Where is Westmoreland?
In both our episodes about the historic county of Westmoreland, we talked about lots of interesting places and things, so here's some links and pictures:
Cartmel Priory
A place of legends, myths and stories. With a history and heritage dating back centuries, it’s safe to say Cartmel Priory has many a story to tell. Steeped in history and rich with culture, the church has undergone bouts of expansion, ruin and transformation to get to where it is today.
The earliest mention of Cartmel in historical records occurs almost 500 years before the foundations of Cartmel Priory were laid, when in around 680 AD the monks of Lindisfarne took ownership of the land. This Christian era remained until 1189 when William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, founded Cartmel Priory.
The Priory was saved at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the early 1530s, owing to William Marshall being granted an altar in one of the Priory’s chapels. The villagers protested that the Priory was in fact their parish church, and so it remains.
Holker Hall
The earliest records of a house on the present site date back to the beginning of the 16th Century. The Estate has never been bought or sold, but has passed by inheritance through just three families: the Prestons, the Lowthers and the Cavendishes, with each generation leaving its impressions, either by planning and altering the landscape or by changing the house by adding, re-facing, embellishing or even rebuilding – as was necessary after the disastrous fire of 1871.
The fire destroyed the entire west wing, including numerous paintings, pieces of furniture, statues, portraits and valuable books. Undaunted by this catastrophe, William Cavendish, the 7th Duke of Devonshire, began plans to rebuild the west wing on an even grander scale, and employed the architects Paley and Austin of Lancaster. Built in red sandstone, it was described by Pevsner as the best Elizabethan Gothic in the North of England. This wing is the part of the house that is now open to the public. It covers the same site as the previous wing, and despite its emulation of Elizabethan architecture, it remains unmistakably Victorian.
Morecambe Bay
Morecambe Bay is an estuary in north-west England, just to the south of the Lake District National Park. It is the largest expanse of intertidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom, covering a total area of 120 sq mi (310 km2). In 1974, the second largest gas field in the UK was discovered 25 mi (40 km) west of Blackpool, with original reserves of over 7 trillion cubic feet (tcf) (200 billion cubic metres). At its peak, 15% of Britain's gas supply came from the bay but production is now in decline. Morecambe Bay is also an important wildlife site, with abundant birdlife and varied marine habitats.
The rivers Leven, Kent, Keer, Lune and Wyre drain into the Bay, with their various estuaries making a number of peninsulas within the bay. Much of the land around the bay is reclaimed, forming salt marshes used in agriculture. The bay is known for its wildlife populations, being a Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and there is a bird observatory at Walney Island. Some of the surrounding land is also a protected area, forming the Morecambe Bay Pavements, home to rare butterflies such as the high brown fritillary. The bay has rich cockle beds, which have been fished by locals for generations.
Haweswater Reservoir
Haweswater is a reservoir built in the valley of Mardale. The controversial construction of the Haweswater dam was started in 1929, after Parliament passed an Act giving Manchester Corporation permission to build the reservoir to supply water for the urban conurbations of north-west England.
At the time there was much public outcry about the decision as the valley of Mardale was populated by the farming villages of Measand and Mardale Green, and the construction of the reservoir would mean that these villages would be flooded and lost, and the population would have to be moved. In addition the valley was considered one of the most picturesque in Westmorland, and many people thought it should be left alone.
Haweswater is now one of the largest lakes at 4 miles long and 1/2 mile wide, and has a maximum depth of 200 feet . It is the most easterly of the lakes, and has no settlements on its shores. A concrete dam, 1550 feet wide and 120 feet high was built, and this raised the lake level by 95 feet.
All the farms and houses of the villages of Mardale and Measand, and the Dun Bull Inn were pulled down. Coffins were removed from the graveyard, and buried elsewhere, and Mardale church was demolished. At times of drought, when the water level is low, many people go back to see what is left of the village of Mardale.
Westmoreland Sweet Lamb Pie
Ingredients
The filling:
500 g lean lamb
200 g lamb or beef suet, membrane and sinew removed (packet stuff is acceptable if fresh is unavailable)
350 g apples, peeled and cored
120 g almonds
250 g each currants, raisins and sultanas
300 g soft, dark brown sugar
100 g chopped candied peel
Juice and zest of 2 oranges
120 ml dark rum
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp each ground mace and cinnamon
½ freshly grated nutmeg
To make a truly ‘minced’ meat, you need to chop the meat, suet, apples and almonds quite finely. (You can, of course, use minced lamb, slivered almonds and grated apple and suet).
