the odour of sanctity, and founded a monastery, about the year 1650. The church, which was erected some time after her death, was dedicated to her, and is still in a state of tolerable preservation. The tower is the only part of the Saxon edifice remaining, the rest being in the florid Gothic style. It is built of red freestone, in a cruciform shape, and possesses some fine carvings, particularly at the east end, which is lighted by three lancet-shaped windows. The nave is used as the parish church, and the cross aisle as a place of burial. Amongst the tombs there is a wooden effigy of Anthony, the last Lord Lucy of Egremont. The transepts are walled off from both nave and choir, and used, the one as a lumberroom, the other as a library. Until 1810, the chancel was unroofed, but in that year it was repaired, and is now occupied as the Divinity School, for the reception of young men intended for the Church, but not designed to finish their studies at Oxford or Cambridge. "The old Conventual Church," says Wordsworth, in the Preface to his Poem of "St. Bees," "is well worthy of being visited by any strangers who might be led to the neighbourhood of this celebrated spot." In that poem there occurs this narrative of the principal events in the history of the ecclesiastical buildings :— "When Beza sought of yore the Cumbrian coast, She knelt in prayer-the waves their wrath appease; * * When her sweet voice, that instrument of love, Was glorified, and took its place, above * Had sown the spot that witness'd them with seeds, With quickening impulse, answer'd their mute pleas, by a mandate given But now once more the local heart revives, The inextinguishable spirit strives. Oh, may that power who hush'd the stormy seas, The Grammar School, which stands near the church, was founded by Archbishop Grindal. This was the "perfidious prelate" of the high churchmen, "the pious Grindal" of old Fuller. Spenser has thought him worthy of commendation in one of his poems. ENNERDALE LAKE is less visited than most of the other lakes, in consequence of its difficulty of access and the want of houses of entertainment in the valley. Moreover, it is deficient in some of those attractions which throw such an irresistible charm around more favoured meres. There is a want of wood to relieve the wild barrenness of its shores, and the hills immediately surrounding it do not reach those austere sublimities which congregate around Wast Water and Crummock Lake. It lies nine miles to the east of Whitehaven, from which town it is more easily reached than from any other. Its length is not more than three miles, and its extreme width is about threequarters of a mile. The stream which enters at its head is called the Lizza, but the river issuing from the lake takes the name of Ehen. This stream is crossed for the first time by those approaching the lake five miles from Whitehaven and a second time three miles further up, at the village of Ennerdale Bridge, at which is the chapel, and near it two small inns; the foot of the lake is one mile beyond. Those who like to have their feet upon mountain turf, may make their way from Ennerdale Bridge by Crosdale over the Fells to Lowes Water. They will descend a breast of Blake Fell between two gullies. Hence the view is extremely beautiful. Only the foot of Lowes Water is seen, the rest being hidden by part of Blake Fell. The perpendicular fronts of Whiteside and Grasmoor are full in view, and between them and the spectator, is the richly wooded vale of Lowes Water. The long bank covered with trees is Lanthwaite Wood. A small part of Crummock Lake is visible on the right, Melbreak intercepting the view of the rest. The "Angler's Inn," on the margin of the lake, has recently been considerably enlarged, and affords comfortable accommodation. It is situated about two miles from Ennerdale Bridge, and four from Gillerthwaite. One mile from the lower extremity of this mere, and near its centre, a few stones rise from the water. The best way to enjoy the scenery is to take a boat. The rock which stretches into the lake from the south shore near the islet, is Angling Cràag; a little below which, there is a superb view of the mountains surrounding the upper part of the vale. Revelin is behind Angling Crag, and Crag Fell is below, its summit wearing the appearance of a fortification from the surface of the water. On the north shore, Herdhouse is the highest hill; a fine coom separates it from Bowness Crag. The distant summit of Grasmoor is visible from the lake. At the scattered hamlet of Bowness the pedestrian many cross the fells on the north, taking Floutern Tarn as a guide. He must not pursue the stream issuing from it, but descend between Melbreak on the left and Blea Crag on the right into Buttermere dale; this path is about six miles long. By following the stream from Floutern Tarn, he will be conducted to the head of Lowes Water, whence he may proceed to Scale Hill. There is a cart road on the north-east bank of the stream. As the path across these fells is somewhat puzzling, we may further explain that on leaving Ennerdale the stranger's safest course is to follow the banks of a stream which comes down under Herdhouse to the hamlet of Bowness. Towards the source of the stream there are extensive views over the lowlands in the west, with the sea beyond. Whitehaven is hidden by Scilly Bank. Proceeding a little, a rocky cop comes into sight. Now, to reach Buttermere, keep between that eminence and the tarn, but to reach Lowes Water pass to the left of it, and descend alongside the stream which is seen after crossing its shoulder. The first two miles of Ennerdale Water is the most picturesque part, and, therefore, carriages need not proceed farther along the road than this distance, for there is no outlet for them at the upper end of the valley. Strangers will not regret taking the trouble to climb the hill side, for a short distance behind Bowness, as they will be rewarded by a splendid view. The pedestrian or horseman will do well to traverse the whole length of the vale, as the mountains round its upper end are thrown into magnificent groups. Long before reaching the head of the lake the scenery becomes wild and desolate. A mile and a half beyond the mere is the farm-house of Gillerthwaite, the last habitation in the vale. Here the road for vehicles ends, but a shepherd's path passes along the banks of the Lizza, and four miles beyond Gillerthwaite the extremity of Ennerdale is reached. Great Gable (2925 feet) is a fine object at the head; and the Pillar (2893 feet) has a striking appearance on the right. Great Gable is so called from its resembling the gable-end of a house. On the summit there is a small hollow in the rock never entirely empty of water,-"having," says Wordsworth, "no other feeder than the dews of heaven, the showers, the vapours, the hoar frost, and the spotless snow." The peculiar shape of the Pillar will not fail to strike the eye for some distance. "You see yon precipice ;-it wears the shape Of a vast building made of many crags; And in the midst is one particular rock, Whence by our shepherds it is called the PILLAR." * A sheep cote not far from the termination of the valley will be noticed. At this point a faint path strikes up the hill on the left, called Scarf Gap, and reaches Gatescarth in Buttermere, by a road three * From Wordsworth's pastoral poem, "The Brothers," the scene of which is in Ennerdale chapel-yard. miles in length. From another sheep cote a little higher up, a path passes over Black Sail on the right, and winding round Kirkfell into Mosedale, having the hill Yewbarrow on the right, reaches Wastdale Head, three miles from the sheep cote. Notwithstanding his disappointment at finding no inn here, the pedestrian will be glad, after the wild district he has passed through, to be once more "where bells have knolled to church." Wastdale Head will be mentioned again in the description of our next excursion. met. WAST WATER may be visited either by the Furness Junction Railway to Sellsfield station, which is eleven miles from Whitehaven, or by the road which passes through the town of Egremont. Following the road, two miles and a half beyond Egremont, on the right, is the village of BeckerA house near this village, the residence of Joseph Hartley, Esq., bears the name of Wotobank, from the hill near which it stands. The derivation of the name is assigned by tradition to the following incident. A Lord of Beckermet, with his lady and servants, were one day hunting wolves. During the chase the lady was discovered to be missing. After a long and painful search, her body was found on this hill or bank, slain by a wolf, which was discovered in the very act of tearing it to pieces. In the first transports of his grief, the husband exclaimed, "Wo to this bank!" "Wo to thee, bank! the attendants echo'd round, MRS. COWLEY'S Edwina. The road crosses Calder Bridge four miles from Egremont. There are two good inns in the village. Close at hand is Ponsonby Hall, the residence of J. |