The vale of Lyvennet : $b its picturesque peeps and legendary loreBland, John Salkeld
History
The vale of Lyvennet : $b its picturesque peeps and legendary lore
Bland, John Salkeld
Cumbria (England) -- Description and travel
On Gaythorn Plains--an extensive tract of comparatively level moor
on the north side of Orton Scar, are two mounds 100 yards apart,
respectively fourteen and [ ] yards in diameter; the larger of these,
on being opened by Rev. J. Holmes, was found to contain in the centre
an urn of baked clay, ornamented with rude zig-zag work on the outside;
this was broken but had contained ashes; besides this the mound
contained remains of five different skeletons which, from the wear of
the teeth, had been of different ages; some being sharp and pointed,
while others were worn quite flat. It is a remarkable fact that no
teeth found in any mounds show the slightest symptoms of decay.
At the extreme edge of the Plains on the brow of a cliff overlooking
Sale Bottom is another mound composed solely of stones; it is
twenty-six yards in diameter, and has originally been about seven
or eight feet high. It is known as Hollinstump, a corruption, as
some think, of Llewellen's Tomb. Llewellen was the last of the Welsh
Kings, and was beheaded about 1280 in the reign of Edward I., but it
is improbable the King would trouble to send his mangled remains for
interment to such a distant part. It was opened by some gainseeking
hill-breakers, who say they found a large slab of sandstone, under
which was a full length skeleton and a small implement--in the
words of the finder:--"He seemed t'eve been buried in his cleayse
wid a jack-a-legs knife in his waistcwoat pocket." Of the sandstone
slab:--"They brak it up an' gat three carfull o't finest sand et iver
was carried to Appleby Low Brewery." Bone dust was not then come into
fashion, or else we may be certain his bones would have been sold to
the crushing mill. This place is said to be haunted, the apparition
being a headless horseman who dashes along at a furious yet noiseless
speed. Those who have seen him describe him as having in place of a
head something like a blaze of fire, and others like a backboard laid
upon his shoulders--perhaps the distinguished spirit of the wronged and
headless Welsh King, whose sole revenge is to dash on the midnight wind
around his tomb, to the terror and dismay of each benighted wanderer.
Round Hill near Towcett, was opened by a similar class, out of which
was got a sandstone slab of large size, afterwards made into a
chimney-piece; under it were also found human bones. A like one existed
at Flatt Neuk on Bank Moor, but is now removed; within it was a cist
formed of rude stones set up edgewise, in which was the skeleton,
and alongside a bronze spear-head; this cist was covered by a large
sandstone slab, over which had been heaped, as in the others mentioned,
earth and stones even to hundreds of cartloads in quantity; in some
cases brought from a large distance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account