CORRECT LIST OF THE FAIRS IN CUMBERLAND. Abbey Holm.-October 29, Ireby.-February 4, Sep horses and horned cattle. Alston Moor.-Last Thursday in May, first Thursday in September, horn tember 21, horses and horned cattle, ditto. Keswick.-August 2, lea ther and woollen yarn. ter ed cattle, horses, linen, Kirkoswold.---Thursday beand woollen cloth. Brampton.-Second Wednesday after Whitsunday, last Wednesday in August, for horses and horned cattle. Bootle.-April 5, September 24, for cloth and corn. fore Whit-Sunday, August 5, horned cattle. Longtown.-Thursday afWhit-Sunday, for horses and linen yarn; Thursday after Martinmas, November 22, horses, horned cattle, and linen cloth. Penrith.--April 25 and 26, Whit-Tuesday, September 27, cattle; November 11, for horses, horned cattle, and yarn. Ravenglass.-June 8, August 5, horses, horned horned cattle, and yarn. Ulpho.--Monday before Easter, July 5, cloth and Carlisle. August 26, for horned cattle and linen; September 19, horses and horned cattle; first and second Saturday after October 10, Scotch horned cattle. Cockermouth.-First Monday in May, horned cattle; October 10, horses and horned cattle. Egremont.---Septeinber 19, Wigton.-March 25, for ditto yarn. merchandize and toys. Hosely Hill-Whit-Mon- Whitehaven.-August 1, day, and every fortnight after, till September 29, borses, horned cattle, and linen cloth. ditto. Workington.-Wednesday before Holy Thursday, October 18, for ditto. *These meetings are held at many other places in this country; they are much regarded by the breeders of cattle, and are here called fortnight fairs. COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND. SITUATION, BOUNDARIES, EXTENT, CLIMATE, AND FACE OF THE COUNTRY. C UMBERLAND is a maritime county, being bounded by the Irish Sea on the west, by ScotJand and a part of Northumberland on the north; by Westmoreland and Durham on the east; and by Lancashire on the south. It is computed to be 80 miles long, and 35 broad; its circumference being about 224 miles, containing about 970,000 acres; of these 342,000 comprise the mountainous districts; 170,000 are inclosed, and chiefly under cultivation; 450,000 are in low commons, capable of improvement; and 8000 in lakes and waters. The air, though cold, is less piercing than might be expected from its situation, being sheltered by lofty mountains on the north. The face of the country is extremely irregular and broken; the south-west districts exhibiting a gigantic combination of rugged mountains, promiscuously thrown together, but inclosing many beautiful vallies, as well as fine lakes, rivers, and some few though extensive woodlands; on the eastern confines, another range of hills stretches along to Scotland, but possesses much less picturesque beauty than the former. In the front of this last assemblage, a considerable broad tract of land extends the whole length, unobstructed by any high mounts, partly cultivated, and partly heathy common, and watered by the Eden, and innumerable brooks and rivulets. This tract becomes very extensive before it reaches Carlisle, stretching across the county to Wigton, and thence towards Workington, including all the northern part of the county. Along the western shore there is a strip of cultivated land, from two to four or five miles in width; but from the extensive moors, which so frequently B present present themselves, the general appearance of the county is bleak and naked. NAME AND ANCIENT HISTORY. Cumberland derived its name from the Cimbri, or Cumbri, the aboriginal inhabitants, but who were in common with those of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Durham, and Westmoreland, called by Ptolemy, the Brigantes. The nation of the Brigantes, known by the name of the Cumbri, are supposed not to have been subjugated by the Romans till the time of Vespasian, from which time their country was the constant residence of several Roman legions, who not only kept the inhabitants from revolting, and prevented the incursions of the Scots, but greatly improved the country. When Cumberland was subdued by the Saxons, upon the declension of the Roman power in Britain, it became part of the kingdom of Northumberland, and was then by its new lords, first called Lumbra land, or Lumer land, the land or county of the Cumbri. From the time when the power of the Saxons was broken by the Danes, till the year 946, this county had petty kings of its own chusing; but about that time Edmond, brother to king Ethelstan, having with the help of Leontine, king of South Wales, conquered the country, granted it to Malcolm king of Scotland, upon condition that he should defend the northern parts of England, against all invaders; and by virtue of this grant, the eldest sons of the kings of Scotland, were stiled governors of Cumberland. The Saxons some time afterwards reduced it again under their government; but at the time of the Norman conquest it was so impoverished, that William the Conqueror remitted all its taxations, for which reason it is not rated in the Domesday Book, as other counties are. POPULATION |