| Seathwaite
Crook, Cumbria. Theme - Buildings Other themes: Lake District |
|
||
|
|
||
Seathwaite Village |
Seathwaite
today is a tiny hamlet of a few houses and a fine little church. It lies
in Dunnerdale (the Duddon Valley), one of the most beautiful valleys in
the Lake District, and there are excellent walks along the river
Duddon and on the surrounding fells (see our Coniston
Fells CD-ROM).
"Thwaite" is a regular Lake District place name element, meaning "clearing" (Old Norse). The sea may seem to be suspiciously far away from here, but in this case the word "sea" derives from the Old Norse word "saer" meaning "lake" (see "The Place Names of Cumbria" by Joan Lee). You may also wonder why there is no lake here, but the probable culprit is Seathwaite Tarn nearby, now much enlarged by damming. |
| Further up the valley is the Newfield Inn, which is today rather larger than the needs of the local community due to the tourist trade. It now seems incredible, but in 1904 this was the scene of the "Newfield Riot", in which the labourers working on the Seathwaite Tarn dam were so incensed by a shortage of beer that that in the subsequent violence three men were shot! Now the Newfield Inn is an excellent oasis on a long walk or a good starting point for many others. | |
| Seathwaite was also the home of Wordsworth's "Wonderful" Walker, who was the curate here for 66 years from 1736 to 1802, living to the age of 93. The present church is Victorian, being built in 1875 after the previous church, thought to have been built by one of the Earls of Derby (as Lords of the Manor), was on the verge of collapse. |
Seathwaite Church |
