 Part 13 of A Guide to the Lakes by Thomas West This Librivox recording is in the public domain. Kendall The approach to it from the north is pleasant. A noble river, the Kent, is discovered flowing briskly through fertile fields, and visiting the town in its whole length. It is crossed by a bridge more venerable than handsome, where three great roads go inside, from Sedber, Kirkby-Steven, and Penrith. The main street leading from the bridge slopes upwards to the centre of the town, and contracts itself to an inconvenient passage, where it joins another principal street, which falls with a gentle declivity both ways, is a mile in length, and of a spacious breadth. Was an area for a marketplace opened at the incident of these two streets, it would give the town a noble appearance. The entrance from the south is by another bridge, which makes a short arcward turn into the suburbs. After that, the street opens well, and the town has a cheerful appearance. In this town is a workhouse for the poor, which for neatness and economy, exceeds most of the kind in the kingdom. The inns are gentile and commodious, plentifully served in the usage civil. The objects most worthy of notice are the manufacturers. The chief of these are of the Kendall-Cottons, a coarse woolen cloth, of the linses, of knit wusted stockings, and a considerable tannery. The lesser manufacturers are of waste silk, which is received from London, and after scouring, combing and spinning is returned, of wool cards, in which branch considerable improvements have been made by the curious machines invented here, and of fish hooks. There are other articles of industry well worth seeing, the mills for scouring, fooling and frising cloth, for cutting and rasping, dying wood etc. But what is most of the credit of this place is, that notwithstanding several considerable inconveniences, which this town has ever laboured under, the manufacturers have all along continued to flourish, and are particularly noticed, so early as the reign of King Richard II and Henry IV, when special laws were enacted for the better regulation of the Kendall Cloths, and have of late years been greatly increased by the spirit and industry of the inhabitants. When William the Conqueror gave the barony of Kendall to Ivo de Talboth, the inhabitants of Kendall were the villain tenants of the baronial lord, but one of his successors emancipated them, and confirmed their burgages to them by charter. Queen Elizabeth in the eighteenth year of her reign, erected it into a corporation, by the name of Aldermen and Burgages, and afterwards King James I incorporated it with a mayor, twelve Aldermen and twenty-four Burgesses. Mr Gray's description of this town is equally injurious to it, and his memory, but of the church and castle he is pointed. Near the end of the town stands a handsome house of Colonel Wilson's, and adjoining to it the church a very large gothic fabric, with a square tower. It has no particular ornaments, but double aisles, and at the east end four chapels or choirs. Mr Gray's account then proceeds to the inside of the church, which he describes with his usual accuracy and ease. Speaking of the chapels, one of Paz, another of Strickland's, the third is the proper choir of the church, and the fourth of the Bellingham's, a family now extinct. The Bellingham's came into Westmoreland before the reign of Henry the Seventh, and would seat it at Burnside. In the reign of King Henry the Eighth, Adam Bellingham purchased of the King the twentieth part of a knight's fee in Helsington, parcel of the possession of Henry, Duke of Richmond, and of Sir John Lumley, Lord Lumley, which his father, Thomas Bellingham, had farmed of the crown. He was succeeded by his son, James Bellingham, who erected the tomb in the Bellingham's chapel. There is an altar tomb of one of them, Viz Adam Bellingham, dated 1577, with a flat brass arms and quarterings, and in the window their arms alone, argent, a hunting-horned sable, strung gules. In the Strickland's chapel are several modern monuments, and another old altar tomb not belonging to the family. On the side of it, a fest stand set between Tenbyade and Court. This tomb is probably of Ralph Dancourt, who, in the reign of King John, married Helen, daughter of Anselm de Furnace, whose daughter and sole heir, Elizabeth Dancourt, was married to William, son and heir of Sir Robert de Sturkland, of Great Sturkland, knight twenty-third of Henry the Third. The son and heir was Walter de Sturkland, who lived in the