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Page 94:-
"essent, si haeredes illorum militarent, nec unquam ad
privatos pertinerent existimans attentius eos militaturos,
si etiam sua rura defenderent."
"When the Emperor Alexander Severus had given the lands he
took from his enemies to his captains and soldiers of the
border, with a design that they should always be present to
observe the natives lest they should take arms, he made this
condition, that these lands were never to be put into the
hands of those from whom they had been taken; as he imagined
that they would fight the more obstinately if they had their
own country to defend."
Ranulph gave to his brother, William Meschiens, Copeland and
Derwent-Fells, which included all the lands West from hence
to the sea, beginning near Ravenglass, from thence
proceeding to Borrowdale-head, where the river Derwent has
its source, which then flows and continues its name past
Ouzebridge and Cockermouth, until it falls into the sea at
Workington. This William Meschiens built a house near the
middle of this estate, upon a hill near to a little rivulet
called Egre* or Egen, which was called
Egre-Castle or Egremont-Castle; its situation
commands a view of a great part of the Irish Channel, and he
made choice of it, perhaps the better to observe the Irish
and Scots invaders, expecting his brother would take care of
the other side. William likewise granted several mesne
manors to his vassals, to be holden of him as of his castle
of Egremont. The inheritance of Copeland, after a few
descents, came to the Lucys, and by marriage was often
divided and often united, (for a more particular account of
which see Nicholson and Burn's Cumberland.) From the Lucys
it came to the Percys Earls of Northumberland, by the
marriage of Henry the first Earl and Matilda Lucy, the
heiress of this estate: though she had no children by him,
she gave him the whole estate, upon condition of his
quartering the arms of Lucy with that of the Percys. Cambden
p.522.
It continued in the family of the Earls of Northumberland
till the Lady Elizabeth Percy, sole daughter and heiress of
Joceline Percy, the eleventh Earl of Northumberland, married
Charles Seymour Duke of Somerset. He had a son who succeeded
him, viz. Algernon Duke of Somerset, who in 1749 was created
Baron of Cockermouth and Earl of Egremont, with remainder to
his nephew Sir Charles Wyndham, unto whom the Cumberland
estate came. On the death of Algernon Duke of Somerset in
1750, the said Sir Charles Wyndham succeeded as Earl of
Egremont and Baron of Cockermouth; on the death of Charles
George Wyndham the present Earl of Egremont succeeded.
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The inn at Ouzebridge is a convenient place to call
at, and is pleasantly situated on the edge of the Lake: It
is a very good new building, erected purposely for the
convenience of travellers by the late Mr Spedding of
Armathwaite; there is a very good dining-room and parlour,
with a bow-window, which has a pretty look out, and very
good stables, but hath been unfortunate in its tenants,
(changing them often.) Here used to be held several meetings
every year of the Justices of the Peace, for their private
sessions; also county-courts, &c. Here also was held the
first regatta in 1780, at which their was one species of
entertainment not since made use of at those public
diversions, viz. a prize to swim horses for: they were taken
in a boat as near as possible to the middle of the Lake, and
at as near equal distances from the shore on any side as
could possibly be guessed; they were then turned out, and
the horse which landed first on any shore was the winner; no
horse or mare was allowed to start that had been kept within
four miles of the place. Three started, and it was won by a
horse belonging to Thomas Storey, Esq.; Earl of Surrey's was
second; William Dacre's, Esq; of Mell, the third. A duck was
also let go upon the Lake, and a number of water spaniels
set in chace of her, which afforded excellent diversion.
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