button to main menu  Clarke's Survey of the Lakes, 1787

button title page
button previous page button next page
Page 7:-
the Bailiff when he went to warn them; and it is hardly necessary to observe, that the Bailiff knew perfectly well how to time his summons. Some, however, chose rather to go than pay; and in that case they had a shilling each man from the lord, and at their return were to have bread and cheese and ale at the lord's expence. The last who went this journey was Henry Penrith, who brought salt from St Bees at the summons of John Lowther, to whom the manor was then mortgaged. This may shew us how greatly money is decreased in value within a few years in this country, as (notwithstanding the improvements of the road,) the distance which those who went to St Bees had to travel, is forty-seven miles; and before these improvements took place, the journey must have been not only longer, but very laborious.
  Battle of Clifton Moor
  1745 Rebellion

Near the village is Clifton-Moor, where a battle was fought between a part of the army under William Duke of Cumberland and the Rebels, in the year 1745, at which time Lieutenant-Colonel, (afterwards Lieutenant-General) Honeywood * was desperately wounded: he was taken up for dead, having received several wounds on his head; and his hat was cut through in nine several places.
  Lowther Village
  Lowther Family

Before we leave the river Lowther, it may not be improper to remark, that it gives name to a village, and probably to the great and illustrious family of Lowther, who have had their residence in that village since the reign of Henry the II. The family-mansion, called Lowther Hall, is well worth the notice of the curious traveller; but above all things, the admirable carpet-manufactory (carried on here for the sole use and pleasure of the family,) will amply gratify the curiosity of a spectator, as perhaps the whole world can scarcely equal it.
Among the many distinguished personages which the Lowther family has produced, I shall select a few of the most remarkable.
Sir Hugh de Lowther, Attorney-General to Edward the I.
Sir Hugh de Lowther, who, together with Richard Denton, was commissioned in the 17th of Edward the II. to summons and have ready all the armed men of the county of Cumberland. Afterwards, in the 13th of Edward the III. the same Sir Hugh de Lowther was commissioned to array all men at arms in the counties of Cumberland and Westmorland.
William Lowther, who, with Sir Thomas Colville, Sir John Etton, knights; William Selveyn, Henry Van Croypole, and Simon Ward, obtained leave from Richard the II. to challenge certain persons of the kingdom of Scotland to exercise feats of arms; and upon this the king appointed John Lord Roos to fix a camp and be judge in the said exercise.
Sir Richard Lowther. (the twelfth of the line,) was Lord-Warden of the West Marches, and several times a commissioner in the contests between the two kingdoms during the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
In the 11th year of her reign he was sent by her to Workington Hall, the seat of the Cunven [Curwen] family, to take prisoner Mary Queen of Scots, who had fled thither, and to carry her to Carlisle, and there to keep strict watch over her: His humanity, however, got the better of his duty, and he incurred Elizabeth's displeasure, by suffering the Duke of Norfolk to visit the unfortunate Princess in her confinement.
Sir
* This was not the only miraculous escape of this brave officer: at the battle of Dettingen he received twenty-three broad-sword wounds, and two Musquet-shots which never were extracted. He died A.D. 1785, and left his large estates, to the amount of L.6000 per annum, together with a very considerable personal property, to his nephew Filmer Honeywood, Esq; now Member for the County of Kent.
erratum from p.194
for Cunven, read Curwen.
gazetteer links
button -- (battle site, Clifton Moor)
button -- "Clifton" -- Clifton
button -- "Lowther Hall" -- Lowther Castle
button next page

button to main menu Lakes Guides menu.