year 1704. He\nwas succeeded by his eldest son, Robert Lowther, who was sometime\nstore-keeper of the Tower, and in 1716 was appointed Captain-General\nand Governor-Chief of Barbadoes. He married a lady by whom he\nbecame possessed of an extensive property in Barbadoes. She died,\nand it appears he returned to reside at Meaburn Hall, and brought\nwith him a great quantity of sugar and rum, which was stored in the\nwine-cellar; and tradition still retains a vivid recollection of the\nsuperior quality of the Governor's rum. For his second wife he married\nCatherine, daughter of Sir Joseph Pennington, Baronet; and issue two\nsons and three daughters.\n\nRobert Lowther, Esq., from his patrimony and landed property, no doubt\nwas an influential man in the neighbourhood. According to a valuation\nmade the year before his death, his property in Meaburn is valued at\n\u00a3105; the next highest is John Salkeld, \u00a341; the whole valuation of\nthe lordship being \u00a3698 10s. It was his intention to rebuild the Hall;\nwith this in view he had plans made, and a new site chosen amongst\nthe yew trees in the south-east corner of Stonycrofts, opposite the\nMills. He had kilns erected for burning bricks in Eelmires, for that\npurpose, the remains of which may still be seen, and got so far as to\npull down the middle part of the Hall; but his schemes were doomed\nnever to be perfected, all further advance being stopped by his death,\nwhich took place in 1745. His death is said to have been caused by the\nRebellion. The Lowthers were ever staunch Royalists, and either himself\nor his son James held out some favourable support to the encouragement\nof the Pretender; after whose misfortunes Robert, being of a very\nnervous and timorous disposition, became so perplexed and afraid of the\nconsequences that it injured his health and was the cause of his death.\nHe was buried beneath the Threlkelds' tomb in Crosby Church. He was\nsucceeded by his eldest son James, afterwards known as Jammy Lowther.\n\nThis James, by the death of his father, by the death of Henry, Viscount\nLowther, of Lowther, who died without issue, and by the death of Sir\nWilliam Lowther, Bart., of Whitehaven,[15] who also died without issue,\nbecame possessed of the three great estates of Meaburn, Lowther and\nWhitehaven. James Lowther represented the counties of Cumberland and\nWestmorland for several years in Parliament, and was elevated to the\npeerage in 1784 by the titles of Baron Lowther of Lowther, Viscount\nLowther, and Earl of Lonsdale; consequently he was the first Earl. He\nwas born at Meaburn Hall, where he resided at different times while the\nHall at Lowther was in ruins, being burnt down about 1720. There is\nevery reason to believe Meaburn was his favourite residence, where he\nkept a large establishment, of which the dairy over the bridge bears\nunmistakeable evidence. He also stocked the park with deer; and there\nare many yet living who can remember the last of them being removed to\nLowther.\n\n[Illustration: RUINS OF LOWTHER HALL FROM A SKETCH BY LADY MARY LOWTHER.]\n\nIn 1761 he married Lady Mary Stewart, daughter of John, Earl of Bute.\nLady Mary appears to have been an accomplished lady, and extremely fond\nof sketching in water colours; some of her sketches are tolerably well\nexecuted. There is at Lowther a large portfolio containing numbers of\nher sketches, generally in the neighbourhood of Lowther, Ullswater,\nShap and Meaburn; some of which are extremely interesting as depicting\nplaces now either gone or greatly changed.[16] He died in the year\n1802, leaving no issue, and after his day, Meaburn Hall passed into the\nhands of farmers.\n\nJames Lowther was a man of noble qualities, but of very eccentric\ncharacter, and many are the remarkable stories about himself and his\nspirit after death, yet lingering in the country.