Keswick is a small market-town, pleasantly situated near the lower end of Derwent Water, in a deep valley, under vast mountains full of mines, and minerals. The town, which consists of one long street, is protected from the north winds by the lofty mountain of Skiddaw. The houses are built of stone, each, with a few exceptions, being occupied by one family In the returns of 1821 it was stated to contain 403 inhabited houses, and 1901 inhabitants. The market, which is on Saturday, is particularly famous for its delicious mutton, and for the variety of fresh water fish from the neighbouring Lakes. This town is much frequented by strangers making the tour of the Lakes. In this town are two museums, collected by private persons, and open for the amusement of visitants: they contain specimens of almost every variety of the mineralogical substances of the county, with many kinds of fossils, plants, antiques, &c.

Between one and two miles to the south of Keswick, on a plain formed on the summit of an eminence, called Castle Rig, around which the adjoining mountains make a solemn circle, is a remarkable Druidical arrangement of rude stones, of various forms, natural and unhewn; they appear to have been collected from the surface, but from what lands it is impossible to conjecture, most of them being of a species of granite; they are 50 in number, set in a form not exactly similar, the diameter being 30 paces from east to west, and 32 from north to south; at the eastern end a small enclosure is formed within the circle by ten stones, making an oblong square, in conjunction with the stones of that side of the circle, seven paces in length, and three in width within: in this place it is conjectured that the altar had been erected. At the opposite side a single square stone is laid at the distance of three paces from the circle, which may have been used to bind the victims to. The stones forming the outward line are some of them standing erect, others fallen; they are of various sizes, some of the largest of those standing being nearly eight feet in height, and 15 in circumference. The following interesting remarks by Mrs. Radcliffe, on this ancient monument, and the surrounding scenery, are so apposite, that we cannot refrain from inserting them. "Whether our judgment (says this lady) was influenced by the authority of a Druid’s choice, or that the place itself commanded the opinion, we thought this situation the most severely grand of any hitherto passed. There is, perhaps, not a single object in the scene that interrupts the solemn tone of feeling impressed by its general character of profound solitude, greatness, and awful wildness. Castle Rigg is the central point of three valleys, that dart immediately under it from the eye, and whose mountains form part of an amphitheater, which is completed by those of Derwent Water, on the west, and by the precipices of Skiddaw and Saddleback, close on the north. The hue which pervades all these mountains is that of dark heath, or rock; they are thrown into every form and direction that fancy would suggest, and are at that distance which allows all their grandeur to prevail. Such seclusion and sublimity were, indeed, well suited to the deep and wild mysteries of the Druids. Here at midnight, every Druid, summoned by that terrible horn, never awakened but upon high occasions, descending from his mountain or secret cave, might assemble, without intrusion from one sacrilegious footstep, and celebrate a midnight festival."—by rites of such strange potency,

As done in open day would dim the sun,

Tho' thron’d in noon-tide brightness.

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KESWICK is an ancient market town, head of a county court district and petty sessional division, and is a township in the parish of Crosthwaite, with a station on the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith railway, 13 miles east-south-east from Cockermouth, 18 west-by-south from Penrith, 22 from Wigton, and 300 from London, in the Mid division of the county, ward of Allerdale-below-Derwent, Cockermouth union, rural deanery of Keswick, archdeaconry of Westmorland, and diocese of Carlisle. The town is on the river Greta, at the lower end of Derwentwater, and stands in a deep valley between stupendous mountains.

The township was constituted a Local Government district, 8th February, 1853, under the provisions of the “Public Health Act, 1848” (11 and 12 Vict. c. 63), the district was extended by 39 and 40 Vict. c. 202, and the township, previously governed by a Local Board, is now under the provisions of the Act of 1894 controlled by an Urban District Council of 11 members, and the district has been divided into three wards. The town, originally supplied with water by a company established in 1856, is now supplied from works belonging to the Urban District Council, the water being drawn from the mountain Skiddaw. It is lighted with gas from works, the property of the Keswick Gas Co.

