T he river Lyvennet rises on the northern side of the range of hills stretching eastwards across Westmorland from Shap Fells. It runs through the parishes of Crosby Ravensworth and Morland, receives the tributary stream of the Leith, and falls into the Eden near Temple Sowerby. The distance from its source to its outfall is less than ten miles measured in a straight line; but the little valley is full of varied interest, to which each age has contributed a share. Half way down the stream, and ou

The Roman Road connecting the Stations at Borough Bridge and Kirkby Thore. T he earliest historic record respecting the North of England was made by Tacitus, from whose works we learn that the Roman armies led by Agricola first advanced into this district and conquered the inhabitants then known as the Western Brigantes in the year A.D. 79, in the reign of the Emperor Vespasian. The base of Agricola's operations was Chester, (Deva), the station occupied by the 20th Legion; with these he advanced

The Sites of Ancient British Villages. T he most important monuments left by the ancient Britons who inhabited this country previous to the Roman invasion are the several remains of villages. Cæsar, in describing what the Britons call a town, says:—"It is a tract of woody country surrounded by a vallum and a ditch for the security of themselves and cattle against the incursions of their enemies." Strabo confirms this, and says further:—"That within the inclosures formed of felled trees they buil

T he remains next under consideration are the cairns or burial mounds. These have been very numerous on the high grounds and unenclosed moors around the source of the Lyvennet. Thirty or forty may still be found perched upon the highest peaks, or otherwise on commanding situations, others on the overhanging banks of the streams, while some have been placed without any characteristic choice of site. Some of these bear significant names or more often the name is applied to an extended area of the

N ear Winter Tarn at different times have been found various relics of the ancient Celts belonging to the Stone Age. Two stone celts, one of greenstone, the other of basalt. The one of basalt is broken and only a portion left; the other is perfect—with a hole in it to receive a shaft and be used as a mace or battle-axe. Another similar was found on Crosby Fell, near Hause Edge, but is now lost. One of another character was found in Threaplands Gill; it is of green slate, smoothly polished. This

Of the Conditions of the Country up to the Time of the Norman Conquest. T he northern counties of England have, through all historic record, and in times previous from monumental evidence, been the scenes of constant struggles, sometimes between the different tribes of the inhabitants amongst themselves, or marauders; and at other times united as a people opposing the invasions of foreign aggressors, as the Romans, and after them the Scots, Picts, Angles, Saxons and Danes; each in their turn con

T horphine de Alverstean , son of Uctred, son of Gospatric, is the first lord of the manor of which there is any account. In 1140 he gave the church, with lands in the manor, to Whitby Abbey. He was succeeded by his son, Alan de Alverstean, who reclaimed the church, but afterwards, in 1174, confirmed all previous grants of his father. In 1218 Hugh de Hastings had a grant of free warren in Crosby and Tibbay; he held the manor under John de Veteripont, son of Robert. In 1221, Thomas de Hastings, g

T he Park at Crosby Ravensworth, of which Sir Lancelot Threlkeld boasted as affording him unbounded pleasure, lies to the south of Crosby, and is now known as Crosby Gill. It has originally been enclosed by a wall three yards in height, and of immense thickness; portions of this are still to be seen, the most perfect specimen being on the roadside from Crosby to Gilts. It has certainly been a chase of princely dimensions, containing within its bounds upwards of 700 acres, with a circumference of

T he village of Crosby Ravensworth is remarkably picturesque, being situated near the junction of the stream from Odindale with the Lyvennet; these streams afford marked features of natural beauties, and are enhanced by the splendid sycamore trees in the neighbourhood of the Church and Hall. It is also a very good specimen of villages arranged under the feudal times, when the resident lord of the manor exercised an almost despotic sway over the tenants and other inhabitants. The Hall, therefore,

Its Architecture, &c. T he architecture of the Church may be best understood from the foregoing illustrations, which require little or no description. The Church was built after the usual cruciform plan, having a nave, chancel, transept, side aisles and tower. The first historic record concerning it is in the year 1140, when it was granted to Whitby Abbey. Previous to this time (if it existed) it would merely be a wooden structure, which would then be replaced by a stone one built after

O f the architecture and character of the Hall little can be said, as it was almost wholly rebuilt about forty years ago. According to a manuscript history of Crosby written by Mr. George Gibson in 1801, he says:—"In the time of the Pickerings it is said to have been a building of stately dimensions in the form of a lofty tower; but this ancient fabric being suffered to decay was totally taken down and removed almost within memory," so that it may now be about 120 or 130 years ago. "The place wa

T he first historic record of Meaburn is in the reign of Henry II, at which time the Barony of Westmorland was in possession of the Morville family. Roger de Morvill had a son and heir, Hugh, and a daughter, Maude. This daughter was married to William de Veteripont, and carried with her in marriage to her husband part of the manor of Meaburn. This manor previously included both the Meaburns (sometimes spelt Medburn or Mayburn ), and all the lands between, called Meaburn Field. The other portion

T he Manor House of Maulds Meaburn originally stood on the site of the present Hall, but we have no record of any of the manorial families residing at it. The present Hall has been built at different times. The oldest portion is the north part of the body of the Hall. It has originally been nearly square, and lofty, somewhat in the character of a tower. This has been strongly built of hewn sandstone. This old portion may be traced by having around the bottom a champhered basement. This portion,

C raik Trees is one of the oldest buildings in the parish, having originally been of the class known as Tower Houses. The tower was at the south end, where the groundworks may be seen. It has been pulled down, and the material used in the farm buildings. In one of these is a small ogee tower window, and in the modern porch is a slab with rudely cut and almost obliterated arms of the Lancasters. There still remains in the interior the lower portion of a turnpike stair, by which the tower has been

T he first record of Gaythorn Hall is that the whole, or part of it, belonged to the Hospital of St. Leonard at York. In 1281 they had a grant of free warren in Docker and Gaythorn. According to Burn it was next in possession of the Pickerings, and sold by Sir Christopher Pickering of Ormshead in the reign of James I. to Sir James Bellingham of Over Levens. This cannot have been the case, for in the reign of Henry VII., this manor, Levens, Helsington and Fawcett Forest were bought by Alan Bellin

T he first notice recorded of Reagill is that Maude, the sister of Hugh de Morville and wife of William de Veteripont, gave a ploughland of her demesne of Renegill in frank marriage with her daughter Christian to Robert son of Derman; which land was called Hynthornham. There is no land at the present day bearing such a name; but it may have been the lands now known as Thornbank, a number of fields lying near Hard Bank. She afterwards gave the whole vill of Renegill to her son Robert, he renderin

T he ancient manor house of Reagill, or more properly the Grange, occupied nearly the same site as the present house, except that it has been a little more to the north, where, on excavating for the foundation of some outbuildings, were found various remains of groundworks and old floors. This position is immediately on the edge of a deep and rocky ravine, down which runs a stream. On the opposite or north side of this stood the chapel, in a small field called Chapel Garth. Other fields near are