[17] One of the most\nnoteworthy, illustrating his eccentric character, is that, on his once\npassing through the streets of London he saw a woman crying, with a\nchild in her arms. His feelings being touched, he had enquiries made\nrespecting her, and found her to be a handsome and beautiful woman,\nthough of no high station; she had been seduced and deserted. He so\nmuch admired her that he induced her to become his mistress, and had\nher installed in one of his establishments. It so happened, when he\nwas absent, she died; and for some time none of the household durst\ncommunicate the intelligence to him on his return. However, the body\nso much requiring burial, his favourite valet presumed to tell him;\nupon which he was immediately kicked out, and expelled his service. So\ngreat, however, was his affection for the deceased, that he had her\nembalmed, and put into a leaden coffin with a piece of glass over the\nface, and placed in his own private room. Two ladies' maids, who were\nattendant on her in life, Sir James brought to Meaburn Hall, where\nthey lived for some time as sole mistresses of the establishment; and\ntradition still remembers their names as \"Miss Francis\" and \"Miss\nOliver.\"\n\nAnother character associated with the Hall, and almost as famous as\nhis master in his own sphere, was Jos o' t' Ha', a sort of steward or\nbailiff for his lordship. He was a privileged favourite, and often used\nto drive his master over the moors to or from Lowther and Whitehaven;\nand sometimes, on the return journey, would indulge in John Barleycorn\nto a great extent. One story is told of one of these occasions, when he\nhad imbibed too freely at Shap, in going past Scarr he saw some sheep\nin a young plantation cropping off the young shoots. Ever thinking\nof duty he drove them out, but soon discovered that two individuals\nput them in again. These he soon found out to be the Devil and Cross\nJown, a notorious character, who had lived at Ploverigg, but was lately\ndead. Jos remarked that \"as soon as he saw them he set off, and they\nefter him, lick for smack, over Harbyrn Rigg, an' they niver gained a\nyard on him till he gat to Howbeck Brigg, when he lost seet o' them.\"\nSometimes he carried his drinking propensities so far as to become\nblue-devilled; in which state he was wont to whip them about in the\nstables, requesting any bystanders to turn the door. One old man who\nwas called upon, did his work so badly that Jos cursed him for allowing\nto escape now a horned 'un and now a cowed 'un. The old man in despair\nreplied \"Let me dew ill or dew weel, I's always cursed.\"\n\nJos was one of those who had nothing to fear from the reproof of his\nmaster. A story is told of his lordship, who, to tease Jos, taunted him\nwith allowing the old women and children to get sticks in the wood.\n\"Lord, yer honour\" says Jos, \"If ye were at teay end an' me at tudder,\nan' the Divil etween us wi' a fiery stick, we couldn't aw turn them.\"\nBut Jos was no neglecter of his master's property, as the following\nanecdote will tell. A neighbour of his being dead, the bearers were\npassing along past the court wall with the corpse, when crack went the\nreport of a gun, and immediately Jos' broad face was seen above. \"Oh\nJos,\" said one of the attendants, \"what for dud ye dew that? ye suddent\nshut at a corpse, man.\" \"Dam the rascal\" was his reply, \"He's stown\nmany a yat loop and crewk fra me; I was determined to give him a crack\nat last!\"\n\nJammy Lowther was more famous after death than in life, for no sooner\nwas he dead than his spirit, ranging about in the gloomy hours of\nnight, caused quite an uproar in the country. At the Hall was heard\nhis loud call and order, and his footsteps sounded in the rooms at\nmidnight. At other times he rushed along the tops of the trees on\nMorland Bank, a headless driver driving his coach, drawn by six\nheadless horses in a blaze of fire. Similar sights also occurred about\nLowther and Whitehaven, and so great was the fear of him in the country\nthat it was determined, with the assistance of a Roman Catholic priest,\nto lay his spirit.\n\nThe ceremony took place in Lowther Church at midnight, and so furious\nand boisterous was the spirit when called, that the priest, on coming\nto the words in the ceremony \"forever and aye\" was confounded by the\nspirit blustering, and calling \"For a year and a day,\" \"A year and a\nday,\" and he unconsciously said \"For a year and a day.\" The spirit was\ncontent, and the terror of him somewhat abated; but at midnight after\nthe appointed time, he again broke loose, and played his pranks with\ngreater terror than ever. This could not be endured; a priest was again\ncalled, the ceremony again gone through, and Jammy Lowther's rebellious\nspirit was \"forever and aye\" conjured to abide beneath the frowning\ncliffs of Wallow Cragg.