SHEEP 179 



and Ear-marks of the different Stocks of Sheep in Martindale, Barton, 

 Askham, Helton, Bampton, Measand, Mardale, Long Sleddale, Kent- 

 mere, Applethwaite, Troutbeck, Ambleside and Rydal," was compiled 

 by Joseph Walker, a statesman of Martindale, who died in 1820 at 

 the age of 41, and was buried there. It was printed at Penrith by W. 

 Stephen, and dated 1817. The utility of such a publication was 

 immediately appreciated, and an extension of the idea to the hill 

 districts where uninclosed commons and fells existed soon caused 

 the publication of others on lines identical to those adopted by Walker. 

 The next two to be issued were printed by W. Stephen, but without 

 date : one for Patterdale, Grasmere, Hawkshead, Langdale, 

 Wythburn, Legberthwaite, St. John's, Wanthwaite and Burns, Bor- 

 rowdale, Newlands, Threlkeld, Matterdale, WatermOlock, Eskdale, 

 and Wastdale Head, was by Wm. Mounsey, the last king of Patterdale, 

 and Wm. Kirkpatrick ; the other for Patterdale, Netherwasdale, 

 Borrowdale, Loweswater, Kenniside, Ennerdale, Lamplough, Seascale, 

 Newlands, Buttermere, Wastlehead, Gosforth, Blawith, Sabberthwaite, 

 Kirkby, Pennington, Osmotherley, Colton, Rusland, Hawkshead, 

 Coniston, Langdale, Dunnerdale, Eskdale, Torver, Broughton, Wood- 

 land, Seathwaite, Ulpha, Thwaites, Whicham, Millom, Whitbeck, 

 Bootle, Corney, Waberthwaite, Birkby and Birker. This was published 

 by W. Stephen of Penrith before 1820, most probably in 1819, and com- 

 pletes the West Fells district. It is to be noted that these guides are for 

 wool and ear-marks only, and the district over which they extend corres- 

 ponds to the district occupied by Herdwick sheep, a confirmation that 

 this was a hornless breed of sheep at this date. One of the rules con- 

 tained in Walker's guide and these other two was " That all stray sheep 

 shall be proclaimed at the Church on Sunday, and at the two nearest 

 market towns, by bellman, on market day." There was no real associa- 

 tion formed for the West Fells, and meetings were only indicated, 

 and must have been held by agreement among the subscribers. The 

 first place where such a meeting was held for the purpose of exchanging 

 strayed sheep, after Walker's publication and due to his initiation, 

 was at the Star Inn at the top of Martindale Hause, but meetings 

 of shepherds for such a purpose are of much earlier date, and were 

 generally combined with wresthngs and horse racing. That on the 

 top of High Street only fell into disuse about 1835 ; it was held on 