The church of St. Kentigern, the parish church of Great Crosthwaite, which stands about half a mile north-by-west of the town, in the township of Underskiddaw, is an ancient building of stone, in mixed styles, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch, and an embattled western tower, containing 8 bells. Both nave and chancel are battlemented, and under a single roof, and the aisles run the whole length of the building, and at the east end form chapels on either side of the chancel; the chapels formerly existing were dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, St. James and St. Anthony. In the south, or Derwentwater chapel, towards the east end, is an open altar tomb, on the upper slab of which are brass effigies of Sir John Ratcliff kt. who fought at Fiodden, and died in 1527, and dame Alice, his wife, daughter of Sir Edmund Sutton, of Dudley, Warwick; the figure of the knight is in armour, and the lady wears a pedimented headdress, and a furred sleeved dress; above and below are shields of arms of Ratcliff and Sutton, and both these and the head of the knight appear to have been restored since their first execution; underneath and within the tomb now lie two effigies of the 15th century, not identified. The windows retain some fragments of stained glass; the east window and several others are stained, and include a memorial window to James Stanger esq. In the church is also a monument of Caen stone, with full length recumbent effigy in marble, executed by J. G. Lough, of the poet Southey, who died at Greta, 21st March, 1843; this memorial was erected by the friends of the poet, at a cost of £1,100. The font, a work of the 14th century, has an octagonal basin, the eight panels of which are ornamented alternately with devices and shields, and on the chamfered edge below are black letter inscriptions, deciphered about 1880 by Sir A. Wollaston Franks K.C.B., F.R.S., P.S.A. and found to read in full:-“Scutum Sanctae Trinitatis”; “Scutum Matris Dei,” “Scutum Regis Angliae,”and “Scutum Domini Christi”; the remaining space has on it the legend:-“Orate pro anima Thomae D’Eskhede, olim ecclasiae hujus vicarii.” Among the shields are the Royal arms of Edward III. and the devices include the crescent and fetterlock badge of the Percies, and the badge of the Earls of Derwentwater; from 1703 to 1812 the church was in a dilapidated condition, but in the latter year a flat leaded roof was erected, and during the period 1843—5 the whole of the roof and stalls were restored under the direction of the late Sir G. Gilbert Scott, at a cost of £4,500, of which £4,000 was given by the late James Stanger esq. of Lairthwaite. The reredos, erected in 1893, is the work of a Carlisle wood carver, and the ornamental brass panels were wrought by members of the Keswick School of Industrial Art, under the direction of Mrs. Rawnsley; the mosaic pavement represents the legend of St. Kentigern, founder of the church. The register dates from the year 1575. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £260, including two acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Carlisle, and held since 1883 by the Rev. Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley M.A. of Balliol College, Oxford, hon. canon of Carlisle, rural dean of Keswick and surrogate, who resides at Underskiddaw; the Rev. William Sully Unwin M.A. is the curate.

The district church of St. John the Evangelist, founded in 1838 by the late John Marshall esq. of Leeds, and erected and endowed mainly by him and his family, is a structure of Ted sandstone in the Early English style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, east and north porches, and a western tower with spire containing a clock and 1 bell; the aisles were added in 1882, and the chancel was built in 1889 at a total cost of £3,265; there are five stained windows and mural tablets to the Rev. Canon T. D. Harford-Battersby M.A. vicar, 1858—83, the Rev. James Clifton Ward, curate here, 1878, and Miss Margaret Mitchell; the organ was built at a cost of £900: the church seats 850. The register dates from the year 1839. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £431, with residence, in the gift of R. Dykes Marshall esq. and held since 1883 by the Rev. John Newenham Hoare M.A. of Trinity College, Dublin, surrogate and F.R.Hist.S.

There is a Primitive Methodist chapel, a Wesleyan chapel, erected in 1863, and seating 300, and a Congregational chapel, seating 200. This chapel is endowed with £11 15s. yearly, derived from bequests, 1715—1792, of 2 acres of land, about £172 in stock, and £100 in securities.

The chief industry here is the manufacture of black-lead pencils, which is extensively carried on by Messrs. Banks & Co. and Messrs. Hogarth & Hayes. There are also two small breweries.

The Town Hall, a building of stone, was erected in 1813, on the site of the ancient Court-house, and is the property of R. D. Marshall esq. J.P. contains a museum, which includes a collection of the local flora and fauna and objects of antiquarian interest. The market bell is ancient, and formerly belonged to the Radcliffe family. Here also is exhibited a model of the lake district, constructed by the late Mr. Joseph Flintoft, and coloured to imitate nature; it is on a scale of three inches to a mile. Abraham's model in Lake road, the largest ever made, is on a scale of 6 inches horizontal and 12 inches vertical, and is coloured to imitate nature; it shows all the mountains, lakes, tarns, waterfalls, roads, mountain passes, routes and all the principal points of interest. Mayson's ordnance model, in Lake road, is on a scale of 6 inches to a mile.

The Post Office, in Main street, on the site of the workhouse founded by Sir John Banks, is a substantial and ornamental building of Borrowdale stone with freestone dressings, erected in 1890, and opened 1st February, 1891. The postal department occupies the whole of the ground floor, which covers an area of some 1,800 square feet, and the postmaster’s official residence the upper part.