\n\nBefore closing the history of this interesting old place, there is a\nlegend connected with it worthy of record. In what is called the Green\nRoom, two brothers of the Lowther family disagreed on some family\nmatters beyond reconciliation. As no agreement could be come to,\nneither being willing to succumb to the other, they parted and went\nabroad, with the mutual determination never to see each other again.\nPrevious to leaving, the doors of this room were blocked up, and seals\nplaced upon them, which of course none durst break; everything in the\nroom being left just as it was when last occupied by the brothers.\n\nThe room was thus sealed up for many years. Part of the wax was to be\nseen on the door not many years ago, and tradition speaks of curious\npeople going to the window of this mysterious room, through which were\nto be seen the chairs, tables, and open secretary, just as when left by\nthe estranged brothers.\n\n[15] The owner of Whitehaven was Sir James, his father's second cousin,\nson of Sir John, the great maker of the town. Sir William Lowther was\nhis fourth cousin, and left him Marske. Lowther came to him from his\nsecond cousin. His eventual heir, Sir William Lowther, was the son\nof his third cousin; the latter also inherited the title of Viscount\nLonsdale under a special and remarkable limitation; this had been\nconferred on \"Sir Jammy\" when it was seen that his earldom was going\nto die out. The new peer was created Earl of Lonsdale in 1807; it was\nreported in 1828, correctly or otherwise, that he had the offer of a\ndukedom.\n\n[16] A sketch of Shap Stones, made by her in 1775, is reproduced in\nCumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Arch\u00e6ological Society's\n_Transactions_, vol. xv., article 4.\n\n[17] Few men have been more bitterly attacked than James Lowther has\nbeen, both during his life, and after his death. He was masterful\nand capricious, a combination of qualities which does not make for\npopularity; he was devoted to electioneering, which earned him\nenemies; and it is worth noting that his chief detractors have a\ndistinct political bias. They include Horace Walpole; Boswell, whose\nParliamentary ambitions he disappointed, and above all, Rev. Alex.\nCarlyle, who devotes a page of his memoirs to a compilation of the\nworst epithets and opinions permissible to a Doctor of Divinity. Some\nof this is quoted in the _Dictionary of National Biography_ article,\nomitting, however, the fact that the passage begins by showing the\nwriter's sympathy with his great rival, the Duke of Portland.\n\nSir James was a benefactor to the town of Whitehaven, and it was he\nwho secured the first return to Parliament of the younger Pitt--from\nAppleby. An amusing tale is told of him that he once fought a duel\nwith a learned serjeant-at-law, who had made free with his character\nin a case. At the meeting, the learned serjeant is said to have shot\nhis own toe! It is hard to believe that he would have been called \"Sir\nJammy\" till his death, though he had long been a peer, had he really\nbeen \"more detested than any man living\" as Carlyle asserts he was; or\nthe suggestion that he was a tyrant over his dependents and tenants\nin view of the fact that his funeral, which was, by his direction,\nstrictly private and unannounced, \"a large crowd of people from the\nneighbourhood were assembled, and behaved with the greatest respect,\ndecency and decorum,\" as the _Gentleman's Magazine_ quaintly puts it.\n\n\n\n\nCRAIK TREES.\n\n\nCraik Trees is one of the oldest buildings in the parish, having\noriginally been of the class known as Tower Houses. The tower was at\nthe south end, where the groundworks may be seen. It has been pulled\ndown, and the material used in the farm buildings. In one of these is a\nsmall ogee tower window, and in the modern porch is a slab with rudely\ncut and almost obliterated arms of the Lancasters. There still remains\nin the interior the lower portion of a turnpike stair, by which the\ntower has been ascended.\n\nIt was a residence of the Lancaster family. The first of whom there is\nany record are Ambrose Lancaster and Thomas, aged respectively 80 and\n52 years in 1591; they were sworn as witnesses in some law transactions\nbetween Christopher Lowther, Esq., and his tenants of Maulds Meaburn.