Sunday 13 September 2009

Skiddaw memorial: Hawell shepherds

Skiddaw memorial, originally uploaded by Lancaster Today.

After a long day hiking in the Lake District, I have a set of images for you. Too tired to show them now, so this memorial on Lonscale Fell half way to the summit of Skiddaw will have to do for now. It is dedicated to the shepherding family of Hawell. The inscription opens with "In loving memory of two Skiddaw shepherds." Google for more info if needed!

13 comments:

  1. Beautiful and surreal surroundings!

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  2. Correct me if I'm wrong (which is likely) but I'm assuming this is a burial ground and the memorial appears to have a Celtic cross at the top...

    It's quite striking, whatever!

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    1. Not a grave, just a memorial to the shepherds (my direct ancestors) who used to roam these hills.

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  3. Very historic and handsome marker! No doubt a very long history!

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  4. I, too, thought the memorial to have celtic designs on it. Took a few of the links that Google provided. Did not know there were such a breed of sheep as Herdwick.

    I like the overlay of slopes in the background of your image, Eamon.

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  5. Sean, I keep forgetting surreal means incongruous - I tend to use it in the popular way. Thanks for the reminder. Thanks Lois. Yes, it looks like a celtic design Jacob, but tbh, I'm not sure why that was chosen. Leif, here is the full inscription:

    "In loving memory of Two Skiddaw shepherds Edward Hawell of Lonscale, born October 21 1815, died June 1989, and son, Joseph Hawell, born December 24 1854, died February 20 1890. Noted breeders of prize herdwick sheep. Great Shepherd of the Heavenly flock, these men have left our hill, their feet were on the living rock, oh guide and bless them still"

    Julie, yes the overlays are interesting, and I tried to keep them in focus enough to be recognisable. The first photo I took was with a much shallower depth of field, and although the cross was sharp, the background blur was just distracting. Glad I took a few. I'll add another from a different angle in the next post I think.

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  6. You could show us a flickr slidewshow here on the blog, it's a cool feature I think.

    If he died in 1989 and was born back in 1818 that must be some sort of world record :-)

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  7. Yes, good point Steffe. He was a VERY old man! :)

    Thanks for the flickr pointer. I've added a slideshow and a static collection.

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  8. Wow, that is a really beautiful shot!

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  9. Hi i thought i would comment on this Pic as i am the great great grand daughter of Edward Hawell via my Mother {Margaret Hawell} I don't know why a celtic cross was erected but i know that it was erected after Joseph Hawells young death from Lock Jaw after a visit to the dentist! He had identified a piece of granite from further up the fell and Canon Rawnsley knowing this arranged for it to be bought down and made into the plinth of the memorial after his death. He also wrote a chapter on Joseph Hawell in a book called lakeland sketches where it describes Edward Hawell asking for one of his prize Herdwick Sheep to be bought to him on his death bed.

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  10. I have just looked through a chapter in a book dedicted to my Great Grandfather Joseph Hawell.....There by that mountain path they both of them knew so well of old is the grey memorial cross set, and on it is carved, in symbol of eternity, the endless knot their Norse forefathers used. A simple verse is engraved on the base.

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  11. Excellent photo, looks like something that was buried for thousands of years and recently discovered.

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Thanks for the comment in advance. All thoughts are appreciated ~ Eamon.