10 WESTMORLAND AGRICULTURE, 1800-1900 



beef is still dried in this county, even when fresh meat can be obtained 

 at all seasons, though dried beef is allowed to cost double the price of 

 fresh." The custom of making pies of minced mutton mixed with 

 fruit and sugar prevailed to such an extent about 1830, that on every 

 24th of December from 700 to 1000 sheep were slaughtered in the 

 town and neighbourhood of Kendal. 



Bull beef was not allowed to be exposed for sale in Kendal and 

 the larger villages unless the animal had been previously baited, 

 under a penalty of a fine of 3s. 4d. At Appleby, in 1783, John Nelson 

 and Joseph Shepherd were fined 5s. for baiting a bull in the night. 

 If the practice was not conformed with the butcher had either to put 

 out a sign-board with " Bull-beef " inscribed on it, or to burn a lighted 

 candle on his stall so long as such beef remained unsold. This practice 

 was discontinued in Kendal in 1791, but the ring remained for many 

 years in its old situation on the " Beast Banks." The practice con- 

 tinued at Kirkby Stephen till about 1824. Shortly after this date 

 the ring and stone were removed. Penrith was famed for its bull-baits, 

 the bull rings being in Great Dockray and Sandgate, where as many 

 as five were held on one day, the dogs of the potters and tinkers being 

 esteemed the best for the purpose. Great care was taken with the 

 training of the dogs and it is related that a father and son, who had 

 a young pup, descended from a famous breed, had it out for exercise 

 and training. The son accosted his parent with : " Doon o ye'r knees, 

 f adder, an' boo like a bull ! " His ' ladder ' did as he was ' telt ' and 

 began ' booin.' Before many ' boos,' however, the pup had seized him 

 firmly by the nose. Delighted with the dog the youth shouted out : 

 " Bide it ladder ! bide it ! It'll be t'makkin o't'pup ! " In Appleby 

 bull baiting continued till about 1820, and the ring is still to be seen 

 in the Market Place opposite the Tufton Arms. 



The clothes of the farmers were made from the rough grey wool 

 of the native sheep, carded and spun at home and woven into cloth 

 by the nearest village weaver ; the cloth was called ' self-grey ' or 

 ' duffel ' and sometimes dyed blue, a favourite colour for the worsted 

 for stockings. Knee-breeches were generally worn by the men till well 

 into the century, buckskin ones being frequently worn on all ' better- 

 mer ' occasions, such as fairs, wrestlings and other festivities. Itinerant 

 tailors passed from farm to farm once or twice a year to make up the 



