Old Cumbria Gazetteer

---

	placename:-	Sty Head
	other name:-	Styhead Pass
	parish	Nether Wasdale parish, once in Cumberland
	parish	Borrowdale parish, once in Cumberland
	county:-	Cumbria
		pass
	coordinates:-	NY218094
	10Km square:-	NY20
	1Km square	NY2109
		Sty Head -- Nether Wasdale and Borrowdale -- Cumbria / -- Stretcher box, Mountain Rescue kit. -- NY21890950 (at) -- 12.5.2009
		Sty Head -- Nether Wasdale and Borrowdale -- Cumbria / -- Stretcher box, Mountain Rescue kit. -- NY21890950 (at) -- 12.5.2009
	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 152:-
		... The Sty Head Pass descends upon Seathwaite,- ... being the last dwelling at the head of the dale.
		... the hill above it [Borrowdale] being called Sty Head, where the swine were wont to feed in the summer, and fall down in autumn into this dale, where they fed upon nuts and acorns. Here are large flocks of sheep; and anciently were mines of lead and copper. Here also, in a very high and perpendicular rock called Eagle Crag, is every year an eyrie or nest of eagles." ... But the traveller will find no swine near Sty Head now, summer or winter. No creature comes to drink at the tarn,- the little clear rippling lake, where the mountaineer throws himself down to rest on the bank, when heated by the ascent from the vales. ...
		Page 153:-
		... The solitude is almost equally impressive whether the traveller comes up from the one dale or the other; but perhaps the most striking to him who comes from Wastdale, because he has rather more lately left the dwellings of men. He ascends from Wastdale Head, by the steep path clearly visible from below, up the side of Great Gable. At the top of the pass, the view behind is extremely fine,- the dale lying 1,000 feet below, while the precipices of Scawfell rise 2,000 feet over head. The rill from Sprinkling Tarn is close by, and it leads to this Sty Head Tarn, where the boars used to come to drink. Long after the boars were gone, the eagles came hither: and this was one of their last haunts. ...
	date:-	1855
	period:-	19th century, late; 1850s
	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 179:-
		PASSES.
		: : Height above the Level of the Sea
		Sty Head : Cumberland : 1250
	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.
		Sty Head
		Between hill hachures.
	placename:-	Sty Head
	county:-	Cumberland
	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 70:-
		...
		... the ascent up Aaron, which leads in a zig-zag course, till it reaches the Stye Head, one thousand two hundred and fifty feet above the valley. ...
		Page 172:-
		Stye Head.- From this hamlet [Wasdale Head], the tourist must ascend the road which winds along the side of Great Gable to the summit of the pass, having the Pikes of Scafell on the right.
	placename:-	Stye Head
	date:-	1839
	period:-	19th century, early; 1830s
	old print:-	Otley 1823 (8th edn 1849)
		Guidebook, Concise Description of the English Lakes, later A Description of the English Lakes, by Jonathan Otley, published by the author, Keswick, Cumberland, by J Richardson, London, and by Arthur Foster, Kirky Lonsdale, Cumbria, 1823 onwards.
		Engraving, outline view of mountains, Mountains of Wast Water as seen from Nether Wasdale, drawn by T Binns, engraved by O Jewitt, opposite p.22 of A Descriptive Guide of the English Lakes, by Jonathan Otley, 8th edition, 1849.
	placename:-	Sty Head Pass
	date:-	1849
	period:-	19th century, early; 1840s
	descriptive text:-	Otley 1823 (5th edn 1834)
		Guidebook, Concise Description of the English Lakes, later A Description of the English Lakes, by Jonathan Otley, published by the author, Keswick, Cumberland, by J Richardson, London, and by Arthur Foster, Kirky Lonsdale, Cumbria, 1823 onwards.
		goto source.
		Page 31:-
		goto source.
		...
		goto source.
		... The highest part of the road at Sty Head
		goto source.
		Page 130:-
		is 1250 feet above the first house in the vale, and here a magnificent view presents itself: the small valley of Wasdale Head appearing as if sunk below the general level, and the sea at a distance seeming to rise in the horizon. The lake of Wast Water is not yet in sight, being hid by a projecting mountain on the left, called Lingmell. ...
	placename:-	Sty Head Pass
	date:-	1823
	period:-	19th century, early; 1820s
	old print:-	Fielding and Walton 1821 (plate 27)
		Set of prints, Picturesque Tour of the English Lakes, illustrated with hand coloured aquatints by Theodore Henry Fielding and John Walton, published by R Ackermann, 101 Strand, London, 1821.
		Print, coloured aquatint, Sty Head Tarn, Top of Sty Head, Borrowdale, Cumberland, drawn by Theodore H A Fielding, published by R Ackermann, 101 Strand, London, 1821.
		Tipped in opposite p.193 in A Picturesque Tour of the English Lakes.
	placename:-	Sty Head
	date:-	1821
	period:-	19th century, early
	old print:-	Fielding and Walton 1821 (plate 28)
		Set of prints, Picturesque Tour of the English Lakes, illustrated with hand coloured aquatints by Theodore Henry Fielding and John Walton, published by R Ackermann, 101 Strand, London, 1821.
		Print, coloured aquatint, Sty Head, Nether Wasdale and Borrowdale, Cumberland, drawn by Theodore H A Fielding, published by R Ackermann, 101 Strand, London, 1821.
		Tipped in opposite p.194 in A Picturesque Tour of the English Lakes.
	placename:-	Sty Head
	person:-	shepherd
	date:-	1821
	period:-	19th century, early
