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Colwith Force, Lakes
Colwith Force
Culloth Force
site name:-   Brathay, River
locality:-   Colwith
civil parish:-   Lakes (formerly Westmorland)
civil parish:-   Skelwith (formerly Lancashire)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   waterfall
coordinates:-   NY32790313
1Km square:-   NY3203
10Km square:-   NY30


photograph
BMH21.jpg (taken 23.6.2006)  
photograph
BMH22.jpg (taken 23.6.2006)  

evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Wmd 25 12) 
placename:-  Colwith Force
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.

evidence:-   descriptive text:- West 1778 (11th edn 1821) 
source data:-   Guide book, A Guide to the Lakes, by Thomas West, published by William Pennington, Kendal, Cumbria once Westmorland, and in London, 1778 to 1821.
image WS21P230, button  goto source
Rev Plumtre's Night Piece on Windermere, 1797 
Page 230:-  "..."
"... / I heard you [the Brathay] rattling through the wood, / and pass by Colwith's [3] foaming flood; / His loose, dishevel'd, hoary head, / Affrighted, seeks a calmer bed, /"
"[3] Colwith-Force is a very fine, though a small cascade, in Little, or Higher Langdale. The features of it are very wild; and the ruins of a mill, on one side of the rock, have a very good effect."

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
OT02NY30.jpg
Marked by three chevrons across the stream. 
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 OT01P045, button  goto source
Page 45:-  "COLWITH FORCE is a pretty waterfall; and is but little out of the way, for those who make the tour through Little Langdale."

evidence:-   descriptive text:- Ford 1839 (3rd edn 1843) 
placename:-  Colwith Force
item:-  height, Colwith Force
source data:-   Guide book, A Description of Scenery in the Lake District, by Rev William Ford, published by Charles Thurnam, Carlisle, by W Edwards, 12 Ave Maria Lane, Charles Tilt, Fleet Street, William Smith, 113 Fleet Street, London, by Currie and Bowman, Newcastle, by Bancks and Co, Manchester, by Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, and by Sinclair, Dumfries, 1839.
image FD01P036, button  goto source
Page 36:-  "..."
"The next and perhaps finest of fall, is Colwith"
image FD01P037, button  goto source
Page 37:-  "Force with Wedderlamb, forming a grand object as beheld from the bed of the river. A stupendous crag rises out of the river; the glen sinks belnw (sic) to the depth of a hundred feet, and the water rushes down in four leaps, the last being the deepest, sending"
"'From hollow clefts up to the clearer air
A cloud of mist, that, smitten by the sun,
Varies its rainbow hues.'"
"The neighbourhood is uncommonly grand and beautiful."
image FD01P179, button  goto source
Page 179:-  "WATERFALLS."
No. Name and Situation of Fall. Height.
2 Colwith Force, five miles from Ambleside 152 feet

evidence:-   old map:- Ford 1839 map
placename:-  Colwith Force
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.
image
FD02NY30.jpg
"Colwith Force"
item:-  JandMN : 100.1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old text:- Martineau 1855
source data:-   Guide book, A Complete Guide to the English Lakes, by Harriet Martineau, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, and by Whittaker and Co, London, 1855; published 1855-76.
image MNU1P114, button  goto source
Page 114:-  "... down the very steep hill to Colwith Bridge. Colwith Force, a"
image MNU1P115, button  goto source
Page 115:-  "little further on, will make itself heard and seen. It tumbles from a height of seventy feet, and the adjuncts are beautiful. ..."

evidence:-   old text:- Martineau 1855
source data:-   Guide book, A Complete Guide to the English Lakes, by Harriet Martineau, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, and by Whittaker and Co, London, 1855; published 1855-76.
image MNU1P180, button  goto source
Page 180:-  "WATERFALLS."
"No. : Names and Situations of Falls. : Counties : Feet in Height."
"1 : Colwith Force, five miles from Ambleside : Westmorland : 90"

evidence:-   old print:- Walton 1876
placename:-  Colwith Force
source data:-   Print, colour lithograph, Colwith Force, on the River Brathay, Westmorland, from a painting by Elijah Walton, published by W M Thompson, 20 Cockspur Street, Pall Mall, and Burlington Gallery, Piccadilly, London, 1876.
image  click to enlarge
WLT303.jpg
Plate 3 in English Lake Scenery, with a description by T G Bonney. 
item:-  JandMN : 469.3
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
source data:-   Photograph, black and white, Colwith Force, Westmorland and Lancashire, by Herbert Bell, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s.
image  click to enlarge
HB0441.jpg
stamped at reverse:-  "HERBERT BELL / Photographer / AMBLESIDE"
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS96
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old print:- Philip/Wilson 1890s
source data:-   Print, engraving, Colwith Force, published by George Philip and Son, London, Philip, Son and Nephew, Liverpool, Lancashire, and Titus Wilson, Kendal, Westmorland, about 1895.
image  click to enlarge
PW1E19.jpg
"COLWITH FORCE."
item:-  JandMN : 58.20
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old print:- Garnett 1850s-60s F
source data:-   Print, uncoloured engraving, Colwith Force, Westmorland, engraved by William Banks and Son, Edinburgh, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, 1850s-60s?
image  click to enlarge
GAR723.jpg
Found with Views of the English Lakes. 
printed at bottom:-  "W. Banks &Son, Edinr. / COLWITH FORCE."
item:-  JandMN : 165.23
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old print:- Sylvan 1847
placename:-  Colwith Force
source data:-   Print, engraving, Colwith Force, Lancashire and Westmorland, engraved by Thomas Gilks, published by John Johnstone, Paternoster Row, London, et al, 1847.
image  click to enlarge
SYL125.jpg
On p.75 of Sylvan's Pictorial Guide to the English Lakes. 
printed at bottom:-  "T. GILKS. Sc / COLWITH FORCE."
item:-  Armitt Library : A1201.25
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old print:- Rose 1832-35
source data:-   Print, engraving, Colwith Force, Westmorland, by Thomas Allom, engraved by W Tombleson, 1832.
image  click to enlarge
R107.jpg
item:-  JandMN : 66.17
Image © see bottom of page


photograph
BMH23.jpg (taken 23.6.2006)  
photograph
BMH24.jpg (taken 23.6.2006)  
photograph
BMH25.jpg  This looks like a turbine house.
(taken 23.6.2006)  

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