Gilsland Bibliography
By Will Higgs With acknowledgement to NorWest Books for help with compilation.
Many of these books can be borrowed from or read at Carlisle Library. Some are also available at Hexham library and both these libraries have a scheme whereby books at other libraries in the counties can be ordered for a small fee. Newcastle University library has many works on and by Scott and a number of local collections which include some of the older references. The university now offers free reference-only library membership.
Abbreviations: n.d. - no date; n.p. - no publisher given; c - approximately (circa);
Alexander, M. n.d. Gilsland Past & Present; Griffin Press, Gilsland
Compendium of local history and ghost stories.
Alexander, M. & Walker, G.M. 1995. Gilsland and Greenhead Past and Present; Middle March Books
Uncritical rehash of the above.
Aln, G. 1943. Around and About Northumberland; Logan, Amble, Northumberland, 100pp (also later impressions)
Original observations on out-of-the-way places in Northumberland first published in a local newspaper. "The Wishing Tree (Kissing Bush) is now cut down, only a stump remains, but the Popping Stones (sic) abide."
Anon n.d. Bewcastle. A Brief Historical Sketch; Printed by Howe of Brampton. 5pp
No-one is prepared to own up to this, and I'm not surprised.
Armstrong, A.M., Mawer, A., Stenton, F.M. & Dickins, B. 1950. The Place Names of Cumberland, (volume XX) ; C.U.P., Cambridge
Armstrong, K., Pickles, H. & Whittle, T. (Eds.) 1978. Missile Village a 'Strong Words' Portrait of Gilsland; Strong Words,Erdesdun Publications, Whitley Bay
The village's relationship with Spadeadam through the medium of verbatim interviews with local people. The Old Labour editors find "significant lessons, good and bad, to be learnt from the cultural tradition and values of a village such as Gilsland" and the interviewees are equally equivocal.
Arthur, T.W. (publisher). n.d. c1877. Arthur"s Guide to Carlisle, 3rd Edition; T.W. Arthur, Carlisle
One of the first published mentions of the Popping Stone. Remarkably suggestive intimation of the purposes of the Stone and the Kissing Bush. 4 editions 1861 - 1881.
Baxter, Maria A. 1962. History of Gilsland; Printed by Howe of Brampton Ltd. 27pp., illus.
More thorough than many local history booklets, with additional detail about life in the village at the time of publication.
Bell, W. n.d. (c1900)Views of Gilsland; William Bell, Gilsland
Subtitled "The New Collotype Album of Picturesque Views". Contains 16 large B&W photos, unretouched as far as I can see. Mostly the usual views of the Spa, Popping Stone etc, but one superb photo of Stanley Crescent soon after completion, with Thirlwall Water Mill in working order. Probably dates to around 1900.
Bird, D Hinckes. 1877. Lytham Northwards to Lancaster, Carlisle, Naworth, Gilsland etc; Clarke & Son, Preston
One of the first published mentions of the Popping Stone - in purple prose !
Bird, W.G. 1913. Gilsland and Neighbourhood, 3rd Edition; James Gregg, Gilsland
Still the best guide book to Gilsland, by the vicar at the time. 5 editions, 1908, 1910, 1913, 1922, 1927.
Brett, G. & Sawyer, N. 2000. Li Yuan-chia: tell me what is not yet said; Insitute of International Visual Arts, London
Essays on the work of Li Yuan-chia, who created the LYC museum at Banks.
Bruce, Rev. J. Collingwood. 1978. Handbook to the Roman Wall. Edited and enlarged by Charles Daniels, 13th Edition; Harold Hill & Son, Newcastle
A classic. Editions span 1863 - 1978, earlier editions published by Longmans Green, London.
Bruce, Rev. J. Collingwood. 1851. The Roman Wall: A Historical, Topographical and Descriptive account of the Barrier of the Lower Isthmus, extending from the Tyne to the Solway, deduced from numerous personal surveys; John Russell Smith, London & William Sang, Newcastle
The original publication from which the famous "handbook" evolved. This is a much more naive and personal account than the later editions, and is consequently a treasure trove of anecdote and intimate asides from an intelligent and humorous observer. extracts
Carlyle, R. 1817. De Vaux, or the Heir of Gilsland, a poem, in five cantos; B. Scott, Carlisle
Clack, P.A.G. & Gosling, P.F. 1976. Archaeology in the North; Northern Archaeological Survey / HMSO
Review of ancient farmstead and shieling sites in Wark Forest & surrounds in anticipation of forestry. See also Ramm et al below.
Clanny, W. Reid 1816. A Treatise on the Mineral Waters of Gilsland; W. Bell, Sunderland.
