button to main menu  Old Cumbria Gazetteer
Oxen Fell, Skelwith
Oxen Fell
civil parish:-   Skelwith (formerly Lancashire)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   hill
locality type:-   fell
coordinates:-   NY325016 (roughly ?) 
1Km square:-   NY3201
10Km square:-   NY30

evidence:-   old map:- Otley 1818
placename:-  Oxen Fell Cross
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
OT02NY30.jpg
item:-  JandMN : 48.1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   outline view:- Otley 1823 (8th edn 1849) 
placename:-  Oxen Fell
source data:-   Engraving, outline view of mountains, Coniston Water from near Bank Ground, drawn by T Binns, engraved by O Jewitt, opposite p.8 of A Descriptive Guide of the English Lakes, by Jonathan Otley, 8th edition, 1849.
image  click to enlarge
O80E05.jpg
item:-  Armitt Library : A1180.6
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   possibly old map:- Garnett 1850s-60s H
placename:-  Oxenfell Cross
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
GAR2NY30.jpg
"Oxenfell Cross"
hill hachuring 
item:-  JandMN : 82.1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
source data:-   Photograph, black and white, view from Oxen Fell, Skelwith, Lancashire, by Herbert Bell, photographer, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s.
image  click to enlarge
HB0892.jpg
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS563
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   outline view:- Black 1856 (23rd edn 1900) 
placename:-  Oxen Fell
source data:-   Print, lithograph, Outline Views, Grasmere and Coniston - Mountains as seen from Redbank, Grasmere, and Mountains as seen a little beyond Tent Lodge on the Road from Coniston to Ulverstone, by J Flintoft, Keswick, Cumberland, engraved by R Mason, Edinburgh, Lothian, about 1900.
image  click to enlarge
BC08E3.jpg
"... 13 Oxen Fell ..."
item:-  JandMN : 37.12
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   outline view:- Black 1841 (3rd edn 1846) 
placename:-  Oxen Fell
source data:-   Print, engraving, outline view, Mountains as seen from Red Bank, Grasmere, and Mountains as seen a little beyond Tent-Lodge on the Road from Coniston to Ulverston, by J Flintoft, Keswick, Cumberland, engraved by R Mason, Edinburgh, Lothian, about 1846.
image  click to enlarge
BC02E3.jpg
"... 13 Oxen Fell ..."
item:-  JandMN : 32.5
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   outline view:- Tattersall 1836
placename:-  Oxen Fell
source data:-   Print, engraving, Little Langdale, Westmorland, drawn by George Tattersall, engraved by W F Topham, published by Sherwood and Co, Paternoster Row, London, about 1836.
image  click to enlarge
TAT107.jpg
The print is captioned with mountain names and acts as an outline view. 
Tipped in opposite p.39 of The Lakes of England, by George Tattersall. 
printed at bottom:-  "LITTLE LANGDALE."
printed at bottom left to right:-  "Hard Knot. / Oxen Fell. / Wrynose. / Bowfell. / Lingmire. / Colwith. / Langdale Pikes. / Gt. Langdale. / Borrowdale Fells."
item:-  Armitt Library : A1204.8
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   outline view:- Tattersall 1836
placename:-  Oxenfell
source data:-   Print, engraving, Upper Reach, Coniston, Cumberland, drawn by George Tattersall, engraved by W F Topham, published by Sherwood and Co, Paternoster Row, London, about 1836.
image  click to enlarge
TAT106.jpg
The print is captioned with mountain names and acts as an outline view. 
Tipped in opposite p.35 of The Lakes of England, by George Tattersall. 
printed at bottom:-  "UPPER REACH, CONISTON."
printed at bottom left to right:-  "Coniston Old Man. / Undercrag. / Seathwaite Fells. / Coniston. / Oxenfell. / Wetherlam. / Waterhead. / Fairfield. / Hawkshead Moor. / Kirkstone. / How Head."
item:-  Armitt Library : A1204.7
Image © see bottom of page

ghost story:-  
Betty Briggs from Tilberthwaite, and her boy friend Jack Snipe, went to a dance in Clappersgate. She was walked home across the fell by another admirer, who died; Jack Snipe then 'died of guilt and remorse'. Betty's ghost still walks on the fell.
OR
Betty Briggs went to a dance in Clappersgate with Jack Slype. He was too bold, and Betty favoured a gardner who offered to walk her home to Tilberthwaite after the dance. They were followed by Jack, who, at Oxenfell Gate, struck the gardener dead, then in remorse took his own life. A ghostly figure is said still to walk the route every night.

button to lakes menu  Lakes Guides menu.