a town of Westmoreland, seated in a valley among hills, on the west side of the river Cane or Ken, over which there are two stone bridges, and one of wood which leads to the castle now in ruins. It is a large handsome place; and has two long streets, which cross each other. The inhabitants have driven a trade with the cotton and woollen manufactory throughout England ever since the reign of Edw. III. and particular laws were enacted for regulating Kendal cloths as early as Richard II. and Henry IV. It is of note also for the manufactory of cottons, druggets, serges, hats, worsted and yarn stockings, &c. Queen Elizabeth incorporated it with aldermen and burgesses; and King James I. with a mayor, recorder, town-clerk, 12 aldermen, 24 burgesses or common-council-men, and 2 attorneys. There are seven companies here who have each their hall, viz. mercers, sheermen, cordwainers, glovers, tanners, tailors, and pewterers. Here is an elegant town-hall; and there is a court of conscience, which was granted by George III. for debts under 40s. It has a large beautiful church, which stands on the other side of the brook called Blindbeck, out of the liberty of the town; a large, neat, and handsome building, 180 feet long, and 59 broad, with five aisles, each parted by a row of eight pillars, and a strong square steeple. Near it is Abbot's hall, the residence of the abbot when this church belonged to an abbey dissolved by Henry VIII. In 1755, a new chapel was erected in the middle of the town, besides which there are twelve chapels of ease belonging to it. The Dissenters and Quakers have meeting-houses. The free grammar-school is well endowed; and also a charity school for 10 boys and 16 girls, who are all clothed as well as taught. Eastward of the town, on the opposite side of the river, on a hill, from whence is a fine prospect, stand the ruins of a castle, wherein was born Catherine Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII. By means of inland navigation, it has communication with the rivers Mersey, Dee, Ribble, Ouse, Trent, Darwent, Severn, Humber, Thames, Avon, &c.; which navigation, including its windings, extends above 500 miles in the counties of Lincoln, Nottingham, York, Lancaster, Chester, Stafford, Warwick, Leicestershire, Oxford, Worcester, &c. Here are kept the sessions of the peace for this part of the county called the barony of Kendal; and there is a very great market on Saturday, with all kinds of provisions and woollen yarn, which the girls bring hither in KEN

The river here, which runs half through the town in a stony channel, abounds with trout and salmon; and on the banks of it live the dyers and tanners. In 1811 the population amounted to 7505. Kendal is 256 miles N. N. W. from London, and in W. Long. 2° 49'. N. Lat. 54° 21'.