Comprehensive early nineteenth century chemical analysis of the sulphurous and chalybeate springs, with a review of their medicinal uses.
Co-operative Society 1903. Gilsland Convalescent Home Limited; Co-operative Wholesale Society, Manchester
Illustrated book given to the first residents at the Co-op Convalescent Home (now the Spa Hotel) Gilsland. Some interesting detail about the decision process within the Co-operative movement leading to the purchase of the hotel, repeated and enlarged upon in Lamb, 2001 (below). Descriptive material on Gilsland poor, spells the old name "Shaw's", but includes a rare photo of the chalybeate well.
Coward, G. (publisher). n.d. (later C19 - mentions Ward: 'A Week . .') Guide to Gilsland and Vicinity; G. Coward, Carlisle and G Stewart, Book Stall, Gilsland
Cumbria Federation of Women's Institutes. 1991. The Cumbria Village Book; Countryside Books
Davies, H. 1974. A Walk Along the Wall; Weidenfield and Nicholson, London
Other editions: 1976, Quartet Books, London; 1993, Dent, London; 2000, Orion, London. The book is a personal and entertaining travelogue, which has been republished several times and had a TV film made about it. It is particularly strong on personal details about the characters he met such as the Birleys at Vindolanda and our very own Dawkins family at Roman Way. There is a chapter on Gilsland with some amusing asides about the petty charges made at Willowford and other farms for access.
Day, J.B.W. 1970. Geology of the Country Around Bewcastle; HMSO, London
Ekwall, E. 1960. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names; OUP, Oxford
4th Edition, reprinted many times. Previous editions: 1936, 1940, 1947.
Fawcett, W. 1927.Hunting in Northumbria; H.F. & G. Witherby, London
"Being the History of the Haydon Hunt and many other Packs, Together with Songs, Stories and Legends of Sport in the Border Country." Mentions several Gilsland hunts.
Feltham, J. c1820. A Guide to all the Watering and Sea Bathing Places in England and Wales, with a description of the Lakes; a sketch of a tour in Wales, and Itineraries ... Illustrated with maps and views. By the Editor of the Picture of London (i.e. J Feltham) R. Phillips, London
In many editions,1803-1825(?). Soberly written, brief mention of Gilsland and its "two large houses . . for accommodation . . situated in the midst of a wild romantic valley". Mentions Dr Garnett's analysis of the waters.
Ferguson, R.S. 1880. The Barony of Gilsland and its Owners to the end of the Sixteenth Century; CWAAS Transactions Old Series vol. 4
Fraser, G.M. 1971. The Steel Bonnets ; HarperCollins, London
A rollicking good read, with lots of strirring narrative, dialogue and larger-than-life characters. A useful reference list is supplied, but is not cited much in the text. Most of the historical analysis seems to be the author's own, and the ensuing 40 years have produced contrasting views.
Gelderd, J. n.d. (c1875). The Visitors' Guide to Gilsland, Naworth Castle, Lanercost Priory, Triermain etc; printed for James Gelderd, The Shaws Hotel, Gilsland
A guide book by the Spa Hotel's proprietor, published soon after the death of G G Mounsey. It contains some very bad drawings of local views, including one of the old shape Popping Stone, but states in the text that the stone is "only half its original size".
Gerard, M. (pseud. J.J. Teague). 1910. The Shadow of Gilsland; Hodder & Stoughton, London
Gibbons, A. 2005. Home Grown in Cumbria; Zymurgy Publishing, Newcastle
Gilsland Village Plan Steering Group 2006. Gilsland Village Plan and Action Plan;
Questionnaire, analysed and used as a basis for an action plan to be carried out 2006-7.
Gordon, Mrs. 1851. Musgrave, a Story of Gilsland Spa, and other Tales , (2 volumes); London
Graham, F. 1974. Handbook of the Newcastle & Carlisle Railway with a visit to the Roman Wall; by "H U S", facsimile edition published by Frank Graham, Newcastle upon Tyne, 85 pages plus fold-out map. Preface of original text dated 1851.
Graham, F. 1977. Haltwhistle, Haydon Bridge & South Tynedale; publ. Frank Graham
Graham, Ritson. 1993. A Border Naturalist: The Birds & Wildlife of the Bewcastle Fells and Gilsland Moors 1930-1966; Bookcase, Carlisle
Schoolboy nature notes by a local lad with a funny name. (extract)
Graham T.H.B. (ed.) 1934. The Barony of Gilsland. Lord William Howard's Survey, Taken in 1603; Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society Extra Series, Vol. XVI, Kendal
Granville, A.B. 1841. Spas of England and Principal Sea-Bathing Places; Vol. 1 (of 3) The North; Henry Colburn, London
Critical of the Spa Hotel, answered by Mounsey
Granville, A.B. (facsimile) 1971. Spas of England and Principal Sea-Bathing Places; Vol. 1 The North; Adams & Dart, Bath
Green, W. 1819. The Tourist's New Guide, Containing a Description of the Lakes, Mountains, and Scenery in Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire, etc; R. Lough & Co., Kendal
Brief paragraph on Gilsland, focusing mainly on the mineral springs. Mentions a "Chinese bridge".