Mix everything together in a large bowl and pack tightly into sterilised jars. Leave to mature for at least a week before using.
The pie:
300 g plain flour
150 g butter, or 75 g each butter and lard
75 g caster or icing sugar
80-100 ml cold water
Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with ½ tsp salt
Method
Dice the fat and rub into the flour until breadcrumbs are formed (or use the flat beater on a machine, set to slow), then add the sugar, mix, and add the water slowly mixing and stirring. Bring everything together to form a firm dough. You might not need all of the water. Knead briefly to smooth the dough, cover and then leave to rest in the fridge for around 30 minutes.
Roll out two-thirds of the dough into a round, lift and lay it over the plate neatly. Prick the base with a fork. Spoon the filling in.
Roll the remaining third of the pastry out into a round. As it rests, wash the rim of the pie plate and place the lid on top, securing it with a crimping tool or fork prongs or with your thumb or forefinger. Cut a steam hole and brush with egg. You can sprinkle a little sugar over the top if you fancy.
Place in the fridge to firm up and preheat the oven to 200°C. When the oven has come up to heat, slide the pie onto the centre shelf and cook for around 35 minutes, or until a good golden-brown colour and you can see the filling bubble through the steam hole.
Westmoreland Pepper Cake
Ingredients
3 oz raisins
3 oz currants
4 oz caster sugar
3 oz butter
¼ pint water
8 oz self-raising flour
½ teaspoon ground ginger
large pinch ground cloves
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
4 tablespoon milk
1 egg, beaten
Method
Pre-heat oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas 4.
Grease the base of a deep 18 cm (7 inch) cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
Put the fruit, sugar, butter and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Simmer for 10 minutes, then leave to cool slightly.
Put the flour, spices and pepper in a bowl and gently stir in the fruit mixture, milk and the egg.
Mix thoroughly without beating.
Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 50 minutes or until firm to the touch and golden brown.
Turn out and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Grasmere Gingerbread
Grasmere Gingerbread was invented in 1854 by Victorian creator cook Sarah Nelson who mixed and baked her spicy-sweet chewy concoction inside her neat Church Cottage home – now The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop – and sold it to villagers and visitors from a table top on a tree stump outside her front door.
Within a few years its reputation had reached nearly every corner of the country and with the advent of the steam railways tourists flocked to Grasmere to buy her succulent invention.
Coniston Hall
Coniston Hall is a former house on the west bank of Coniston Water in the English Lake District. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building.
The house dates from the late 16th century, or possibly earlier. It is built in stone rubble with a slate roof. Part of it is now ruined, part is used as a farmhouse, and another part is used by a sailing club.
The hall is owned by the National Trust, but is not open to the public. A privy about 13 metres (43 ft) to the south of the hall is listed at Grade II.
Levens Hall
Located at the gateway to the Lake District National Park, five miles south of Kendal in Cumbria, Levens Hall has grown from a stark, imposing Pele Tower built c1250-1300, into a warm and welcoming family home. We invite you to marvel at this beautiful privately-owned house and gardens, home to the world's oldest topiary gardens and centre of a thriving 9,500-acre agricultural estate.
Owners since 1170, the de Redman family sold the property to the Bellingham family in the 16th century; they enlarged and remodelled the house, only to have it gambled away in a game of cards before it was acquired by Colonel James Grahme in 1688. It subsequently passed through the female side of the Howard family during the 18th century and then to the Bagot family in the late 19th century.
Kendal Mint Cake
Joseph Wiper is said to have produced the first batch of Kendal Mint Cake by mistake in 1869. While making a batch of clear mints he took his eye off the pan and the mixture had become cloudy… and so Kendal Mint Cake was born.
Um Bongo
Um Bongo was first created in 1983,originally in Milnthorpe, Cumbria. It was originally sold under the Libby's brand, which at the time belonged to Nestlé who had acquired Libby's fruit juices.