\nAmbrose was the 6th son of Lancelot Lancaster, Esq., of Sockbridge. The\nnext who is recorded is Christopher Lancaster, great-grandson of the\nbefore mentioned Lancelot; in him the male heirs of the family failed;\nhe had four daughters, the first married to Sir Christopher Lowther of\nWhitehaven, who by paying out the other sisters, swept away the whole\nof the Lancaster property. Some of the Pickerings of Crosby afterwards\nresided at Craik Trees, but it is now in the hands of farmers. The name\nhas originated from the cry of rooks; these are all gone, with the\ntrees in which they must have built, with the exception of one ancient\ngnarled ash.\n\nA little below is a spring of somewhat a sacred character, from which,\nin Catholic times, it is said water was taken to baptise infants in\nCrosby Church; it is now grown up, being a complete quagmire; but by\nthrusting a stick in, stones can be found at the bottom.\n\nOn Meaburn Hill is a large stone obelisk, erected by Thomas Bland of\nReagill on the site of the house in which resided for many generations\nthe ancestors of the celebrated Joseph Addison, whose father, Lancelot\nAddison, was born here. Lancelot Addison was the son of Lancelot\nAddison. He was educated at Queen's College, Oxford; and afterwards\npassed many years in travelling through Europe and Africa, and was\nknown as an author on various subjects. He was afterwards Rector of\nMilston in Wilts, then Archdeacon of Coventry and Dean of Lichfield.\nHe married for his first wife Jane, daughter of Nathaniel Gulston,\nEsq., and sister of Dr. Gulston, Bishop of Bristol; and had issue\nJoseph, his eldest; Gulston, Governor of Fort St. George; Lancelot,\nFellow of Magdalen College, Oxford; and three daughters. For his second\nwife he married Dorothy, daughter of John Danvers, of Shakerston,\nLeicestershire. He died in 1703, aged 71. Joseph, his son, is well\nknown in the periodical productions of _Tatler_, _Spectator_, and\n_Guardian_, and also from his tragedy of Cato, whose dying soliloquy is\nenough to immortalise any one author.\n\nHe was in succession Commissioner of Appeals, UnderSecretary of State,\nSecretary to Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and Keeper of the Records;\nSecretary to the Lords Justices, and finally one of His Majesty's\nprincipal Secretaries of State.\n\nHe died in 1719, aged 49 years. He left behind an only daughter by the\nCountess of Warwick, whom he married in 1716.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n NOTE.--On the next page, viz.: page 79, there is a drawing of \"Flass\n House, Maulds Meaburn, the seat of Wilkinson Dent, Esquire,\" giving a\n view of the house, with the gardens in front, and the Lyvennet in the\n foreground. This occupies the upper half of the page. The remainder\n has been kept for a description, but it has never been written.\n\n\n\n\nGAYTHORN MANOR, ETC.\n\n\nThe first record of Gaythorn Hall is that the whole, or part of it,\nbelonged to the Hospital of St. Leonard at York. In 1281 they had a\ngrant of free warren in Docker and Gaythorn. According to Burn it was\nnext in possession of the Pickerings, and sold by Sir Christopher\nPickering of Ormshead in the reign of James I. to Sir James Bellingham\nof Over Levens. This cannot have been the case, for in the reign of\nHenry VII., this manor, Levens, Helsington and Fawcett Forest were\nbought by Alan Bellingham, 8th son of Sir Robert Bellingham, Knight,\nof Burnshead. Alan was treasurer of Berwick, and deputy warden of the\nmarches. He was succeeded by his son Thomas, who died previous to\n1550. Thomas left two sons, Alan the elder, and Thomas, who married a\ndaughter of Thomas Blenkinsop of Helbeck, Esq., and sister of the wife\nof Lancelot Pickering, Esq., of Crosby Hall. He resided at Gaythorn\nHall.\n\nAfter the Dissolution, the Bellinghams became possessed of the advowson\nof Crosby Church, and in 1597, Thomas Bellingham made a presentation of\nthe living to William Willan. Gaythorn then passed to James Bellingham,\nEsq., of Helsington, eldest son of Thomas' elder brother Alan. James\nlived at Gaythorn as early as 1604, and it is believed he was the\nbuilder of the present Hall. He was knighted by King James I. at\nDurham on his first coming into England in 1603. He died in 1641. The\nproperty descended to his eldest son, Sir Henry Bellingham, baronet;\nhe was knight of the shire in Charles I.'s reign. He was succeeded\nby his brother Alan, who represented the county in 1661 and died in\n1672. Then followed James of Levens, his son, who died in 1680, and\nsucceeded by his son Alan. He was knight of the shire in 1681 and 1685.