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

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Page 133:-
of Wythburn manor, Low-Wray, Brimhim park, Brathay, the Finery Heath at Cunza, &c. all which are now sold to different people.

book 5
  chapter 2

CHAP. II.

Of Winandermere Lake, -- Crowgarth, the Skulls there, &c. -- Hogarth, family of, -- Remarkable Strong Man, -- The Curwen Family. -- Large Island, with Pennant's account of it, -- Bowness, village of, -- Carriers arms in the Church window, -- Mr Young's Description of the Lake, -- Fish and Fisheries, -- Return to Ambleside by Slape Cragg.
  Windermere lake
WE will now leave Ambleside, the situation of which (see plate X.) and taking the Lake Winandermere on the right, travel along a pleasant road to Low wood, a convenient inn, where boats are kept for the use of the curious traveller; otherwise I would take boat at Ambleside, (which I rather commend) and sailing down the Lake land at Crowgarth. Here the artist will have the best landscape near this Lake, though it does not take in one single island; yet this is the only place where the view closes on each side, and the rugged broken tops of Langdale-Pikes, Hard-knott, and Wry-nose, are seen most distinct, and to the best advantage, being any where else at too great a distance. Mr Hannan took this view from a hill between Miller-ground and Rayrigg, but the distance and elevation of the station took away the bold grandeur of the back ground, which I always think should be high; he also wanted the sloping woods and fields, with the white cottages of Wreay, with many other beautiful objects. Indeed if you could anchor in six fathoms water between the Sand-beds and High Wreay, opposite Ecclerigg-Cragg, (see plate X.) and the day should be calm, you would have the advantage of Clappersgate, and Rydale-Hall, at the Base of huge wooded mountains, and part of Ambleside. This situation is rather too low, but not much: I took a drawing there once, (but have lost it) some of the company fired a gun whilst I was making my draught, and it being a calm day, I catched the thin smoak as it had ascended about half way up the mountains, which had a very pretty effect.
  Calgarth
  Philipson Family

Whilst the landscape-painter is here exercising his pencil, let the antiquarian go to the farm-house at Crow-garth, alias Calf-garth, alias Cold-garth, now commonly called Caw-garth, be it which it will. Here are, in alto relievo over the dining-room fire-place, two good devices, remarkably well executed, (in oak-wood) one of Sampson sleeping upon Delilah's lap, whilst the Philistines are cutting off his hair. (Judges, chap. xiii.) The other, a representation of Jeptha meeting his daughter, with harp and timbrel, &c. after his rash vow, (Judges, chap. xi.) In the parlour, upon the ceiling, are several devices, particularly the Wiverne, which, according to Guillim, p.262. is the arms of Drake.
This estate belonged many years to a family of the name of Phillipson. Mr Machel says, the first he meets with was Robert Philipson, in King Henry the III's. time. The estate continued in the name and family till the year 1714, when it ended in daughters, who sold the estate to Mr Taylor; so it must have been in the name and family five hundred years: A long time, indeed, considering the intestine feuds and quarrels in these parts! The original name seems to have been Therlwall, (so it appears to me that Mr Machel must have been mistaken, when he calls them Philipsons as late as Henry the III's. time,) as appears by the grant of Robert Cook, Esq; Clarencieux, King of arms in 1581, where he says, "For as much as Rowland Philipson, alias Therlwall of Calgarth in the county of Westmorland;" and further on says, "which Rowland was descended of a younger brother, forth of the house of Therlwall in the county of Northumberland; which said Rowland, by reason of the Christian name of one of his
"ancestors,
gazetteer links
button -- "Ambleside" -- Ambleside
button -- "Crowgarth" -- Calgarth Hall
button -- Low Wood Hotel
button -- (station, Calgarth)
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