148 
Dr. Lonsdale* says that ‘‘ Thackwood was one of the spear houses 
of the Honor of Penrith.” On every Whit-Tuesday, the holders 
of these houses made their appearance at the Forest Courts, and 
they headed the procession which opened Penrith Fair, brandishing 
their spears to defy and to deter marauders. They were in fact 
conservators of the peace, as well as military tenants, and they 
were charged with the maintenance of good order in their respective 
districts. 
Over the front entrance of Thackwood, and standing out 
from the roof, is a small figure of a man holding a spear, and 
tradition yet repeats the cry— 
**Ride on! ride on! and turn Dob’s Hill,” 
which we may fancy to have risen in days of yore, whilst the Red 
Spears, with their followers, started from Thackwood to scour the 
country of marauders, or to muster the population to the peaceful 
gatherings of court or market.” Dobs Cross, on Broadfield, is 
supposed to have its name from Dobs Hill, upon which it stands. 
In the Parish of Dalston, near Hawksdale lodge, is the 
remains of a fine old oak called “Barras Tree.” We are told that 
a bar extended from Dalston Hall to Cumdivock—a distance of 
three miles—raised for the purpose of protection against the 
incursions of the Scotch. Near this encampment were erected 
several bar houses, occupied by people whose duty it was to give 
the alarm on the approach of the enemy, by the ringing of bells 
and blowing of trumpets, on the sound of which the inhabitants 
drove their cattle behind the bar for safety. In Dalston parish we 
have such names as Bishop’s Dyke, some remains of which are in 
a field opposite Dalston Hall. Then there is Barras Lonning, 
Barras Gate, Barras Brow, Trumpet Croft, Bell Gate, and Glavet 
Hill, which signifies sword hill, g/ave being the name for the long 
sword, hence Glave Hill may be supposed to have been a hill 
where military exercises, or executions, took place. In the 
* Lonsdale’s Memoir of W. Blamire, Esq., p. 8. 
+ Glaive—A cutting instrument used by infantry, and believed to have 
originated from the Celtic custom of fixing a sword to the end of a pole as a 
defensive weapon against cavalry. 
