Old Cumbria Gazetteer |
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| Skiddaw: bonfire 1815 | ||
| Skiddaw bonfire 1815 | ||
| site name:- | Skiddaw | |
| locality:- | ||
| civil parish:- | Underskiddaw (formerly Cumberland) | |
| county:- | Cumbria | |
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| evidence:- | old newspaper:- Q8150905.txt item:- bonfire |
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| source data:- | Q8150905.txt Transcription from the Cumberland Pacquet, 5 September 1815, llumination of Skiddaw. Page 3:- "Further Particulars relative to the Illumination of SKIDDAW." "Amongst other things worth noticing, incident to the grand display on the night of the 21st ult. were the following. - A great concourse of people ascended the mountain, upon which several pieces of beef were roasted and plum-pudding boiled, of which all present eat, or at least tasted, through curiosity. The health of the Prince Regent, the Duke of Wellington, and Prince Blucher, were drunk with three times three over an immense bowl of punch-royal, each of the toasts being announced to the world below, by the discharge of cannon; - and God Save the King, and Rule Britannia, were sung in full chorus, accompanied by a band of music." "Amongst the company present, were Lord and Lady Sunderlin, Sir George Beaumont, Miss Barker, Mr. Southey, (the poet-laureat) and Mr. Wordsworth, with their families; Mr James Boswell, Mr. Ponsonby, Mr. Fryer, and several others of distinction." "They quitted the summit of the mountain at ten o'clock, descending by torch-light, and reached Keswick about midnight, where the festivities closed with fire-works and the ascent of a balloon, on which were inscribed the words "Wellington and Waterloo."" "It is not known that carts were ever drawn up to the top of this gigantic mountain before this occasion; - and it is certain that numbers of the neighbouring inhabitants now ascended it for the first time; never having been induced to climb its awful height before. - We observed last week that its summit is one thousand and ninety yards above the level of the sea, - something more than half-a-mile! but the track, which must be pursued, in order to gain its summit, makes the journey from Keswick not less than five miles." "Derwent Bank, the temporary residence of Lord SUNDERLIN, was most brilliantly illuminated on Saturday night (the 26th ult.) in commemoration of the Battle of Waterloo. In front of the house were three transparencies; the first representing the great bonfire on Skiddaw; by an eminent female artists; ..." |
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| evidence:- | old newspaper:- Q8150822.txt item:- bonfire |
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| source data:- | Q8150822.txt Transcription from the Cumberland Pacquet, 22 August 1815, Illumination of Skiddaw. Page 3:- "Intended illumination. - Saturday se'night, (the 12th inst.) being the birth day of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, and also of the renowned Duke of Wellington, several patriotic gentlemen, in Keswick and its vicinity, proposed to distinguish it by some special marks of general festivity. - For this purpose, they had prepared every thing necessary for making a huge bonfire on the top of Skiddaw! to which place the materials had previously been conveyed; certainly at some expence as well as labour. - Unfortunately, the weather proving very unfavourable for the display, the lighting of the pyre was postponed till a better opportunity offered." "We are sorry to say the story does not end here. Will the remainder be credited? - A set of miscreants assembled in the night, ascended the very summit of the mountain, and early next morning (Sunday) dispersed and burnt all the articles, - consisting of tar barrels, oil casks, peats, ling, &c. which had been collected for the purpose above mentioned. -" "Notwithstanding this temporary defeat of a loyal effusion, by a brutal act of malevolence, (we are crediby informed) the towering head of Skiddaw will yet shine, with increased splendor the first clear evening." |
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| evidence:- | old newspaper:- Q8150829.txt item:- bonfire |
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| source data:- | Q8150829.txt Transcription from the Cumberland Pacquet, 29 August 1815, llumination of Skiddaw. Page 3:- "Illumination of Skiddaw! - This grand display, intended to have been made on the night of the 12th instant, in honour of the national day of the PRINCE REGENT and the DUKE of WELLINGTON, was necessarily postponed on account of the weather. - So much was mentioned in our last. - Dropping the curtain on the disgraceful scene that followed, - we take the cue (adopting the language of the theatre) from the tag of our former paragraph viz. "The towering head of SKIDDAW will yet SHINE, and with increased splendor," - and proceed (after an interlude of nine days) to draw up the curtain, and endeavour to shew" ""Things unattempted yet in Prose or Verse."" "Had the bard of congenial name, who once addressed the luminary of day, in strains which will not cease to be admired, - had he witnessed the Spectacle alluded to, we might have had a poetical view of nature assisted by her hand maid, art, of" ""SKIDDAW in Midnight SPLENDOR!"" "On the night of Monday the 21st instant, (fresh combustibles having been collected on the summit of the mountain) fire was set to the different heaps, which were arranged in a manner the best calculated for a display. It was not long before the flames began to rise, which, assisted by a fine breeze, soon spread, and set the whole on a blaze that was truly astonishing! - far exceeding in grandeur the expectation even of those who had projected this loyal effusion of respect and gratitude." "It is, we presume, generally known that the top of Skiddaw is 3270 feet, - one thousand and ninety yards, above the level of the sea. - The atmosphere was dusky, but free from mists; of course, the season was as favourable to the purpose as could be wished. - The illumination began about nine, and, in less than half-an-hour ( as we learn from various accounts) it spread no common alarm in all directions - and to the distance of many miles." "One of our correspondents, who witnessed it at a distance of thirty miles, says, that it reminded him of a passage in THOMSON. -"A blaze of meteors shoots! -- Ensweeping first The lower skies, they all at once converge High to the crown of Heaven, and all at once, Relapsing quick, as quickly reascend, And mix, and thwart, extinguish, and renew, All Ether coursing in a maze of light!"" "The idea of its being a comet - with a long fiery tail - was prevalent in many places. - And another correspondent assures us that many sagacious remarks were made on it in his hearing." ""And as they scann'd the visionary scene, On all sides swell'd the superstitious din. From look to look, contagious, through the crowd The panic ran, and into wond'rous shapes The appearance threw!"" "It continued the "regent of the scene" for about three hours, - shewing itself in uncommon majesty and splendor the greatest part of that time. - It is impossible to say from what distances it was visible; or rather which was the greatest distance from which it was distinctly seen - Notwithstanding the intervention of so many lofty hills, in the line of vision, it was clearly distinguished, and for a considerable time, from withi a mile of Whitehaven, - and, to the westward, as far as Broughton in Lancashire." |
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