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

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Page 254:-
mile broad. For near three miles it had something in its appearance very striking to the naturalist: there were high precipices of limestone rock on each side; and the intermediate vale, to a lively imagination, would seem once to have been of the same height, but sunk down by the breaking of pillars, which had supported the roof of an enormous vault.- About three miles from Ingleton is the head of the river Wease, or Greta, on the left hand side of the road, only a few yards distant from it. It gushes out of several fountains at once, all within twenty or thirty yards of each other; having run about two miles under ground, though making its appearance in two or three places within that distance. When there are floods, its runs also above ground, though not in all places, except the rains are extraordinary great. This the subterranean river mentioned by Dr. Goldsmith in his entertaining Natural history, (vol. 1st,) by the name of Greatah.
When we had gone about a mile farther, being four miles from Ingleton, we turned off the turnpike-road to some houses near the chapel, where we left our horses. At first we imagined we had here met with an exception to the maxim of poet Butler, the author of Hudibras, viz.-
A Jesuit never took in hand
To plant a church in barren land.
For the chapelry produceth neither wheat, oats, barley, pease, nor any other sort of grain; nor apples, pears, plums, cherries, nor any kind of fruit - a ripe gooseberry was a natural curiosity in the summer season, in most parts of the district; even their potatoes they have from other places. Yet though they were destitute of these productions, they were blessed with others as valuable, by way of compensation. They abound with excellent hay ground and pastures, and were rich in large flocks, and herds of cattle, which enabled them to purchase every conveniency of life. Having little intercourse with the luxurious, vicious, and designing part of mankind, they were temperate, substantial, sincere, and hospitable. We found an intelligent, agreeable, and entertain-
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gazetteer links
button -- Chapel-le-Dale
button -- "Wease, River" -- Doe, RiverDoe, River
button -- Twisleton Dale (?)

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