Buttermere
Encyclopedia
Buttermere is a lake
in the English Lake District
in North West England
. The adjacent village of Buttermere
takes its name from the lake. Historically within the former county of Cumberland
, the lake is now within the county of Cumbria
. It is owned by the National Trust
, forming part of their Buttermere and Ennerdale
property.
s, notably the High Stile
range to the south west, Robinson
to the north east, Fleetwith Pike
and Haystacks to the south east and Grasmoor
to the north west.
The village of Buttermere stands at the north western end of the lake, and beyond this is Buttermere's twin, Crummock Water
. There is a path around the lake which is about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) long, and at one point runs through a rock tunnel beneath the locality of Hasness. Access is by road, from Cockermouth
in the north west; from Borrowdale
via the Honister Pass
; or from Braithwaite
and the Newlands Valley
via Newlands Hause.
One, that Buttermere means "the lake by the dairy pastures" (from the Old English "butere mere")
Two, that it is the corrupt form of a personal name. Robert Ferguson asserts in his 1866 work, "The Northmen in Cumberland and Westmoreland" that Buttermere derives from the Old Norse personal name "Buthar", as in "Buthar's mere" (lake). This accords with local tradition which says that the valley of Buttermere was part of the holdings of an 11th century Norse chieftain called "Buthar" (sometimes spelt "Boethar"). Large numbers of Vikings settled in Cumbria during the 9th and 10th centuries and many names in the area are of Norse origin; streams are termed becks, from the Old Norse bekkr, mountains are 'fells' from the Norse fjall, waterfalls forces "fos", ravines 'gills' , valleys "dales" from the ON dalr, and small lakes are termed tarns which derives from tjorn, meaning teardrop.
See article on Buttermere at the English Lakes.com website.
in 1069 right up until the early 12th century. In 1072 King William set up a garrison at Carlisle, but the isolated garrison needed constant reinforcement and supplies. For almost half a century it's claimed that the Cumbrians fought a guerrilla war against the Normans, attacking supply wagons, ambushing patrols and inflicting great losses upon them in terms of money, matériel and men.
The extent to which Jarl Buthar is a semi-mythological figure is unclear. He is apparently mentioned in 12th century Norman documents, but much of his story appears to be based on local legend and archaeology, later enhanced by Nicholas Size's popular dramatized history (see below).
Jarl Boethar's campaign and a final battle at Rannerdale (c.f. Ferguson, "Ragnar's dale") between the Normans and the Anglo-Scandinavian Cumbrians led by the Jarl is the subject of a dramatized history by Nicholas Size
, called "The Secret Valley: The Real Romance of Unconquered Lakeland" (pub. 1930)
Rosemary Sutcliff
's YA novel "Shield Ring" (pub. 1956) imagines the lives of Jarl Buthar and his band of Cumbrian rebels, and their last stand against the forces of a Norman army under the command of Ranulf le Meschin, Lord of Carlisle and later Earl of Chester, nearly 50 years after the 1066 Norman Conquest of England. It was clearly inspired by Nicholas Size's history, which it closely follows.
Mary Robinson
(1778–1837), known as the "Maid of Buttermere" and the subject of Melvyn Bragg
's novel of that name, was the daughter of the landlord
of the Fish Inn in Buttermere village
.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in the English Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
. The adjacent village of Buttermere
Buttermere, Cumbria
Buttermere is a village and civil parish in the county of Cumbria, England.-Village:The village of Buttermere lies between the Lake District lakes of Buttermere and Crummock Water, and is overlooked by the summits of Grasmoor to the north and High Stile to the south...
takes its name from the lake. Historically within the former county of Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
, the lake is now within the county of Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
. It is owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, forming part of their Buttermere and Ennerdale
Buttermere and Ennerdale
Buttermere and Ennerdale is a National Trust property located in the Lake District of Cumbria, England.The property comprises an area of of fell and common land, including the lakes of Buttermere, Crummock Water and Loweswater, seven farms and woodland, as well as access to Ennerdale...
property.
