1803.]. 
.- For the Monthly Magazine. 
STATISTICAL ACCOUNT of the PARISH 
of ORTON, 72 the COUNTY of WEST- 
MORELAND.—(Communicated by MR. 
ROBINSON.*) 
1 ™\\RTON is fuppofed to be a contrac- 
tion for Gverton, and to have de- 
rived its name from the principal place of 
the parifh being fituated under a large 
and depending fcar, or rock. In ancient 
writings we frequently find it denomi- 
nated Sker-over-ton, or The fcar cver the 
town, which feems fufficiently to corro- 
borate this derivation. 
This parifh lies on the confines of York- 
fhire,' and is bounded on the eait by the 
parifhes of Afby, Crofbygarret, and Ra- 
venftonedale; on the fouth, by the pa- 
rifhes of Sedbergh and Kendal; on the 
weft, by the parifh of Kendal; and on 
the north, by the parifhes of Shap, Crof- 
byravenfworth, and Afby. . It extends 
about eight miles from eaft to weft, and 
five or fix from north to fouth; and, being 
almoft furrounded with mountains, has the 
appearance of a large bafon or refervoir, 
whofe outlet is at Borrow-bridge, through 
a deeo defile in the hills towards the 
fouth. : 
The foil in the low grounds is generally 
a fine brown Joam; but in more elevated 
fituations is mixed with clay ahd gravel; 
and in the mountainous parts confilts of a 
black earth, which grows ling or heath, and 
of which they make peats for fuel. The 
‘river Lune, which runs through nearly 
the middle of the parifh, ina weftern di- 
reCtion, is the boundary that divides the 
limeftone on the north,. from the {chift, or 
rag, and whinftone on the fouth. The 
inclination of the limeftone is towards the 
north-eaft, and forms an angle of forty or 
forty-five degrees. Near the town of 
Orton is a white freeftone, which forms no 
bed, but terminates abruptly. There are 
regularand uniform {trata of red freeftone, 
which is fituated under the limeftone, and 
has the fame inclination. Several people 
are of opinion, that coals might be found 
under this latter freeflone; but no trials — 
‘have been made to afcertain what is con- 
‘cealed beneath thofe ftrata. The fouth 
fide of the Lune abounds with {chit and 
whinftone, the beds of which are in an 
ealterly direftion, and of various thick- 
neffes, and their inclination is nearly level . 
with the plane of the horizon. 
The principal river is the Lune; but 
* The writer is indebted :o Mr. john Wil-. 
- fon, of Midfield, in the parifh of Orton, for 
the materiaks from which this Statiftical Ac- 
count is chiefly compiled. 
MONTHLY Mac. No. 98. 
Statiftical Account of the Parifh of Orton 
109 
the parifh of Orton abounds with nume. 
rous ftreams and rivulets, which defcend 
from the mountains, and fertilize the foil. 
South-ealt from Sunbiggin isa lake, called 
Sunbiggintarn, about a mile in circum- 
ference, and eighteen yards in depth, 
which is well ftocked with eels, and trouts 
as red as char; and where wild ducks 
freguent and breed. A 
The moors abound with -plenty of 
groufe, and Orton-fear is’ celebrated for 
dotterels. In this parifh alfo wes abun- 
dance of hares and other game; but fince 
the death of the late John Burn, efq. by 
whom they were greatly preferved from 
the depredations of poachers, they haye 
been much deftroyed. ; 
There have been no accurate obferva- 
tions made here with refpect to the ftate 
of the barometer or thermometer for any 
period of time; nor has any guage been 
fixed for afcertaining the depth of rain 
which falls throughout the year; but 
when the high fituation of the parith is 
confidered, together with the attraction of 
the furrounding mountains, it will readily 
eccur, that the climate and temperatuse 
of the air muft nearly equal thofe in the 
moft elevated parts of the county. It 
may be remarked, that the fouth and weft 
winds are the warmeft, and, the Irith Sea 
being only about twenty-four miles dif 
tant, they are accompanied. with the 
greateft quantity of rain. The north and 
eaft winds are generally cold- and dry, 
and feldom blow during the fummer- 
months; the German Ocean being at fo 
“great a diftance, and the high mountains 
4 
of Stanemore and Crofsfell intervening, 
the rain which rifes in thofe: parts, fa. 
dom reaches fo far. ' 
The air is tharp, and circulates freely, 
carrying off moft of thofe noxious exhaja- 
tions and vapours which would injure or 
deitroy the human conftitution, and ren- 
der the inhabitants fubject to the difeales 
engendered in low and fenny fitwations. 
The natives of this parifi are a healthy 
and hardy race of people, live to an ad~: 
vanced age, and are Jiable to no particu- 
Jar diforder ; infomuch that the affiftance 
of a dofior or furgeon is teldom required, 
except in a few cafes of furgery, or inocu- 
lation tor the {malt-pox. The cow-pox 
has not yet. been . introduced into this - 
part. Though it would be difficult to 
mention any particular inftances of longe- 
vity, it is no uncommon thing to fee peo- 
ple at the age of ninety poffeffing ‘all 
their faculties, and capable of reading, 
even without the help of glafles. Many 
young a of late, however, have ie 
° 
