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The parish of Bassenthwaite, which was an entire
manor granted by Waldeof Lord of Allerdale above
Derwent, (and son of Gospatric Earl of Dunbar
in Scotland,) to his bastard son Gospatric; his
posterity were very flourishing, took the name of
Bassenthwaite, and remained owners of it in that name, till
Adam de Bassenthwaite divided it between his two daughters;
it continued in this family till one of the descendants of
the younger sister forfeited his part to the crown,
viz. Roger Martindale. It was afterwards granted by
the crown to the Earl of Derby, who gave it with his
daughter Lady Henrietta Stanley, as a child's portion. to
Lord Ashburnham; he sold it to the tenants, reserving a
small quitrent, now paid to the Earl of Egremont, though not
as part of his great Barony of Copeland aforesaid. The other
part came by purchase to a family in Northumberland of the
name of Lawson, in which family it continues, and the
present owner is Sir Gilfrid Lawson, Baronet, of Brayton
Hall, in this county. In this manor are about twenty
customary tenants who pay arbitrary fines, and about thirty
freeholders who pay to him a small quitrent.
We now leave Armathwaite, and proceeding towards Keswick,
meet with a very perplexed road; to this, however, the plan
will be a sufficient guide. The road leads through rich
inclosures, with serpentine hedges; these, though both
beautiful and fashionable, are by no means profitable, for
they are a very great obstruction to the plough.
We now come to Bassenthwaite chapel, a little, mean, low
building; the salary is proportionable, and the curate
usually officiates at both church and chapel. Several of the
inhabitants of the lower side of Bassenthwaite, commonly
called the Halls, or Hawes, were at a great
distance from the church; on this account they petitioned
Edward Storey Bishop of Carlisle, for leave to build a
chapel of ease at this place. He granted their request; the
chapel was built, and covered with thatch A.D. 1472, but has
since been slated. The Bishop obliged the inhabitants to set
out, for the curate's use, an acre of land, and to raise
L.50 for the purchasing of more lands for the same purpose.
Bassenthwaite paid tithes of corn, hay, &c. till
the year 1773, when an act was obtained for dividing and
inclosing the common and waste grounds within this parish.
By this act the commissioners were empowered to set out
lands upon the common, in lieu of all manner of tithes,
moduses, oblations, prescriptions, surplice-fees, &c.
which was accordingly done. This method has, on all late
divisions of waste lands, been pursued in these northern
counties: as there have been many such commons divided
within these last 25 years, the convenience of it has been
sensibly felt. Both tithe-gatherers and land-holders have
been eased, not to mention the avoiding of disputes and
trouble with those people called Quakers.
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We now approach Skiddow, and
Bassenthwaite-high-side; and passing a few houses,
come to Dyke-Nook, a fanciful little cot; here is an
excellent view of Bassenthwaite Halls, and the
greatest part of the Lake; it does not, however, seem so
proper for the painter; but that may be only a trifling
objection to the traveller. The road we now travel is very
agreeable and well-finished, about 200 yards excepted, which
leads from Sawyer-Cragg to Peel-Wike. Since the division of
the common, every thing shews the marks of improvement,
joined with natural beauty, and some remains of its primeval
wildness.
A little below this is Scarnhouse, very beautiful
promontory, whose end juts into the Lake; on it are two or
three good houses, the principle of which belongs to Mr
Wane, a gentleman who goes a hunting three times a week in
that season, if the weather is favourable, and often on
foot; he runs stoutly when the dogs are in full cry, though
he is 87 years of age: he is one proof of the salutary air,
and healthful diet, of this county; and was remarkable for
his breed of otter hounds, one of which being sold to
Salisbury found its way home again.
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