Thursday 12th August 1819
Thursday August 12th We breakfasted at Braithwaite a small village in Borrowdale & then proceeded mounted on ponies for the Sty head excursion; as we advanced we entered deeper into the valley where immense mountains reared their lofty heads as if unwilling that we should proceed. However by a turn to the right a new extent of valley laid before as the mountains here continually change their way, which it would be endless to mention there is a small lake here famous for large trout passing by a different road
which the clouds almost prevented us seeing we arrived at the Sty head we waited for a considerable time in hoping that the clouds would break our wish however not being gratified we began leading our ponies down the mountain the road being too bad to ride as we descended we obtained a most extensive view of the country we continued descending in this manner for nearly two miles the views gradually becoming more clear and the craggy mountains which before were grand now became truly beautiful soon after we arrived at Wastwater a lake 4 miles in extent encompassed by heroic rocks the depth of this lake is unfathomable on the left is a ?good? range of mountains called the Skrees which appear as if jutting into the lake which
is frequently the case after passing the lakes the country became very flat we took a little refreshment at a small village and arrived at Calderbridge to dinner after dining we walked to Calder abbey situated close to the mansion of the Miss Hobhouses whose father destroyed great part of the Abbey to take the materials for his own convenience he however died suddenly and his daughters are anxious for its preservation and it now remains unmolested it was erected by the monks of Furness in the same style of architecture.
OBSERVATIONS & COMMENTS:
Braithwaite is situated around Coledale Beck, a brook which joins Newlands Beck shortly after passing through the village. Newlands Beck (coming from the Newlands Valley) then flows north towards Bassenthwaite Lake. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braithwaite
2008: Trees and pasture, Braithwaite by Andrew Smith. This image was taken from the Geograph project collection. The copyright on this image is owned by Andrew Smith and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Above_Derwent_-_Braithwaite.jpg
Borrowdale is a valley admired by journalist Simon Jenkins who rates the view of Borrowdale from Castle Crag looking towards Derwentwater as one of the top ten in England (see the foot of his article at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/countryside/10341432/Our-glorious-land-in-peril.html )
1837: Castle Crag, Borrowdale, from the village of Grange, Cumberland. Engraving by J.C. Bentley after T. Allom https://antique-prints-maps.com/acatalog/ref1.php?imagefile=../largeimages/SECastleCrag.JPG
Sometime before 1565 (some sources say as early as 1500), a major deposit of graphite was discovered near the Seathwaite hamlet in Borrowdale parish. The locals found that it was useful for marking sheep. The graphite was pure and solid, and it could easily be sawed into sticks; the pencil industry was born in nearby Keswick. The graphite find remains unique.
1815: The Grange in Borrowdale. Engraving by J Scott after Joseph Farringdon, published by T Cadell & W Davies http://www.rareoldprints.com/p/6895
In the first of Sir Hugh Walpole's series of four novels Rogue Herries about the Herries family, Borrowdale is the site of a fictional house called Herries, the home of Francis Herries, the protagonist of the novel. Subsequent novels in the series are also largely set in Borrowdale. The valley and its surrounding mountains are described in sympathetic detail. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borrowdale
2005: Rosthwaite and Borrowdale Valley by Steve Mason. This image was taken from the Geograph project collection. The copyright on this image is owned by Steve Mason and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.
2008: Derwent Water in Borrowdale at dusk by Skier Dude at the English language Wikipedia. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Borrowdale_at_dusk.jpg
Wast Water (or Wastwater) is a lake located in Wasdale, a valley in the western part of the Lake District. It is almost 3 miles long and more than one-third mile wide. It is the deepest lake in England at 258 feet. The surface of the lake is about 200 feet above sea level, while its bottom is over 50 feet below sea level. It is owned by the National Trust.
