The Heathwaite settlement consists of the foundations of ancient
dwellings, just to the north of Pewit Tarn, and surrounded by
extensive ruined stone walls, and a great number of cairns. Many
of these are mere heaps of stones thrown together by the farmers
to clear the land, in order to mow the bracken which they carry
away for litter. Some of the cairns and walls, however, appear to
be ancient.
A mile and a half south of this, on the headland to the right-hand
side of the road, just before we reach Burney Farm, is the ruined
enclosure, roughly square, with a party wall across the middle
of it, known as the "Stone Rings." The walls are of a type seen
in the British settlement near High Borrans, Windermere, and at
Urswick Stone Walls--that is to say, flanked by big slabs set on
edge, as though the builders were rudely trying to imitate the
Roman walls of rubble thrown into an outer casing of masonry.
Following the road for a mile to south-east, shortly before coming
to the Goathwaite Quarries, in the heather on the left may be
found a small ring embankment; and about a mile as the crow flies
south-east of this, across a little valley and only to be reached
by a somewhat roundabout road, is the remnant of what was once a
fine stone circle (quarter of a mile north of Knapperthaw).
Looking south-west from here we see a pass across Kirkby Moor, to
the left of the rounded summit (over 1,000 feet) opposite. From
the top of that pass, a short mile to the west, is a conspicuous
grey cairn of loose stones, which was opened by Mr. Jopling
(author of _A Sketch of Furness and Cartmel_, 1843), and found to
contain burnt bones in a prehistoric "kist" of flagstones.
Turning south from this, by a grassy track through the heather,
five minutes' walk brings us to the "Kirk," a ring embankment
on the brink of the gill which encloses the site on two sides,
probably sepulchral, and perhaps connected with the great cairn,
as there are the remains of an avenue of standing stones leading
in that direction. A field near this is called "Kirk Sinkings,"
with which compare "Kirk Sunken," the name of the Swinside Circle,
and of other similar sites. _Kirk_ or _Currock_ does not imply
a consecrated spot, but is the common word (surviving from the
"Cumbrian" or Welsh) for stone monuments.
From this, twenty minutes westward down a steep road through the
picturesque gill brings us to Kirkby Watermill and Church (Norman
door and font, and a tombstone in the chancel which combines the
simple cross with rudimentary effigy). Kirkby Hall, a mile to
the north, is a fine specimen of the ancient manor house. Another
mile northward is Grizebeck, with remains of a ring embankment,
unimportant, behind the cottages. Hence it is a little over two
miles to Foxfield, or three to Broughton; or, omitting Grizebeck,
from Kirkby Church ten minutes' walk brings us down to Kirkby
station.
2.--BETHECAR AND MONK CONISTON MOORS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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