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placename:- Orrest Head
parish Windermere parish, once in Westmorland
county:- Cumbria
hill; viewpoint
Altitude 781 feet
coordinates:- SD41429935
10Km square:- SD49

1Km square SD4199

photograph

Orrest Head -- Windermere -- Cumbria / -- Panorama from Orrest Head. -- 5.8.2010

source:- Martineau 1855

Guide book, A Complete Guide to the English Lakes, by Harriet Martineau, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, and by Whittaker and Co, London, 1855; published 1855-71.
Page 5:-
... When the traveller foot or horseback sees certain reaches of Lake Windermere from Orrest Head, lying deep down below him, he knows he is coming near the end of the railway, ... The old coach road over Orrest Head and the railway meet at the new village of Windermere, ...
... Orrest Head, where
Page 6:-
he will see a lovely view,- a picturesque cottage roof, surrounded by trees, in the foreground; grey rocks cropping out of the sward on the other side of the hedges; and in front, overlapping hills, range behind range, with the grey waters of the lake lying below. Already, a traveller who should remain any time in the district would find himself introduced to the humours of a remote region. Odd sayings and doings remain, and traditions of old singularities are not lost. This place, Orrest Head, was the residence of the noted Josiah Brown, who amused himself, a century ago, with welcoming beggars, whom he supplied with meat and lodging, sometimes to the number of twenty in a night. He called them his 'jolly companions,' and no doubt he got a world of amusement out of them, in return for his hospitality. The local saying, 'that's too big a bo-o for a young horse,' was Josiah Brown's, and it was originated thus. He was breaking in a young horse, when one of his men took a liberty,- such as his servants were always taking with him,- but in this case to be repented of. The fellow hid himself behind a gate-post, and yelled so tremendously as his master passed through that Josiah was thrown, and broke his leg. His good-natured criticism was, 'that was too big a bo-o for a young horse,' and this is still the proverbial expression of extreme surprise.
person:- beggar
person:- : Brown, Josiah
date:- 1855
period:- 19th century, late; 1850s

old map:- Ford 1839 map

Map of the Lake District, published in A Description of Scenery in the Lake District, by William Ford, published by Charles Thurnham, London, 1839.
thumbnail FD02SD49, button to large image
Orrest Hd.
Hill hachuring.

placename:- Orrest Head
county:- Westmoreland
date:- 1839
period:- 19th century, early; 1830s

descriptive text:- Ford 1839 (3rd edn 1843)

Description of Scenery in the Lake District, by William Ford, published by Charles Thurnham, London, et al, 1839; published 1839-52.
Page 160:-
...
Orest Head is ornamented by several villas, and commands very noble views of Windermere.

placename:- Orrest Head
date:- 1839
period:- 19th century, early; 1830s

old map:- West 1784 map

A Map of the Lakes in Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire, now Cumbria, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, engraved by Paas, 53 Holborn, London, included in the Guide to the Lakes by Thomas West, published by William Pennington, Kendal, Westmorland, and in London, from the 3rd edition 1784, to 1821.
image Ws02SD49, button   goto source.
thumbnail Ws02SD49, button to large image

placename:- Orresthead
building/s
county:- Westmorland

descriptive text:- West 1778 (11th edn 1821)

Guide book, A Guide to the Lakes, by Thomas West, published by William Pennington, Kendal, Cumbria once Westmorland, and in London, 1778 to 1821.
image WS21P213, button   goto source.
Addendum; Mr Gray's Journal, 1769
Page 213:-
... The way [road south from Ambleside] rises continually, till a place called Orrest-head where it turns south-east, losing sight of the water [Windermere]. ...

placename:- Orrest Head
date:- 1769
period:- 18th century, late; 1760s

old print:- Black 1856 (23rd edn 1900)

Guide book, Black's Guide to the English Lakes, published by Adam and Charles Black, North Bridge, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, or Soho Square, London, 1856 to 1900s onwards.
thumbnail BC08E1, button to large image
Print, lithograph, Outline Views, Windermere - Mountains as seen from the North End of Belle Isle, Windermere, and Mountains as seen from Biscay How, Bowness, by J Flintoft, Keswick, Cumberland, engraved by R Mason, Edinburgh, Lothian, about 1900.
... 16 Orrest Head ...

placename:- Orrest Head
date:- 1900
period:- 1900s

old print:- Baddeley 1930s

thumbnail BE01E1, button to large image
Print, lithograph, Panorama of Fells, etc, from Orrest Head, engraved by John Bartholomew and Co, Edinburgh, published by Ward, Lock and Co, Warwick House, Salisbury Square, London, 1930s.
date:- 1937=1940
period:- 1930s

old print:- Black 1841 (3rd edn 1846)

Guide book, Black's Picturesque Guide to the English Lakes, published by Adam and Charles Blck, North Bridge, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, 1841 to 1888.
thumbnail BC02E1, button to large image
Print, engraving, outline view, Mountains as seen from the North End of Belle Isle, Windermere, and Mountains as seen from Bisket How, Bowness, by J Flintoft, Keswick, Cumberland, engraved by R Mason, Edinburgh, about 1844.
... 16 Orrest Head ...

placename:- Orrest Head
date:- 1844
period:- 19th century, early

photographs
tiny photograph, 
button to large Orrest Head -- Windermere -- Cumbria / -- Outline view on Orrest Head. -- 5.8.2010
tiny photograph, 
button to large Orrest Head -- Windermere -- Cumbria / -- Outline view on Orrest Head. -- 5.8.2010
tiny photograph, 
button to large Orrest Head -- Windermere -- Cumbria / -- Outline view on Orrest Head, detail of the Langdale PIkes. BUT ... -- The summit labelled Pike of Stickle is Harrison Stickle with Dungeon Ghyll to its left, the slightly drawn summit to the left of that is Loft Crag. The Harrison Stickle label is a nothing. This removes our confidence in the other labels on this peely-waly watercolour sketch. -- 5.8.2010
tiny photograph, 
button to large Orrest Head -- Windermere -- Cumbria / -- View of Langdale Pikes as on the outline view. -- The right half has Loft Crag, then Dungeon Ghyll, and Harrison Stickel and its ridge towards Pavey Ark. -- 5.8.2010
tiny photograph, 
button to large Orrest Head -- Windermere -- Cumbria / -- Bench mark, rivet? vandalised? -- 5.8.2010
tiny photograph, 
button to large Orrest Head -- Windermere -- Cumbria / -- Seat. -- 5.8.2010
tiny photograph, 
button to large Orrest Head -- Windermere -- Cumbria / -- Seat, inscription:- -- 'THOU WHO HAST GIVEN ME EYES TO SEE / AND LOVE THIS SIGHT SO FAIR / GIVE ME A HEART TO FIND OUT THEE / AND READ THEE EVERYWHERE' -- 5.8.2010

Old Cumbria Gazetteer - JandMN: 2008

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©  Martin and Jean Norgate: 2012
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