|
It makes eye-opening reading. Among the scientific curiosities are a large collection of gall-, kidney- and bladder-stones, meticulously described (430-431); a crocodile, three inches short of six foot, ‘the same Animal
that is call’d the Leviathan in Job’; ‘; The Pizle of a Hippopotamus (the Behemoth mentioned in Job) twenty Inches long, the Glans being now dryed, but seven Inches round’; ‘A young Cat
(littered at Leedes) with Six Feet and Two Tails having two distinct Bodies from the mid Back’ (432); a ceremonial American Indian feather headdress, and a peace pipe, with which ‘All their Declarations of War
and Conclusions of Peace are sealed, as it were … which they fill with the best Tobacco, and present it to those with whom they treat about any great Affair, and smoke out of the same after them’. He also had a collection of
autographs (specimens of handwriting) of historical and distinguished persons — to which he was glad to add one of ‘the noted Geo: Fox the founder of Quakerism’ (22 May
1709).1 Visitors came to the museum from across the country, but after his death it was broken up, and most of the scientific curiosities seem to have ended up in
the rubbish tip. His collections of coins and medals, manuscripts and printed books, were sold at auction in 1769.
Thoresby’s journey to Cumbria 16942
From The Diary of Ralph Thoresby edited Joseph Hunter (London: Colburn and Bentley, 1830) pages 263-82
September 17: Leeds via Otley, Addingham, Skipton, Gargrave, Coniston Cold, Hellifield, to Long Preston 38 miles3
[page 263] Preparing for a journey into Cumberland, about sister D. S.’s concern,
taking leave of relations; set forwards about ten; rode by Mr. Kirk’s, (the virtuoso) of Cookridge, to Otley, seven miles; walked down the Chevin, but had not time enough to view the church,
wherein is the monument for the first Lord Fairfax; thence, through Burley; had the prospect
of Newhall, Mr. Vavasour’s seat, and Denton Hall, the Lord Fairfax's to Ilkley, three; [page 264] the Roman Olicana, as Camden thinks; but it was the first cohort of the Lingones that resided
here, for I strictly transcribed the altar, VERBEU: SACRVM; and the last line is P LINCON, as is the original, which my father saw and transcribed at Stubham Lodge; thence, by the side of the river Wherfe [Wharfe],
(Verbeia,) which seems, indeed, to have been cruel enough, by the breaches it has made; (whence, more probably, the occasion of that altar, to pacify so angry a nymph, which has taken down the stone bridge several times); to
Long Addingham, a church town also, where we entered upon Craven, two miles; thence, over Rumblesmoor, where we had a very severe storm, and the way, as well as weather, not very desirable, four miles to Skipton,
where left the church and castle unviewed, (not so much as baiting [stopping for refreshments] in the town;) thence, over the river Are [Aire], eight times in three miles, to Gargrave; thence, one to Cunniston [Coniston
Cold], where the young man lived that was of late years so remarkably converted by reading some pages (dropped from Madam Lambert, of Cowton, as she was reading in the book in her way to the meeting) of Mr. Baxter's
Call to the Unconverted, strangely brought into the house by a little dog; thence to Hellyfield two miles, and Long Preston, severely wet, and very weary with travelling so many miles in a dark, rainy night, yet received
little or no prejudice; was most of the evening transcribing heads of Mr. Knowles's benefaction to this his native soil.
September 18: Long Preston via Cowbridge, Rathmel, Giggleswick, Austwick, Clapham, Ingleton, and Kirby Lonsdale, to Kendal about 37 miles
[page 265] Rose early, to write remainder of ditto Will, &c. Had sat up too late for same purpose; had a morning as severe as yester-night, and worse,
in respect of the waters being out with the rains. Saw the place where Mr. Lambert, (the General's younger son) was lately drowned. Left the Settle road, and rode by Cowbridge to Wigglesworth-hall, Mr. Sherburn's seat,
where saw the finest barn possibly in England, measured by our servant twenty-two yards wide and forty-six long, of stone, &c. Thence to Rathmel (three miles from [Long] Preston), where most obligingly entertained by the
learned and reverend Mr. Frankland, (who directed us as to the main occasion of our journey); admired the number and hopefulness of his pupils, amongst which Mr. Sharp and my nephew Wilson; had much pleasing discourse
with reference to his son's memoirs and other memorable transactions, he promised me an account of; and we rode thence through Giggleswick, and at the foot of that very remarkable scar, alighted to observe the famous well,
which in a few minutes we saw several times ebb and flow eleven inches or a foot perpendicular, and continually agitated, either increasing or declining visibly. Then mounted our horses, and the scar too, clambering up a
rock, steep enough, for the prospect's sake. By Austwick, to Clapham, four miles, and thence over part of that exceeding high mountain, Ingleboro’, the highest of our English Apennines, which had enveloped his head in
the clouds, so that we could not distinctly discern [page 266] the height of that other hill, which is, as it were, set upon the head of it, as the learned Camden observed with wonder, p. 749.
