Old Cumbria Gazetteer

Aira Beck

runs into:-

Ullswater

locality:-

Aira

civil parish:-

Matterdale (formerly Cumberland)

county:-

Cumbria

locality type:-

river

coordinates:-

NY40001974

1Km square:-

NY4019

10Km square:-

NY41

BLN99.jpg Towards the lake from Aira Bridge.
(taken 7.1.2006)

evidence:-

old map:- OS County Series (Cmd 65 11)
placename:- Airy Beck

source data:-

Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.

evidence:-

old map:- Saxton 1579

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, Westmorlandiae et Cumberlandiae Comitatus ie Westmorland and Cumberland, scale about 5 miles to 1 inch, by Christopher Saxton, London, engraved by Augustinus Ryther, 1576, published 1579-1645.

Sax9NY32.jpg
item:- private collection : 2
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Speed 1611 (Cmd)

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, Cumberland and the Ancient Citie Carlile Described, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by John Speed, 1610, published by J Sudbury and George Humble, Popes Head Alley, London, 1611-12.

SP11NY42.jpg
wiggly line, runs into Ullswater
item:- private collection : 16
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Speed 1611 (Wmd)

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, The Countie Westmorland and Kendale the Cheif Towne, scale about 2.5 miles to 1 inch, by John Speed, 1610, published by George Humble, Popes Head Alley, London, 1611-12.

SP14NY42.jpg
double line, into Ullswater
item:- Armitt Library : 2008.14.5
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Jansson 1646

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, Cumbria and Westmoria, ie Cumberland and Westmorland, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, by John Jansson, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1646.

JAN3NY31.jpg
Single wiggly line.
item:- JandMN : 88
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Morden 1695 (Cmd)

source data:-

Map, uncoloured engraving, Cumberland, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Robert Morden, 1695, published by Abel Swale, the Unicorn, St Paul's Churchyard, Awnsham, and John Churchill, the Black Swan, Paternoster Row, London, 1695-1715.

MD12NY31.jpg
Running by the edge of Gowbarrow Park and into Ullswater.
item:- JandMN : 90
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Morden 1695 (Wmd)
placename:- Arey Beck

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, Westmorland, scale about 2.5 miles to 1 inch, by Robert Morden, published by Abel Swale, the Unicorn, St Paul's Churchyard, Awnsham, and John Churchill, the Black Swan, Paternoster Row, London, 1695.

MD10NY42.jpg
"Arey beck"
item:- JandMN : 24
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Simpson 1746 map (Wmd)

source data:-

Map, uncoloured engraving, Westmorland, scale about 8 miles to 1 inch, printed by R Walker, Fleet Lane, London, 1746.

SMP2NYF.jpg
Wiggly line; into Ullswater.
item:- Dove Cottage : 2007.38.59
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Bowen and Kitchin 1760

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, A New Map of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland Divided into their Respective Wards, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Emanuel Bowen and Thomas Kitchin et al, published by T Bowles, Robert Sayer, and John Bowles, London, 1760.

BO18NY31.jpg
wiggly line, into Ullswater
item:- Armitt Library : 2008.14.10
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Donald 1774 (Cmd)

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, 3x2 sheets, The County of Cumberland, scale about 1 inch to 1 mile, by Thomas Donald, engraved and published by Joseph Hodskinson, 29 Arundel Street, Strand, London, 1774.

D4NY32SE.jpg

D4NY31NE.jpg
single or double wiggly line; a river
item:- Carlisle Library : Map 2
Images © Carlisle Library

evidence:-

old map:- Crosthwaite 1783-94 (Ull)
placename:- Ara River

source data:-

Map, uncoloured engraving, Accurate Map of the Beautiful Lake of Ullswater, scale about 3 inches to 1 mile, by Peter Crosthwaite, Keswick, Cumberland, 1783, version published 1800.

CT5NY32V.jpg

CT5NY31Z.jpg
"Ara River"
item:- Armitt Library : 1959.191.7
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- West 1784 map

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, A Map of the Lakes in Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, engraved by Paas, 53 Holborn, London, about 1784.

Ws02NY32.jpg
item:- Armitt Library : A1221.1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old text:- Clarke 1787
item:- fish, Aira Beck

source data:-

Guide book, A Survey of the Lakes of Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire, written and published by James Clarke, Penrith, Cumberland, and in London etc, 1787; published 1787-93.

goto source
Page 28:- "..."
"It may seem surprising that the river above the Force [Aira] is more plentifully stocked with fish than it is below. This is the more extraordinary, as it is quite impossible for them to have either ascended or descended through this cataract: ..."

evidence:-

old map:- Clarke 1787 map (Ullswater)

source data:-

Map, A Map of the Lake Ullswater and its Environs, scale about 6.5 ins to 1 mile, by James Clarke, engraved by S J Neele, 352 Strand, published by James Clarke, Penrith, Cumberland and in London etc, 1787.

evidence:-

old map:- Otley 1818

source data:-

Map, uncoloured engraving, The District of the Lakes, Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Jonathan Otley, 1818, engraved by J and G Menzies, Edinburgh, Scotland, published by Jonathan Otley, Keswick, Cumberland, et al, 1833.

evidence:-

descriptive text:- Ford 1839 (3rd edn 1843)

source data:-

Guide book, A Description of Scenery in the Lake District, by Rev William Ford, published by Charles Thurnam, Carlisle, by W Edwards, 12 Ave Maria Lane, Charles Tilt, Fleet Street, William Smith, 113 Fleet Street, London, by Currie and Bowman, Newcastle, by Bancks and Co, Manchester, by Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, and by Sinclair, Dumfries, 1839.

goto source
Page 146:- "[Gowbarrow Park] ... A powerful brook dashes through rocks hung with a happy mixture of natural wood, beds of luxuriant fern, aged hawthorns, hollies, and honeysuckles; while fallow deer are seen glancing and bounding through the thickets and over the lawns. The attraction of the retired views, and the ever-varying fore-grounds, which heighten the beauties of the water, are not to be described."
"'Ah! that such beauty, varying in the light
Of living nature, cannot be pourtrayed
By words, nor by the pencil's silent skill,
But is the property of him alone
Who hath beheld it, noted it with care,
And, in his mind, recorded it with love.'"

evidence:-

old map:- Garnett 1850s-60s H

source data:-

Map of the English Lakes, in Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, 1850s-60s.

places:-

NY40172003 Aira Bridge (Matterdale)

NY39282158 bridge, Dockray (Matterdale)

NY40172002 bridge, Matterdale (Matterdale)

NY35602054 Deepdale (Matterdale)

NY40012092 High Force (Matterdale)

NY39162152 mill, Dockray (Matterdale)

NY39692158 mill, Dockray (2) (Matterdale)

NY36532101 Rush Gill (Matterdale)

NY39952048 Aira Force (Matterdale)

Lakes Guides menu.