Derwentwater.

Tbe lake is three miles in length ancl a mile and a half in width . There are four principal islands , viz ., Derwent Isle , Lord ' s Island , St . Herbert ' s Island , and Rampsholme , ancl there are smaller ones , e . g ., The Ling-holms . Trippet-Hobne , and other isles on tbe western side of the lake , which add much to its picturesque beauties . Tbe principal islands have each a history . Lord ' s Island had upon it a

manor house built by Sir Thomas Radeliffe about the year 1450 . His eldest son , Sir John , lived ancl died upon the island , aud his remains are covered by a tomb in Crosfchwaifce church , where there are brasses of the knig ht ancl Dame Alice ( daughter of Sir Edmund Sutton ) bis Avife . He died in 1527 . He was twice high sheriff in the reign of Henry VIIL , and died holding that high office . He had no children , and the estate passed to bis brother , Sir Edward

Radeliffe , who married the heiress of Cartiugton , Dllston , and Wbitton Hall , in Northumberland , and Hawthorn , in the county of : Durham . After this the principal residence of the family ivas at Dirtou Hall , in Northumberland , but Sir Edward Radeliffe ( " the loyal , " as he was designated ) took up bis residence hero Avith a troop of horse during tbe civil Avar with the Parliament . His faithful lieutenant , Captain Ewan Christian , died at that time , ancl bis death is recorded in Crosthwaite register thus :

"Ewan Christian , Captain , Lieutenant to Baronet Edward , " buried in the " Quier . " There is a tradition that a young lady of the family , in troublous , times , made her escape up Lady ' s Rake in WalloAv Crag . This probably occurred at this time , for it is proved that tbe Countess of Derwentwater was not in this part of the country in 1715 ancl indeed the house hacl been allowed to go to ruin

, after tbe rough usage it is belieired to baAre received at the hands of Cromwell ' s men , when they destroyed the smelting mills at Brigham , near Keswick , belonging to tbe Mines Royal of Goldscope , Newlands . Mr . Francis Radeliffe , brother of Sir Edward , hacl a bouse at Castle Rigg , and it would not be very difficult , with the help of a stalwart attendant , for a young lady ( probably it was Sir Edward ' s wife ) to escape in that Avay to avoid being taken . Several

youngladies have in recent clays successfully scaled the giddy ravine , in company with a father or a brother . Sir Edward ' s estates were absolutely forfeited during a considerable period of his life " for treason " to the Commonwealth , and had to prefer a claim through Dame Elizabeth Radeliffe , his wife , before the Commissioners for forfeited estates , in 1652 , she being described as " ivife of Sir Edward Radeliffe , a delinquent . " This claim was under a settlement

in 1614 , ancl was allowed . He lived till 1663 , having eventually " come to his own again , " ancl having been tbe owner of tbe property for forty-one years . After his day no record appears of any births , marriages , or burials from the island in the parish register , from which it may be inferred that the famil y never again had any long residence there . It is also known that when all tbe Avoods on the Derwentwater estate were felled , from 1749 to 1758 , a willow tree

was growing in the middle of the house-stead which measured eleven feet in girth , which shoAvs that the bouse had been left in a ruinous condition , and never more than a small portion of it inhabited thereafter , probably by a labourer on the estate . The mounds are still visible where the house stood , but stones were taken from thence to build tbe old Town Hall . It Avas built with stones which were brought from the island , ancl Will Munkbouse was drowned through over-loading a boat with them .

_ When the present Town Hall was erected in Keswick , in 1812 , by tbe Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital , the same ruins served as a quarry for the building . Still there are large mounds of stones , and the ground-plan of the buddings aud garden is reproduced in "The last of the Derweutwaters , " an interesting pamphlet published in 1874 . The sketch Avas made b y Mr . Joseph Pocklington , of whom more hereafter .