WESTMORELAND, a small inland county of England, bounded on the east by part of Yorkshire, and the bishopric of Durham; on the south by Lancashire; and on the west and north by Cumberland. It extends 30 miles in length, and 24 in breadth, comprehending 32 parishes, eight market towns, a considerable number of villages, about 7000 houses, and about 35000 inhabitants. It is divided into the two great baronies of Westmoreland and Kendal; the former belonging to the diocese of Carlisle, and the latter to the bishopric of Chester. It was of old inhabited by the Brigantes; it afterwards constituted part of the Northumbrian kingdom; and now gives title of earl to the noble family of Fane.
Westmoreland is one of the most mountainous countries in England, particularly the barony of Kendal, which abounds in hills and scells, moors and rocks, besides the great ridge of mountains that separate this province from Yorkshire. Among the mountains of this county, one of the most remarkable is called Isan-parkes, extremely high and difficult of access, famous for being, as it were, scooped into divers caverns and labyrinths, which seem to have been formed as retreats in times of trouble and calamity. The county produces plenty of wood, both on the mountains and plains.
The largest lake in England is the Winander-merc of this county, lying among the mountains on the borders of Cumberland, stretching ten miles in length, of a very considerable depth, having a rocky bottom, studded with several verdant isles or holmes, and abounding with the delicate fish called char, which being potted and preserved, is sent in presents from hence to all parts of England. It is swelled by the small rivers Ruthey and Brathey, which fall into it, and by its communication with a chain of small lakes called Grejmere. The most considerable rivers of this county are the Eden, the Can, the Lone, and the Loder. The last hath given the name to the ancient family of Lowther.
The air of Westmoreland is keen and salubrious; but the climate is moist, consequently not very agreeable. The barony of Kendal is mountainous, therefore not so fit for tillage as for pasture: but the other part, properly called Westmoreland, is an open champaign country, which, if well cultivated, would be fruitful in both. Besides the water of the common fountains and rivers, which is pure, agreeable, and fit for all the usual purposes, this county affords some springs of peculiar qualities. In Betham-park, there is the dropping-well, in which moss, wood, and leaves are petrified. On the north side of Jeffery-mount there is a small spring called Goudsike, which continually throws up small spangles that glitter like silver. In the neighbourhood of Burrow, upon Stanemore, the inhabitants have discovered a chalybeate fountain.
In all probability, the mountains of Westmoreland are well stored with minerals, though no mines are worked in this county: yet here is plenty of coal for fuel.
Westmore-land. The county produces considerable crops of corn and hay, together with many plants not commonly found in the neighbouring provinces. The animal productions of this county are in all respects the same as those in Cumberland, particularly great plenty of game, and vast flocks of sheep that feed upon the moors or commons, from whence the province derives its name.
Westmoreland exhibits some monuments of Roman as well as of British antiquity. At Ambleside, near Winander-mere, supposed by some to be the Ambogiana of the Romans, we see the ruins of an old city; and here several medals of gold, silver, copper, have been dug out of the ground. Brough-under-Stanemore, imagined to be the ancient Verteræ, is situated on a Roman highway. At Whelp-castle, near Kirkby Thore, appear the ruins of an old town, thought to be Gallatum, where we see considerable remains of antiquity. Hard by Kirkby Thore begins the old causeway, called the Maiden-way, which runs about 20 miles from hence to Caer-vorrin, in the neighbourhood of the great wall. Near the conflux of the Lowther and Eimot, there is a circular mound, known by the appellation of Arthur's round table, secured on the inside by a trench, and supposed to have been a kind of lists, or amphitheatre, for tournament or wrestling. Hard by this monument there is a heap of rude stones piled up in form of a horse shoe, called Mayburgh, where a peace is said to have been established in the tenth century, between Athellstan king of Northumberland, Constantine king of Scotland, and divers other princes. Near Whelp-castle we see the remains of ditches, ramparts, and mounds of earth, among which several stones have been found with Roman inscriptions. There are besides divers remains of Saxon and Danish monuments. In the northern part of the county we see a pillar erected, with an inscription by Anne countess-dowager of Pembroke, in memory of her parting at this place from her mother the countess-dowager of Cumberland, in the year 1616.
Westmoreland is too mountainous to be full of people: nevertheless the level country is well inhabited by a stout, rugged, hardy race; who are either employed in breeding and feeding sheep and cattle, in coal-digging, or in the woollen manufacture of cloths and stockings. The farmers are either poorer, or less skilful in agriculture here, than in any other county of England: for there are very few inclosures, except those belonging to noblemen and gentlemen of fortune; and those we see are made with loose stones, without lime or mortar. This nakedness of the country, however, gives the better effect to the seats of the gentry, of which there is a considerable number in this district elegant and delightful. Among these we reckon Pendragon-castle, about 12 miles from Appleby, belonging to the earl of Thanet, hereditary sheriff of the county; Beltham-castle, at the distance of seven miles from Kendal, a seat of the earl of Derby; and Lowther-hall, near Ulls water, possessed by the lord viscount Londale. There are besides several ancient castles; from whence several families have taken their names, such as Musgrave, Wharton, Warcop, and Langdale.
The most remarkable places in Westmoreland are Appleby, Shap, Kirkby-Stephen, Orton, Ambleside,
Kendal, Kirkby Londale, Burton, and Milthorpe. Westphalia.