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start of Cumberland |
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Page 179:-
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Cumberland
ADDITIONS
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ADDITIONS
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Cumberland, extent
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THE county of Cumberland is in length from the Peel of
Fouldry on the south to the north near Langford above 70
miles, and in breadth from Allenby on the west to Newbiggin
bridge on the east 30 miles and upwards, 230 in
circumference, contains about 1,040,000 acres, about 20,000
houses, and near 100,000 inhabitants. It is divided (as
Westmorland, and for the same reason), into five wards, in
which are eight market and two borough towns, and 58
parishes [a].
"The length of Cumberland by the shore is from a water
called Dudden, the which devideth Furnesland from Cumbreland
onto a lytle water or mere called Polt Rosse, the
which devideth the county of Northumberland on the east side
from Cumbreland. The bredeth of Cumbreland is from a water
called Emot that divideth on the south side the one part
Cumbreland from Westmorland until he enter into the river of
Edon two miles from Pereth by east, and so on the east side
of Edon unto a broke called ... the which divideth likewise
Cumbreland from Westmerland unto the ryver of Eske in the
north side, the which divideth Cumbreland from the batable
ground until it come to the arm of the se which divideth
England from Scotland [b]."
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Copeland barony.
Egremont.
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Copeland
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The great barony of Copeland lies between the rivers
Darwent and Dudden and the sea, and was granted by Ranulph
de Meschines to his brother William, who seated himself at
Egremont castle, and caused the name of the barony to
be changed from Copeland to Egremont, which it retains to
this day [c].
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Millum.
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Millom
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Within this great barony and forest are divers manors and
knights' fees, manors of themselves holden of this castle.
Of these is Millum, q.d. Meol holme, being a
plain ground running with a sharp point into the sea. It
belonged to the Huddlestones from the reign of Henry III.
and William, the last male heir of that family, at his death
left two daughters, the elder of whereof married sir
Hedworth Williamson, of Monkwearmouth in the county palatine
of Durham, bart. and perpetual high-sheriff of that county
under the bishop; and the younger daughter having only a
legacy in money and no part of the estate, the same was sold
to sir James Lowther, bart. (now earl of Lonsdale), but it
was a considerable number of years before the purchase-money
was fully paid [d].
"Between Eske and Doden is set Millum, a
castel longing to sir John Hudestan, on the right of Dudden
river or Dudden sands [e]." The first lords William and
Henry, about the time of Henry II. took their name from it,
but t. Henry III. the heiress of Adam de Millum transferred
it by marriage to John Hudlestone [1].
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Swineshead.
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Swinside stone circle
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At Swineshead, a very high hill between Bow fell in
this county and Broughton in Furness in Lancashire, four
miles from the latter, is a druidical temple, which the
country people call Sunken Kirk, i.e.a church sunk
into the earth. It is nearly a circle of very large stones,
pretty entire, only a few fallen, upon sloping ground in a
swampy meadow. No situation could be more agreeable to the
Druids than this; mountains almost encircle it, not a tree
is to be seen in the neighbourhood, nor a house, except a
shepherd's cot at the foot of a mountain surrounded by a few
barren pastures.
At the entrance there are four large stones, two placed on
each side at the distance of six feet. The largest on the
left hand side is five feet six inches in height, and 10
feet in circumference. Through this you enter into a
circular area, 29 yards by 30. This entrance is nearly
south-east. On the north or right hand side is a huge stone
of a conical form, in height nearly 9 feet. Opposite the
entrance is another large stone, which has once been erect,
but is now fallen within the area; its length is eight feet.
To the left hand or south-west is one, in height seven feet,
in circumference 11 feet nine inches. The altar probably
stood in the middle, as there are some stones still to be
seen, though sunk deep in the earth. The circle is nearly
complete, except on the western side some stones are
wanting. The largest stones are about thirty-one or two in
number. The outward part of the circle upon the sloping
ground is surrounded with a buttress or rude pavement of
smaller stones raised about half a yard from the surface of
the earth.
The situation and aspect of the druidical temple near
Keswick, mentioned by Mr. Pennant in his tour [f], is in
every respect similar to this, except the rectangular recess
formed by 10 large stones, which is peculiar to that at
Keswick; but, upon the whole, I think a preference will be
given to this at Swinshead, as the stones in general appear
much larger, and the circle more entire.
This monument of antiquity, when viewed within the circle,
strikes you with astonishment how the massy stones could be
placed in such regular order either by human strength or
mechanical power.
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Ravenglas.
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Ravenglass
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Dr. Burn derives Ravenglas from renigh, fern,
and glas, green. Here are in winter such plenty of
woodcocks, that the tenants are bound to sell them to the
lord for a pence a piece [g].
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Three Shire Stones
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In Langdale in Westmorland are two high hills in the road
from Cumberland to Gresmere called Hardknot and
Wrynose; on the latter of which are placed the shire
stones; three little stones, about a foot high and a foot
asunder, set in a triangle [h].
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[a]
Burn's Hist. of Cumberland. II. 2,3.
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[b]
Lel. VII. 71.
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[c]
Burn, II. 8.
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[d]
Ib. 9,10,13.
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[e]
Lel. VII. 59,71.
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[1]
G.
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[f]
Engraved in Antiq. Repert. I. 239.
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[g]
Burn. II. 21.
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[h]
Ib. I. 176.
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The
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gazetteer links
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-- "Cumberland" -- Cumberland
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-- "Dudden, River" -- Duddon, River
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-- "Emot" -- Eamont, River
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-- "Polt Rosse" -- Poltross Burn
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