\nBeing a wild and gay young man, he consumed a vast estate, and sold\nLevens, Gaythorn, etc., to Col. James Graham, privy purse to James II.;\nwho represented the county for many years, and left an only daughter,\nKatherine. She married Henry Bowes Howard, Earl of Berkshire. They had\nissue William, Viscount Andover; he died in the lifetime of his father,\nbut left issue Henry Howard, Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire, in the\ndescendants of whose family it still remains.\n\nGaythorn Hall is situated in a wild and dreary district, far away from\nany other habitation, and it is rather surprising to find so stylish\na building in such an isolated situation. It is a large building, in\nthe Elizabethan style, with large mullioned windows of six and eight\nlights each. There is a projection on the front side, supported by an\narched doorway with three large mullioned windows in the upper story,\nand above the arch are the Bellingham arms. Within this is the door,\nabove which is a rudely carved figure of a mermaid, and the footstones\nare curious grotesque heads. The lower rooms are large and spacious;\nthe ceiling of one is beautifully ornamented with vine leaf and branch\nwork, with the family arms in the centre. The upper rooms are also very\nspacious; in these are one or two very handsome stone chimneypieces.\nBehind the Hall was, at one time, the remains of a private chapel, but\nit is now all gone, and no record of it is left, excepting the upper\npart of a mullioned window, more ancient in style than the present\nHall, which no doubt occupies the site of a previous building.\n\nThere is a curious legend connected with Gaythorn Hall, respecting a\nfamily who lived there. The husband was a Protestant, the wife a Roman\nCatholic. Their first born son the mother insisted should be reared\naccording to her faith; the father objected, and wished him to be a\nProtestant. The mother, being a determined woman, insisted that if\nit might not be as she wished, the child should not be brought up to\nany religion. The consequence was, the heartless mother had the child\nput down into a cellar below the house, without any clothing. Into\nthis place she threw it some straw and old rags to lie upon, and for\nits food, potato peelings, paste and dirty washings. These she threw\nin at a hole without even herself entering the place. Here the child\nremained unknown to any but themselves till it was six years old,\nwhen by accident a man about the building heard a peculiar cry. There\nbeing always curious suspicions respecting this child, he was induced\nto compel its mother to disclose its hiding-place, and it was brought\nforth, a hideous looking monster, unable to walk. The nails of its\nhands and feet were grown like eagles' claws, and its body was almost\ncovered with hair, which was matted with dirt and filth. The child was\nthen cleaned, clothed and properly fed, sent to school, and eventually,\nthough enduring such hard treatment in infancy, grew up to manhood,\noccupied a respectable position in society, and lived to a good old\nage.\n\n\n\n\nMANOR OF REAGILL.\n\n\nThe first notice recorded of Reagill is that Maude, the sister of Hugh\nde Morville and wife of William de Veteripont, gave a ploughland of her\ndemesne of Renegill in frank marriage with her daughter Christian to\nRobert son of Derman; which land was called Hynthornham. There is no\nland at the present day bearing such a name; but it may have been the\nlands now known as Thornbank, a number of fields lying near Hard Bank.\nShe afterwards gave the whole vill of Renegill to her son Robert, he\nrendering to her for all service one hawk; which he was to hold of Ivo\nhis brother. Ivo confirmed the same to Robert and his heirs in 1208.\nThis Robert, in 1212, granted it with the appurtenances to the Abbey of\nShap.