Grasmere Gingerbread and Rushbearing Ceremony
The 400 year-old old tradition involved the procession winding its way through the village to St Oswald’s Parish Church. Before the church floor was paved in 1830 bodies would be buried within the chapel itself, and rushes were set down on the soil to purify the air and help insulate worshippers from the cold.
Kendal Castle
Kendal Castle, probably late 12th Century, is now a ruin, but worth exploring. From here you can get brilliant views over the town. At Kendal Museum is an exhibition telling the story of the Castle, its people , and the life of the town. There are displays showing medieval objects, reconstructions of the Castle, computer displays and there are various activities such as coin rubbing.
The Castle was built in the early 1200’s as the home of the barons of Kendal. They had a big influence on the development of Kendal. The Parr family is the best known of the baronial families, the most famous member being Katherine Parr, the sixth and last Queen of Henry VIII.
Appleby Castle and Caesar's Tower
Appleby Castle is in the town of Appleby-in-Westmorland overlooking the River Eden. It consists of a 12th-century castle keep which is known as Caesar's Tower, and a mansion house.
These, together with their associated buildings, are set in a courtyard surrounded by curtain walls. Caesar's Tower and the mansion house are each recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.
The uninhabited parts of the castle are a scheduled ancient monument.
The Great Picture
The Great Picture, a huge triptych measuring 8ft 5" high and 16ft 2" wide, commissioned in 1646 by Anne Clifford, attributed to Jan van Belcamp (1610–1653), formerly hanging in Appleby Castle.
Appleby Horse Fair
Appleby Horse Fair is an annual gathering of Gypsies and Travellers in the town of Appleby in Cumbria, which takes place over a week in June, from a Thursday to the following Wednesday, but this is essentially a weekend event the main days being the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Appleby Fair is unique in Europe and, as well as attracting around 10,000 Gypsies and Travellers, over 30,000 other visitors attend the Fair. It transforms the town of Appleby for the week, as it normally has a population of around 2,500.
Devil's Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale
Spanning the River Lune to the south and east of Kirkby Lonsdale is Devil’s Bridge. This magnificent three-arched bridge, probably dates from the 12th or 13th century, and is now a scheduled ancient monument.
A popular haunt for motorcycle enthusiasts who congregate at weekends in the adjoining parking area to discuss all things mechanical over a mug of hot tea and a bacon butty, Devil’s Bridge was once the only bridge over the Lune for miles and formed part of the busy west-bound route into the town.
The Walney Island Cockfight
"Wa'ney Island Cockfight" or "The Bonny Grey" is an English folk song, Roud 211. Variants of the song exist across northern England from Cumbria to Shropshire.
Old Man of Coniston
It's hard to imagine visiting Coniston without climbing Coniston Old Man. It hangs over the village like the Matterhorn hangs over Zermatt. Smaller of course, but in the same way it is an integral part of the landscape. Most people attempt it via the Tourist Path which climbs a short and direct route up its eastern side. This is OK and not without interest as it climbs through old quarries and passes the dramatically positioned tarn of Low Water. But in terms of what Coniston Old Man has to offer, it is not the best route and is best left for descent after exploring other routes first.
A far better choice is to head up around the back of Coniston Old Man and tackle it via The Cove and Goat's Water. This route is a little bit longer but is much superior because, on one hand the gradients are easier being in a series of manageable steps, and on the other hand the scenery is breathtaking. Access is via the ancient packhorse route of the 'Walna Scar Road' which heads from the village onto the raised moorland of Banishead on the southern flanks. From here the route turns into the very heart of the hills and climbs through the wild stepped corries of The Cove and Goat's Water.
These corries are seriously impressive and are as dramatic a location as you could find amongst any British mountains. The tall buttresses and dark gullies of Dow Crag towering over the restless surface of Goat's Water is the scene that really steals the show, but along the way there is a lot to do and see so pick a clear day and get your monies worth from Coniston's grand old peak.
The Cup of Eden Hall
Still intact after over 600 years and a journey that took it from the Middle East to the north of England, the Luck of Edenhall is far more than just a compellingly old, and incredibly pristine, drinking glass. It carries with it a centuries-old legend recounting the power of the glass to protect the good fortune of its owner's household.
