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Blea Water, Mardale
runs into:-    Blea Water Beck

Blea Water
civil parish:-   Shap Rural (formerly Westmorland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   tarn
coordinates:-   NY44871075 (etc) 
1Km square:-   NY4410
10Km square:-   NY41
altitude:-   1585 feet
altitude:-   483m


photograph
BPV14.jpg (taken 17.11.2008)  
photograph
BJE09.jpg  From Harter Fell.
(taken 7.9.2004)  

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.
image
OT02NY41.jpg
item:-  JandMN : 48.1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   descriptive text:- Otley 1823 (5th edn 1834) 
source data:-   Guide book, A Concise Description of the English Lakes, the mountains in their vicinity, and the roads by which they may be visited, with remarks on the mineralogy and geology of the district, by Jonathan Otley, published by the author, Keswick, Cumberland now Cumbria, by J Richardson, London, and by Arthur Foster, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, 1823; published 1823-49, latterly as the Descriptive Guide to the English Lakes.
image OT01P035, button  goto source
Page 35:-  "... Blea Water, separated from the last [Small Water] by a projection of High Street, lies at the foot of a lofty rock called Blea Water Crag. Before reaching the valley of Mardale, their two streams become united."

evidence:-   old map:- Garnett 1850s-60s H
placename:-  Blea Water
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.
image
GAR2NY41.jpg
"Blea Wr."
outline with shore form lines, lake or tarn 
item:-  JandMN : 82.1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old map:- Postlethwaite 1877 (3rd edn 1913) 
placename:-  Blea Water
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Map of the Lake District Mining Field, Westmorland, Cumberland, Lancashire, scale about 5 miles to 1 inch, by John Postlethwaite, published by W H Moss and Sons, 13 Lowther Street, Whitehaven, Cumberland, 1877 edn 1913.
image
PST2NY41.jpg
"Blea Water"
lake 
item:-  JandMN : 162.2
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old photograph:- Marr 1916
placename:-  Bleawater Tarn
source data:-   Photograph, halftone print, Bleawater Tarn, near Haweswater, Mardale, Westmorland, 1916.
image  click to enlarge
MA1225.jpg
item:-  JandMN : 173.33
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old print, old text:- Rose 1832-35
placename:-  Bley Water Tarn
item:-  horse racing
source data:-   Print, engraving, Bley Water Tarn from the Top of the High Street Mountain, Westmorland, by Thomas Allom, engraved by J W Lowry, 1835.
image  click to enlarge
R348.jpg
"BLEY WATER TARN FROM THE TOP OF HIGH STREET."
The accompanying descriptive text is:-  "BLEY-WATER TARN, FROM HIGH STREET MOUNTAIN,- WESTMORLAND."
"Bley-Water Tarn lies beneath a lofty crag of the same name, forming part of the Mountain High Street. In its approach to the valley of Mardale, the stream from this tarn unites with that of Small Water Tarn, and both flow together northward to the lake of Haweswater."
"The artist has alluded in this view to the annual, festivities which take place on the broad top of High Street. Horse-racing forms the principal feature in the sports, which derive no little additional zest from a copious supply of cakes and ale from the neighbouring villages."
"Ulverstone lies in the distance."
item:-  JandMN : 42
Image © see bottom of page


photograph
Click to enlarge
BNO76.jpg (taken 18.4.2007)  
photograph
BPV18.jpg  Outlet weir.
(taken 17.11.2008)  
photograph
BPV19.jpg  Outlet weir.
(taken 17.11.2008)  

notes:-  
The deepest of the cirque tarns, about 207 feet (63m) deep.

notes:-  
Nancy Price:-
"... a sad looking piece of water; like a deserted child he stands lonely and uncared for"

Price, Nancy:: Vagabond's Way
Brown 1925

fiction:-  
Perhaps called Bleacliff Tarn in

Ward, Humphrey, Mrs: 1888: Robert Elsmere
Book 1 chapter 10:-
"... '... Lasst Midsummer Day aa was on t' Shanmoor road, i' t' gloaming. An' aa saw theer t' bogle - thee knaws, t' bogle o' Bleacliff Tarn; ...'"
earlier in the chapter:-
"... the tarn under the frowning precipitous cliffs which marked the western end of High Fell [Harter Fell] ..."

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