RAVENSTONEDALE, a parish in EAST ward,
county of WESTMORLAND, 4 miles (S.W.) from Kirkby-
Stephen, containing 1059 inhabitants. The living is a
perpetual curacy, in the peculiar jurisdiction and patronage
of the Earl of Lonsdale, as lord of the manor;
it is endowed with £600 private benefaction, £400 royal
bounty, and £500 parliamentary grant. The church,
dedicated to St. Oswald, was rebuilt in 1744. There
is a place of worship for Independents. This manor
formerly belonged to the priory of Watton in Yorkshire,
and, in common with the other possessions
of that monastery, afforded the privilege of .sanctuary.
The lord of the manor, by his steward, administers
the oath of office to the churchwardens of
the parish. The steward and jury of the manor an-
ciently held their court, for the trial of felons and
other offenders, in the church, near which there was
an arched vault, in which malefactors were confined:
Gallow Hill, a short -distance hence, appears to have
been the spot where capital punishment was inflicted.
The parish is composed of numerous vallies and fells,
among which rise several streams, forming the source
of the river Lune. The town appears to have been formerly
much larger than at present: a small market is
held on Tuesdays, and a fair on the Thursday after Whit-
Sunday. The free grammar school was founded, about
1688, by Thomas Fothergill, B. D., Master of St. John's
College, Cambridge, aided by other members of his
family, all natives of the parish; a good school-house
was built by contribution in 1758. The salary and
emoluments of the master amount to "about £70
per annum; he has a commodious dwelling-house, and
is allowed to receive boarders. Boys whose parents reside
in the parish are instructed gratuitously in Latin
and Greek, but pay a small quarterage for tuition in
other branches. At a place called Rasate there are
two -tumuli, in which, on being opened, human bones
were found; and near Rother bridge there is a circle
of stones, supposed to have been a place of Druidical
worship. The family of Fothergill has produced several
distinguished members, .among whom, were, .George
Fothergill, D.D., principal of St. Edmund Hall,-and
Thomas Fothergill, D. D., Provost of .Queen's College,
Oxford.