Peverils of the Peak. Sir Richar! * BAKEWELL. This ancient market town, in which the petty sessions BAKEWELL. for the High Peak are holden, is situated on the western bank of the river Wye. Of late years, the market has dwindled into insignificance, but the parish is the most extensive in Derbyshire; its length is more than 20 miles, and its breadth upwards of eight. The pasturage in this neighbourhood is remarkably good. The town was anciently called Bathquelle; it appears to have derived its name from its Bath-well, the immediate site of which has been for many years occupied by a collector of minerals and fossils for private cabinets. From the circumstance of a Roman altar, and other antiquities having been discovered here, there can be but little doubt that Bakewell was a place of some note in the time of the Romans. At the Conquest, Bakewell had two priests and a church. The manor then belonged to William Peverell, ancestor of the Peveril ce-Seat of the lebrated in the admirable romance by Sir Walter Scott, styled "Peveril of the Peak." Bakewell church is an ancient structure, with a lofty spire. Near the entrance of the town, from Ashford, is a mill, for the carding, roving, doubling, spinning, and twisting of cotton, in which some hundreds of persons of both sexes are employed; the mill was erected by the late Sir Richard Arkwright, the founder of the cotton trade in this neighbourhood. This distinguished character, whose per- Arkwright. severance and admirable inventions raised him from one of the most humble occupations in society—that of a barber-to affluence and honour, was the youngest of thirteen children, and was born in the year 1732, at Preston, in Lancashire. A considerable manufacture of linen goods, and of linen and cotton mixed, was then carried on in that neighbourhood, and Mr. Arkwright had an opportunity of becoming intimately acquainted with the various operations; and being a man of superior powers, he directed his thoughts to the improvement of the mode of spinning, which had probably been conducted for ages without thought of change. The first hint respecting the means of effecting this improvement, he said, he accidentally received from seeing a red hot iron bar elongated, by being passed between iron cylinders. The difficulties which he experienced before he could bring his machine into use, even after its construction was sufficiently complete to demonstrate its value, would, perhaps, have for ever retarded its completion, had his genius and application been less ardent. His pecuniary means were not such as to enable him to commence business on his own account, and few were willing to incur the necessary risk. At length, however, he secured the co-operation of some persons who saw the merits of the invention, and were willing to assist his endeavours, and he obtained his first patent for spinning by means of rollers in the year 1769. To avoid the inconvenience of establishing a manu- Cotton facture of this kind at the great seat of the cotton manufacture, as it then mills. existed, he removed to Nottingham, when, in conjunction with his partners, he erected his first mill, which was worked by horses. This mode being found too expensive, another mill on a larger scale was erected at Cromford, the machinery of which was put in motion by water. Mr. Arkwright soon effected many improvements in the mode of preparing the cotton for spinning, and invented a variety of ingenious machines for that purpose, in the most correct and expeditious manner, for all which he obtained a patent in the year 1775, and thus completed a series of machinery so various and complicated, yet so admirably combined as to excite universal approbation. That all this should have been accomplished L Map. Names of Places. County. Number of Miles from Dist. Popu- 55 Bala* .........to Merioneth.. Shrewsbury 41 Dolgelly ...18 Corven .12 195 1163 BAKEWELL. by a single man, without education, without mechanical knowledge, or even mechanic's experience, is truly extraordinary; and is, perhaps, equal to any known example of the wonderful powers of the human mind, when steadily directed to one object. However, at the same time that he was inventing or improving the machinery, he was engaged in various undertakings which might have been thought incompatible with other pursuits. He was taking measures to secure himself a fair proportion of the fruits of his industry and ingenuity—he was greatly extending the business—he was introducing into every department of the manufactory, a novel system of industry, economy, order, and cleanliness; the whole of which he so effectually accomplished, that his example may be regarded as the origin of almost all similar improvements. During this entire period, he was afflicted with a violent asthma, which sometimes threatened the immediate termination of his existence; and for some time previously to his death, he was rendered incapable of continuing his usual pursuits, by a complication of diseases, which, at length, deprived him of life at the Rock House, Cromford, on the 23d of August, 1792. The honour of Knighthood was bestowed on him by George III., in December, 1786, when he presented an address to that monarch. Dr. Thomas Denman, an eminent physician, was born at this place in 1733; after the death of Dr. William Hunter, he was considered as the most eminent man of his profession. Towards the decline of his life he gradually relinquished the more laborious parts of his profession to his son-in-law, Sir Richard Croft, and became a consulting physician. His death, which was very sudden, took place on the 26th of November, 1815. He left two daughters and a son, the latter of whom, adopting the legal profession, is now Lord Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench. Dr. Thomas lake in Wales. Market, Friday.