2006: Looking towards Wasdale Head by Peter Moore. The Uploader was Amatire at English Wikipedia. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Amatire. This applies worldwide. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wast_Water#/media/File:Wast_water.jpeg
In 1976, The Wasdale Lady in the Lake, Margaret Hogg, was murdered by her husband and her body was disposed of in the lake. She was found after eight years, with her body preserved like wax. In February 2005 it was reported that a "gnome garden" complete with picket fence had been placed in the lake as a point of interest for divers to explore. It was removed from the bottom of Wastwater after three divers died in the late 1990s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wast_Water
2009: Wastwater, Yewbarrow and Great Gable A rare calm Autumn day by Andy Stephenson. This image was taken from the Geograph project collection. The copyright on this image is owned by Andy Stephenson and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wastwater,_Yewbarrow_and_Great_Gable_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1546772.jpg
Wastwater Screes ( or “The Screes”) are the steep slopes on the south-eastern side of the lake, leading up to the summits of Whin Rigg and Illgill Head. These screes formed as a result of ice and weathering erosion on the rocks of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group, that form the fells to the east of the lake, towards Eskdale. They are approximately 2,000 feet, from top to base, the base being about 200 feet below the surface of the lake. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wast_Water
2015: The Screes Wasdale, Cumbria by Dougsim, the copyright holder of this work. It is published under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wasdale_screes.jpg
Calder Bridge (also Calderbridge) is a hamlet around 1 mile northeast from the Sellafield nuclear plant. Calder Abbey, which lies by the River Calder just northeast of Calder Bridge, is a picturesque ruin adjoining Calder Abbey House, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calder_Bridge
2003: Calder Bridge, Ponsonby / St Bridget Beckermet by Humphrey Bolton. This image was taken from the Geograph project collection. The copyright on this image is owned by Humphrey Bolton and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calder_Bridge,_Ponsonby_-_St_Bridget_Beckermet_-_geograph.org.uk_-_40996.jpg
Two parish names are listed in the photograph, above, (Ponsonby / St Bridget Beckermet) because the view crosses the river and the parish boundary. The Stanley Arms is on the right.
Calder Abbey was founded in 1134 by Ranulph de Meschines, Lord of Copeland, for a colony of monks from Furness Abbey, originally as a Benedictine monastery. Only four years after its foundation, in the midst of the political instability following the death of Henry I, David King of Scots sent Scottish raiders under William Fitz Duncan to raid the northern English counties. Calder Abbey was one of the victims, and the Scots raided they despoiled the Abbey and drove out the monks. This, and the poor endowment, led the monks to abandon the site, and they sought sanctuary at Furness Abbey. However, as Abbot Gerold would not resign his abbacy, a dispute arose and they were obliged to leave. They started a wandering life, first to Hood near Thirsk, then to Old Byland, near Rievaulx Abbey, and finally to Stocking where they finally settled and built the great Byland Abbey. However, the monks were worried that Furness would continue to exercise control, and after Gerold travelled to Sauvigny in France to put his case, they were released from the jurisdiction of Furness in 1142.
1811:Calder Abbey, Cumberland. Engraving by Angus after Grose. https://antique-prints-maps.com/acatalog/ref1.php?imagefile=../largeimages/SECalderAbbeyBeau11.jpg
Meanwhile, back at Calder, a second attempt at colonisation was made from Furness in about 1142 under Abbot Hardred, and this time they had the protection of Fitz Duncan. The Sauvigniac order became Cisterian in 1148 when the two orders were amalgamated, and Calder likewise was obliged to follow.By 1180 a stone church had been built of which the west door is the main survivor today. Most of the rest of building was rebuilt in 1220 in the early English style by Thomas de Multon of Egremont.
2007: Calder Abbey, Cumbria, by JohnArmagh, the copyright holder of this work, who has released this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CalderAbbey.JPG
The house was not rich, in 1535 the annual net income was only £50. At the Dissolution, the only recorded relic in the monastery's possession was that of a girdle (a belt) claimed to have belonged to the Virgin Mary. In 1535 an unfavourable report was made against the abbey and its community by the King's commissioners (though their views are often suspected to be biased and dubiously motivated). The abbey was surrendered in 1536 by the last abbot, Richard Ponsonby.
2004: Calder Abbey, from the air by Simon Ledingham. This image was taken from the Geograph project collection. The copyright on this image is owned by Simon Ledingham and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calder_Abbey,_Cumbria_-_geograph.org.uk_-_54489.jpg
The Abbey has been described as one of the most enchanting in the British Isles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calder_Abbey For More photographs and details see: https://www.visitcumbria.com/wc/calderbridge-calder-abbey-ruins/
Calder Abbey Mansion is attached to the abbey ruins, and built on part of the original abbey site. The house is not open to the public, and is privately owned, however it may be possible for organised groups of people to visit the abbey mansion. Contact the estate manager for more information. https://www.visitcumbria.com/wc/calderbridge-calder-abbey-ruins/
Calder Abbey Mansion from the Visit Cumbria web page: https://www.visitcumbria.com/wc/calderbridge-calder-abbey-ruins/
Can you help us?
Transcription problems: As untrained transcribers we sometimes experience problems interpreting some of Lucy’s writing. We have a problem deciphering one section today:
is a ?good? range of mountains called the Skrees which appear as if jutting into the lake which appear as Help please! The word “good” is weak and not really appropriate - could it be something else … or is Lucy just tired?
Old Regency Prints, Pictures an Coaching maps: Do you have access to any prints or pictures showing what town and country would have looked like when Lucy travelled through? Any illustrations of what she would have seen in 1819 will enliven our research.
New Pictures: Do you have any modern pictures of the streets, buildings, gardens and views that would enable us to see the changes that two centuries have wrought?