C o n i h s t o n m e r e .
Jtonmert, at a place called Waterfoot, lay abundance of flate brought
down by water from the quarries in the fells.: obferved alfo great
heaps of birch befoms, which are alfo articles for exportation.
Reach Coninfton or ‘Thurjlain water, a beautiful lake,, about feven
meafured miles long; and the greateft breadth three quarters : the
greateft depth from thirty to forty fathoms. A t the Sv end it is
narrowed by the projection o f feveral little headlands running far
into the water, and forming between them federal pretty bays. A
little higher up the wideft part commences.: from thence it runs
quite ftralt to the end,.not incurvated as the maps make it; The
fiih o f this water are char and pike : a few years-ago the firil were
fold for qs. 6d. per. dozen, but, thanks to the luxury o f the times,
are now raifed to eight or nine ihillings.. The fcenery about this <
lake, which, is fcarcely mentioned,. is extremely noble. The E.
and W. fides are. bounded by high hills often wooded ; but in general
compofed-of grey rock-, and coarfe vegetation; much juniper
creeps along the.furface, and fome •beautiful hollies are finely intermixed.
A t the north weftern extremity, the vail mountains called
Goninfton felli, form a magnificent mafs.. In the rnidft is a great bo-
fom, retiring inward,. which affords great quantities o f fine flate.
The trade in this article has of late, been greatly improved,-and the
value o f the quarries highly encreafed : a work that twenty years
ago did not produce to the landlord forty ihillings, at prefent brings
in annually as many pounds : and the whole quantity at this time
exported yearly from thefe mountains, is about two thoufand tuns.
A t their feet is-a fmall cultivated tradl,. filled with good farm
houfes,. and near the water edge is the village and church of
Gmtifton- Formerly thefe. mountains yielded copper ; but o f late
the
.the works have been neglefted on account o f the poverty o f the
ore.L
eave the fides of the lake, and afcend a fteep hill, furrounded
with woods. From the fummit have a fine view o f the lake, the
ftupendous fells, and a winding chafm beneath fome black and
ferrated mountains.
The fields in thofe parts are often fenced with rows o f great
flates •, which no horfes will attempt leaping. See at a diftance a
; piece of tVinander merer, and that of Eaftthwaite; defcend the hill,
: and foon reach the fmall town of Hawkjhead, feated in a fertile
bottom. In the church is an altar tomb, with the effigies of
I William Sandys, and Margaret his wife, moft rudely cut in ftone,
and done by order of his fon Edwin, Archbiihop of York, who
was born in a fmall houfe in this neighborhood. Round the tomb
is this infcription:
Conditur hoc tumulo, Guilielmus Sandes et uxor,
Cui Margareta nomen et omen erat.
Armiger ille fuit percharus regibus olim,
Ilia fed exemplar religionis erat.
Conjugii fuerant asquali forte beati,
Felices opibus, ilemmate, prole, fide.
Quos amor et pietas laeto conjunxit eodem :
Hos fub fpe vitas continet iite lapis.
Leave Hawkjhead, and ride by the fide o f Urfwick mere^ about
two miles long, and three quarters broad; on each fide ornamented
with a pretty elevated peninfula, jutting far into the water.
Its fiih are perch, called here bafs, pike, eels, but no trout. The
«els defcend in multitudes through the river that flows from this
F 2 mere
M a y 2 2 .
U r s w i c k m e r e .
E e l s .