reign of Edward I, was possessed of the fortunes of Anselm de Furnace and Dancourt in Westmoreland, and erected the above tomb to the memory of his grandfather, Ralph Dancourt. The descendants of the said Walter de Sturkland have lived at Caesar in this neighbourhood ever since. This chapel is the family burial place. In Pa's chapel is a third altar tomb in the corner, no figure or inscription, but on the side, cut in stone, an escutcheon of Ross of Kendall, three water budgets, quartering pa, two bars in a bordure engrailed, secondly an escutcheon, ver, affes for Mamion, thirdly an escutcheon, three chevronals braced, and a chief, which I take for Fitzhugh. But the foot is an escutcheon surrounded with the garter, bearing Ross and pa quarterly, quartering the other two before mentioned. I have no books to look in, therefore cannot say whether this is Lord Pa of Kendall, Queen Catherine's father, or her brother the Marquis of Northampton. Perhaps this is a cenotaph for the latter who was buried at Warwick, 1571. The castle he describes thus. The remains of the castle are seated on a fine hill on the side of the river opposite to the town. Almost the whole enclosure wall remains, with four towers, two square and two round, but their upper parts and embattlements are demolished. It is a rough stone and cement without any ornament or arms, round, enclosing a court of the like form, and surrounded by a moat. Nor ever could it have been larger than it is, for there are no traces of outworks. There is a good view of the town and river, with a fertile open valley through which it winds. Had Mr. Gray ascended from the end of Strummingate Bridge to the castle, which was the only way to it when in its glory, and is the easiest at present, he would have observed a square area that had been fortified with a deep moat, and connected to the castle by a drawbridge, where was probably the base court. The stones now are entirely removed and the ground levelled, and laughing series re-assumes the land. The present structure was undoubtedly raised by the first barons of Kendall, and probably on the ruins of the Roman station, this being the most eligible site in the country for a summer encampment, and at a small distance from Watercrook, there are still some remains of a dark red freestone used in facings, and in the doors and windows, that has been brought from the environs of Penrith, or probably by the Romans, than either the Saxon or Norman lords. Fame says this castle held out against Oliver Cromwell, and was battled from the castle Law Hill, but this is not so probable, as that its present ruinous state is owing to the jealousy of the usurper. There is a most pleasant morning ride of five miles down the east side of the river. Watercrook is one mile distant on the right, close by the side of the Kent. This is the concangium of the Romans, where a body of the Vigilatores, Watchman, kept guard, and was the intermediate station between the dictus at Ambleside and the garrison at Overborough. The line of the Foss may be still traced, though much defaced by the plough. Alters, coins, and inscribed stones have been found here, and in the wall of the barn on the very area of the station is still legible the inscription preserved by Mr. Horsley, to the memory of two freed men with an imprecation against anyone who should contaminate their sepulchre with a fawn to the fiscal. There is also an altar without an inscription, and a silenus, without a head. At a small distance is a pyramidal knoll, crowned with a single tree called Saturi, where something dedicated to the God Satan has stood. Pass through the village of Natland, on the crest of a green hill on the left, called Helm, are the vestiges of a castellum called Castle Steads, which corresponded, by smoke in the day and flame in the night, with the garrison at Lancaster, by the beacon on Wharton Crag during the residence of the Watchman at Watercrook. There is a house at a distance to the north, called Watch House, where rum and coins have been found. Proceed through Sigiswick, and fall in with the course of the river at Forse Bridge, and from the crown of it have a very singular romantic view, both ways of the river, working its way in a narrow deep channel of rocks, hanging over it in variety of forms, streaming a thousand limpid rills into the flood. The rocks in the bottom are strangely excavated into deep holes of various shapes, that when the river is low, remain full of water, from its depth black as ink. The bridge