To Ingleton, three, and thence, five, to Kirkby Lonsdale, a very pretty well-built market-town, with a church, &c. which the shortness of the days and length of the miles prevented our observance of, more than the bare
view as we rode through the town, where we passed the river Lean, or Lune; thence over several high hills, where yet we had the prospect of much higher, to Kendal, eight miles, where we lodged.
September 19: Kendal, by Windermere, Wrynose, and Hardknott, to Dalegarth, Gosforth, to Calder Bridge 37 miles
Morning, rose pretty early; went to church before well light, transcribed some monuments erected since those I formerly noted; that, especially,
of Mr. Sands, a benefactor to this town, where A.D. 1659, he erected an hospital for eight poor widows, who have each 12d. per week, besides a salary to a Reader or Schoolmaster, &c.; which fabric (wherein we saw one widow
weaving their woollen manufacture,) I believe he first designed as a workhouse, by the tazels, &c. cut in stone upon the front. And this town, which is the chief in Westmorland, is yet a place of trade, Kendal cottons
being famous all England over. It is a handsome well-built town, but cannot pretend to any great antiquity; and the Castle is ruinous, formerly the prime seat of the Parrs, where the Lady Catherine Parr, (the last of
King Henry VIII.'s wives, and a great favourer of the Gospel,) was born. From Kendal, we rode by Stavely, four miles, to Ambleside, six (at the end of [page 267] Winandermere, prægrande
stagnum [a exceedingly large lake], the most spacious lake in all England, saith Speed,) now a country vill, but of old, as appears by the many heaps of rubbish and ruins of walls, as well as by the paved highways
leading thereto, a noted Roman station — Amboglana, as Camden conjectures. Thence, over Eyn-bridge, and many high hills, amongst which the said melancholy river runs, upon which a remarkable catadupa,
cataract, or waterfall, which falling from a great height, and breaking upon the rugged rocks, affected both the eyes and ears with somewhat of horror, especially us that were riding upon the steep and slippery side
of the hill; to Fellfoot, four miles; and then ascended a dreadful fell indeed, terrible rocks, and seemingly inaccessible; much more likely for the goats to scramble over, than horses or men; especially those
two more notorious of Wrennose [Wrynose] and Hard-knot, which were really mighty dangerous, terrible, and tedious, and had nothing to comfort us but the certainty of being in the right way, for the prodigious rocks
on the right hand, upon that ugly Wrynose were absolutely inaccessible, and on the left nothing but a ghastly precipice to the Fell-foot, which I think may as well be called Hell-foot, as those riverets
(which Camden mentions p.727) Hell-becks, because creeping in waste, solitary, and unsightly places, amongst the mountains upon the borders of Lancashire; which, not distinctly remembering, I mistook several little becks
for, which came rumbling down these high moun[page 268]tains into valleys, hideous enough in places. Upon the height of Wrynose, we found the three shirestones reared up, which bound as many
counties, upon two whereof a man may set either foot, and sitting upon the third, may be at the same time part in Lancashire, Westmorland, and Cumberland, which we here entered upon, and walked down the hill. After which,
we rode over several high hills, but accounted little because of Hard-knot, whose rugged head surmounted them, upon the top of which (when not without difficulty we had scaled it) I was surprised to find the ruins of some
castle or fortifications where I thought the Romans bad never come. Having at length surmounted the difficulties of these eight miles' tedious march from Fell-foot to Dale-garth, (which was rendered still more uncomfortable
by the loss of a shoe from the servant's horse, which much retarded our journey,) we came into a pleasanter country by the river Esk; and being recommended by Mr. Frankland, visited Justice Stanley at Dalegarth,
to enquire after Mr. S. Thence seven miles good way in a habitable part of the earth, by Gosforth, the pleasant seat of Mr. Copley, to Cauder-bridge [Calder Bridge], where we arrived safe, though late,
in a dark night and strange country, but necessitated thereto for want of conveniences nigher, and here found them very slender; jannock bread and clap-cakes the best that gold could purchase; but we made ourselves merry
with the music of our clog-slippers, and complimented them to entertain [page 269] us at Bernard Swaneson’s, whose family, he saith has been there 880 years, as Mr. Patrickson, an ingenious
gentleman of Cauder Abbey adjoining, tells him.
