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Page 51:-
to examine it. He and some others likewise assert, that the
road led from hence by Castlesteads to Amble-Side. This I
must also contradict, for the road may be traced between the
two hills called Eastern and Western Mell-Fells to the high
end of Gowbarrow Parks, and no farther. It has, however,
certainly proceeded through Patterdale to Amble-Side; for
just at the separation of these two districts is a very
large cairn called Woundale: between the two Mell-Fells are
likewise two cairns, the stones of which are now almost
entirely carried away; nothing remarkable, however, was
found upon this removal.
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stone circle
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At this place there has been, I think, a Druidical temple:
indeed there is every appearance of it, except the
situation; and though the Druids had their temples generally
upon hills, this may probably be an exception to that rule.
Here are the two large stones which form the entrance on the
south side the altar stones, and at the southernmost point
of the camp is a circle of large seventeen yards diameter.
This circle has been lately dug for treasure, but none was
found, nor indeed any thing but a vast number of bones. At
the west corner is Brown How, or Bounder Hill,
where evidently have been the butts for the archers, and on
the east is an hill called Thieves Hill, a name that
seems to argue its having been a place for the execution of
malefactors. There is extant a grant of some lands, situate
at Greystock-Townhead and Motherby, from Ralph de Greystock
to Halton, of so old a date as the 12th of Richard II. in
which the boundary which passes this place is called Thieves
Gill, so that the name must be of great antiquity.
There is a tradition in this neighbourhood, that a General
of the name of Penruddock, who commanded this fort, gave his
name to this village; but I can met with no authentic
particulars of him.
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sports
races
wrestling
hound trailing
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Upon Stone Carr there have been held, time out of mind,
races and other sports; such as wrestling, leaping, tracing
with dogs, &c.; these were entirely adapted to the
neighbouring villagers, and the prizes were as follows:
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| For the Horses. | |
| For the first, a Bridle, ... value
1s. 6d. |
| For the second, a pair of
Spurs, | 0
6 |
| For the
Wrestlers, | a Leathern
Belt. |
| For the Leapers, | a pair of Gloves. |
| For the Foot
Racers, | a
Hendkerchief. |
| For the Dog
Coursers, | a Pewter quart
Pot. |
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dialect poem
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There were several other similar prizes, and small as they
were, they produced an incredible emulation among the
villagers; for as corporal strength and activity were ever
looked upon with the highest respect, the fortunate gainer
of the belt was regarded with the highest honours: he wore
it that evening, took the greatest care of it till next
Sunday, when he went to his own church begirt with it; the
Sunday following he went to some other adjacent church in
the same manner, and claimed a precedence among his
companions, which was always granted. Nor was this rougher
compliment his only gratification; the passion of love has
as great a claim to the rustic as to the courtier, and it
has not unfrequently happened that he has by this means
obtained a mistress on whom his former pleadings had been
lavished in vain. Our Cumberland bard Mr Relph expresses it
elegantly enough in the language of his own country:
A springing blush spreads far ower other cheek,
Down Mally luiks, and deuce a word can speak.
As Mr Relph is almost the only author who has made our
provincial dialect agreeable, and has taken particular
notice of the behaviours of the fair ones upon this
occasion, I shall here insert a whole poem of his; it may,
for simplicity of sentiment, be
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ranked
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gazetteer links
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-- Brownhow Hill
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-- Motherby Stone Circle
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-- "Stone Carr" -- Stone Carr
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