\n\nThe next account met with is concerning the chapel of Reagill. The\nAbbot and convent of Whitby despatched a messenger to Rome to complain\nto the Pope that the Abbot and Convent of Heppe over-exacted their\ntithes of Renegill Chapel in the parish of Crosby Ravensworth. His\nHoliness appointed certain persons to examine into these grievances,\nand wrote in 1224 settling the matter thus: that the Abbot and Convent\nof Heppe were to pay to the Church at Crosseby in the name of tithes\n6 skepfuls (_skeppas_) of merchantable oatmeal for the tithes of\ntheir land at Renegill (a skepful is a quarter), from land which is\ncultivated at their own expense, and by their own hands, at that time;\nbut new land hence broken up, by whomsoever, not to pay. It was to be\npaid, 3 skepfuls at Martinmas and 3 at Easter; but if they let these\nlands out after improving, they had to pay to the full. Also it is\nlawful for the Convent of Heppe to celebrate divine service in the\nChapel of Renegill, saving harmless the mother church of Crosseby\nRavensworth, with regard to oblations, obventions, confessions,\ncommunions and burials. This is drawn up and settled at Gisburn on the\n20th Kalends of May, in the year of Incarnation 1225.\n\nThere is nothing more respecting Reagill until after the dissolution of\nthe monasteries, when the revenues of the Abbey of Shap were granted\nin 1545 to Thomas, Lord Wharton, who had been advanced to the dignity\nof Baron by Henry VIII., for the signal defeat which he gave the Scots\nat Sollom Moss in 1542. To him was granted the monasteries of Shap,\nGisburn and Rival (Rievaulx) in Yorkshire, to hold of the King by the\nservice of one 20th part of one knight's fee, and paying for the whole\n\u00a341 11s. yearly, with the reversion and remainder thereof in the Crown.\nIn 1612, King James, for the faithful services of Sir George Wharton\nand other considerations, granted also the remainder and reversion to\nPhilip, Lord Wharton. The particulars of the former grant of Renegill\nwere divers rents and services issuing out of divers lands and\ntenements, and all messuages, mills, tofts, cottages, lands, tenements,\nmeadows, pastures and other hereditaments in the tenure and occupation\nof the tenants, amongst whose names are Winter, Blamire, Furness,\nHugil, Addison, etc., to the number of 22. The descendants of some of\nthese have lived in Reagill for several generations afterwards. The\nAbbey, after the Dissolution, was valued at \u00a3154 7s. 7-1/2d. a year;\nand in the computation made by Henry VIII. is the following return of\nproperty in Reagill:--\n\n\n  Shappe nuper Monasteriu Com' Westm'\n\n                                                 \u00a3  s. d.\n  Ranegill reddit' grang'                        8  0  0\n  Ranegill firma vocat' Threplands               2  0  0\n  Ranegill liber' firm'                             3  0\n  Ranegill lib' reddit' iij quart' lib' piperis\n  Ranegill lib' redd' terr' etc.                   13  6\n  Ranegill reddit' divers' bovat' terr' etc.     9  5  0\n  Barnskew redd' mol' aquat' blad'                 13  0\n\n\n\n\nREAGILL GRANGE.\n\n\nThe ancient manor house of Reagill, or more properly the Grange,\noccupied nearly the same site as the present house, except that\nit has been a little more to the north, where, on excavating for\nthe foundation of some outbuildings, were found various remains of\ngroundworks and old floors. This position is immediately on the edge of\na deep and rocky ravine, down which runs a stream.\n\nOn the opposite or north side of this stood the chapel, in a small\nfield called Chapel Garth. Other fields near are still called Chapel\nLands. Its site may still be seen as an irregular rectangle of about\n22 yards by 6 or 8, formed by banks of earth, etc., on which are a\nnumber of large boulders; but it is nearly all covered with brushwood.\nThis, after the Dissolution, would be pulled down, and the material\nused for building the present Grange. This manor being solely in the\nhands of the monastery of Shap, a lay brother would be located here as\nbailiff, (the lands above Grange are still known as the Bailiff lands),\nto collect and transfer in kind the different products of the manor to\nthe Abbey. There are also traces of other branches of work having been\ncarried on, for at the bottom of the field, in front of the Grange,\nwere remains of tanpits, and some of the refuse. Other remains are also\nto be seen, to which we cannot now attribute any use, but it evidently\nseems to have been a place of active industry.\n\nThe manor house was at Barnskew, and what is called the Mill Road is\nstill traceable from Grange past the Chapel through Byesteads and away\nby Hardbank to Barnskew. The mill is now quite gone, though the race\nis yet traceable, having fallen into disuse about 60 or 70 years ago.