4 WESTMORLAND AGRICULTURE, 1800-1900 



not easily procurable was of beaten earth. The large funnel-shaped 

 fireplace was three or four yards in diameter ; it occupied a large portion 

 of the room, the hearth being raised within it a few inches above the 

 level of the floor ; the rannel-balk, a large piece of oak timber, crossed 

 the chimney on a level with the floor of the room above, and from it 

 the rattan-crook was suspended by means of a chain, so that it could 

 be heightened or lowered as required for cooking ; to the rannel-balk 

 was hung, as also to the funnel-shaped sides of the chimney, the beef, 

 mutton and bacon which had to serve the family till well into the 

 spring, after the pickled meat had been used. These large open 

 chimneys " prove very unfriendly to personal cleanliness, for a black 

 unctuous liquor composed of soot and water trickles down the sides 

 of these smoky caverns in wet weather and sticks to everything which 

 it touches ; " it was called the ' hallen-drop.' Within the chimney 

 on either side of the hearth on which peats and wood were burnt, 

 were two long settles, where in the long winter nights men and women 

 sat and carded wool and spun and knit stockings, a custom common 

 to the county, though existing longest round Or ton, through Raven- 

 stonedale to Kirkby Stephen, where large quantities were sold at each 

 recurring fair. 



" The old man however infirm was able to card wool, as he sat in 

 the comer by the fire-side " wrote Wordsworth in 1810, " and often 

 when a boy I have admired the cylinders of carded wool which were 

 softly laid upon each other by his side. Two wheels were often at 

 work on the same floor and little children were occupied in ' teasing ' 

 and cleaning the wool to fit it for the hand of the carder " : — 



" Oh I tarry woo ; oli 1 tarry woo ! 

 Tarry woo is ill to spin ; 

 Oh ! card it weel, oh 1 card it weel. 

 Card it weel ere ye begin. 

 When its carded, rove and spun. 

 Then your work is but half done ; 

 But when its woven, dress'd and clean. 

 It will be clothing for a queen." 



In 1792 ' A Rambler ' wrote : " There was a meritorious spirit of 

 industry amongst the country people, both men and women were knit- 

 ting stockings as they drove their peat carts into the town " (Kendal), 



