Old Cumbria Gazetteer

Esk, River

runs into:-

Esk Estuary

civil parish:-

Kirkandrews (formerly Cumberland)

civil parish:-

Rockcliffe (formerly Cumberland)

civil parish:-

Arthuret (formerly Cumberland)

county:-

Cumbria

locality type:-

river

locality type:-

boundary

locality type:-

county boundary

locality type:-

parish boundary

1Km square:-

NY3666 (etc)

10Km square:-

NY37

10Km square:-

NY36

current boundary

locality:-

Cumbria boundary

BMQ19.jpg At Longtown Bridge.
(taken 15.9.2006)
photograph

BMQ43.jpg At the Netherby footbridge.
(taken 15.9.2006)

evidence:-

old map:- OS County Series (Cmd 10 6)
placename:- Esk, River

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.
OS County Series (Cmd 10 13)
"River Esk"

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.
"Ordinary Spring Tides flow to this point"
about NY35876527

evidence:-

old map:- Lloyd 1573
placename:- Esk Flu.

source data:-

Map, hand coloured copper plate engraving, Angliae Regni, Kingdom of England, with Wales, scale about 24 miles to 1 inch, authored by Humphrey Lloyd, Denbigh, Clwyd, drawn and engraved by Abraham Ortelius, Netherlands, 1573.

click to enlarge
Lld1Cm.jpg
tapering line alongside boundary
item:- Hampshire Museums : FA1998.69
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Saxton 1579
placename:- Esk Flu.

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.

Sax9NY37.jpg
"Esk flu"

Sax9NY36.jpg
item:- private collection : 2
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Burghley 1590 (facsimile)
placename:- Eske flu.

source data:-

Facsimile map, A Platt of the Opposete Border of Scotland to ye West Marches of England, parts of Cumberland and Scotland including the Debateable Land, from a manuscript drawn for William Cecil, Lord Burghley, about 1590, published by R B Armstrong, 1897.
courtesy of the National Library of Scotland

M048NY36.jpg
"Eske flu."
river
item:- National Library of Scotland : MS6113 f.267
Image © National Library of Scotland

evidence:-

old map:- Mercator 1595 (edn?)
placename:- Esk flu.

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, Northumbria, Cumberlandia, et Dunelmensis Episcopatus, ie Northumberland, Cumberland and Durham etc, scale about 6.5 miles to 1 inch, by Gerard Mercator, Duisberg, Germany, about 1595.

MER8CumA.jpg
"Esk flu."
double line with stream lines; river, running into the Solway
item:- JandMN : 169
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Keer 1605

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, Westmorland and Cumberland, scale about 16 miles to 1 inch, probably by Pieter van den Keere, or Peter Keer, about 1605 edition perhaps 1676.

click to enlarge
KER8.jpg
""
double wiggly line, tapering to single; river; partly the boundary with Scotland
item:- Dove Cottage : 2007.38.110
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Speed 1611 (Cum/EW)

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, Kingdome of Great Britaine and Ireland, scale about 36 miles to 1 inch, by John Speed, about 1610-11, published by Thomas Bassett, Fleet Street and Richard Chiswell, St Paul's Churchyard, London, 1676?

click to enlarge
SPD6Cm.jpg
tapering wiggly line
item:- private collection : 85
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Speed 1611 (Cmd)
placename:- Esk flud

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.

SP11NY37.jpg
double line; becomes the national boundary; labelled 'Esk flud' further NW

SP11NY36.jpg
estuary between foreshore sands, runs into the Eden Estuary
item:- private collection : 16
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

poem:- Drayton 1612/1622 text
placename:- Eske

source data:-

Poem, Poly Olbion, by Michael Drayton, published by published by John Marriott, John Grismand and Thomas Dewe, and others? London, part 1 1612, part 2 1622.