September 20: Calder Bridge via Egremont to Whitehaven about 10 miles
Morning, enjoyed Esquire Curwen's, of Sellay Park, good company, and serious advice (upon Mr. Frankland's recommendation) to decline
a Cumberland match, &c.; in our road from Cauderbridge we had a fair prospect of the Irish sea, to Egremont, three miles, where we saw the vestigia of an ancient castle. Thence by the iron mines, where we saw them working
and got some ore, (which is transported to Ireland where it is smelted) and … [?Hensingham: though Grindal was born at Cross Hill, St Bees] where worthy Bishop Grindall was born; to Whitehaven five miles,·where we spent the rest of the day in pursuing directions in quest of Mr. S's.
estate; and in viewing the town, which is absolutely the most growing thriving town in these parts; much encouraged by Sir John Lowther, the lord thereof, who gave them four hundred pounds towards building the pier,
and two hundred pounds towards the building of a church, which is one of the prettiest I have seen, (after the London mode of their new churches) with the ground that it stands upon; and he is now building a very stately
school-house, to which he designs the addition of two wings, one for teaching the mathematics, and the other writing. We walked thence along the designed Lowtherstreet, for it is grown from a village of six houses,
as Major Christian, a native of the Isle of Man, (which [page 270] we had the prospect of upon the hills,) and many others can remember, to a large town, full as big as Pontefract (even in brother
Rayner's judgment), to Sir John Lowther's stately house at the Flat [Whitehaven Castle], where we were most obligingly entertained by William Gilpin, Esq. (the doctor's son, of Newcastle,) a most ingenious gentleman, who showed us the pictures
and curiosities of the house and gardens, wherein is placed the original famous altar, GENIO LOCI, (mentioned by Camden, p. 770,) for which Sir John gave twenty pounds. This ingenious gentleman, who is an accurate historian
and virtuoso, presented me out of his store of natural curiosities, with a very fair piece of Marchesites, and obliged me extremely with his pleasing converse, till pretty late at night with Dr. Jaques and Mr. Anderton,
(one of Mr. Frankland's pupils, and the Nonconformist minister there) with much good company, amongst which, honest Mr. Atkinson, the ship-master, who wrote an obliging letter, to recommend us to Mr. Larkham, for further
instructions about Mr. Salkeild, though little expectations of success.
September 21: Whitehaven to Cockermouth, Bridekirk, Tallentire, and Threapland about 20 miles
Morning, rose pretty early; yet prevented of too hasty a journey by the most obliging Mr. Gilpin, who afforded us his acceptable company till we left the town. We rode very pleasantly upon the shore,
and had a fair prospect of the Isle of Man, (which peaks up with mountains in the midst) and part of Scotland, which appears also vastly mountainous; eastward also, we had the noted Skiddaw hill on our right hand,
which with its high-forked head, Parnas[page 271]sus-like, seems to emulate Scruffel-hill [Crifell], in Annandale [actually in Dumfries and Galloway], in Scotland.