Calgarth Hall
“Guard thyself, Myles Phillipson! Thou thinkest thou hast managed grandly; but that tiny lump of land is the dearest a Phillipson has ever bought or stolen; for you will never prosper, neither your breed; whatever scheme you undertake will wither in your hand; the side you take will always lose ; the time shall come no Phillipson will own an inch of land; and while Calgarth walls shall stand, we ‘ll haunt it night and day never will ye be rid of us!"
Kirkoswald Hoard
The Kirkoswald Hoard is a ninth-century hoard of 542 copper alloy coins of the Kingdom of Northumbria and a silver trefoil ornament, which were discovered amongst tree roots in 1808 within the parish of Kirkoswald.
The hoard comprised 542 or more stycas, as well as a silver trefoil ornament. The coins within the assemblage were issued by the kings of Northumbria, Eanred, Aethelred II, Redwulf and Osberht, as well as by the archbishops of York, Eanbald II, Wigmund and Wulfhere.
Penrith Hoard
The Penrith Hoard is an assumed dispersed hoard of 10th century silver penannular brooches which were found at Flusco Pike, Newbiggin Moor, near Penrith. The location of these finds was already known in the 18th century as the ‘Silver Field’ which suggests that earlier finds, now lost, had been made.
The largest “thistle brooch” was discovered in 1785 and another such brooch in 1830. Most of the rest of the objects were discovered in two groups, situated close by each other, by archaeologists in 1989.
One group consisted of five brooches, with fragments of two more, the other bgroup consisted of more than 50 objects, including silver ingots, coins, jewellery and hacksilver. It is likely that the hoard became dispersed through the action of ploughing.
Penrith Castle
Penrith Castle was built at the end of the 14th century by Ralph Neville, who played a key role in the defence of the Scottish border. Ralph Neville (about 1364–1425) was granted the manor of Penrith in 1396 and built the castle soon afterwards. As warden of the West March, he was responsible for the defence of this area against the Scots.
Contrary to what might be expected, the castle was not built at the highest point of the hill, which lies 170 metres away. Its location was chosen because it was probably the site of an old Roman fort, the banks and ditches of which could be conveniently re-used for their defensive function.
Giant's Grave and Giant's Thumb, St Andrew's Church, Penrith
The ancient monument on the north side of the parish church, consisting of two upright columns ten to eleven feet high and fifteen feet apart, with four semicircular stones with flat bases between, belong to this period. All the stones have been covered with a profusion of ornament, but time has to a very large extend effaced the figures and tracery which formally adorned these stones, yet on the north side on one stone two serpents and a human figure are traceable, presumably representing the bruising of the serpent’s head, whilst on the south side another stone bears on its face Greek, Runic and Roman tracery, in lines below one another.
The period to which it belongs, like that of its neighbour, the “Giant’s Thumb”, is difficult to determine. The once beautiful sculptures, which have adorned these monuments, might lead to us to believe they had been the work of the Romans were they evacuated the neighbouring fort of Brocavum; that the old churchyard cross marked the place of assembly of the congregation which met to hear St. Ninian, and that the grave might be the place of sepulchre of some noble Roman, who had became a Christian through the preaching of St. Ninian. Some colour is given to this idea from the similarity of the sculpture on the two monuments.
St Olaf's Church, Wasdale
The smallest church near the deepest lake and the highest mountain in England. This little church is set amidst yew trees in the Viking fields of Wasdale.
In the churchyard are the graves of many climbers who died on the surrounding fells. The roof beams are thought to have come from Viking ships. The churchwardens’ staves have a Herdwick ram’s head on one, and a ewe’s head on the other.
Podnet Tarn
Weather is usually responsible for shaping the lakes, landscape and tarns in the Lake District. Sometimes they’re altered to create a water supply or for recreational purposes such as fishing and sailing. Occasionally, it's a good old honest mistake....In 1982, the Ordinance Survey completely missed Podnet Tarn off the official maps.
The mistake was quickly noticed - Podnet isn't exactly a small pond, it's a sizeable, permanent tarn - and it was put back on the next revision of the map. Even today, despite being one of the most tranquil and beautiful tarns to the east of Windermere, it’s almost unknown and is rarely visited, which means if you step just a short distance from the beaten track, you could have it to yourself all day.
