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title page |
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start of Lancashire |
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Page 142:-
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Skerton Bridge
Lancaster, quay
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and a new bridge built by act of parliament over the river
Lune or Lon. It has a considerable trade particularly to the
West-Indies, and a fine quay on the river Lune: the river
navigable to the bridge for ships of 250 tons. The
custom-house is a handsome building.
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MORICAMBE
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Morecambe Bay
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Mr. Camden speaks of Furness as almost separated from
Lancashire by the encroachment of the sea. He might have
affirmed that it is no where else connected with any part of
the county. Ptolemy's MORICAMBE (sic) is Cartmel bay,
perhaps from British Moreb, a haven and Cain
white or beautiful, from the white rocks on this coast [h].
A Roman road runs through Furness from Conished to Dalton,
near which last place is a ditch and rampart on the east
side of the church-yard [i]. Cartmel is the only town near
Furness that retains a British name, and Bardsey the only
village in it that retains a British sound [k].
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Furness.
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Furness
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iron ore
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The low or plain part of Furness, which is so called
to distinguish it from the woody or mountainous part,
produces all sorts of grain, but principally oats, whereof
the bread eaten in this country is generally made; and there
are found here veins of a very rich iron ore, which is not
only melted and wrought here, but great quantities are
exported to other parts to mix with poorer ores.
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slate
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In the mountainous parts of this country are found quarries
of a fine durable blue slate to cover buildings with, which
are made use of in many other parts of the kingdom; and here
are several cotton-mills lately erected; and if fuel for
fire were more plentiful, the trade in this country would
much increase; but there being no coals nearer than Wigan or
Whitehaven, and the coast duties high, firing is rather
scarce, the country people using only turf or peat, and that
begins to be more scarce than formerly.
Bishop Gibson derives the name of Fourness from the numerous
furnaces there antiently, whose rents and services called
Bloomsmithy rent are still annually paid.
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sheep
charcoal
forests
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In the mosses of Furness much fir is found, but more oak:
the trunks in general lie with their heads to the east, the
high winds having been from the west [l]. High Furness has
ever had great quantities of sheep which browse upon the
hollies left in great numbers for them; and produces
charcoal for melting iron ore, and oak bark for tanners' use
in great abundance. Low Furness was applied to the uses of
agriculture [m]. The forests abounded with deer and wild
boars, and the legh or scofe or large stags,
whose horns are frequently found underground here.
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sands roads
sands guide
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The three sands mentioned by Mr. Camden are very dangerous
to travellers by the tides and the many quicksands. There is
a guide on horseback appointed to Ken or Lancaster sand at
£.10. per ann. to Leven at £.6. per
ann. out of public revenue, but to Dudden, which are
most dangerous, none; and it is no uncommon thing for
persons to pass over in parties of 100 at a time like
caravans, under the direction of the carriers, who go to or
fro every day. The sands are less dangerous than formerly,
being more used and better known, and travellers never going
without the carriers or guides.
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Plumpton.
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Plumpton
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Plumpton was famous 500 years ago for its iron mines
[n], and much is still found at Whitrigs [o], and other
parts of Plain Furness.
Mr. Camden in Caernarvonshire had placed the Setantiorum
λιμην of Ptolemy on
the river Secont near Caernarvon, but allows that
other copies remove it further off. Baxter puts it at the
mouth of Mersey, Stukeley of Lune, Ward in Horsley and
Whitaker of Ribble [p].
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Cartmell.
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Cartmel Priory
Flookburgh
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Cartmell was a priory of Austin canons, founded 1188,
valued at £.91. [q]. The gate still remains. The
large and handsome church was purchased by the parishioners
at the dissolution; the choir adorned with curious carving
of the passion, by George Preston of this place 1640, who
repaired in the antient style [r]. The town is small and has
very irregular streets lying in a vale surrounded by high
hills. The market which the priory had at
Flookborough adjoining is now removed to Cartmel [s].
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Holker mount.
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Holker Hall
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Holker mount, once the seat of the Prestons, since
the property of the Lowthers, and now of lord George
Cavendish, is a large irregular house in a pretty park well
wooded [t].
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Wraysholme.
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Wraysholme
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Near Wraysholme tower is a brackish medical spring
much used for arthritic and cutaneous disorders [u].
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Ulverston.
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Ulverston
shipping
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Ulverston, the key and mart of Furness, has a good
market, and fits out 70 ships for the coasting trade [x].
The steeple was built by a private person from the ground to
the height of the church roof, and was finished by the
inhabitants [y].
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Dalton.
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Dalton-in-Furness
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Dalton, antiently the principal town, now decayed,
though pleasantly situated, has an old castle or tower,
lately a gaol for debtors [z],
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Furnes ab.
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Furness Abbey
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"Furnis abbay up in the mountains [a]," was begun at
Tulket in Amounderness 1124, for the monks of Savigni in
France, and three years after removed to this valley, then
called Bekangesgill or the vale of Nightshade. It was
of the Cistercian order, endowed with above £.800.
per ann [b].
Some ruins and part of the fosse which surrounded the
monastery are still to be seen at Tulket [c]. The remains at
Furness breathe that plain simplicity of the Cistercian
abbies; the chapter-house was the only piece of elegant
Gothic about it, and its roof has lately fallen in. Part of
the painted glass from the east window representing the
crucifixion, &c. is preserved at Winder mere church in
Bowness c. Westmorland. The church (except the north side of
the nave), the chapter-house, refectory, &c. remain only
unroofed [d].
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Walney isle
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Walney Island
Piel Castle
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Walney isle at the extremity of Fourness has been
lately improved by spreading sea-sand on the land, and now
produces plentiful crops of wheat and other grain. The
strong castle of the pile of Foudrey stands on another
island at its southern extremity [e].
The murder ascribed to Ethred in Wornvaldremere A.D.
791, is doubted, because he was himself one of king
Elfwold's sons [6].
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Aldingham
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Great part of Aldingham parish has been swept away by
the tides [f].
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[h]
West's Hist. of Furness, p.v.
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[i]
Ib. p.ix.
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[k]
Ib. xii.
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[l]
Ib. xliv.
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[m]
Ib. xlv.
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[n]
Ib. xv.
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[o]
Pennant, 26. West, xvii.
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[p]
I. 125.
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[q]
Lel. V. 85. Tan. 231.
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[r]
West, xiv. 261. Penn. 23.
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[s]
West, ib.
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[t]
Penn. 24.
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[u]
West, ib.
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[x]
Ib. xvi. P. 25.
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[y]
Inscription in the tower.
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[z]
West, xviii.
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[a]
Lel. V. 85.
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[b]
Tan. 230.
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[c]
West, 2.
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[d]
Ib. 94.
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[e]
West, xix. Pennant, 27.
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[6]
G.
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[f]
West, xxi.
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Gleaston
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gazetteer links
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-- Aldingham
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-- Bardsea
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-- "Cartmell Priory" -- Cartmel Priory
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-- Cartmel
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-- Dalton Castle
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-- "Dalton" -- Dalton-in-Furness
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-- "Flookborough" -- Flookburgh
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-- Furness Abbey
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-- Furness
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-- "Holker Mount" -- Holker Hall
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-- Holy Well
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-- Lancaster
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-- "Cartmel Bay" -- Morecambe Bay
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-- (roman road, Furness)
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-- (sands road, Lancaster Sands)
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-- St Mary and Holy Trinity Church
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-- Ulverston
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-- Walney Island
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-- Windermere
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next page |
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