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Giant's Grave, Yewdale
Giant's Grave
locality:-   Yewdale
civil parish:-   Coniston (formerly Lancashire)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   grave
coordinates:-   SD314996 (roughly) 
1Km square:-   SD3199
10Km square:-   SD39
SummaryText:-   12 foot mound right of path that runs S from High Yewdale towards Tarn Hows Wood.

story:-  
It is said: that a lad nine feet tall came to Yewdale from Troutbeck in the mid 18th century, and was known as Girt Will o' the Tarns. He was popular as a hard worker and friendly demeanour. Will fell in love with Barbara, daughter of Sir William Fleming of Coniston Hall, who wanted nothing to do with him. One day Will took Barbara by force when she was walking by the lake with her mother, Lady Eva. Lady Eva ran to the hall for help, and Dick Hawksley, a falconer there, who was betrothed to Barbara, set off in pursuit with a posse. They caught up with Will by Caldron or Kernel Dub on Yewdale Beck, about level with Whins Wood. Will threw Barbara into the dub, Dick dived in to save her, and both were swept away in the flood. Will ran off and was caught, killed and buried where he fell.
Dick Hawksley and Barbara Fleming were found, embraced, on the shores of Coniston Lake a week leater.

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