The Public Lecture Hall and Class Rooms in St. John street were erected in 1856, as an addition to the handsome library founded by the late Rev. F. Myers, first vicar of Keswick. The library contains upwards of 4,000 volumes; the lecture-hall will hold 250 persons.

The Queen of the Lakes Pavilion on the Station road, the property of Messrs. Musgrave and Kerby, was erected in 1894, & opened January, 1895; it is a fine building of stone, occupying an elevated position facing Skiddaw Mountain and overlooking Fitz Park, and consists of a well appointed refreshment saloon and dining hall, a large hall, 129 by 43 feet, capable of seating 1,800 persons, and having a stage holding 250 persons; it is licensed for dramatic entertainments, and is also available for concerts and public meetings.

The Keswick Literary Society was formed in 1869; there is also a Cricket Club, Choral Harmonist Society, Conservative Working Men’s Club and a Temperance Society. There is also a Volunteer Fire Brigade.

There are four banks; the Bank of Liverpool Limited (Wakefield, Crewdson and Co.’s branch), the Carlisle and Cumberland Banking Co. the Cumberland Union Banking Co. and the Keswick Trustee Savings Bank.

There are good lodging houses here, and excellent hotels, the principal being the Keswick hotel, the Queen’s, the Lake, the Royal Oak, the King’s Arms, the George, the Park, Blencathara and Skiddaw Temperance hotels, all of which (excepting the Park) are posting houses; and from which in the season coaches run to Buttermere, and other places of interest in the district.

A covered terrace, 100 feet long by 6 feet wide, overhanging the River Greta, commands delightful views.

Keswick is the headquarters of the 1st (the E Co.) (Cumberland) Volunteer Battalion, the Border Regiment; the drill hall is in Southey street.

The market, which dates from the reign of Edward I. is held on Saturday.

Fairs are held on the first Saturday in October, for store sheep, cattle and Herdwick rams, and on the first Thursday after the 1st of May, and the two subs quent-alternate Thursdays, for cattle; the second of these being also for sheep; a fair for Tams and cheese is held on the Saturday after the 29th October, and hirings for servants at Whitsuntide and Martinmas.

The parish of Crosthwaite shares equally with Thornthwaite in Huntington’s charity of £5 10s. yearly, derived from money invested in stock and securities.

Sir John Bank’s charity is now dispensed partly in weekly sums to deserving but poor aged people, and partly in grants to schools in the parish.

The “Mary Hewetson” Cottage Hospital, erected in 1892 by the Hewetson family in memory of the lady whose name it bears, stands near the Bassenthwaite road on grounds adjoining the Fitz Park, and is a neat structure of Borrowdale stone with red freestone dressings, in the so-called Queen Anne style; the interior contains on the ground floor a fine centre vestibule and hall, on either side of which are large and small wards, and a nurse’s room. There are four beds and a cot in each of the large wards, and one in each of the small ones. There is also on this floor a matron's room, doctors’ or operating room, kitchen &c.; the upper storey comprises a convalescent room, matron’s and servants’ bedrooms and a bathroom.

Fitz Park, opened in 1887, is 28 acres in extent, and very prettily laid out; a portion has been assigned for purposes of recreation. On the gate is a very fine bronze medallion portrait of the late Mr. H. I. Jenkinson. The neighbourhood, from its romantic situation and picturesque scenery, diversified by lofty mountains, lakes, woods and waterfalls, attracts large numbers of visitors during the summer season.

