QSWALDKIRK. 215 



The Village. Oswaldkirk is romantically situ- 

 ated at the eastern extremity of the Hambleton hills, 

 at the foot of a precipitous bank, which arises ab- 

 ruptly at the back of the village, sheltering it on 

 the north, and adding considerably to its beauty by 

 the woods and plantations which adorn its side. On 

 descending the hill by the York road, a quarry of 

 unusual depth presents itself on the left, formed of 

 an immense mass of limestone rock, strata upon 

 strata, and exhibiting a bare and rugged surface ; 



in Shropshire. The inhuman Penda mangled the dead 

 body of the king, and to refine upon brutality itself, he 

 caused the reeking fragments to be placed yet streaming 

 with blood, upon the points of stakes, as trophies of his 

 victory." Young's Hist, of Whitby p. 26. A town was 

 built near the spot, which the Christians of that age ac- 

 counted sacred, and was called after him Oswestre, 

 (Oswestry,) Oswaldstre, or Oswald's town. 



On the top of Winwick church near Warrington, Lan- 

 cashire, were, in Camden's time, these lines in a barbarous 

 old character, relating to King Oswald ; 



Hie locus, Oswalde, quondam placuit tibi valde 

 Northanhumbrorum fueras Rex, nuncque Polorum 

 Regna tenes ? locopassus Marcelde vocato. 



Oswald, this ground was grateful found 

 To thee, whose hand Northumberland 

 Late ruled, now owns celestial thrones, 

 In Marcelde field thou life didst yield. 



Camden. iii. 8. 35. 



It was not to be supposed that so celebrated a prince, 

 martyr, and saint, as Oswald appears to have been, would 

 soon pass from the remembrance of the Christian world ; 

 and accordingly we find that his name was immortalized 

 by the various religious edifices dedicated to him as their 

 patron saint; amongst which we may instance the chur- 

 ches of Oswaldkirk, Flambro 1 near Bridlingtofl, and 

 JVostal Priory, near Pontefract. 



