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The poor's house is a very commodious and substantial
building, founded by Sir John Banks, whom we mentioned in
speaking of Borrowdale; he expended large sums of money upon
it, and the poor to this day feel the good effects of his
generosity. It is capable of lodging a much greater number
of paupers than the parish contains: behind it is a large
garden, cultivated by the poor, who in return are supplied
with vegetables from it, besides the wholesome air and
exercise they there enjoy. The ground, however, is more than
sufficient for these purposes, and a large quantity of
vegetables are every year sold out of it, and the money
applied towards the maintainance of the house. The timber of
this building is prodigiously massy and strong; some say it
came, together with some very large chests, from the Lord's
Island; others, from the Dutch Huts. I cannot, however,
agree to either of these opinions, and imagine that it
rather came from Monk's Hall. I cannot help remarking, that
though the poor's house was built within the memory of the
grandfathers of some persons now living, there is no
tradition relating to these beams; nor is there any date or
letter upon the chest, or any part of the building, that can
give light in this affair.
This town was made a market by Edward the First, as Cambden
and other inform us; but, as I think, erroneously. The bell
in the market-hall has 1001 upon it, and King Edward did not
begin his reign till 1272. Some tell us this bell came from
Monk's-Hall, and that it belonged to Furness Abbey; this,
however, cannot be the case; for Furness Abbey was founded
by King Stephen, who began to reign, A.D. 1130; nor are we
much nearer, if the opinion be true that he founded this
Abbey in 1127, when he was Earl of Bullen. Perhaps the most
probable conjecture is, that this bell came from the Island,
and was the dinner-bell of the Derwentwater family, who
built this hall.
Keswick appears to have been formerly a much more
considerable town than it is at present: Mills for sawing of
timber were used here, as Cambden's translator, Holland,
tells us, in his time. This intelligence is not in the
original; however, I shall give his own words: "Keswick is
at this day much inhabited by mineral men, who have their
smelting-houses by Derwentside, which, with its forcible
stream, and their ingenious inventions, serveth them in
notable stead for easy bellows-works, hammer-works,
forge-works, and sawing of timber, not without admiration of
such as behold it."
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As most of our travellers would wish to see the top of
Skiddow, it now remains to give them directions for reaching
it in the easiest manner: We first pass Monk's-Hall, then
take the road which crosses the common, and leaving
Lath-Rigs on the right, keep under its skirts till we
reach the division between it and Skiddow; we then see a
little rivulet which falls down at Armathwaite near Dr
Brownrigg's house, and then a green path conveys us
almost to the top of Skiddow: I say almost, for upon
the top nothing is seen but loose stones, and a kind of dry
brown moss, and this way a horse can travel. From the top of
Skiddow is a most noble prospect, but not so great as some
of our Tourists tell us: it is true, we may see the Isle of
Man, Solway Frith, and the Scottish hills, but almost every
other distant view is blocked up by the surrounding hills.
Derwentwater, Newland-Fells, Bassenthwaite-water,
Borrowdale, and all the neighbouring hills, except
Helveylin, lye like an immense map before you; but
Lancaster, Kendal, Milnthorp, and Ulverstone, which, with
many other towns, are seen from the top of Helveylin, cannot
be seen from the top of Skiddow.
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Before we finally leave Keswick, I cannot but take notice of
an anecdote of an eminent physician in that neighbourhood;
which, perhaps, shew some particulars relating to this
country in a stronger light than a mere narrative can. The
gentleman here alluded to, who was a foreigner, and of great
eminence in his profession, was one day asked by another
Doctor of equal merit, how he liked his situation? "My
situation," replied the foreigner, "is a very eligible one
as a gentleman; I can enjoy every species of
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