A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 8. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1914.
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'Townships: Blawith', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 8, (London, 1914) pp. 362-363. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol8/pp362-363 [accessed 26 April 2024]
In this section
BLAWITH
Blawith, 1346.
Blawith has an area of 2,995 acres (fn. 1) on the west side of the Crake and the lower end of Coniston Water. Along the Crake there is a narrow strip of open and comparatively level land, and about the centre of it, pleasantly seated, is the hamlet of Blawith. The remainder is hilly, divided into two systems by a beck running east to the Crake near the centre of the township. To the south are a number of minor hills, rising at the west to 700 ft. above the sea; to the north are the Blawith Fells, the Beacon in the middle attaining 836 ft. On its southwest side is Beacon Tarn. About a mile and a half north of Blawith Coniston Water is reached; here there is a ferry used by the steamers navigating the lake in the summer. The chief road is that up the Crake Valley and by the west side of the lake towards Coniston; it passes through the hamlets of Blawith and Water Yeat. The township contained a population of 148 in 1901.
There are two bridges over the Crake, one at the south end called Birkrow Bridge and one at Water Yeat called Bouldrey or Bouthray Bridge.
The soil is gravel, overlying stone and slate. Agriculture is almost the sole industry, the land being used for pasture.
Manor
The district or township of Blawith was apparently a woodland or forest district within the barony of Ulverston. (fn. 2) The land was afterwards held in conjunction with neighbouring estates (fn. 3); what in later times was known as the manor of BLAWITH was the estate once held by Conishead Priory, (fn. 4) but there appears to have been another nominal manor held in the 18th century by Thomas Bibby, Mary his wife and others. (fn. 5) One or two other estates are known. (fn. 6)
Church
The chapel of Blawith is of unknown origin, but it is marked on the 1577 map of the county. The present church of St. John the Baptist was built in 1863, near the old site. In 1650 it had no maintenance, but the inhabitants allowed £5 a year to John Gibson, their reader. (fn. 7) In 1717 the inhabitants allowed £4 a year to the curate, who also taught school in the chapel, and claimed a right to nominate. (fn. 8) Afterwards the right of presentation was held by the Braddylls of Conishead, (fn. 9) but the Duke of Buccleuch became patron by purchase in 1862. The value is given as £180 a year. (fn. 10) The registers begin 1728–46.
The following have been incumbents and vicars (fn. 11) :—