\nThe present house bears the date 1676, being then in the possession of\na family of the name of Holmes, whose descendants still reside there,\nbut now as tenants of the Earl of Lonsdale.\n\n[Illustration: REAGILL GRANGE.]\n\nReagill Grange, after the Dissolution, became the property of the\nWhartons, and a branch of the family resided at it. According to the\nRegister at Crosby, Anthony Wharton of Reagill Grange died in 1590; he\nwas previously in the occupation of Meaburn Mill. In 1630 is another\nentry of the death of Mr. Thomas Wharton, an ancient gentleman. The\nnext date we find connected with Reagill Grange is 1652; it is cut\nabove a fireplace in an upstairs room, but whether it records the\nerection of the present building, its position renders somewhat\ndoubtful.\n\nThe present Grange is one of those antique cross houses of Elizabethan\nstyle, massively built, with small, single mullioned windows, having\ndripstones above. Another feature peculiar to such houses is the stacks\nof tall, circular chimneys. On the north side is a small addition,\nup which winds the staircase; and on the south side is a picturesque\nporch, overshadowed by a gigantic sycamore, which might be almost\ncoeval with the house itself.\n\nAccording to tradition, the house when built was left unfinished, there\nbeing merely the shell without ceilings, and having unplastered walls,\nin which state some of the upper rooms remained till about 50 years\nago. This was undoubtedly erected by the Wharton family. The Whartons\n(in what year there is no record), sold Reagill Grange and half the\ndemesne to Dr. Lancelot Daws of Barton Kirk, and the other half to Sir\nJohn Lowther. Dr. L. Daws was educated at Queen's College, Oxford, and\nafterwards took the degree of Doctor of Divinity at one of the Scotch\nUniversities. He was instituted vicar of Barton in 1608. He was also\nrector of Asby, instituted in 1618. He was likewise prebendary of\nCarlisle, and, according to Dr. Burn, died in 1653; so that the date,\n1652, for the erection of the Grange, is somewhat questionable, if\nbuilt by the Whartons.\n\n[Illustration: PLEASURE GROUNDS AT REAGILL\n\nLAID OUT BY THOMAS BLAND.]\n\nBut the vicissitudes of life and fortune are sometimes curious. It is\nwell known that the Wharton property \"never did any luck,\" and it is\nquite possible Reagill Grange had to be sold under some strain as soon\nas built, and it might be purchased by Dr. Daws just before he died. It\nremained in the possession of this family up to 1700, at which time an\naddition has been made to the north side, where there is a lintel of\na doorway bearing that date, with the initials T & E D., with a bird,\npartly intended as heraldic. This must have therefore been done by\nThomas Daws, nephew of Lancelot. Soon after this, the Grange, with the\nremaining half of the demesne, was sold to Sir John Lowther, to whose\ndescendants it now belongs, and has ever since been in the occupation\nof the Thwaytes family as tenants.\n\n\n (HERE THE TEXT ENDS).\n\n [The view of the pleasure ground, no description of which was written,\n is taken about half way from the entrance. The recumbent figure on\n the right is Venus, which, with the lion, is now almost hidden by\n bushes. Beyond was the \"Shakespeare corner,\" with scenes from his\n plays; facing the reader stands Sir Walter Scott, and below him three\n bas-reliefs illustrating his characters. The paintings are gone, and\n the arch is covered with a mass of ivy; it will be seen that one was\n mounted even in the wall of the farm house.\n\n To the left is a corner of the terrace, beyond which the lower lawn\n continues between the two great vases. The panel below and to the left\n of the further vase represents Science trimming the lamp of Life.\n\n The grounds fall far short of their former glory: only an artist could\n have kept them what they were; but though it misses \"the touch of a\n vanished hand,\" the quiet garden is still a place of great interest\n and beauty.]\n\n\n\n\nTRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:\n\nObvious printer errors have been corrected. Otherwise, the author's\noriginal spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been left intact.","title":"The vale of Lyvennet : $b its picturesque peeps and legendary lore","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":29263}