The Cumberlanders have a proverb:—
“If Skiddaw hath a cap,
Scruffel wots full well of that,”
applied to such who must expect to sympathize in their neighbour’s sufferings by reason of the vicinity of their habitations; Tum tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet. We rode by the ruins of an
old building, which seemed to have been some religious house, and through a silly boor's mistake, prevented of the sight of Workington, a noted market town by the sea, and turned a worse road over the Moors, and
some slender country vills, Clifton, &c. to Cockermouth; a well built market town, with a church and castle upon two hills, almost surrounded with Darwent and Cocker; it enjoys, also, a good school, endowed with about
thirty pounds per annum, by the Lord Wharton, &c.; but we saw little, save the town-house we rode by, designing, though prevented, to return and lodge there. Having passed Darwent, I called at Bride Kirk,
or St. Bridget's Church, to see that noble monument of antiquity, the font, with a Runic inscription, which, even the learned Camden understood not; but is since accurately described by my honoured friend,
the reverend and learned Mr. William Nicholson, Archdeacon of Carlisle, in a letter to Sir William Dugdale, Nov. 23, 1685; printed in the Philosophical Transactions·of that year; and in another to me, of Sept. 9, 1691,
wherein he obliged me with the curious drafts of [page 272] several Roman monuments found in Cumberland since Mr. Camden's time, and that famous cross at Beaucastle, with the Runic inscription,
explained in a letter to Mr. Walker, then Master of University College, in Oxford, 2d November, 1685, printed also in the said Transactions, p. 1287, &c. though in this to me he has added a delicate inscription of
nine lines upon the west side of that stately monument, found out, I presume, not only since that communicated by the Lord William Howard to Sir Henry Spelman, and mentioned by Wormius Mon. dan. p. 161; but since
that to Mr. Walker, being not exemplified in the said Transactions, as the shorter inscriptions upon the north and south sides are. My said worthy friend, was pleased at the same time to favour me with his notes of
my embrio manuscript account of Leeds, and very learned and accurate remarks upon some coins I had transmitted to him, especially upon that Amulet of the old idol Thor, with the Runic inscription, of which, inter alia,
he writes me; " I never yet saw any Runic inscription so plain and intelligible, which I hope to find exemplified in the new edition of Camden's Britannia, being engraven (though badly enough, Table II.) with many more
that the importunity of the gentlemen concerned prevailed with me to communicate, most of which are returned, with very kind expressions of gratitude, from the said poor (but ingenious) Mr. Ob. Walker and Mr. Edmund Gibson,
who published the Saxon Chronicle, my very obliging [page 273] and kind friends, though yet never seen by me, no more than the glory of my correspondents about antiquity, Mr. Archdeacon,
till this journey from Bridkirk, where the honest parson was very obliging in showing us the said famous font and the register, where one of his predecessors had writ a small account of it, but without any knowledge
of the letters; we rode to Talentire to consult Mr. Larkham, the Nonconformist minister, to whom Mr. Atkinson recommended us, (son to a good old Puritan, some of whose works are in print,) about Mr. S; but received
the strongest reasons imaginable against it, and not fit to be communicated but to very choice friends concerned; he walked with us to Mr. Fletcher's, Copper Grove, where they are beginning to mine for the mineral ore,
which abounds in this county; thence, after a consultation, we rode over the Moors, directly to Threepland, to Esquire Salkeild's, who, being all abroad at Bothal, &c. about the harvest, we were under a necessity
to comply with them, and thankfully accept a night's lodging, though against my inclination, because foreseeing a rupture, &c.
September 22: At Threapland
Morning, discoursed the old gentleman about the terms; and after, walked to view part of the land; and, by their excessive importunity and pretence of
business in giving particulars of estate, prevailed with to stay till Monday; spent part of the day in coursing with the young gentleman, while the old Esquire was preparing·a rental, and in
visit[page 274]ing honest Parson Robinson, of Plumland; after, had Mr. Orphir's company; evening, discoursed Mr. Salkeild, sen. again about ditto concern.
September 23: At Threapland; to church at Plumbland about a mile there and back
Die Dom [Sunday], it should be; though, alas! some part little like it, no prayers of any sort in family; we walked to Plumland, where
worthy Mr. Robinson prayed and preached very affectionately and well from Luke x. 42. Doctrine, that nothing is needful comparatively to the salvation of the soul; many gentlemen invited to dinner, so that rest of day
and evening was spent very unsuitably to the duties of the day, though we enjoyed the modest parson's good company, and Esquire Dyke’s; evening, sat too late, or early rather, with the young gentleman, and
was foolishly cheerful, and vain in my expressions; too compliant, &c.
