button to main menu Crosthwaite 1783-94
   back to object record
Excellent general notes on the map series are given in a book of facsimile reproductions:-
Crosthwaite, Peter & Rollinson, William (introduction): 1968: Series of Accurate Maps of the Principal Lakes of Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire: Graham, Frank (Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear):: facsimiles of each map and an introductory essay
MAP FEATURES
Labelled features are not systematically identified with today's places as this will be done in a separate exercise.

title
map maker
engraver 		Printed in the lower part of the sheet:-
An Accurate MAP of BUTTERMERE, CRUMMOCK & LOWES-WATER LAKES; SCALE FORCE &C; Taken from the same Scale with my Maps of the other Lakes, being 3 Inches to a Mile, Windermere only excepted which is 2 to a Mile; ... / Surveyed and Planned by P. Crosthwaite (Proprietor of the Museum at Keswick) in June 1793.
at the bottom:-
London, Published as the Act directs, May 7th. 1794, and Sold by Peter Crosthwaite the Author, at his Museum Keswick. Republished with farther additions June 20th. 1809.
and bottom right:-
Neele Sculpt. 352 Strand

vignettes There are five vignette scenes across the top of the sheet, each with a caption:-
Rannerdale Knot, as it appears from the Authors 1st. Station
Crosthwaite's Museum at Keswick
The North End of Melbreak as it appears from the Authors 1st. Station.
A part of Newlands & Buttermere Mountains, as they appear from Crosthwaite's Museum at Keswick.
Buttermere Chapel in its due Proportion to Crosthwaite's Museum at Keswick.

orientation
compass rose
up is SW 		Printed in the middle of Crummock Water is a minimal compass rose; circle, lines for cardinal directions, North marked by a spearhead, East marked by a cross. The map is printed with South West at the top of the sheet; the lakes flow from left to right across the sheet.

scale line
scale 		Printed middle right is a:-
Scale of One Mile being 3 Inches.
divided in furlongs. The map scale is about:-
1 to 22000
3 inches to 1 mile

lat and long Printed upper left:-
Lat. ... of Crummock Lake 54. 30. N.
Long. ... 3. 26. W.

rivers
bridges
waterfalls 		The main rivers that feed and drain the lakes are drawn by double line with form lines; unobtrusive single wiggly lines are mostly used for the minor streams. Rivers might be labelled, eg:-
Sour Milk Gill
Cocker River
Bridges are implied where a road crosses and interrupts one of the larger rivers. The road to Scale Force appears to be crossed by the river, perhaps fords?
A messy bit of engraving on the stream running to Crummock Water is labelled:-
Scale Force
but no other waterfall is noticed. Scale Force is described in a note lower right:-
The Water at Scale Force falls 152 feet within 6 Degrees of Perpendicular, and the mean quantity of water to be meet with would perhaps pass through a hole at the lower end of a Hogshead one foot Square, before it would overflow at the upper end.

lakes
depth soundings 		The lakes are drawn in outline with form lines. Little surrounding topography is shown, less than could be expected to interest the visitor - no mountains for instance.
Each lake is labelled:-
BUTTERMERE WATER
CRUMMOCK LAKE
LOWES-WATER LAKE
and off the SW of Buttermere:-
Blebba Tarn
Depth soundings are given in each of the three larger lakes:-
The Figures upon the Lakes are Fathoms.
the deepest part of Buttermere is 15 1/2 fathoms ie 93 feet; Crummock Water 22 fathoms ie 136 feet; and Lowes Water 10 fathoms ie 60 feet.
The currents in the lakes are indicated:-
All the Arrows except one betwixt 17 and 10 Point down the Lakes.
The oddity is the incoming flow of the stream from Lowes water entering at the foot of Crummock Water, going the 'wrong' way.
Bays and peninsulas are clear, and one little group of islands is drawn in Crummock Water.

relief Relief is not indicated, but notice the vignette views of Rannerdale Knot, Melbreak, and the Newlands valley.

parks No outlines are drawn, but placenames like:-
Low Park
High Park
indicate parks around houses, but maybe not old, extensive emparked lands.

settlements A variety of places around the lake are noticed. None are rated as settlements marked by dot, circle, buildings and towers as on other sheets in the series.
  villages
  hamlets 		several blocks; labelled in italic lowercase text, eg:-
Buttermere
Lowes-water
which have a chapel and a church, respectively, marked by a cross (x) and labelled.
  houses block; labelled in italic lowercase text, house name and rarely the owner's name, eg:-
High House
Wood House
Hesseness How / Thos. Benson's Esqr.
Very few properties have the owner's name. Perhaps this is a less fashionable area, where fewer important people live? or did Crosthwaite not have much success with subscriptions?
Other features are noticed, boat house, inn, sheep farm, chapel, etc.

roads A roads to view the lakes are drawn by double line, labelled with their destinations off the map sheet:-
Road to Borrowdale & Keswick
Road to Scale Hill, Keswick and Cockermouth
Road to Whitehaven
A couple of branches, road or footpath, to access particular objects or viewpoints are shown:-
Carriage Road / Footpath to the 2d. Station & the Lake
Road to Scale Force
and:-
A Foot Path
to a boat house at the foot of Crummock Water.
The title continues with notes about stations and notes about road access:-
... Those who Visit the 3 Lakes, by way of Newlands on Horseback, fall in at the Village of Buttermere, which is the nearest Road being 8 1/2 Miles. And the Company who proceed to Visit these 3 Lakes, by way of Borrowdale & Gates-garth on Horseback, will have 3/4 of a Mile to walk down hill, in passing the 2 Stupendous Rocks on the left, and Yew-crag on the Right. The distance from Keswick to the Village of Buttermere, by Borrowdale and Gates-garth, is 13 Miles. From Keswick to Scale Hill Inn. (bearing W.B.S.) near the N. end of Crummock Lake by way of Whinlatter & the head of Lorton Vale, 11 Miles, Chaise road. From Scale Hill Inn to Cockermouth N.N.W. 7 Miles do.

stations Stations, recommended viewpoints, are marked on the map by a square symbol, labelled and described. There are no stations from Thomas West, but 6 stations are recommended by Peter Crosthwaite. Following the title:-
... I have also pointed out 6 Stations Commanding fine Prospects; and marked thus [square], beginning near Lowes-water, and numbered to the left. The Company who go from Keswick to Scale Hill (10 Miles) in a Chaise, will be able to Visit the 1st. 2d. & 4th. Stations; and the Scale Force, (a Water Fall,) in one day, by the help of the Chaise, and a Boat; provided they can walk 2 Miles of the whole days Tour. at 3 intervals of time: The 2d. Station was the Favourite of one of Dr. Brownrigg, and Dr. Franklin, in this Round. ...
From right to left:-
  station, Highgap Yeat Crosthwaite no.1
1st. Station / Highgap Yeat.
  station, Flass Wood Crosthwaite no.2
2d. Station / Flass wood
The 2d. Station was the Favourite of one of Dr. Brownrigg, and Dr. Franklin, ...
  station, Dob Ley Head Crosthwaite no.3
Dob Ley Head / 3d. Station
  station, Buttermere Hause Crosthwaite no.4
4th. Station / Buttermere Hawse
  station, Buttermere Crosthwaite no.5
5th. Station
on the road to Keswick
  station, Gatesgarth Crosthwaite no.6
6th. Station
at the end of a short track from the road to Borrowdale.

miscellaneous

inns In Buttermere and at Scale Hill are labels:-
The Inn

button to lakes menu   Lakes Guides menu.