Geography
The lake is 1.25 miles (2,011.7 m) by 0.25 miles (402.3 m) wide, and is 75 feet (22.9 m) deep. It has an elevation above sea level of 329 feet (100.3 m). A place of considerable scenic value, it is situated towards the head of the valley of the River Cocker and is surrounded by fellFell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
s, notably the High Stile
High Stile
High Stile is a mountain in the western part of the Lake District in northwest England. It is the eleventh highest English Marilyn, standing 807 metres high, and has a relative height of 362 metres ....
range to the south west, Robinson
Robinson (Lake District)
thumb|Robinson seen from the [[Ard Crags]] ridge, with Hindscarth to the leftRobinson is a fell in the English Lake District, its southern slopes descending to Buttermere, while its northern side is set in the Newlands Valley...
to the north east, Fleetwith Pike
Fleetwith Pike
Fleetwith Pike is a fell in the English Lake District in the county of Cumbria which reaches a height of 648 metres . The fell is a well-known feature of the area as it casts an imposing presence over Buttermere and the Honister Pass on the B5289 motor road between Borrowdale and...
and Haystacks to the south east and Grasmoor
Grasmoor
Grasmoor is a mountain in the north-western part of the Lake District, northern England. It is the highest peak in a group of hills between the villages of Lorton, Braithwaite and Buttermere, and overlooks Crummock Water....
to the north west.
The village of Buttermere stands at the north western end of the lake, and beyond this is Buttermere's twin, Crummock Water
Crummock Water
Crummock Water is a lake in the Lake District in Cumbria, North West England situated between Buttermere to the south and Loweswater to the north. Crummock Water is two and a half miles long, three quarters of a mile wide and 140ft deep. The River Cocker is considered to start at the north of the...
. There is a path around the lake which is about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) long, and at one point runs through a rock tunnel beneath the locality of Hasness. Access is by road, from Cockermouth
Cockermouth
-History:The Romans created a fort at Derventio, now the adjoining village of Papcastle, to protect the river crossing, which had become located on a major route for troops heading towards Hadrian's Wall....
in the north west; from Borrowdale
Borrowdale
Borrowdale is a valley and civil parish in the English Lake District in the Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria, England.Borrowdale lies within the historic county boundaries of Cumberland, and is sometimes referred to as Cumberland Borrowdale in order to distinguish it from another Borrowdale in the...
via the Honister Pass
Honister Pass
The Honister Pass, also known as Honister Hause, is a mountain pass in the English Lake District. It is located on the B5289 road, linking Seatoller, in the valley of Borrowdale, to Gatesgarth at the southern end of Buttermere...
; or from Braithwaite
Braithwaite
Braithwaite is a village in the northern Lake District, in Cumbria, England. Historically within Cumberland, it lies just to the west of Keswick and to the east of the Grisedale Pike ridge, in the Borough of Allerdale. It forms part of the civil parish of Above Derwent.The eastern end of the...
and the Newlands Valley
Newlands Valley
The Newlands Valley is in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. It is regarded as one of the most picturesque and quiet valleys in the national park, even though it is situated very close to the popular tourist town of Keswick and the busy A66 road.The valley forms part of the civil...
via Newlands Hause.
Etymology
There are two possible origins for the name "Buttermere":One, that Buttermere means "the lake by the dairy pastures" (from the Old English "butere mere")
Two, that it is the corrupt form of a personal name. Robert Ferguson asserts in his 1866 work, "The Northmen in Cumberland and Westmoreland" that Buttermere derives from the Old Norse personal name "Buthar", as in "Buthar's mere" (lake). This accords with local tradition which says that the valley of Buttermere was part of the holdings of an 11th century Norse chieftain called "Buthar" (sometimes spelt "Boethar"). Large numbers of Vikings settled in Cumbria during the 9th and 10th centuries and many names in the area are of Norse origin; streams are termed becks, from the Old Norse bekkr, mountains are 'fells' from the Norse fjall, waterfalls forces "fos", ravines 'gills' , valleys "dales" from the ON dalr, and small lakes are termed tarns which derives from tjorn, meaning teardrop.
