Varley : E.LEVEN Days in Cumberland. 



19 



I arrived in Carlisle at 2-30 p.m., and had a walk through the Old 

 Town down to the Bridge, which crosses the river Eden. I was 

 tempted to have a stroll down its banks, for the scenery is beautiful, 

 and there were many anglers fishing for salmon. Gulls and swifts 

 were in profusion. Of insects I saw AntliochariB cardamines and 

 Argynnh Eaphrosyne^ and a lot of small things. 



At six I started from Carlisle to Brampton, on the North-Eastern 

 line, where my friend Mr. Parkin was waiting for me, and we came 

 down to the Old Town in the Dandy ^ as the line does not run within 

 two miles of Brampton. There is nothing very striking in the town 

 itself ; the old church is a plain structure, and there is a market-cross 

 and a few good buildings, but the scenery around is beautiful. On 

 the east end is a high hill surrounded by a moat, and on the highest 

 elevation is a beautiful statue of the Earl of Carlisle. 



May 28 : I spent the day with Mr. Parkin in and about Brampton, 

 which is rich in natural history objects — plants, birds, and insects 

 The swifts are very numerous, and build under the eaves of the 

 houses and the old church tower. In the afternoon we had a walk 

 to the moat, and then to the Ridge, which is a splendid place with its 

 long avenue of beech trees, and from this place can be seen one hill 

 towering above another, right away into Scotland. 



We then went down into the valley and crossed the river Irthing 

 by the Abbey Bridge, which is near the old Priory, a splendid 

 ruin. 



Lanercost Priory was an Augustine monastery, the exterior at 

 the west end is pitted with bullet marks. The portal at the west 

 entrance consists of numerous mouldings, supported by small pillars 

 with plain capitals 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 Magdalene ; on her right is a 

 diminutive figure of a monk kneeling. The nave is now used as a 

 parish church, the tower, chancel, and cross aisles being roofless, 

 dilapidated, and overgrown with ivy, briers, and wallflowers. 



On entering, the visitor will see fixed to the wall on his left a 

 tablet with this inscription: — Robertus de Villihus Mlius Eoherti 

 Dominus de Gilsland Foundator Trioratus de Lanercoat Anno Domini 

 1116. Ada rug aim uxor ejus sine prole. Beverendus yor. Storj. A. M. 

 hnjiis Ecclesloe Pastor Grato ariemo Jiunc Lapidem posuit A.D. 1761." 

 The chancel contains many old tombs carved with different arms. 

 We ascended a winding staircase and passed through many galleries, 



