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

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Page 56:-
went into the house, and told Mr Lancaster he had something curious to shew him. Mr Lancaster asked what it was, adding, "I suppose some bonefire," (for it was then, and still is a custom, for the shepherds, on the evening before St John's day, to light bonefires, and vie with each other in having the largest.) Stricket told him, if he would walk with him to the end of the house he would shew him what it was. They then went together, and before Stricket spoke or pointed to the place, Mr Lancaster himself discovered the phaenomenon, and said to Stricket: "Is that what thou hast to shew me?" "Yes. Master," replied Stricket: "Do you think you see as I do?" They found they did see alike, so they went and alarmed the family, who all came, and all saw this strange phaenomenon.
These visionary horsemen seemed to come from the lowest part of Souther-Fell, and became visible first at a place called KNOTT; they then moved in regular troops along the side of the Fell, till they came opposite Blake-hills, when they went over the mountain: thus they described a sort of curvilineal path upon the side of the Fell, and both their first and last appearance were bounded by the top of the mountain.
Frequently the last, or last but one, in a troop, (always either the one or the other,) would leave his place, gallop to the front, and then take the same pace with the rest, a regular, swift walk: these changes happened to every troop, (for many troops appeared,) and oftener than once or twice, yet not at all times alike. The spectators saw, all alike, the same changes, and at the same time as they discovered, by asking each other questions as any changes took place. Nor was this wonderful phaenomenon seen at Blake-hills only, it was seen by every person at every cottage within the distance of a mile; neither was it confined to a momentary view, for from the time that Stricket first observed it, the appearance must have lasted at least two hours and an half, viz. from half past seven, till the night coming on prevented the farther view; nor yet was the distance such as could impose rude resemblances on the eyes of credulity: Blake-hills lay not half a mile from the place where this astonishing appearance seemed to be, and many other places where it was likewise seen are still nearer.
Desirous of giving my readers every possible satisfaction, I procured the following attestation, signed by Mr Lancaster and Stricket:
"We whose names are hereunto subscribed, decare the above account to be true, and that we saw the phaenomena as here related. As witness our hands this 21st day of July 1785.
WILLIAM LANCASTER
DANIEL STRICKET."
Thus I have given the best account of this wonderful appearance; let others determine what it was. This country, like every other where cultivation has been lately introduced, abounds in the aniles fabellae of fairies, ghosts, and apparitions; but these are never even fabled to have been seen by more than one or two persons at a time, and the view is always said to be momentary. Speed tells of something indeed similar to this as preceding a dreadful intestine war. Can something of this nature have given rise to Ossian's grand and awful mythology? or, finally, Is there any impiety in supposing, as this happened immediately before that rebellion which was intended to subvert the liberty, the law, and the religion of England; that though immediate prophecies have ceased, these visionary beings might be directed to warn mankind of approaching tumults? In short, it is difficult to say what it was, or what it was not.
  Threlkeld
Having crossed the bridge near the eleventh-mile post, we enter the manor of THRELKELD, part of the barony of Greystock; most of the inhabitants are freeholders, except a few below the church, which are arbitrary, under the Earl of Londsdale. About 100 yards beyond the eleventh-mile post, near to Stone-Rays, (an estate belonging to Rowland Stephenson, Esq; one of the Members for the city of Carlisle,) observe the rivulet called Mosedale-Beck; its source may be pretty plainly traced between the two mountains on the left, the roughest of which is called Wolf-Cragg, and the smoothest Dodd.
This
gazetteer links
button -- "Mosedale Beck" -- Mosedale Beck
button -- "Southerfell" -- Souther Fell
button -- "Southerfell" -- (Souther Fell, Mungrisdale (CL13inc)2)
button -- "Stone Rays" -- Stoneraise
button -- "Threlkeld" -- Threlkeld
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