See article on Buttermere at the English Lakes.com website.
History
From his hidden stronghold at Buttermere, it is said that Jarl Buthar conducted a campaign of running resistance against the Norman invaders, from the time of William the Conqueror's Harrying of the NorthHarrying of the North
The Harrying of the North was a series of campaigns waged by William the Conqueror in the winter of 1069–1070 to subjugate Northern England, and is part of the Norman conquest of England...
in 1069 right up until the early 12th century. In 1072 King William set up a garrison at Carlisle, but the isolated garrison needed constant reinforcement and supplies. For almost half a century it's claimed that the Cumbrians fought a guerrilla war against the Normans, attacking supply wagons, ambushing patrols and inflicting great losses upon them in terms of money, matériel and men.
The extent to which Jarl Buthar is a semi-mythological figure is unclear. He is apparently mentioned in 12th century Norman documents, but much of his story appears to be based on local legend and archaeology, later enhanced by Nicholas Size's popular dramatized history (see below).
Jarl Boethar's campaign and a final battle at Rannerdale (c.f. Ferguson, "Ragnar's dale") between the Normans and the Anglo-Scandinavian Cumbrians led by the Jarl is the subject of a dramatized history by Nicholas Size
Nicholas Size
John Nicholas Size was a British hotelier and tourism promoter, but is best known for his novels about Norse settlers in the English Lake District.-Background:...
, called "The Secret Valley: The Real Romance of Unconquered Lakeland" (pub. 1930)
Rosemary Sutcliff
Rosemary Sutcliff
Rosemary Sutcliff CBE was a British novelist, and writer for children, best known as a writer of historical fiction and children's literature. Although she was primarily a children's author, the quality and depth of her writing also appeals to adults; Sutcliff herself once commented that she wrote...
's YA novel "Shield Ring" (pub. 1956) imagines the lives of Jarl Buthar and his band of Cumbrian rebels, and their last stand against the forces of a Norman army under the command of Ranulf le Meschin, Lord of Carlisle and later Earl of Chester, nearly 50 years after the 1066 Norman Conquest of England. It was clearly inspired by Nicholas Size's history, which it closely follows.
Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson (Maid of Buttermere)
Mary Robinson was known as "The Maid of Buttermere", is the subject of Melvyn Bragg's novel of that name, and is mentioned in William Wordsworth's Prelude....
(1778–1837), known as the "Maid of Buttermere" and the subject of Melvyn Bragg
Melvyn Bragg
Melvyn Bragg, Baron Bragg FRSL FRTS FBA, FRS FRSA is an English broadcaster and author best known for his work with the BBC and for presenting the The South Bank Show...
's novel of that name, was the daughter of the landlord
Landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
of the Fish Inn in Buttermere village
Buttermere, Cumbria
Buttermere is a village and civil parish in the county of Cumbria, England.-Village:The village of Buttermere lies between the Lake District lakes of Buttermere and Crummock Water, and is overlooked by the summits of Grasmoor to the north and High Stile to the south...
.
External links
- Buttermere and Ennerdale information at the National Trust.
- Buttermere Illustrated Guide to the Lake District
- The Cumbria Directory - Buttermere - Lake
- The History of Dufton Village A useful short history of the Lakeland area from prehistoric times to the late 14th century, Contains references to Jarl Buthar and the Cumbrian resistance movement.
- Robert Ferguson "The Northmen in Cumberland and Westmoreland", pub. 1866, a scholarly etymology which comprehensively examines the influence of the Old Norse language and personal names on the place-names of the Cumbrian area.
- Lake District Walks