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title page |
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start of Westmorland |
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Page 153:-
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Godmond hall.
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Strickland Roger
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In Strickland Roger another chapelry of Kendal
remains at Godmond hall the tower in its original
state. The walls are upwards of two yards thick and strongly
cemented; the windows small and crossed with strong iron
bars: the lowest floor is arched over; and the next above
laid with massy boards or planks groined into each other to
prevent assaults from above: for the predatory parties did
not proceed by way of sap, but by compendious method strove
to unroof the building and let themselves down by ropes and
ladders [x].
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Kentmere.
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Kentmere
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At Kentmere was settled from the reign of John the
antient family of Gilpin, from whom descended the pious
Bernard, rector of Houghton le Spring, born here about 1517
[y]. Their antient hall still remains with a tower [z].
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Burton in Kendal
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Burton in Kendal
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In cleaning a field called The Quamps in
Dalton hall demesne near Burton in Kendal
1774, were discovered foundations of large stones with
door-ways in them, a copper pan, some small stone mortars,
and a great number of stone hand mills. Within a mile of
these ruins are two old halls. A quarter of a mile
south-west of this spot was lately a small mound and trench;
and at about an equal distance to the north were dug up at
the same time foundations of a like inclosure near 40 yards
square [a].
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Levens.
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Levens
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At Levens, the seat of the Redmans from John till
Henry VII. is a fair stone bridge over the Kent, on the
south side of which river are ruins of an antient building
now called Kirkstead, said to have been a temple of
Diana, and near it are ruins of another building, which
seems to have belonged to the same place. In the park well
stocked with fallow deer and almost equally divided by the
river is a spring called the Dropping well, that petrifies
moss, wood, leaves, &c [b].
In the river Betha is one of the two catadupae or
waterfalls mentioned by Mr. Camden. The rock which crosses
the bed of the river 66 feet in breadth is 16 feet
perpendicular, down which the water falls with a mighty
noise. But in the summer season the whole of the river is
employed in carrying two corn mills [c].
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weather signs
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The phaenomenon of Levens and Betham fall is thus to be
explained. When that which is to the north sounds more loud
and clear, the inhabitants look for sour weather; when that
to the south, for rain; the south-west winds blowing from
the sea bring the vapors with them, and from the north-east
have the contrary effect [d].
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Witherslack. Betham.
Milthorp.
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Witherslack
Beetham
Milnthorpe
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West from hence lies Witherslack, in which manor a
fair parochial chapel was built and endowed by Dr. John
Barwick dean of Durham and St. Paul's 1664, a native of the
place, and consecrated 1671 by bishop Wilkins, and dedicated
to St. Paul [e]. Betham, the parish church, is at a
great distance. "By Bitham is a greate park, and a goodly
place in it of the earle of Darby. By Bytham runneth Byth
water, a pretty river [f]." Below at the mouth of the river
Betham is Milthorp, the only seaport in the county,
to which the commodities imported are brought from Grange in
Lancashire [4]. Here are two paper mills, as there was one
near a century ago [g].
Bytham hall, now in ruins, is thus described by the vicar of
the place 1762. "By an easy ascent from the river we come to
a gateway, being the grand entrance into the castle yard.
Entering there we find ourselves in a fine open area, 70
yards long, by 44 in breadth. On the right appear to have
been some buildings as low as the walls of the yard to the
length of 98 feet, like barracks for soldiers. On the left
we have a charming view of the castle standing at the south
end of the area. The walls of the yard are three feet and an
half thick, with loopholes for the archers at proper
distances, 12 feet high below the parapet. The loopholes are
about three feet from the ground, two feet and an half in
height and breadth sloping outwards to two inches and an
half. The front of the house is in length 87 feet, of which
the east wing is 22, and the west 26; the remaining space of
39 feet makes the hall, which is in breadth 25 feet. The
windows in the hall are high up in the wall, and small in
proportion to the room, with much Gothic work about them.
Indeed in all the old houses in the country the windows, for
the sake of defence, have been small, and strongly secured
with cross bars of iron. The doors of the rooms are all
little, and one above another through each story. Up one
pair of stairs there hath been a chapel with a back
staircase to it, whereby the tenants and neighbours might
come to the chapel without disturbing the family. Southward
from the castle there is a fine descent, at the foot of
which is a good spring that supplies two large ponds with
water. Behind the house was the park, and in one of the
walks there are the remains of a lodge, and near it a spring
of good water, which Camden says had a petrifying quality,
but there is little or no appearance of such quality at
present [h]."
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Helslack. Arnside
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Arnside
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Within this manor also is Helslack tower, now in
ruins. Helslack mosses are remarkable for the ant or
pismire. About the middle of August, when they take wing,
1000 sea maws may be seen here catching these insects. The
neighbours call them the pismire fleet. In these
mosses are found, as in many others, large trees lying in
all directions at five feet depth. In this division likewise
is Arnside tower, the walls thereof not yet much
decayed. These towers seem to have been erected to guard the
bay; as there are on the opposite side the vestiges of
Broughton tower and Bazin tower, so there is
Castle head upon the island in Lindal Pow, and higher
up the moses of Methop, Ulva, and Foulsham were
inaccessible. In the centre of the bay is Peel castle.
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Haverbrack.
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In Haverbrack park is a small hill, on the top of
which was formerly a circular castle, whence it is still
called Castle hill, and the side thereof Castle
bank [i].
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Windermere water.
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Windermere lake
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The large lake called Windermere water is in
Applethwaite division. The islands within it are all in
Windermere parish. The rector hath for time immemorial had a
pleasure boat upon it; and he hath a prescription of so much
a boat, in lieu of all the tithe fish that are caught in the
lake.
This lake is from one to two miles broad, and extends with
crooked banks for the space of about thirteen miles, but in
a straight line drawn from one end to the other, perhaps not
above eight or nine miles, being in some places of a
wonderful
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[no footnotes found on my copy of the text]
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depth
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gazetteer links
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-- "Arnside Tower" -- Arnside Tower
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-- "Bitham Hall" -- Beetham Hall (?)
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-- "Betham Fall" -- Bela Falls
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-- "Byth Water" -- Bela, River
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-- "Dalton Hall" -- Dalton Hall
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-- "Dropping Well" -- Dropping Well
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-- "Godmond Hall" -- Godmond Hall
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-- "Haverbrack" -- Haverbrack
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-- "Helslack Mosses" -- Hazelslack Moss
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-- "Helslack Tower" -- Hazelslack Tower
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-- "Kentmere Hall" -- Kentmere Hall
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-- "Kirkstead" -- Kirkstead
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-- Levens Bridge
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-- "Levens Fall" -- Levens Force
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-- "Levens" -- Levens Hall
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-- "Milthorp" -- Milnthorpe
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-- "Cartmel Bay" -- Morecambe Bay
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-- "St Paul's Church" -- St Paul's Church
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-- "Windermere Water" -- Windermere lake
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