Monasteries, Colleges, and ancient Hospitals.
The Austin monks had a priory at Carlisle; and it is observed, that
when the church was made a Bishop's see, it was the only episcopal chapter
of that order in England. The same order had a priory at Lanercost.
The Benedictines had a priory of monks at St. Bees, and another at Wetheral,
both cells to the abbey of St. Mary in York. The same order had a nunnery
at Armathwaite, in the Parish of Croglin, the site of which is now called Nunnery, and another at Seaton alias Lekelay, in the parish of Bootle. The
Cistertians had an abbey at Calder, and another at Holme-Cultram. The
Black friers and Grey friers had each a convent in Carlisle, and the Grey
friers another at Penrith. There is said to have been a religious house of
ancient foundation at Carlisle, another at St. Bees, and a third at Dacre,
destroyed by the Danes: David, King of Scotland, is said to have founded
a nunnery at Carlisle: of these monasteries we have no further particulars. The churches of Greystock and Kirk-Oswald were collegiate.
At Carlisle was an Hospital for 13 lepers, dedicated to St. Nicholas, and at
Wigton an hospital and free chapel dedicated to St. Leonard.
Boroughs and Market-Towns.
This county returns only six members to parliament; two knights of the
shire: two burgesses for Carlisle, and two for Cockermouth. Both Cockermouth and Egremont sent burgesses to the parliament at Westminster, in the
23d year of Edward I. It does not appear that Egremont ever received
another summons. Cockermouth was restored in the year 1640, and has
ever since returned two members.
Mr. T. Denton enumerates 15 market-towns in this county in 1688. He
has omitted Hesket: probably the market was established, and the place
acquired its present name of Hesket-Newmarket, since that time. The
market is now very inconsiderable. Maryport market is of course of later
date, the town having been long since built. The markets at Workington
also have been established within the last century. The market at Allonby
is quite of modern date.
The following is a table of the Cumberland markets, according to their
present state:—
|
| Market Towns. | Market Days. | Commodities. |
| Abbey-Holme, or Holme-Cultram | Saturday (in the summer only) | Butchers'-meat, &c. |
| Allonby | Saturday | Butchers'-meat, &c. |
| Alston-Moor | Saturday | Butchers'-meat, oatmeal, potatoes, &c. |
| Bootle | Wednesday | Butchers'-meat, &c. |
| Brampton | Wednesday | Corn, potatoes, butter, &c. &c. |
| Carlisle | Wednesday and Saturday (which is the chief market) | Corn, cattle, provisions of all sorts. |
| Cockermouth | Monday | Corn and provisions. |
| Egremont | Saturday | Corn and provisions. |
| Hesket | Friday | Butchers'-meat and other provisions. |
| Ireby | Thursday | Butchers'-meat. |
| Keswick | Saturday | Corn and provisions. |
| Kirk-Oswald | Thursday | Butchers'-meat. |
| Longtown | Thursday | Butchers'-meat, &c. (famous for cranberries in the season.) |
| Maryport | Tuesday and Friday (the latter the principal market) | Butchers'-meat and other provisions. |
| Penrith | Tuesday | Corn, and all sorts of provisions. |
| Saturday | Butchers'-meat. |
| Ravenglass | Friday (fn. 1) | Butchers'-meat. |
| Whitehaven | Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday | Butchers'-meat, fish, flour, oatmeal, &c. |
| Wigton | Tuesday | Corn and provisions. |
| Workington | Wednesday | Corn and provisions. |
| Saturday | Butchers'-meat and other provisions. |
The following places had formerly charters for markets, which have been
long ago discontinued; Greystock, Hayton, Kirk-Cambock, Kirklinton,
Melmerby, Millom, Seaton, and Skinburness. The market at Skinburness,
two or three years after the grant, was removed to Kirkby-Johan alias NewtonArlosh.
Fairs and Great Markets.
|
| Towns, &c. | On what day held. | Description. |
| Abbey-Holme, or Holme-Cultram | Thursday before Whitsuntide, and October 29. | Horses and cattle. |
| Alston-Moor | Last Thursday in May | Black cattle, horses, and pigs. |
| Friday before Sept. 27. | Black cattle, horses, and sheep. |
| First Thursday in November | Black cattle and horses. |
| Arlochden | April 24, the first Friday in June, and Sept. 17. | Cattle. |
| Boonwood in Gosforth | April 25. | Cattle. |
| Oct. 18. | Foals and cattle. |
| Bootle | April 5. and Sept. 25. | Cattle, &c. |
| Borrowdale | The first Wednesday in September | Sheep. |
| Brampton | The second Wednesday after Whitsunday, and the second Wednesday in Sept. | Young cattle, milch cows, sheep, and lambs. |
| April 15. and Oct. 23. | Shew of cattle previously to the great markets at Penrith and Newcastle. |
| Carlisle | August 26. | Cattle. |
| Sept. 19. | A great fair for horses and cattle. |
| Great markets on Saturday from October 10. to Christmas | Horses and cattle. |
| Cockermouth | Whit-monday and Martinmas Monday | Statute fairs for hiring servants. |
| Great markets every Wednesday fortnight from the beginning of May till Michael mas | Cattle, &c. |
| Egremont | The third Friday in May, and Sept. 18. | Cattle, &c. |
| Ennerdale | The second Tuesday in September | Sheep. |
| Ireby | Feb. 24. | Horses. |
| Oct. 18. | Sheep. |
| Keswick | The first Thursday in May, and every Thursday fortnight for six weeks; the Saturday before Whitsunday, and on the Saturday nearest to the festivals of St. Michael and St. Martin, or on the festivals if they happen on Saturday | Cattle. The Martinmas fair is noted also for the sale of rams and cheese. |
| Kirk-Oswald | Thursday before Whitsuntide, and Aug. 1. | Inconsiderable fairs. |
| Longtown | Thursday before Whitsuntide | Horses. |
| Thursday in Whitsun-week, and Thursday after Martinmas | Statute fairs for hiring servants. |
| Loweswater | The second Friday in September | Sheep. |
| Newlands | The last Friday in September | Sheep. |
| Rosley | Whitmonday, continued every Monday fortnight till Michaelmas | A great fair for horses, cattle, sheep, cloth, &c. |
| Threlkeld | The first Thursday in September | Sheep. |
| Uldale | August 29. | A great sheep fair. |
| Nether Wasdale | The first Monday in September | Sheep. |
| Whitehaven | August 12. | Yorkshire cloth, Irish linen, hardware, &c. &c. |
| Wigton | St. Thomas | Great markets for butchers'-meat, apples, honey, &c. |
| Feb. 20. | A noted horse-fair. |
| April 5. | Black cattle, stallions, Yorkshire cloth, hardware, &c. &c. |
| Workington | May 18, and Oct. 18. | Cattle. |