178 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



many anglers fishing for salmon. The gulls 

 and swifts were in great profusion. In 

 insects I saw Cardamine and Enphrosyne, and 

 a lot of small things. At 6.30 I started from 

 Carlisle to Brampton, on the North-Eastern 

 line, and my friend Mr. Parkin, was v^aiting 

 for me, and we came down to the old town 

 in the dandy, as the line does not run with- 

 in two miles of the town. There is nothing 

 very striking in the town itself. The old 

 church is a plain structure ; there is a mar- 

 ket cross, and a few good buildings ; but 

 the scenery around is beautiful. On the 

 east end there is a high hill, surrounded by 

 a moat, and on the highest elevation is a 

 beautiful statue of the Earl of Carlisle. 



May 28th.— I spent the day with Mr. 

 Parkin, in and about Brampton. It is rich 

 in natural objects, plants, birds, and insects. 

 The swifts are numerous and build in the 

 eaves of the houses and the church tower. 

 In the afternoon we had a walk to the 

 moat, and then went to the ridge, which is 

 a splendid place with its long avenue of 

 of beech trees, and from this place you can 

 see one hill towering above another right 

 up into Scotland. We then went down into 

 the valley and crossed the river Irthing by 

 the Alba bridge, which is near the old 

 priory, and it is a splendid ruin. Lanercost 

 Priory was an Augustine Monastery. The 

 exterior west end is pitted with bullet 

 marks. The Portal at the west entrance 

 consists of numerous mouldings supported 

 by small pillars, with plain capital and 

 bases. Over it in a recess surmounted with 

 a gothic canopy, apparently more modern 

 than the rest of the building, is a well 

 sculptured figure of Mary Magdaline, on 

 her right is a diminutive figure of a monk 

 kneeling. The nave is now used as a 

 parish church, the tower chancel and top 

 aisles being roofless, dilapidated and over- 

 grown with ivy, briers and wallflowers. 

 On entering, the visitor will see fixed to the 

 wall on his left a tablet, with this inscrip- 



tion, Robertus de Villibus filius hoberti 

 Dominus de Gilsland foundator prioratus 

 de lancrout, Anno Domini 11 16. Ada 

 ! Engaine Uror Ejus sine prole. Reverendus 

 I Geo. Story, A.M., hujus ecclesise Pastor, 

 gratoanimo huno lapidemposuit, A.D. 1761. 

 ! The chancel contains many old tombs carved 

 j with different arms. Then we assended a 

 I winding staircase and passed through many 

 I galleries, which are the habitation of owls, 

 I jackdaws, swifts, and starlings. On coming 

 I down we passed through the churchyard 

 I which is surrounded with very old trees. 

 ; Two yews there are vcy large, and there 

 j are many ancient tombs. In one was a 

 beautiful blackbird's nest containing five 

 eggs. We then left the abbey and recrossed 

 the river Irthing by some steps, and went 

 up a beautiful glen which leads to Naworth 

 j castle. The banks of this glen are covered 

 j with trees, rare ferns, and many choice 

 plants. The water rushes down over the 

 ' rocks, and there are many dippers, king- 

 I fishers, and grey wagtails. Naworth Castle, 

 I once one of the feudal strongholds of the 

 I Dacres, and now of the Howards, and is one 

 j of the most interesting monuments of the 

 feudal age that can be found in England. 

 There is some of the most splendid tapestry 

 I have seen, and some very fine paintings. 



May 29th. — I had a splendid walk on the 

 old road to Carlisle, and collected larvae of 

 Caja, and I also took Anthochavis cardamtnes 

 \ and Lasiomata megara. In the afternoon 

 1 Mr. Parkin and I started for the Gelt, which 

 is a beautiful stream of water which runs 

 into the Eden, it abounds with trout and 

 salmon. The scenery here is magnificent. 

 The stream rises from the steep declivities 

 of a wild and wooded ravine. There is one 

 place called the Riven Rock, and in some 

 places its waters rush down through deep 

 ravines worn out in the red sandstone, and 

 it is so contracted that we can jump across. 

 There are some rare ferns, mosses, and 

 many other plants. We saw plenty of 