is one bold arch suspended by the opposite rocks, its antiquity unknown. A mantle of ivy veils its ancient front, and gives it a most venerable appearance. If you ride down the west side of the river from the bridge, as far as the forge, to see the waterfall of the whole river, its stream is much more impaired in beauty since the forge was erected. But if from the end of the uppermost house, you will look up between two trees in the midst of the channel, you will see the whole body of the river issuing from a sable cavern, and tumbling over a rock of height just sufficient to convert into froth, as white as snow. And behind it, the arch of the bridge is partly catched in a disposition that forms a very uncommon assemblage of picturesque beauties. This is seen in highest perfection when the stream is full. Return to the bridge, and ride down the east side of the river to Levin's Park. If you are not provided with a key from Kendall, the keeper must be applied to. Here is one of the sweetest spots that fancy can imagine. The woods, the rocks, the river, the grounds are rivals in beauty of style and variety of contrast. The bends of the river, the bulging of rocks over it, under which in some places it retires in haste, and again breaks out in a calm and spreading stream are matchless beauties. The grounds in places are bold and hang to the river, or fall into gentle slopes and decline into easy plains. All is variety with pleasing transition. Its cover the brows, ancient thorns, and more ancient oaks are scattered over the plain, and clumps and solitary beech trees of enormous size, equal if not surpass anything the Chiltern Hills can boast. The park is well stocked with fallow deer. The side of the kent is famous for petrifying springs that encrust vegetable bodies as moss, leaves, of trees, etc. Here is one in the park called the Dropping Well. At a small distance is Hincaster, where the Romans had a camp, and from the name the Britons have called it the Old Camp. Within the park is Kirk's Head, mentioned by Camden as a place frequented by the Romans, yet nothing of late belonging to that people has been discovered at either place. Levin's House was the seat of a family of that name for many ages, then of Redmond for many descents. Afterwards it came to Bellingham and Adam, or his son James Bellingham gave it the present form in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and in taste of carvings in wood, attempted to outdo his contemporary, Walter Sterkland of Ciser, Esquire. After Bellingham it came to Colonel Graham, and from his daughter by marriage, to the ancestor of the present noble possessor. And by Levin's Bridge to Kendall, five miles. Have a new view of the valley and the east side of Kent. At the Park Gate have a charming view of Ciser, showing itself to the morning sun, and appearing to advantage from an elevated site under a bold and wooded background. The tower was built in the reign of Henry III or Edward I by Sir William Sterkland, who had married Elizabeth, the general heir of Ralph Dancourt. This is evident from an escutcheon cut in stone on the west side of the tower, and hung corner-wise. Dancourt, quartering Sterkland, three escalop shells, the crest on a close helmet, a full topped hollybush. The same are the arms of the family at this time, and this has been their chief residence ever since. Before you leave Kendall, visit the Castle Law Hill. This is an artificial mount that overlooks the town and faces the castle, and surpasses it in antiquity, being one of those hills called Laws, where in ancient times, distributive justice was administered. From its present appearance it seems to have been converted to different purposes, but though well situated as a watch upon the castle, could never be a proper place to batter it from as the report goes. To Lancaster, by Burton, twenty-two miles. Observe before you reach Burton, Foulton Knot, a naked, towering, rocky mountain, laid to resemble much in form the Rock of Gibraltar. Between Burton and Lancaster, see Donald Mill Hall, a subterraneous cavern, a river running through it with many curious petrifactions, in style like those in Derbyshire, and of the same kind. Lancaster, finished Chartiquet Viequet. End of Part 13. Part 14 of A Guide to the Lakes by Thomas West. