The Luck Of Muncaster

A glass bowl, known as 'The Luck of Muncaster', has been preserved by the Pennington family since the 15th Century. The story starts in 1464 and involves King Henry VI. He was the only son of Henry of Agincourt and Catherine of France and had been crowned King of England at the age of eight. By the time he had reached his early forties he had lost his throne to Edward IV. And had been taken prisoner during the Battle of Hexham. He managed to escape, and fled to the hills of the Lake District where he lived rough for about a year.

Muncaster Castle

He was found by a shepherd in a pitiful State and taken to Muncaster Castle whereupon his true identity was discovered. Sir John Pennington, whose home Muncaster Castle was, gave Henry food and shelter for as long as he requested it. In gratitude, Henry gave Sir John a glass drinking bowl and said it was given to the family with a prayer that they might prosper for as long as the glass remained unbroken. The glass remains unbroken to this day and the family has prospered. Hanging in the bedroom used by King Henry is a painting of him kneeling before an altar with the glass bowl in his right hand.

The Horn Of Egremont

Egremont Castle was built around 1170, and in common with all castles is surrounded by legends. One of the best known is the story concerning two brothers called de Lucy or Lucey. At the gate of Egremont Castle was hung a horn, which could only he blown by the rightful owner of the estate. Sir Eustace de Lucey and his younger brother Hubert were about to leave to join the Holy Wars when Sir Eustace told his brother that if he should he killed in Palestine, then Hubert should return, blow the horn and take possession of the estate "So that Egremont should not Be without a de Lucey for its Lord"

Hubert, however, could not wait to inherit, and while in the Holy Land he hired two assassins to drown his brother He then returned to Egremont and installed himself as Lord of the Manor, but did not dare attempt to blow the horn. During a banquet held by Hubert, the horn was heard to sound for all to hear, and knowing immediately that his brother was alive and had returned, Hubert fled the castle to wander the Lake District for years. Sir Eustace eventually forgave his errant brother, but only on condition that he spend the rest of his life in a monastic house.

Cumbrian Myth`s And Legend`s

The Legend Of Armboth House

Armboth House has lain beneath the waters of Thirlmere, along with several buildings including farms, cottages and an inn of the village of Wythburn, since October 1894,when the reservoir, which now serves Manchester, was completed. It was claimed to he the most haunted house in Cumberland, and stood at the foot of Armboth Fell which is midway along the western side of Thirlmere . The legend, which is etched in the folklore of the Lake District, took place some two centuries ago The daughter of the family of the house was about to get married on Halloween.

In the Midst of the preparations a stranger rushed into the house to tell the family that the bride had been pushed violently into the water and drowned. No one knew who had murdered the girl, but the bridegroom was suspected for some time. At subsequent Halloweens strange happenings occurred. Bells would ring, furniture would move across the floor without human assistance, plates would crash to the floor, lights would appear and disappear, and even a strange ghostly form of a dog was seen swimming in the water. Now it all lies at the bottom of Thirlmere, and who knows now what happens on Halloween.

The Legend Of The Bishop Of Derry

In 1783,the newly appointed Bishop of Derry, now Londonderry, in Ireland was travelling to Whitehaven to take a boat to his new diocese. As evening approached, the Bishop was on the road from Keswick to Cockermouth and he decided to spend the night at the Swan Inn beside Bassenthwaite Lake. After enjoying several drinks with the locals, he took a wager that he could ride his pack pony to the top of Barf a rocky outcrop of Lord's Seat,

The Fell immediately in front of the Inn. The pony struggled up the dangerously steep scree slope until it reached a large rock, now known as The Bishops Rock' where it stumbled and fell. Both the horse and rider were killed in the fall and were buried at the foot of the slope beside another rock known as 'The Clerk. The landlord of The Swan paid five shillings plus a quart of ale for the two rocks to he whitewashed - a tradition still carried on, although the cost is now negotiable.

The Rock Climber Myth

Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England, and because of this, it is also probably the most frequented. Rock climbers have, for many generations, been testing their courage and strength against it. It was one of these rock climbers who experienced a strange premonition here during the First World War. His closest friend had been one of the most outstanding rock climbers, and had gone away to fight for his country in France. One day, the man who told the story had been climbing on Scafell Crag, and on the way down Hollow Stones, in the sunshine of a lovely summer afternoon,

He was unexpectedly joined by his old friend (unexpected because he had not heard that he was home on leave). They walked down the fell side by side, talking of the days they would have together when the war was over, and then the soldier had to cross over to another valley, promising he would see the other later For days the man thought about his old friend, and then he received a letter from France. The friend had been killed on the very afternoon that the man who had told the story positively believed he had talked with him on the way down to Wasdale Head.

The Legend Of Aira Force

There is a waterfall, or force as Cumbrians call it, on the Western side of Ullswater, which attracts many visitors. It inspired Thomas De Quincey to write "An Apparition at Airey Force", Willam Wordsworth to pen a poem "Airey Force Valley". This same Airey Force or Aira Force, as it is known, is also the scene of a romantic legend. Many centuries ago, a castle was situated close to the Force, and the Lord had a pretty daughter named Emma. She was betrothed to a Knight by the title of Sir Eglamore, a famous warrior engaged in an Eastern war. His long absence had preyed on Emma's mind and affected her health.

After many months of sleepless nights, she fell into a coma and started sleepwalking along the path near the Force. It so happened that on this same night Sir Eglamore was returning to her side. Seeing her gliding along, he touched her. She awoke with a start, only to slip on the damp rocks and fall into the rushing torrents. Sir Eglamore scrambled down to save her. She opened her eyes and recognised him before she died. ~ The heartbroken Sir Eglamore never got over his sad loss, and built a cave near the Force where he spent the rest of his days as a hermit.

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