Arnsbarrow Tarn
Arnsbarrow Tarn is a small, almost circular tarn, located in the undulating fells between Coniston Water and Grizedale Forest. It sits at the head of Tarn Beck, surrounded by three summits - Top o'Selside to the west, Heel Toe Hill to the north and Arnsbarrow Hill to the south. A right of way between Top o' Selside and Arnsbarrow Hill runs past the tarn, but wasn't that easy to spot on the ground on my last visit to the area.
The name implies that there was once a barrow or a stronghold of some sort in the area (Arne's Barrow), but there are no recorded barrows in the area.
Aira Force
An 18th-century pleasure ground, Aira Force was the backdrop for William Wordsworth’s poem ‘Somnambulist’ – a Gothic tale of love and tragedy. There are so many woodland trails to discover in this landscape of contrasts. Quiet glades give way to dramatic waterfalls, with Aira Beck thundering down a 65-foot drop past ferns and rocks.
If you walk to the summit of Gowbarrow, you will be rewarded with panoramic views over Ullswater. Starting your day in Glenridding, arriving at Aira Force by boat then strolling back along the lakeshore, allows you to take in the wonderful Ullswater Valley sights.
The Somnambulist
The painting by John Everett Millais, inspired by Wordsworth's poem The Somnambulist and the legend of Emma of Aira Force.
The Witch of Westmoreland
Archie Fisher sang his ballad The Witch of the West-Mer-Lands in 1976 on his Folk-Legacy album The Man With a Rhyme.
He commented in his liner notes:
"I have borrowed, for this song, the form of the narrative ballad. The ingredients are a mixture of legend, superstition, and ballad themes brought into focus by the Lakeland painter, Joni Turner.
"As far as I know, the female centaur is not a creature of mythology, and this role of witch disguise was suggested by the tales of antlered women with bodies of deer seen wading in the shallows of the lakes in the moonlight in the Lake District."
Lyrics:
Pale was the wounded knight That bore the rowan shield, Loud and cruel were the raven’s cries As they feasted on the field,
Singing, “Beck water, cold and clear, Will never heal your wound. There’s none but the Witch of the Westmerland Can make thee hale and sound.”
“Turn, turn your stallion’s head Till his red mane flies in the wind, And the rider of the moon goes by And the bright star falls behind.”
Clear was the waning moon When a shadow passed him by; Below the hill were the brightest stars When he heard the owlet cry.
Singing, “Why do you ride this way And wherefore came you here?” “I seek the Witch of the Westmerland Who dwells by the Winding mere.”
And it’s weary by the Ullswater And the misty brake fern way Till through the cut of the Kirkstane Pass The winding water lay.
He said, “Lie down you brindled hound And rest ye, my good grey hawk, And thee, my steed, may graze thy fill For I must dismount and walk.
”Come when you hear my horn And answer swift the call, For I fear ere the sun will rise this morn Ye will serve me best of all.”
And it’s down to the water’s brim He’s borne the rowan shield, And the goldenrod he has cast in To see what the lake might yield.
Wet rose she from the lake And fast and fleet went she, One half the form of a maiden fair With a jet-black mare’s body.
Loud, long and shrill he blew, Till his steed was by his side; High overhead the grey hawk flew And swiftly he did ride.
“Course well, my brindled hound, Fetch me the jet-black mare! Stoop and strike, my good grey hawk, And bring me the maiden fair!”
She said, “Pray sheath thy silvery sword, Lay down thy rowan shield. For I see by the briny blood that flows You’ve been wounded in the field.”
She stood in a gown of velvet blue, Bound ’round with a silver chain, And she’s kissed his pale lips once and twice And three times ’round again.
And she’s bound his wounds with the goldenrod, Full fast in her arms he lay, And he has risen, hale and sound, With the sun high in the day.
“Ride with your brindled hound at heel And your good grey hawk in hand. And there’s none can harm the knight who’s lain With the Witch of the Westmerland.”
She said, “Ride with your brindled hound at heel And your good grey hawk in your hand. And there’s none can harm the knight who’s lain With the Witch of the Westmerland.”
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