67 



moiily known as the Great Deed of Borrowdale, as " all that manor of 

 Borrowdale with the rights, members and appurtenances, and all those lands 

 and tenements in Borrowdale aforesaid by particulars thereof mentioned 

 to be of the yearly value of £28 lOs., and all that Salt Well or Salt 

 water within the Grange of Borrowdale, together with all Royalties," but 

 they except and reserve to the said Wm. Whitmore and Jonas Verdon 

 and their heirs, all those Wad holes commonly called Black-cawke within 

 the commons of Seatoller, or elsewhere within the commons and wastes 

 of the manor of Borrowdale aforesaid, with liberty to dig, work, and 

 carry the same and other their ajjjjurtenances whatsoever. The jjurchase 

 money was £25 2s. Thus the tenants became owners of all minerals and 

 manorial rights excepting the Black lead, and each statesman is lord of 

 his own estate, and cannot have his property invaded by any one to dig 

 for minerals, except by his own permission. These ancient freeholds 

 render the yeomanry more free than any other tenure of land, and the in- 

 dependence which it produces is a quality which the dalesmen are noted lor. 



Whitmore and Verdon sold the Black Lead Mine to John Lamplugh, 

 gentleman, and Charles Hudson, gentleman, of Bowtherbeck. Lamplugh 

 sold his share of the Wad l\Iines to John Bankes (father of Sir John 

 Bankes) in the year 1622. 



Camden says — " Li this parish in Seatoller Fell is that famous mine 

 of Black Lead or Wad, a mineral very scarce elsewhere to be met with." 

 He calls it " that mineral earth or hard shining stone, which j^ainters use 

 in drawing their lines, and shading their pieces in black and white." 



Robinson in his Natural History of Westmorland and Cumberland 

 speaking of this mineral says : — " The most remarkable Mundic 

 Vein ujjon these mountains, is that we call Wad or Black 

 Lead. Its composition is a black pinguid, and shining earth 



impregnated with Lead and Antimony. The Ore is more valuable than 

 either Coi^ijer, Lead, or Iron. Its natural uses are both JNIedicinal and 

 Mechanical. It's a present remedy for cholick, and other complaints and 

 for these and the like uses, it's much bought up by Apothecaries and 

 Physicians, who understand more of its Medicinal uses than I am able to 

 ^ve account of," 



