The hamlet, manor & chapelry of Wasdalehead - 2

The ECONOMY

The original residents of Wasdalehead were employed to look after the Barons hunting grounds within the forest, deer-keepers, foresters & even fletchers. Later sheep farming took over as the population increased, this was based on the Herdwick breed that is ideal for living in the harsh environment of the lake district fells. It produces a hard wearing wool that was ideal for work wear and later for carpets. In medieval times it was used to make a multi-layered jacket that was used by foot soldiers to provide a measure of protection when fighting. Then the poor mans armour plate but more like today’s flack-jacket. During the Monastic period the trade in wool was controlled by the monks who marketed the wool through their network of Abbeys, both in England and on the Continent. The wool from Wasdalehead was taken to Ravenglass and shipped down the coast

to the castle maintained by the Abbot of Furness on Piel Island; more like a fortified warehouse. After the abolition of the Monasteries the sheep farmers suffered hard times as their ready-made market suddenly disappeared and it took time for a replacement marketing system to be established. Eventually traders travelled through the lake district collecting the farmers wool and pack-horsing it across the fells to markets held at Penrith, Kendal & Lancaster.

 As the agricultural economy continued declined the dale folk suffered once more until the upper & middle classes discovered tourism within this country; this was brought about by the continuing wars on the Continent that made the traditional ‘grand tour’ too dangerous. Travellers arriving in the lake district, to be ‘awe struck’ by the sight of the dreadful mountains, were then to be followed by the rock climbers. They travelled to the area on the newly established railways [1847] for long weekends, honing their climbing techniques, prior to spending the summer season climbing in the Alps. Wasdale head became the Mecca for rock climber’s as there were so many high-class climbing routes literally on the doorstep. It was Will. Ritson of Row foot farm, along with Dinah his wife, who pioneered providing accommodation for the climbing fraternity. His outgoing personality was perfect for dealing with the high spirited young University students, who appeared to the local residents, to be hell bent on killing themselves on the surrounding mountains. His access to the beer & spirits moving through the valley away from the prying eyes of the Revenue men may have had a bearing upon his success. During Ritsons lifetime the Hotel never possessed a liquor licence of any sort. Evenings at Ritsons place were described as riotous and no well bred-lady would be seen in the neighbourhood. The farm gradually expanded into the Hotel seen today. To counterbalance the activities at Row foot, a temperance establishment was developed at Row head farm.

 THE CHURCH

In the early 18th century the Wasdalehead living for the clergy was certified at £3 a year, with the chapel situated 14 miles distant from the mother church at St.Bees. It received an augmentation by lot of £200 in the year 1719.

The current Church, was built circa 1552, but was not consecrated for Holy Service until about 1720 when a curate was first appointed courtesy of the Queen Annes bounty scheme. Prior to that the dales people had to travel via the packhorse track over Burnmoor to Eskdale for their important church events where they had Church rights at St.Catherines of Eskdale, hence the reference, even today, to the bridleway over Burnmoor as the Coffin road. It is likely that the dales people did worship locally as there are references to the ‘Wasdalehead Reader’ in the probate records of the residents. One such person was Sir Robert Hunter, who died 1667, but he was not knighted in the traditional meaning of this word; more akin to an honorary title granted for services to the community.

The Bishop Porteous Notitia of 1779 states that the chapelry [of Upper Wasdale] had seven families none of whom were Papist or Dissenting. There was one service on Sunday and Holy Sacrement was taken at Easter when there were 15 communicants. The church charity came from the interest from £8 that was awarded annually to the poor. The early curates were James Shepherd, September 1719 until 1765 then Richard Dockwray [1767-1780] who came to Wasdalehead from Patterdale.

Before its restoration in 1892, the church had only eight pews. A hundred years earlier it had two recognised pews which were used by the local squire and tithe holding family, the Stanleys of Dalegarth, the rest of the congregation being seated on trestles. There was no door, nor fence, the entrance being closed to wandering sheep by the simple device of placing a thorn bush where the door would have been. The floor was earthen covered with bracken as would a stable or byre.

Nev.Ramsden, December 2008