Witherslack Manor Boundary Perambulation

The 20th Century began with the appointment of a new Vicar, the Reverend WH. Hutton, and one of his first functions in 1901 was a Church of England Temperance Society Meeting. The introductory meeting was well attended in the Parish Hall, where there was a lecture on the 'Drinking Customes and Their Affects on England from the Time of the Romans to the Present Day'. Thereafter was a lanternslide with some 60 views extolling the virtues and abstinence from drink. It must have been effective for 15 men signed the pledge at the next meeting, although no names were mentioned.

Witherslack Manor Boundary Perambulation This, according to some sources occurred every l00 years and 1902 in it coincided with the Coronation of King Edward VII. A medal struck for the occasion reads around the rim, Manor of Witherslack County of Westmorland, and God Save the King and the Lord of the Manor in the Year of the Coronation of Edward the VII). The medal opposite was found to be in the possession of Margaret Woods (dec.).

During the Civil War the seventh Earl of Derby was defeated in battle, captured and executed in 1651(4). As a result he had all his lands confiscated. Oliver Cromwell sold the Manor of Witherslack to the Leyburnes for £130.00 (5)

John Wallis (6) wrote to the eighth Earl of Derby informing him that Lord Suffolk had taken some four score acres of land from Witherslack on Whitbarrow. Meanwhile Lord Stanley (the family name of the Earls of Derby) was trying to get his lands back through the Courts. At Appleby Assizes in 1747(7) the Stanley’s proved their descent through the Whithams and the Manor of Witherslack was restored to them.

The importance of the perambulation of the Lord of the Manor's boundaries could not be too much exaggerated because prior to maps it was the only way of preserving them. On June 20th 1750 they had a perambulation of the boundaries in order to prove beyond dispute to his neighbours where his land ended and theirs began.

Early in the nineteenth century (1815) the Boundary Commissioners made a map of every village throughout the country. Witherslack's was published in 1829, (8) and because maps were better ways of perpetuating testimony to the present day, perambulation of boundaries became less necessary than it had been hitherto.

As far as can be gleaned there was no perambulation of the boundaries in 1802, although in 1804 a portion of six to eight hundred acres was lopped off the estate by a Parliamentary Commission (9) to try and ascertain the true boundary.

The ceremony of 1902 was opened on the 28th May with the jury of the Court

Baron being sworn in to attest that the boundary line was correct and indisputable evidence to the extent of the Lord of the Manor's right in respect of the land. The total distance was 18 miles. The Steward was G. E.Moser, the Bailiff was Mr. W. Wilson, and the Land Agent was Mr. S. I. Lee. The Kendal Volunteer Army Band played 'John Peel'. M. Sterwardson of Brookside and R. Hodgson of High Low Wood, each with a red silk tie around his arm and leg. The one carried a miniature Royal Standard, and the other carried a Union Jack, walking each side of the boundary line. (10)

The perambulation began at Koko Moss, just half a mile north of Pool Bank, in the last dip in the road before coming on Cowmire Hall, at 7.45am. They then proceeded to Howridding Wood to the Lords Seat (a cairn of stones) on Whitbarrow where they had a children's wrestling bout. Ale and lemonade were consumed along with large slices of bread and cheese. After this they proceeded to Raven's Lodge where they had more light refreshments. Thence on to High Stock Bridge and forward to the boundary stone on the old County Boundary, (pre 1974) from there to Adam's Garden where they had more wrestling bouts and a tug of war, which included men from different villages. Then they went up by the side of the river Winster to Blaycock Bridge where three or four thousand people from several of the surrounding villages, were congregated to watch the sports. After which they proceeded to where it had all begun, and the boundary roll was signed by the jurymen for all who had completed the whole journey.

They held a great festival at Witherslack Hall where the band played on the lawn where all the winners each received a medal, designed by J. W Preston and supplied by Messrs Rhodes both of Kendal. (11) Thousands of people partook of the roasted ox the roasting of which had been supervised by a Mr. Ducket, a special chef from Stratford on Avon. The beef, in the form of sandwiches, was described as 'luscious and bountiful' (10). A torchlight procession was followed by a bicycle gymkhana, and dancing amid fairy lights and lanterns until late in the evening (12).

In August, the Coronation of King Edward VII, due to his illnesses, had to be postponed. After much discussion about whether to continue with the celebrations as they had all been arranged, the Vicar opened the procession. This consisted of the Girl's Friendly Society, the Rose and Barrow Fife Drum Band, Mr. Tebay, the conductor, members of the Parish Council, The Derby Lodge of Independent Order of Mechanics, the children of the endowed schools and Sunday Schools and the general public (about 320 persons in all), proceeded to Latterbarrow. Messrs. Mossop and Sons of Grange had prepared tea. Before tea commenced goblets and mugs were presented to the children by Mrs. E. Scotter (the Vicars wife) on behalf of Lady Derby. During the afternoon and evening a good programme of music was played by the Band, which everyone enjoyed. (14)

Several ladies noted that Witherslack was not the same place, in many ways that it was 20, 30 or 40 years ago. The church's family circle was practically unbroken. What would she have thought of it now, and what will it be like in another l00 year’s time.

In the year 2000 there will be another Boundary Walk taking place on the same day 28th May. The day is near to Rogation Sunday.

1. Westmorland Gazette December 1901

2. Westmorland Gazette January 1902.

3. See photo of medal,

4. JJ. Bagley. Page 137 Earls of Derby No.1321983 Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire.

5. DDK/1613/6 The Leyburnes £130.00 deed from Oliver Cromwell

6. DDK 432/27 Derby's Papers at Lancashire Record Office,

7. DDK 1613 1620/16 Vol. 6 References

8. 1829 Enclosure Award for Witherslack. Kendal Record Office

9. 'A Quaint Ceremony' 7th June 1902 Manchester Evening Chronicle

10. Westmorland Gazette 31st May 1902, Kendal Library

11. The 1829 Enclosure Award for Witherslack

12. Westmorland Gazette 7th June 1902. Kendal Library

13. Westmorland Gazette Cutting kept in the Parochial Record Book privately owned by Mr. WM. Jackson.

14. Ibid