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

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Page 29:-
Several years after, Ralf de Graystock, lord of the manor of Gowbarrow, exchanged with them for certain lands in the manor of Thackthwaite; these they divided in the same manner as the others, and consequently each had one field called Croft, another called Ings, &c. These in process of time were laid together into common fields, and are the only common land in this manor. These lands likewise differ from the adjacent land, by paying a greater lord's rent, and their freedom from certain customs which the others perform. These are, the tenants of the rest of the barony of Graystock are bound to repair the mill-race and mill; and, in case it be required, to rebuild the mill at their own expence, the mill-stones excepted: the inhabitants of Thackthwaite are exempted from all this, except the repairing of the mill-race, which they are to do upon being required by the miller, and for which they are to receive a pot of ale, and a pennyworth of tobacco. An old inquisition in my possession specifies, that the pot shall contain eight standard quarts, so that probably this custom took its rise during the time these counties were in possession of the Scots.
  Gowbarrow Park
Before we leave Gowbarrow Park, (for the bounds of which see the Plan,) it may not be amiss to mention some particulars of its history. This Park was one of the forests proclaimed by William Rufus, and is now the property of the Right Honourable Charles Howard, Earl of Surrey *, of whose illustrious family and titles I shall inform my readers more at large hereafter.
The lower part of Gowbarrow was formerly meer'd out of the tenants of the manor of Water-Millock, who were to have as much of the produce as they could take with scythe, together with hay bounds, fern bounds, green hue, &c. These they lost in a law-suit with the lord, into which they were inadvertently drawn; for the whole of the tenants of the barony of Graystock quarrelling with their lord about some of their privileges, instituted a joint suit against him: in this complaint, it was set forth, that they had all enjoyed these privileges time out of mind, (which in fact none but the tenants of Water-Millock ever possessed.) The Attorney having made the complaint general, the whole were nonsuited, and in consequence thereof the tenants of Water-Millock lost their undoubted rights.
  vermin
Another custom, (likewise lost,) was, that the Bailiff should keep dogs for the hunting and destroying of foxes and other vermin which infest this neighbourhood, and for which he received 40 quarts of tolerable, (though not the best) oats, from every tenement, under the title of Forester's Corn. At last the Bailiff refused to keep the dogs, and the tenants upon this refused to pay the corn: in consequence of these disputes the agent for the lord came in person and demanded it, when some of the tenants instantly paid it; but others, alleging that the corn was merely an hire paid to the Bailiff for destroying noxious vermin, positively refused, and during their lives paid none: Their heirs, however, either in order to renew their leases upon easier terms, or by some other persuasions, consented to pay it, (one single tenement excepted,) and the lord now receives it.
We may naturally suppose, that in consequence of no dogs being kept, the vermin would multiply very fast: this they did to that degree, that one man, out of thirty-two lambs lost fourteen, and many others suffered proportional losses. Upon these repeated damages, the inhabitants called a vestry meeting, that they might consult for immediate remedying this evil. Some were of opinion, that an action should be brought against the lord to compel him to keep the hounds, as he received the corn paid for that purpose: but the more general opinion was, that since damages were every night done, and immediate relief must be had, it was better to hire men to destroy the vermin, than risque the precarious issue of a tedious and expensive suit at law. They thereupon raised a sum by way of cess for that purpose, and appointed the following rewards, (which are still paid) for the destruction of these noxious animals.
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* Now Duke of Norfolk.
gazetteer links
button -- "Gowbarrow Park" -- Gowbarrow Park
button -- (mill, Greystoke)
button -- "Thackthwaite" -- Thackthwaite
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