-Fairs, Easter Monday; Whit Monday; August 26; Monday after October 10; Monday after November 22, for cattle and horses,-Inn, Rutland Arms, allowed to be one of the best Inns in the kingdom, and is much frequented by anglers during the summer season.-Mail arrives 12.10 afternoon; departs 6.0 morning. It is a *BALA is situated at the outlet of the lake of the same name. clean and populous market town, consisting of one wide principal street, and others crossing it at right angles. The houses are in general built very low. The young women commonly go barefooted; they are however well formed, and have little of the strong Welsh physiognomy. At this place is carried on a great trade in woollen gloves and stockings. Just before the entrance of the town is an artificial mount called "Tommen y Bala," (the tumulus of Bala) which is supposed to be of Roman origin, and placed here with a small castle on its summit to secure the pass towards the sea, which is about twenty-five miles distant. Bala Lake, or Llyn Tegid, is a quarter The largest of a mile south of the town; it is the largest lake in Wales, being about four miles long, and in some places near a mile in breadth. At Bryn Goleu, its depth is several fathoms. The scenery around is mountainous, and it forms the principal attraction of the vicinity, yet it possesses none of the grand discriminating traits of the lakes of Scotland or Ireland. The overflowings of this lake are sometimes dreadful; but this only happens when the winds rush from the mountains at the upper end. In stormy weather, when swelled by torrents, the water is driven to the height of eight or nine feet, covering great part of the vale of Edeirnion, and almost threatening the town with destruction. In calm settled weather, it has been so smooth as to be frozen over. The river Dee rises from under Arran ben Llyn, the high mountain at the head of the lake; and according to Giraldus Cambriensis, Drayton, and others, passes through this immense body of water without deigning to intermix its waters, as the Rhone is said to pass through the lake of Geneva, and the classic 45 Balby* 38 Balcombe County. Number of Miles from Dist. Popu Lond. lation 163 420 641 BALA. to W. R. York Doncaster ...2 Tickhill. .6 Rotherham .11 .pa Sussex..... Cuckfield.. 4 Horsham...10 E. Grinstead 9 Alpheus through the waters of the Adriatic. Hence it has been asserted, that salmon are never found in the lake, or gwiniad in the river; it however abounds with a variety of excellent fish, among which we may mention pike, trout, perch, and eels. The fishery in the 13th century belonged to the Abbey of Basingwerk; the whole property is vested at present in Sir Watkyn Williams Wynne, Bart., who allows the fishermen to be occasionally employed in attending fishing parties with a boat and nets, without such privilege no person is allowed the use of nets; but angling is freely permitted, and gentlemen as distant as from London visit this place fisheries. entirely for the sake of indulging in this amusement. Of the inns at Bala, Mr. Hutton says, although I have often only reposed one night at an inn, yet from agreeable treatment and conversation, I found some regret the next morning at parting; and though I saw the people but once, my mind revolted at the idea of seeing them no more." The town of Bala is governed by two bailiffs, and a common council, and the assizes are held here and at Dolgelly alternately; it is likewise one of the polling places for the county. Market Saturday.-Fairs, May 14; July 10; Sep. 11 and 22; Oct. 24; and Nov. 8.-Mail arrives 8.0 morning; departs 5.0 afternoon. The lake * BALBY. In this village George Fox, the founder of the Society of George Fox Friends, or Quakers, held his first meetings. His father, who was a the Quaker. weaver, gave him a very religious education; he was apprenticed to a grazier, and much employed as a shepherd. From his earliest infancy he displayed a tendency to enthusiasm, and no doubt his solitary employment tended to confirm it. At the early age of nineteen he persuaded himself that he was called to exercise his faculties, solely in the affairs of religion. Forsaking his relations, he determined to devote himself to that alone. Equipped in a leathern doublet, he wandered from place to place, subsisting by the charity of those who received his doctrines. At length he reached the metropolis, where, being discovered by his friends, he was earnestly invited to return. This, however, he refused to do, and after remaining with them a short time, he again betook himself to his itinerant habits. He now walked abroad in retired places, fasting and studying the Bible by day and night, and