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. A comparative view of the height of mountains seen in this tour, with the most remarkable on the continent, taken from the latest surveys. Heights of mountains above the level of the sea, by Mr. Waddington, AD 1770. Snowden in Wales, 3456 feet. Wernside, 1350 feet. Pendle Hill, 1137 feet. Penigante, 1310 feet. Ingleborough, 1329 feet. By Donald, Helvelyn, 3,324 feet. Skidaw, 3,270 feet. Crossfell, 3,390 feet. Saddleback, 3,048 feet. In North Britain, Penance Tour in Scotland, 1769. Ben Lomond, 3,240 feet. Ben Nevesh, 4,350 feet. Ben Ebor, still higher. Lagen Eger, Ben Wewish. These last three mountains are never without snow. Heights above the level of the Mediterranean Sea, by M. T. Burrett. Lake of Geneva at the lower passage of the Rhône, 1,194 feet. Summit of the Dole, the highest mountain of Dura, 5,400 feet. Vale of Chamonix, in Savoy, 3,363 feet. Ridge de Breven, a glacier in the valley of Chamonix, 8,847 feet. Valley of Mount Inver, in Savoy, 5,595 feet. Abbey of Sixth, Hibbid, 2,391 feet. Summit of Grenier, 8,346 feet. Summit of Gren Ehren, 8,874 feet. Summit of Bouet, 9,945 feet. Chamon Blanc, 15,243 feet. Mount Etna, 12,000 feet. Heights above the level of the ocean, highest part of the table at the Cape of Good Hope, 3,459 feet. Pai Caluchio, in the island of Madeira, 5,067 feet. Pai Tenerife, 13,197. The same according to Dr. Hebriden, in Madeira, 15,396. Summit of Cotopaxi, in the province of Quito, according to Don Antonio de Ojoa, 19,929 feet. Cayamboa, under the equator, 18,000. Chimboraco, 19,320. Pechincha, 14,580. Carason, 14,820. From the Survey of Mountains, it appears that Snowden is the highest in South Britain, yet below the point of permanent snow. It has been observed by the French academicians as amongst the Cordilleras in the province of Quito, Pechincha and Carason are the highest accessible mountains, and that all of greater heights are vested with eternal snow. On the glaciers, snow is permanent at a much inferior height, and where the sun's rays fall more oblique, less height is found, the boundary between temporary and eternal snow. But no mountain in South Britain touches the region of barrenness, that intervenes between the limits of vegetation and perpetual snow. Sheep pass to the summits of Shaggy Snowden, Green Hellvelling and Purple Skidor. Barrenness only prevails where rock and precipice, the invincible objects of vegetation, oppose themselves. Roads from Lancaster to the Lakes, Miles. Lancaster, Nongovicum, 3 miles to Heftbank, 9 miles over Lancaster Sands, to Carter House, 2 miles to Cartamel Church Town or Fluckborough, 2 miles to Holker Gate, 3 miles over Ulverston Sands to Carter House, 1 mile to Ulverston, 12 miles to Dalton, Furnace Abbey and back to Ulverston, 4 miles to Penny Bridge, 2 miles to Lowick Bridge, or 5 from Ulverston to Lowick Bridge, 2 and a half miles through Nipthway to Coniston Waterfoot, 6 miles to Coniston Waterhead, 3 miles to Hawkshead, 5 miles to Ambleside, or 3 miles to the Ferry on Windermere, 1 mile to Bones across the Windermere, 7 miles to Ambleside and Bogulana, see the waterfall in the groves, 2 miles to Ridle, see the waterfall above the hall and the Cascade in the Summer House, 2 miles to Grasmere, 2 and a half miles to Dunmayle Raised Stones, 3 and 3 quarter miles, Dalehead, see the general view of Thirlmere, 4 and 3 quarter miles, Castle Rig, see the grand view of the Vale of Keswick, 1 mile Keswick, the Ventione, 3 miles, Lodur Waterfall, 1 mile Grange, 1 mile Boda Stone, Castle 2 and a half miles Rothwate, 2 and a half miles Seathwate, see Black Lead or Wadmines, 9 and a half miles Keswick, 8 miles down Basinthwate Water by Bones, Bradness, Scareness to Armathwate, 9 miles up the other side of the lake to Keswick, 5 miles Gafgadale, 3 miles Buttermere, 6 miles Downcrumic Water to Lawton, 7 and a half miles to Keswick, 4 miles Threstgild, 6 miles Whitsborough, see the Roman encampment, 1 mile Penrudak, 6 and 3 quarter miles Penrith, Berida, Fureda, 5 miles Dunmallet at the foot of Oldswater and Pooley Bridge, 9 miles Watermillock, Goberry Park, Aery Bridge to the head of Oldswater, see the Waterfall in Goberrow Park, 9 miles Ambleside or 14 miles to Penrith, 10 and a half miles by Louther, Ascombe and Vampton to Hawswater, 15 miles from the head of Hawswater through the Longsleydale to Kendall, or 5 miles to Shapp by Rossgill and Shapp Abbey, 7 miles to Hawsfoot, 8 miles to Kendall, Concangium, 10 miles down the east side of Kent to Levin's Park and return to Kendall by Ciser, 11 miles Burton in Kendall, Cotchum, 11 miles Lancaster, Finis, End of Part 14, End of A Guide to the Lakes by Thomas West, read by Phil Benson in Sydney, Australia.