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page 168:- "...
All her attending Floods, faire Eden doe entreat,
To lead them downe to Sea, when Leven comes along,
And by her double Spring, being mightie them among,
There overtaketh Eske, from Scotland that doth hye,
..."

evidence:-

old map:- Drayton 1612/1622
placename:- Eske Flu.

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, Cumberlande and Westmorlande, by Michael Drayton, probably engraved by William Hole, scale about 4 or 5 miles to 1 inch, published by John Mariott, John Grismand, and Thomas Dewe, London, 1622.

DRY501.jpg
"Eske flu"
River, naiad.
item:- JandMN : 168
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

possibly table of distances:- Simons 1635

source data:-

Table of distances, uncoloured engraving, Cumberland, with a thumbnail map, scale about 41 miles to 1 inch, by Mathew Simons, published in A Direction for the English Traviller, 1635.

click to enlarge
SIM4.jpg
on thumbnail map
item:- private collection : 50.11
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Jansson 1646
placename:- Esk Flud

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.

JAN3NY38.jpg
"Esk flud"

JAN3NY37.jpg

JAN3NY36.jpg
Double line with stream lines, tapering to single wiggly line.
item:- JandMN : 88
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Sanson 1679
placename:- Esk fl.

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, Ancien Royaume de Northumberland aujourdhuy Provinces de Nort, ie the Ancient Kingdom of Northumberland or the Northern Provinces, scale about 9.5 miles to 1 inch, by Nicholas Sanson, Paris, France, 1679.

click to enlarge
SAN2Cm.jpg
"Esk fl."
tapering wiggly line; river
item:- Dove Cottage : 2007.38.15
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Seller 1694 (Cmd)

source data:-

Map, uncoloured engraving, Cumberland, scale about 12 miles to 1 inch, by John Seller, 1694.

click to enlarge
SEL9.jpg
tapering wiggly line; river
item:- Dove Cottage : 2007.38.89
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Morden 1695 (EW)

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, England, including Wales, scale about 27 miles to 1 inch, by Robert Morden, published by Abel Swale Awnsham and John Churchil, London, about 1695.

click to enlarge
MRD3Cm.jpg
tapering wiggly line
item:- JandMN : 339
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Morden 1695 (Cmd)
placename:- Esk River

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.

MD12NY38.jpg
"Esk River"

MD12NY37.jpg

MD12NY36.jpg
item:- JandMN : 90
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Badeslade 1742
placename:- Esk River

source data:-

Map, uncoloured engraving, A Map of Cumberland North from London, scale about 11 miles to 1 inch, with descriptive text, by Thomas Badeslade, London, engraved and published by William Henry Toms, Union Court, Holborn, London, 1742.

click to enlarge
BD10.jpg
"Esk R"
tapering wiggly line; county boundary
item:- JandMN : 115
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

descriptive text:- Simpson 1746
placename:- Eske, River

source data:-

Atlas, three volumes of maps and descriptive text published as 'The Agreeable Historian, or the Compleat English Traveller ...', by Samuel Simpson, 1746.

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"Longtown, near where the Eske and Kirksop Rivers meet: ..."

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.

BO18NY47.jpg
wiggly line then double line, national boundary Cumberland Scotland

BO18NY36.jpg
double line with stream lines, into the sea
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.

D4NY37SE.jpg

D4NY36NE.jpg
"Esk River"

D4NY36SW.jpg
"Esk River"
single or double wiggly line; a river and national boundary with Scotland
item:- Carlisle Library : Map 2
Images © Carlisle Library

evidence:-

old text:- Camden 1789
placename:- Esk, River

source data:-

goto source
Page 175:- "..."
"... Rowcliff ... Above this the two rivers Esk and Leven fall with united streams with one common mouth as it were into Eden frith. The Esk comes from Scotland, but for some miles owns itself a subject of England, and receives the river Kirsop, where the English and Scots lately separated not so much by the river as their mutual fears gave ample proof of the great qualities of both nations. ..."