sometimes a hollow tree was his habitation, book in hand, for a day together. In 1648, he publicly propagated his opinions, commencing as public preacher at Manchester, which place he frequently left to perambulate the adjacent towns, preaching in the market-houses. About this time he began to adopt the manners and habits which are peculiar to the society following his religious opinions; nor was he free from the persecution which constantly follows His wandernovelty, in any thing regarded as an innovation of a religious nature. ings and Derby, the disciples of Fox were first denominated Quakers, from the imprisontrembling delivery of their sentences, and their calls on the magistrates to ment. tremble before the Lord. In 1655, Fox was sent a prisoner to Cromwell, who immediately liberated him upon ascertaining the peaceful nature of his doctrines. He was, however, treated by the country magistracy with great severity, from his frequently interrupting ministers, even during divine service, and more than once the Protector, Oliver Cromwell, exerted himself to obtain his freedom. A fast having been appointed on account of the persecution of Protestants in foreign countries, he addressed a letter to the heads and governors of the nation, descrying, in most forcible terms, the impropriety of having recourse to severity of a similar nature at home. Charles II. liberated him from prison in the year 1666, and from that time they formally united as a Society of Friends." Three years At BALBY. Right of Singular custom. Sharks' teeth found in cutting through a hill. pa pa Oxford 6 .7 .7 ' 53 272 afterwards he married the widow of Judge Fell, in the simple unostentatious manner practised by the sect to the present day. His health, however, was impaired by imprisonment and suffering, and he lived in a more retired manner to the day of his death, which took place in the year 1690, in the 67th year of his age. * BALDERSLEY. Near this village is an extensive common, called Hutton Conyers Moor, on which there is a rabbit-warren; the inhabitants have a right of estray for their sheep on this moor, in conjunction with some other townships, and each township has a shepherd. The lord's shepherd has a pre-eminence of tending his sheep on every part of the common; and wherever he herds the lord's sheep, the several other shepherds are to give place to him, and give up what is termed their hofiong place, so long as they are depastured thereon. The lord's court is held on the first of January; the shepherds attend the court, and each do fealty by bringing a large apple-pye and a two-penny sweet-cake; each pye is divided into two parts, and distributed by the bailiff between the steward, the tenant of the rabbit-warren, and the shepherds of the townships, reserving a portion however for himself. Each pye contains about a peck of flour, and the bailiff measures them with a rule to see that they are of the proper dimensions; should they not be so he threatens to fine the town; he, however, has to provide furmenty (a food made by boiling wheat in milk) and mustard. The furmenty is put into an earthen pot, and the top of the dish placed level with the ground, all persons present are invited to partake; those who do not accept the invitation are deemed disloyal to their lord. Every shepherd is compelled to bring a spoon with him, and in cases of neglect, or wilful pleasantry, they are obliged to sup the hot furmenty from the pot, and the bystanders not unfrequently plunge the offenders head into the mixture, as a matter of diversion. † BALDOCK is situated between two hills, at the intersection of the great north road, and the Roman Ikeneld street. It was formerly the property of the Knights Templars, to whom Gilbert, Earl of Pembroke, gave the site; it was then called Baudoc: but some antiquarians, with little reason, derive its name from Balbec, a city in Syria, from which this order of knights was expelled by the Saracens. It principally consists of one long ancient street. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a spacious structure, and was built by the Knights Templars, and again partly re-built in the early part of the fifteenth century. All the early portion of this structure is of pure Roman architecture, and the latter of the florid gothic. The steeple, which is octagonal, was re-built a few years ago. In the church is a richly carved oaken screen, part of the ancient rood-loft, and a very curious font. In cutting through Baldock-hill, to form a new road, a number of fossils, consisting of cornua ammonis, sharks' teeth, &c., were discovered. There is a curious custom in this manor. When the Steward holds his Court Leet, the bell tolls, to summons the copyhold tenants together, to do their suit and service at dinner, to which every baker sends a loaf of bread, and every victualler a flagon of ale or beer. The object of this custom is intended for the Court Leet to examine the measures, as well as to judge of the quality of the articles of food. Market, Thursday.-Fairs, March 7; last Thursday in May; August 5; October 2; December 11, for cheese, cattle, and household goods.-Mail arrives 12.31 morning, departs 2.16 morning.-Bankers, Williamson and Co., draw on Hoare and Co.-Inn, White Hart. |