Scaleby Parish
Is bounded by the parishes of Walton, Kirklinton,
Stanwix, and Irthington, being about 5 miles long and 2 broad. On the south side of the
parish is an extensive level tract of meadow land, producing good crops of hay; and on the
east side of it are arable lands with a strong and deep loamy soil. On the north end of
the parish the land is barren, and large quantities of peat are cut and sent to Carlisle
and other places for sale. At the depth of 9 feet in this peat moss has been found the
skeleton of an ancient Briton, enclosed in the skin of some wild animal, and carefully
bound up with thongs of tanned leather. It is conjectured that the body must have lain in
the moss since the invasion of Julius Cæsar, and from the possition in which the skeleton
was found - grasping a stick about 3 feet long and 12 inches in circumference - it is
supposed he must have perished accidentally on the spot1. The
remains are now in the possession of the rector and Dr. Graham of Netherhouse. The parish
contains 3464 rateable acres, rated at £3842 13s. 4d, and the largest landowners are R.
E. W. P. Standish, Esq., Sir W. Brisco, Bart., and the Misses Lowry, but here are also
several freeholders, each of whom is lord of the manor of his own estate. It is divided
into the two townships of East Scaleby and West Scaleby, the former of which
contains 230, and the latter 354 inhabitants.
The hamlets of Bar Close, 6 miles N.E by N.; Lang Park, 5 miles N.N.E.; and Stone-know2, 5½ miles N.N.E. of Carlisle, are in this parish, which is said to have derived its name "from the first buildings there which they call Scheales, or Skales, more properly, from the Latin word Scalinga, a cabin or cottage." Scaleby Hall, the seat of Henry Farrer, Esq., is situated in East township, which contains 1593 acres, rated at £1283 10s. * Hutchinson
Mannix & Whellan, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Cumberland, 1847
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Notes
1. It's unlikely that the body from the
peat bog met an accidental end - the discovery of numerous bodies preserved in peat from
across Europe, many dating to the immediate pre-Roman period, appear to
have been sacrificial victims. The most recent (as far as I'm aware), was Lindow Man,
discovered in Cheshire a few years ago.
2. Bar Close, Lang Park and Stone-know are now Barclose, Longpark, and Stoneknowe
respectively.
A short biography of the Gilpin family, and of Miss Catherine Gilpin, in particular, is available here.
Photo © Steve Bulman.
30 April 2008
© Steve Bulman