taking for all concerned. This is the only plumbago which can be made 

 into pencils to stand a point in its natural state, and is the purest and best 

 in the world. 



It has often been stated that Castle Crag was formerly a Roman 

 Station. There is no trace of masonry, nor have any Roman weapons or 

 coins been found upon the hill. The name of Borrowdale has been a 

 puzzle. The most recent suggestion seems to commend itself as a natural 

 explanation. It was common to call all strong places castles, where no 

 artificial defence in the way of masonry was erected. Thus we have 

 Castle Rock in St. John's, Rea Castle on the left of the jjass to Watend- 

 lath, Castle Howe near Peile Wyke, and many others. So we have Castle 

 Crag, in Borrowdale, which has been a place of defence during the incur- 

 sions of the Scots, when the moss troopers made a short way into Lancashire, 

 Coming over Binsa from Carlisle it was a near cut through the Stake 

 Pass. Castle Crag formed a natural place of offence and defence and relics 

 of machinery for throwing stones iipon any hostile array, are said to have 

 been found. The term burgh is often used as synonymous with castle 

 e.g. the borough walls, Workington, and accepting this idea, Boro'dale 

 would simply be the burgh defended dale. 



The ancient endowment of Borrowdale chapel was £3 os. It received 

 an augmentation by lot of £200 about the year 1744, and had again in 

 1752 and in 1762 a further augmentation of £200 in conjunction with 

 £200 given by the Countess dowager Gower, which sums were laid out in 

 lands in Crosthwaite and in Lancashire. Recently the parsonage was built 

 by the liberality of Joseph and Abraham Fisher, Esqrs., of Seatoller.| 



In all parts of the lake country the lands are passing out 

 of the hands of the ancient Yeomen. A new race is coming 

 in, building villas and making a total change in the appearance 

 of the country. If Gray the poet could revisit Grasmere, he 

 would hardly recognise the place. Perhaps in the parish of 

 Crosthwaite, and in Borrowdale especially, there has been less change 

 than elsewhere. The lands being freehold their owners have been able to 

 leave them unencumbered to their children, which they could hardly have 