September 24: Threapland to Bothel, Torpenhow, Ireby, Caldbeck, Hesketh Newmarket, Hutton-in-the-Forest, Great Salkeld about 28 miles
Morning, taking leave of ditto family, who have very obligingly entertained us; of honest Mr. Robinson, Parson Holms, &c.; then
rode by Bold, or Bothal, where viewed the land and mill, which gave little content; thence, to Torpenna [Torpenhow] two miles, their parish church, where Mr. Archdeacon preacheth; thence, to Ireby, a market town,
three miles, which Camden supposes to have been that Arbœia, where the Barcarii Tigrienses kept their standing guard; thence, by Caudbec [Caldbeck], to Park Gate, three miles; thence, to Heskit
[Hesket Newmarket] two miles, Newgate one mile, and to Hutton, four miles, where we viewed Sir George Fletcher's very stately hall, which is by far the most delicate noble structure we saw in these
[page 275] parts, (not having time to see Lowther, where Sir John Lowther is building such a palace-like fabric, as bears the bell away from all) : thence five miles to Salkeld, the
pleasant habitation of my honoured and kind friend, Mr. Archdeacon Nicholson, whose long-desired society I now enjoyed with great delight. We presently retired from the company to his museum, where he showed me
his delicate collection of natural curiosities, (and very kindly bestowed several of them upon me,) some coins and medals, hut the earth in those parts, where most have been found, being of a very corroding nature,
many of them are extremely eaten; many choice authors in print, but, above all, I was most pleased with his own most excellent manuscripts, especially his manuscript history of the ancient kingdom of Northumberland,
in two volumes, in Latin folio, which yet put me to the blush; looking in the Villare for what remarks he had procured concerning Leeds, I, altogether unexpectedly, found my name inserted with titles far above me,
for the etymology of the name, &c. We after walked to see the town, and river Eden, which rumbles not as most in Cumberland, whose courses are much obstructed with rocks and stones, but runs sweetly by the town,
which is, without compare, absolutely the pleasantest country town we have seen in these parts of England; but we had not time to visit Long Meg and her daughters at the less Salkeld [Little Salkeld], longing to be again in that
little paradise, his study, &c. After [page 276] supper, he showed us several remarkable sea-plants, and obliged us with most excellent converse, that I almost grudged my sleeping time.
September 25: Great Salkeld to Appleby, Warcop, and Brough 23½ miles
Morning, rose early, to enjoy Mr. Archdeacon's most acceptable converse and papers, which were the most pleasing and instructive that
I could tell how to wish for; after, took leave of his modest good lady and family, but enjoyed his excellent company ten miles to Appleby, in the way whither, he showed us an old Roman camp, and the ruins of Gallatum,
of which, vide Camden, p. 761. At Appleby, (the Roman Abbalaba, where the Aurelian Maures kept a station,) we were very nobly entertained with much good company at a venison feast, at the Rev. Mr. Banks’,
the head schoolmaster there, whose learned company, with that of the nonesuch Mr. Nicholson, was extremely obliging; he showed us the school and library, and a most curious collection of Roman inscriptions
on the walls of an adjoining garden-house, placed there by the learned Mr. Reginald Bainbridge, whom Mr. Camden and Sir Robert Cotton celebrate, as the excellent master of the school, when they made their survey
of these parts; the late learned Bishop Barlow, of Lincoln, and this present Bishop Smith, of Carlisle, (who is now building a public edifice upon pillars and arches, for the use and ornament of the town,)
have been considerable benefactors, &c. The late worthy Bishop Rainbow's life is writ, and published by the said ingenious Mr. Banks, who has also printed [page 277] other things.