evidence:-

old text:- Camden 1789 (Gough Additions)
placename:- Eske, River

source data:-

Book, Britannia, or A Chorographical Description of the Flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by William Camden, 1586, translated from the 1607 Latin edition by Richard Gough, published London, 1789.
Page 179:- "..."
"... the ryver of Eske in the north side, the which divideth Cumbreland from the batable ground until it come to the arm of the se which divideth England from Scotland."

evidence:-

road book:- Cary 1798 (2nd edn 1802)
placename:- Esk, River

source data:-

Road book, itineraries, Cary's New Itinerary, by John Cary, 181 Strand, London, 2nd edn 1802.

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click to enlarge
C38267.jpg
page 267-268 "Cross the Esk River; and 1¼of a Mile further, on r. a T.R. to Edin[burgh, through Longholm.]"

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click to enlarge
C38283.jpg
page 283-284 "Cross the Esk River"

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click to enlarge
C38337.jpg
page 337-338 "Cross the Esk River."
item:- JandMN : 228.1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Cooke 1802
placename:- Liddel River

source data:-

Map, Cumberland, scale about 15.5 miles to 1 inch, by George Cooke, 1802, bound in Gray's New Book of Roads, 1824, published by Sherwood, Jones and Co, Paternoster Road, London, 1824.

click to enlarge
GRA1Cd.jpg
"Liddel R"
tapering wiggly line; river; county boundary
item:- Hampshire Museums : FA2000.62.2
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old map:- Cooper 1808
placename:- Esk River

source data:-

Map, uncoloured engraving, Cumberland, scale about 10.5 miles to 1 inch, drawn and engraved by Cooper, published by R Phillips, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, London, 1808.

evidence:-

old map:- Hall 1820 (Cmd)

source data:-

Map, hand coloured engraving, Cumberland, scale about 21 miles to 1 inch, engraved by Sidney Hall, published by S Leigh, 18 Strand, London, 1820-31.

evidence:-

old text:- Gents Mag

source data:-

Magazine, The Gentleman's Magazine or Monthly Intelligencer or Historical Chronicle, published by Edward Cave under the pseudonym Sylvanus Urban, and by other publishers, London, monthly from 1731 to 1922.

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Gentleman's Magazine 1828 part 2 p.420
Review of an article in Archaeologia vol.22 part 1:- "'Eske. - Upon both sides of the river dwell the Grames, which is the greatest surname at this day upon the West Border. For the Grames of Eske and Leven are able to make vC. serviceable men. There dwelleth also a surname of Stories, but they are sore decayed.'"

evidence:-

old map:- Ford 1839 map
placename:- Esk River

source data:-

Map, uncoloured engraving, Map of the Lake District of Cumberland, Westmoreland and Lancashire, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, published by Charles Thurnam, Carlisle, and by R Groombridge, 5 Paternoster Row, London, 3rd edn 1843.

evidence:-

old painting:-

source data:-

Painting, watercolour, View of the River Esk at Metal Bridge, Rockcliffe, Cumberland, by James Atherton, 1900s.

click to enlarge
PR1322.jpg
signed &inscribed at bottom left:- "Jas Atherton Esk [ ] Metal Bridge"
item:- Tullie House Museum : 1993.77.1
Image © Tullie House Museum

evidence:-

old print:- Rose 1832-35 (vol.2 no.25)

source data:-

Print, uncoloured engraving, Netherby, Cumberland, drawn by Thomas Allom, engraved by J C Bentley, published by Fisher, Son and Co, London, 1832-35.

click to enlarge
PR0029.jpg
vol.2 pl.25 in the set of prints, Westmorland, Cumberland, Durham and Northumberland Illustrated.
printed at bottom left, right, centre:- "T. Allom. / J.C.Bentley. / NETHERBY, CUMBERLAND. / THE SEAT OF SIR JAMES GRAHAM, FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY."
item:- Dove Cottage : 2008.107.29
Image © see bottom of page