The lake of Derwentwater, which is less than half a mile distant from the town, towards the south-west, lies at a height of 238 feet above the sea level, but its own level is subject to a considerable rise during the prevalence of heavy rains. The lake is about a mile and a half in extreme width, its length from north to south being about 3 miles, and its greatest depth, according to a bathymetrical survey taken in 1893 by Dr. R. H. Mill for the Royal Geographical Society, is 72 feet: although not the most striking of the Cumberland lakes, it will probably be considered, on account of the picturesque scenery by which it is immediately surrounded, the grandeur of the encircling mountains, and the charming effect of the islets upon its surface, as by far the most attractive and beautiful; the river Derwent, rising on Scawfell Pike to the south, and flowing through Borrowdale, falls into the lake through a tract of marshy ground, simultaneously with the Watendlath beck, which creates the famous cataract of Lodore; emerging from the north head of the lake, the river is joined by the Greta, and then continues its course to Bassenthwaite Water; to the North rises Lonscale Fell (2,344 feet), and beyond it the majestic form of Skiddaw (3,060 feet); to the east are Walla Crag, Bleaberry Fell (1,932 feet), and High Seat (1,996 feet); the Brockle beck falls into the lake on this side, and more to the south it receives another beck, and on this is the Barrow Waterfall, which has a descent of 124 feet; west of the lake is the vale of Newlands, watered by a beck of the same name; the further heights on this side are Grisedale Pike (2,593 feet), and Cawsey Pike (2,205 feet), and on the hither side of the valley above the lake shore, rise Swinside (803 feet), and Cat Bells (1,482 feet). The outline of the lake is agreeably diversified by numerous small bays, or inlets, several which are named, and include Derwent Bay on the west side, Barrow Bay on the east, and Great Bay at the southern head; and near Lodore are two very good hotels. Derwent Island, at the north end of the lake has an area of six acres, and is now the property of Mrs. Marshall, who has a mansion here, with well laid-out grounds. Lord’s Island is so called from its having once belonged to the Radcliffes of Dilston (Devilstone), Earls of Derwentwater, and the foundations of the mansion built by them still exist; but the island is now owned by R. D. Marshall esq. J.P. St. Herbert’s Island is named after a hermit, who, according to Bede, took up his abode here in the 7th century, and died in A.D. 687; it is now densely wooded, but the woods are traversed by footpaths, and from a few points, where it is sufficiently open, delightful prospects are obtained; near the midle of the lake is an islet called Rampsholm, and towards the south end there sometimes appears a so-called “floating island,” occasionally half an acre in extent, and several feet deep; it consists, however, only of matted weeds and other vegetable products, rendered buoyant by their gaseous exhalations. Trout are numerous here, and pike and perch abound. Castle Hill, a quarter of a mile from the town, affords a fine view of the whole lake, and other admirable views may be obtained from Castlerigg, one mile from Keswick, on the road to Thirlmere, Walla Cragg, 2 miles distant from Cat Bells, on the west, and from Ladder Brow above Lodore, Near Keswick and Derwentwater are, or were, various ancient earthworks. On an eminence called “Castle How,” at the foot of Bassenthwaite Water, is a circular entrenchment; Castle Rigg, Buck Castle, off Shoulthwaite Ghyll, Castle Crag in Borrowdale and Castlet, are mentioned as fortified hills, and at Falcon Crag cairns have been met with. On Burns Moor a perforated hammer-head of granite has been found, and at Castle Rigg are megalithic remains of stone circles, and here various kinds of stone implements, a bronze palstave, celts and other Pre-Roman remains have been discovered. To the north-west evidences of a Roman station and Roman roads have been noted, and a millstone, a lachrymatory, pavements and other relics recovered from the site; at Castle Crag in Borrowdale was a Roman fort or outpost, which yielded a quern, a coin, and stones for a “balista,” and on Castle Rigg Fell, Roman pottery has been found. Reginald Dykes Marshall esq. of Castlerigg, is lord of the manor and principal landowner. A Court baron is held yearly on the 22nd of May. The area of the township is 718 acres, which includes 173 acres of water; rateable value, £21,233; the population of the township in 1891 was 3,706, and of the town 3,905.

Petty Sessions are held at the Court buildings on alternate Saturdays at 12 noon.

The places included in the petty sessional division are a part of Bassenthwaite, Borrowdale, Braithwaite, St. John’s in the Vale, Threlkeld, & a part of Wythburn.

VOLUNTEERS

1st (Cumberland) Volunteer Battalion, The Border Regiment, E Company; headquarters, Drill Hall, Southey street; Capt, Joseph Broatch, commanding; A. J. Heelis, lieut.; Rev. Canon H. D. Rawnsley, acting chaplain; Color-Sergt. Charles Brown, drill instructor; total strength, Jan. 1897, 105.

PLACES OF WORSHIP, with times of Services

St. Kentigern Church, Crosthwaite, Rev. Canon Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley M.A. vicar; Rev. William Sully Unwin M.A. curate; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

St. John’s Church, St. John’s street, Rev. J. N. Hoare M.A., F.R.H.S. vicar; 8 & 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

Christian Brethren, High street; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wednesdays, 8 p.m.

Congregational, Lake road, Rev. Taylor Herd; 10.45 а.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wednesdays, 7.30 p.m.

Primitive Methodist, Tithebarn street; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.

Wesleyan, Southey street, Rev. R. Watson Butterworth & Rev. W. H. Oliver Lake; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.

Salvation Army, Co-operative hall, St. John’s street; 11 a.m. 3 & 6.30 p.m. & every week night at 8 p.m.

SCHOOLS

Brigham National School, Penrith road (mixed), built in 1851, for 222 children; average attendance, 183.

Infants’, erected in 1895, for 150 children; average attendance, 94.

National, St. John’s street (mixed & infants), built in 1840, & enlarged in 1896, for 304 children; average attendance, 296.