After much pleasing converse, (wherein I had abundant reason to admire, as the ingenuity, so the candour also, of these learned persons, in taking notice of so insignificant a being, &c.) I left this ancient
and pleasant town, and most excellent company, which I was so enamoured with, that I would not spare time to view the church, castle or hospital, of which, vide my former journey into these parts, thirteen years
since this very month, &c., and rode by Warcup [Warcop], four miles off, to Brough, for distinction called Market Brough, where lodged, but walked to the Castle Burgh, to see the church, which had a good
ring of bells, but no monuments, except we reckon the old-fashioned stone pulpit one, and the painted glass in the windows, which remain the most entire of any I have seen, having the entire pictures of many saints, &c.
with inscriptions, ave gratia plena; but I was sorry to find the castle so ruinous, as is also that at Brougham, yet dare hardly entertain so much as a harsh thought of the Earl of Thanet, because I hear
so great a character of his charity to the poor, in sending both books, apparel, and considerable sums of money to the poor,· and less able inhabitants of many towns, and that with so becoming a privacy,
that they scarce know their benefactor, and know not what inducements he might have totally to demolish Pendragon Castle. which the late memorable Countess of Pembroke [Lady Anne Clifford] had so lately built from the ground,
three hundred and twenty years after the invading Scots had wasted [page 278] it, &c., being one of the six castles, which, with seven churches or chapels, and two hospitals,
that noble Countess either built from the ground, or considerably repaired, for the good of the country, and the praise of her well-deserving name.
September 26: Brough via Stainmore to Bowes, Greta Bridge, to Hartforth; toothache 26 miles
Morning, rose early, (having rested badly,) and left this ancient town, the Roman Vertenæ, where,
in the declining state of the Empire, a captain made his abode with a band of the Directores, and before daylight entered upon the noted Stane-(or stony) more, but got so severe a cold as much indisposed me,
with pain and numbness upon the right side of my head, which rendered my journey very uncomfortable. We rode for many miles upon the famous Roman highway, (as also yesterday,) which was here well-paved,
by the notorious Spittle on Stanemore, which, though an ordinary inn, yet often most welcome to the weary traveller in this solitary country, which, for twelve miles, has but one other house (Baitings)
for the reception of distressed wayfaring persons. About a mile thence, we passed by the noted Rerecross, or Reicross, as the Scots call it, (Roi-cross rather, or the King's-cross,) which their Hector Boetius
would have a mere-stone, confining England and Scotland, erected when the Norman William granted Cumberland to the Scots, to hold it as his tenants. It is yet indeed a bounder, but of two counties,
Westmoreland and Yorkshire, which we here entered upon; and about six miles thence, came to Bowes, a small country town, where we saw the [page 279] ruins of a small castle,
formerly belonging to the Earls of Richmond, who had here a thorough toll and furcas, or power to hang: it was a place of eminency in the Roman time, the first cohort of the Thracians lying here in garrison
in Severus's time; and in the declining state of the Empire, the band of Exploratores kept their station at the same Lavatræ, (or Levatræ; for so its ancient name, in the Itinerary,) which being burnt,
the succeeding vill was named Bowes by the Britains, with whom, at this day, a burnt thing is called boath, vid. Camden's Brit. p. 732. From Bowes, four miles to Greta Bridge; in the road, we had a very
fair prospect of Barnard Castle, built, and so called by Bernard Baliol, great-grandfather's father of John Baliol, King of Scots, now chiefly famous for bridles there made: at Greta, we baited to inquire of Roman coins,
but found none worth the notice, though of late years there was dug up a stately piece of Roman gold, which, by the description, seems to have been in the declining state of the Empire, in the midst of the moat
(as they call it,) behind the house, which has been a fair Roman camp, double trenched. Upon the bridge was the coat of arms of the warlike family of the Bowes', as I suppose, being three bows, &c.; but had not time
to wait of Mr. Johnson, at Brignal, recommended by Mr. Archdeacon, as a person of the greatest curiosity in botany, ornithology, antiquities, &c.: we travelled thence over Gaterleymoor, where had a prospect of
Kirkby-hill, and [page 280] several country vills, to Hartforth, where kindly entertained at worthy Mr. Smith's, my brother's uncle, and a feoffee for Sir Thomas Wharton's benefaction,
viz. a very delicate school-house, (which, on the Lord's-day, they use as a meeting-place,) and a very fine convenient house for the master, which he endowed with 40l. per annum, viz. 20l. per annum
to the master, and the rest for repairs, and putting forth poor boys apprentices to trades, (to whom 5l. each); but the sight thereof, though very delightful, and did for a little somewhat mitigate
the violence of the pain in my teeth, yet it returned with greater force, and made the time tedious enough to myself, and, I fear others, brother Rayner especially, being not able to lie in bed till midnight;
but, having got on my clothes, longed for the daylight. Mr. Dawson, jun. prayed very well, both evening and,
September 27: Hartforth via Catterick, Leeming, Burneston, and Ripon, to Leeds; the smallpox about 56 miles
this morning, but it being a severe morning, and my teeth and head so badly, we made it nine ere we began our journey,
and forbore our designed progress by Richmond or Midlam to Thoresby, three miles thence, the ancient seat of our famjly, whence my great grandfather's father first removed into a more trading part of the country, &c.