	source:-	Otley 1818
		New Map of the District of the Lakes, in Westmorland, Cumberland, and Lancashire, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Jonathan Otley, engraved by J and G Menzies, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, published by J Otley, Keswick, Cumberland now Cumbria, 1818; pblished 1818 to 1850s.
		goto source.
		Sty Hd.
	placename:-	Sty Head
		pass
	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.
		goto source.
	placename:-	Sty Head
	county:-	Cumberland
	descriptive text:-	West 1778 (11th edn 1821) -- unlikely relevant
		Styhead is a pass not a mountain, and is probably not visible from Ennerdale, but the mountains around are.
		Guide book, A Guide to the Lakes, by Thomas West, published by William Pennington, Kendal, Cumbria once Westmorland, and in London, 1778 to 1821.
		goto source.
		Account of Ennerdale, late 18th century
		Page 293:-
		...
		... As he approaches the vale of Ennerdale, ... he will find the rugged scenery of the country gradually refining; and as he winds round the foot of the Pillar, he will discover a vista, which cannot fail to strike the most indifferent observer with astonishment and pleasure.
		The mountains which serve to heighten this scene, and enhance its surprise, are Sty-head, Honister-crag, Wastdale, the Pillar, and Red-pike. ...
	placename:-	Styhead
	date:-	1760
	period:-	18th century, late; 1760s
	old print:-	MacBride 1922
		Wild Lakeland, by MacKenzie MacBride illustrated by Alfred Heaton Cooper, published by Adam and Charles Black, London, 1922-28.
		Print, colour, Styhead Pass, to Wastwater, by Alfred Heaton Cooper, published by Adam and Charles Black, 4-6 Soho Square, London, 2nd edn 1928.
		Tipped in opposite p.113 in Wild Lakeland by MacKenzie MacBride.
		printed at bottom:-
		STYHEAD PASS (TO WASTWATER)
		signed at lower left:-
		A. HEATON COOPER
	placename:-	Styhead Pass
	date:-	1922
	period:-	1920s
	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.
		Print, lithograph, Outline Views, Haws and Wastwater - Mountains as seen from Burn-Banks near the Foot of Hawes Water, and Mountains as seen near Nether Wastdale at the First Bridge on the road to Wast-Water, by J Flintoft, Keswick, Cumberland, engraved by R Mason, Edinburgh, Lothian, about 1900.
		... 5 Sty Head Pass ...
	placename:-	Sty Head Pass
	date:-	1900
	period:-	1900s
	old print:-	Harwood 1842
		Set of prints, uncoloured engravings bound in a booklet, Harwood's Views of the Lakes, drawn by John and Frederick Harwood, 26 Fenchurch Street, London, about 1842.
		Print, uncoloured engraving, Borrowdale from Stye Head, Cumberland, engraved and published by John Harwood, 26 Fenchurch Street, London, 1846.
		printed at bottom left, right, centre:-
		London, J. Harwood, 26, Fenchurch Street. / No.715 Septr. 12th. 1846. / Borrowdale from Stye Head. / Scawfell.
	placename:-	Stye Head
	date:-	1846
	period:-	19th century, early
	old print:-	Rose 1832-35 (vol.1 no.72)
		Engravings - Westmorland, Cumberland, Durham and Northumberland Illustrated; from drawings by Thomas Allom, George Pickering, and H Gastineau, described by Thomas Rose, published by H Fisher, R Fisher, and P Jackson, Newgate Street, London, 1832-35.
		Print, uncoloured engraving, Scawfell Pikes, from Sty Head, Cumberland, drawn by Thomas Allom, engraved by J C Bentley, published by Fisher, Son and Co, London, 1833.
		vol.1 pl.72 in the set of prints, Westmorland, Cumberland, Durham and Northumberland Illustrated.
		printed at bottom left, right, centre:-
		T. Allom. / J. C. Bentley. / SCAWFELL PIKES, FROM STY HEAD, CUMBERLAND. / FISHER, SON & CO. LONDON, 1833.
	placename:-	Sty Head
	date:-	1833
	period:-	19th century, early
	old print:-	Tattersall 1836
		Print, engraving, Stye Head Tarn, Borrowdale, Cumberland, drawn by George Tattersall, engraved by W F Topham, published by Sherwood and Co, Paternoster Row, London, about 1836.
		The print is captioned with mountain names and acts as an outline view.
		Tipped in opposite p.78 of The Lakes of England, by George Tattersall.
		printed at bottom:-
		STYE HEAD TARN. / London Pubd. April 15th. 1836, by Sherwood & Co.
		printed at bottom left to right:-
		Stye Head. / Great End. / Scawfell Pikes. / Lingmell. / Great Gavel.
	placename:-	Stye Head
	date:-	1836
	period:-	19th century, early
	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.
		Print, engraving, outline view, Mountains as seen from Burn Banks near the Foot of Hawes Water, and Mountains as seen near Strands in Wastdale at the First bridge on the Road to Wast Water, by J Flintoft, Keswick, Cumberland, engraved by R Mason, Edinburgh, Lothian, about 1846.
		... 5 Sty Head Pass ...
	placename:-	Sty Head Pass
	date:-	1844
	period:-	19th century, early
	hearsay	Edmund Bogg commented, 1898:- There is just now a strong agitation for the construction of a road over this lonely pass. For my part I fail to see who will benefit by this desecration except perhaps a few innkeepers. Bogg 1898
	hearsay	A cloud called the Borrowdale Sop sometimes forms over Sty Head. It is a weather sign: moving towards Great Langdale it is a sign of rain; moving to the east of Borrowdale, a sign of fair.
	Old Cumbria Gazetteer - JandMN: 2008

  Lakes Guides menu.

---

©  Martin and Jean Norgate: 2012
  email:- JandMN@norgate.freeserve.co.uk
  Other projects

  Geography Department, Portsmouth University