button to main menu   West's Guide to the Lakes, 1778/1821

button title page
button previous page button next page
Page 24:-
courteous, hospitable, and polite. The church is a handsome Gothic structure; but the inside view of the beautiful east window is obstructed by a toll screen behind the altar, and the rest of the church is further hurt by a multiplicity of pews. The only remains it has of ancient furniture are a few turn-up seats, carved in the style of the times when it belonged to the priory of St. Martin of Sayes, in France. Some of the carvings are fine, but the figures are either gross or grotesque. This building stands on the crown of an eminence, below the castle from which it is only separated by the moat. The views from the church-yard are extensive and pleasant, particularly the grand and much admired prospects of the northern mountains. The chapel is a neat and convenient place of worship. There are also in this town, presbiterian, quaker, and methodist meeting houses, and a Romish chapel. When the present incommodious bridge was lately repaired, some brass pieces of money were met with under a foundation stone, from which it was conjectured to be of Danish origin. A more ancient bridge stood higher up the river, at Skerton town end: an eligible situation for a new one, which would make a fine and convenient entrance into Lancaster, from the north, and which at present on many accounts it much wants [1].
[1] A new bridge has since been erected on the site above pointed out. It was built after a design of Mr. Harrison, consists of five equal eliptical (sic) arches, and is 549 feet long. The expense of the erection, which was paid by the county, amounted to 14,000l. It is one of the handsomest bridges of its size in Europe, and does honour to the taste of the architect, and to the public spirit of those who promoted the work on so liberal a plan.
In the year 1792 an act was obtained, chiefly promoted by the inhabitants of Lancaster for making a navigable canal, from Kendal, by way of Lancaster and Preston, to go through the great coal countries in the neighbourhood of Chorley and Wigan, and to join the canals in the south of Lancashire, its principal design being for the carriage of limestone and slate from the north, and to return with coals. It is carried over the river Lune by the largest aqueduct in the kingdom, which is an amazing grand object, and is seen to advantage from Lancaster bridge, about two miles off.
button next page
gazetteer links
button -- (bridge, Lancaster)
button -- Lancaster Canal
button -- Lancaster
button -- Lune Aqueduct
button -- Skerton Bridge
button -- St Mary's Church

button to main menu Lakes Guides menu.