and returned by Gaterley Moor to Catterick in the way having a prospect of the ruins of Ravensworth Castle, which, of old, belonged to the Barons Fitzhugh; of Gilling, a pleasant seat of the Whartons;
and Aske, a noble seat of the Baron of that ancient and honourable name, where Sir Thomas Wharton, a [page 281] most religious knight, and father to the truly pious, as well as noble Peer,
Philip Lord Wharton, now living, died before his father, the old Lord, A.D.1627, whose deserved praises Mr. Wales exemplifies in his Totum Hominis. We passed the river Swale, (which our predecessors reputed sacred,
for Paulinus's baptizing therein ten thousand men in one day, when the English-Saxons first embraced Christianity,) at Catterick, so called from the catadupa [falls], a little above this small town,
now chiefly worthy of note for Mr. Siddal's benefaction, and the monuments in the church for the ancient family of the Burghs, of Burgh; and the later alms-houses (for four poor persons) erected by
Sir Strafford Braithwait (who was slain at sea, latter end of Charles II. or beginning of James II.) but a famous city in the Roman times, being their Cataractonium, and eminent amongst the Saxons, King Ethelred
solemnizing here his marriage with King Offa's daughter; but it was burnt, A.D. 769, by Eanred, one of whose brass coins I have, found nigh the Roman highway upon Peckfield. From Catterick we passed through
Leeming-town and part of the noted Long lane, and then by several country towns, of which Burniston must not be omitted, for worthy Dr. Robinson’s sake, once their vicar, (yet living retiredly
and piously with his kinsman, at Ripley,) who has built, and amply endowed, a very curious hospital for six poor persons, who have each 4l. 10s. per annum, and a school, whose head-master has 16l.
per annum, [page 282] and the usher 7l. in all 50l. per annum; whose lively character is extant, in A Treatise of Faith, by a Dying Divine, 8vo. To Ripon, where we stayed not
to make any observations, pressing forwards in hopes of what surmounted our morning expectations of reaching home, which, blessed be God, I did, though some hours within night, but we experienced much of the goodness
of God, in the protection of us in our journeys and our families at home, where I found all well, though the small-pox round about us, of which my poor brother Jeremiah Thoresby's daughter, Ruth, died last fast-day,
the 19th inst. Evening, read Assembly's Annotations in family.
Return to top
1. He carefully records the donor of each object. Among the presents he received was one from Henry Fairfax of Toulston Esq. (1659-1708): a manuscript of a ‘Corpus Christi Playe in antique
English Verse, by Tho. Cutler and Rich Nandycke’ Whether he totally realised that this was the official civic copy of the York Cycle is not clear. At the 1769 auction of his library after his death, it appears
to have been bought for one guinea by Horace Walpole.[17]
Return
2. Thoresby was 37 at the time. His journey was to sound out whether his sister-in-law’s proposed marriage with ‘Mr Salkield’ was viable. A letter from the Rev Richard Frankland
of Rathmel, dated 23 August 1694, issues a note of caution: a friend reports that ‘Mr. Salkeld is a very honest morall man, one who formerly writ sermons and kept up family duty, but he hears that that is now layd
aside. That he hath many children and it’s thought much debt; that the young gentleman his eldest son is reported to be wild’. The marriage proposal was dropped. Return
3. Calculated from Google Maps ‘Directions’ facility by choosing the Walking method, and then pulling the suggested route to match.
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4.
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