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

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Page 120:-

book 4
  chapter 3

CHAP. III.

Entry into Westmoreland -- Grassmere -- Mr Gray's description -- Manor and Customs -- Distressing effects of the horse-tax -- Anecdote of two clergymen and a quaker -- Custom of rushbearing -- Strange story in consequence of the custom.
  Westmorland
LEAVING Dunmail-Rays, we enter Westmorland again, and descend along the side of a large mountain called Seat-Sandal.
I shall here give an extract from Mr Gray's journal, (because I would wish to be thought impartial in every description.)
  Grasmere lake
  Mr Gray

"Next I passed the little chapel of Wythburn, out of which the Sunday congregation were then issuing; soon after, a Beck near Dunmail-Rays, where I entered Westmorland a second time, and now began to see Helm-Cragg; distinguished from its rugged neighbours, not so much by its height, as by the strange broken outlines of its top, like some gigantic building demolished, and the stones that composed it flung across in wild confusion. Just beyond it opens one of the sweetest landscapes that art ever attempted to imit[ate]: the bosom of the mountains spreading here into a broad bason, discovers in the midst Grassmere-Water; its margin is hollowed into small bays, with bold eminences; some of rock, some of turf, that half conceal and vary the figure of the little lake they command: from the shore, a low promontory pushes itself far into the water, and on it stands a white village with the parish church rising in the midst of it; hanging inclosures, corn-fields, and meadows with their trees, hedges, and cattle, fill up the whole space from the edge of the water; and just opposite to you is a large farm house at the bottom of a steep smooth lawn, embosomed in old woods, which climb half way up the mountain's side, and discover above them a broken line of craggs that crown the scene. Not a single red tile, no gentleman's floring-house or garden breaks in upon the repose of this little unsuspected paradise; but all is peace, rusticity, and happy poverty, in its neatest, most becoming attire." Mr Gray's description is pretty accurate, but this sublime way of writing (as Mr West calls it) is not my province; a guide ought, in my opinion, to be merely narrative. I admire this little place very much myself, and I think here is a station for the artist, equal, if not superior to any in this part. It is upon the side of a round hill called Butter-lip-how; Mr Farrington has taken one of his lately published from below Tail-end, which looks exceeding well; but in this you have a church, and adjoining it an arched bridge, which are certainly great additions in the front of a landscape; behind them the Lake, with the island upon it, appearing very distinctly, with wooded banks behind them: on each side of the lake is a road; one leading to Ambleside, the other to Hawkshead; at the back of all a very high mountain spotted with rubbish from the slate quarries thereon, and not at too great a distance.
In this little amphitheatre may be found several good stations for the landscape painter, and a sweet retired situation for the studious mind; only it is at rather too great a distance from any open country or good market town; the streams for fishing are small, and the want of (variety which is always the case in little places) soon cloys the imagination.
  Grasmere
  Barony of Kendal

Grassmere, or Gresmere, is part of the great barony of Kendale, and is leased of the crown by the Earl of Lonsdale: when Queen Catherine, wife of Charles the II. held Grassmere, we find it consisted of both the Marquis and Richmond fees; for by an inquisition the 28th of Charles the II. she held thirty-nine customary tenements in Grassmere of the Marquis's fee, of the yearly rent of 11l. 6s. 2d. and thirty-five tenements in Grassmere of Richmond fee, of the yearly rent of 6l. 12s. 4d. also forest silver 2l. 4s. 5d. Brewfarm eight-pence, Goldwether seven-pence, with heriot service.
The
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button -- "Grassmere Water" -- Grasmere
button -- "Grassmere" -- (Grasmere, Lakes)
button -- "Helm Cragg" -- Helm Crag
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