Grundy, J., McCombie, G., Ryder, P., Welfare, H. & Pevsner, N. 1992. The Buildings of England, Northumberland; Penguin, London
Second edition & revision of Pevsner's original. Lists the Station houses & Wardrew.
Haltwhistle Partnership. n.d. Haltwhistle (sic) Historic Parishes; Haltwhistle Partnership
"We've got some money for a guide book ! Write me one, will you dear, for the meeting on Monday . . ."
Haltwhistle RDC (eds.). c1948. Rural District of Haltwhistle: The Official Guide; Presumably published by the council.
Bland, inoffensive and composed by committee. An interesting photo of the Popping Stone (no caption) and the insight that "Meg Merrilies lived and and married in the area" . .
Hargrove (publisher). 1813. A Guide to the Following Watering and Sea-Bathing Places; namely, Blackpool . . Gilsland . . Matlock etc; Hargrove & Sons, Knaresborough
Harrison, D. 1973. Along Hadrian's Wall (reprint of 1956 edition); Pan Books Ltd, London
Gilsland is miss-spelt in the index, there is little about the village in the text.
Henderson, Tony. 2006. My Country: Discovering North East England, vol. 2; At Heart Ltd; 144pp.
Second series of original essays on places of interest in Northumberland (vol 1 - 2005).
Originally published in The Journal.
And unfortunately not translated from the original staccato journalese.
This volume has a chapter on Gilsland, mainly concerned with the Popping Stone, drawing heavily on the ideas (and text!) of Yours Truly.
Hewer, L. 1999. Poems from a Countryman's Pen; Hill View Publications, Featherstone
Hewer, L. 2006. More Poems from a Countryman's Pen; Hill View Publications, Featherstone
Hodgkinson, S.J. 2007. Gilsland A guide to the village and a History of the Barony; Popping Stone Publications, Carlisle. A5 booklet, 22pp.
The latest, and worst yet, in a long tradition of awful guides to the village. review
Hodgson, Rev. J. 1841. The Roman Wall and South Tindale, in the Counties of Northumberland and Cumberland;
This is the last volume of Hodgson's History of Northumberland which was published separately under the above title.
Hood, K. 2001. The Co-operative Societies of the North Pennines; North Pennines Heritage Trust, Nenthead
Brief history of the movement as a whole, and twelve local societies, including Gilsland, in detail. See also Lamb, 2001 in this bibliography.
Hoyer, M. A. 1908. By the Roman Wall: Notes on a Summer Holiday; David Nutt, London
Amusingly written travelogue, with plenty of anecdotes and mentions of local places including the usual comments on the state of Haltwhistle, in this case "a black blot on the face of nature".
Hunnewell, J.F. 1871. The Lands of Scott; A & C Black, Edinburgh
One of several books published for the Scott centenary. Long and original section on the Popping Stone.
Hurst, M.J. 1997. Air Crashes in the Lake District 1936-1976; Airlife Publishing Ltd, Shrewsbury
Fascinating but unreliable list of mostly wartime crash sites, although I have heard it suggested that the inaccuracies are deliberate, to protect the sites. The grid reference for the Hurricane at Wylie Syke is, for instance, about 1.5 miles out. Wrong information is probably the worst option - why not a) give no clue at all as to the site, which would make the book rather pointless, or, much better, b) give a vague location e.g."Wiley Sike" ?
H.U.S. 1851. Handbook of the Newcastle & Carlisle Railway with a visit to the Roman Wall; Facsimile edition (1974) published by Frank Graham, Newcastle upon Tyne, 85 pages plus fold-out map. Preface of original text dated 1851.
Hutchinson, W. 1794. The History of the County of Cumberland and some places adjacent, Vol 1; F. Jollie, Carlisle
Detailed and intelligent.
Hutchinson, W. 1974 The History of the County of Cumberland, Vol. 1; F. Jollie, Carlisle (reprint of 1794-1797 original by E.P. Publishing Ltd., Hexham)
Ingledew, W. 1932. The Roman Wall District including Allendale Alston Moor and Tynedale; Abbey Publicity Service, London
Jenkinson, H.I. 1884. Jenkinson's Practical Guide to Carlisle, Gilsland, Roman Wall, and Neighbourhood; Edward Stanford, London (Also a first edition, 1875, and "Jenkinson's Smaller Practical Guides" of the same dates.)
