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Page 14:-
"hunting and all pastime, as if we had been at home in our
own houses. For any man within Annerdale, being within 12 or
16 miles of Loughwood, would have resorted to me to seek
reformation for any injury committed or done within the said
compass, which I omitted not, but immediately after the
plaintiff rode myself, and took the party complained upon,
and sent for him and punished or redressed as the cause
deserved, and the country was then in good quietness.
Annerdale, Nidsdale, and a great part of Galloway, all to
the water of Dee were come in, and entered pledges; for then
was Kirkobree come in, and entered their pledges also."
Thus much may perhaps satisfy the curiosity of the reader at
present; if not, he will find many other similar accounts in
the first vol. of Dr. Burn's History. However, to indulge
those who cannot conveniently consult Dr Burn, and have yet
a desire for information, I shall from time to time insert
such pieces of Border History as may suit my general plan,
or prove it interesting or entertaining in the perusal.
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Meal Cross
plague
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Nearly half way between Emont Bridge and Penrith stands an
house, called from its situation Halfway-House, but formerly
Mill or Meal-Cross, from the following
circumstance.
During the dreadful plague which visited this country in the
year 1598, and almost depopulated Penrith *, (no less
than 2260 in the town falling victims to this merciless
disease,) the Millers and Villagers refused to bring their
commodities into the town to market for fear of the
infection. The inhabitants, therefore were under the
necessity of meeting them here, and performing a kind of
quarantine † before they were allowed to buy any
thing; and for this purpose they erected a cross, which
remains to this day. For greater conveniences, they likewise
built another cross at the town's-head, and erected
shambles, &c.; the place still retains the name of
Cross-Green: they built a third cross near the Carlisle road
a little above the second, where black cattle, sheep, hogs
and goats were sold; and it retains yet the name of the
Nolt-Fair ‡, and continues to be the market for
cattle.
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book 1
chapter 3
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Penrith
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PENRITH.
CHAP. III.
The Public Buildings, -- The Antiquities in the
Church-Yard, -- The Giant's Cave, -- The Castle, -- The
Beacon.
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Penrith
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WE now enter the town of Penrith, remarkable for the
neatness of its appearance, if we except the shambles and
town-hall; most of the houses being built of red free stone,
and covered with those blue slates whose excellence
is now well known throughout most towns in the kingdom,
though they are generally called, (I know not why)
White-slates.
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Though
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* The names of all these are in the Parish Register,
from which it appears that only 60 were interred in the
church-yard; the rest were all buried upon the Fell or
Common. These were marked in the Register with F. the
initial of Fell.
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† This was said to be almost at the option of the
country people. Thus much is certain, no man was allowed to
touch the money made use of on these occasions; it being put
into a vessel of water, whence they had a method of taking
it without touching it with their fingers.
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‡ Nolt, Oxen, Cows, &c.
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gazetteer links
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-- "Halfway House" -- Halfway House
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-- "Penrith" -- Penrith
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-- Plague Stone
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