One of the more useful guides to Gilsland, having a Gilsland section of 113pp. The information appears to have been carefully researched by an author familiar with the area and the numerous walks described from Gilsland to nearby destinations contain a wealth of detail.
Johnson, J. 1843. Excursions to the principal mineral waters of England, in pursuit of health and information; S Highley, London, First edition. 8vo, 160pp.
Corrects Granville's "depreciation" of Gilsland (see Granville, 1841, Mounsey, 1865) Also another book on the same subject with a very long title, by the same author, published in 1841.
Jollie, F. 1804. A Guide to Gilsland: Containing a Tour, from Carlisle to the former place; Carlisle
Jollie, F. 1811. Cumberland Guide and Directory; F Jollie & Sons, Carlisle.
Entire text online at http://www.stevebulman.f9.co.uk/cumbria/jollieguide_f.html.
Jollie, F. 1811. Jollie's Sketch of Cumberland Manners and Customs Partly in the Provincial Dialect in Prose and Verse with a Glossary; Jollie & Sons, Carlisle. Facsimile edition published by Michael Moon, 1974.
Kelly Kelly's Directory, Cumberland and Westmorland; At least 9 editions, 1858 to 1938.
Lamb, J. n.d. c2001. Gilsland Spa - A Co-Operative Centenary History; Co-operative Society (? - no title page)
Lancaster, H. (Publisher) n.d.The Yellow-Coat Slack, A Tale of Gilsland; H. Lancaster, Brampton
A tragic short story (35pp) of violent conflict between brothers over a girl, based around Askerton Peel. A slack is a marshy hollow, the book's name from "the colour of a part of the dress worn by the unfortunate female". Appears to be quite an old book, from the style of the printing - maybe early C19 or even late C18. (In Carlisle Library)
Lee, T. 1937. A History of the Barony of Dacre of Gilsland; n.p.
Leslie, J.W. 1922. History of Haltwhistle and Gilsland: Past and Present, 1100-1922; 36pp, illus.
Seems to be a privately published volume. Some interesting detail on dates, costs etc of buildings but also large quantities of yarns.
Leslie, J.W. 1924. A History of the Towns Along the Roman Wall; Herald Co. Ltd., Hexham; 119pp, illus., map
Expanded version or "second edition" of the above. 14pp on Gilsland, with single pages on Low Row and Bewcastle. Numerous adverts for local businesses & guest houses.
Little, T.W. 1891. Ripples and Breezes; William Andrews & Co., Hull
Vapid Victorian doggerel; e.g.:
"A gladness that assuag'd my pain
And clear'd the cobwebs from my brain."
Three of the poems feature Gilsland.
Lockhart, C.S.M. 1871. The Centenary Memorial of Sir Walter Scott, Bart.; Virtue & Co., London
Actually dated August 15, 1871. Contains a drawing of the old shape Popping Stone, possibly the last dated example.
Lockhart, J.G. 1842. Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Bart., (single volume edition); Robert Cadell, Edinburgh
Biography by his son-in-law and "literary executor". Simultaneously acclaimed as one of the greatest biographies in E.Lit. and as full of errors, bias and 'calumnies' (see Trustees, 1838 & Grierson, 1938). Details two visits to Gilsland.
MacPherson, J. 1869. The Baths and Wells of Europe their Action and Uses; Macmillan & Co, London - 1st edition (2nd edn. 1873, 3rd edn 1888)
Maine Audubon Gilsland Farm Audubon Centre, http://www.maineaudubon.org/explore/centers/gilsland.shtml; website visited 31 Oct 05
The other Gilsland. Gilsland Farm, on the coast of Maine, was so-named because the owner (in 1911) was a Scott enthusiast named Moulton. The farm is now a nature reserve and field studies centre.
Mannix & Whellan 1847. History Gazetteer & Directory of Cumberland; Mannix & Whellan
Facsimile edition, 1974, by Michael Moon, Whitehaven
Mason n.d. (1860s). Mason's Gilsland Guide (improved edition); Mason, Carlisle
Several hints from within the book that it dates from the late(?) 1860s, it mentions an event in 1858 and contains an advert for (the rebuilt) Shaws Hotel which burnt down in 1859. The copy in Carlisle Library (shelf 1B9 GIL9, acc. no. 140831) has several pages added with photos and newspaper cuttings dated to the early 1870s. Mentions the Popping Stone.
Mason's (?) n.d. (1860s). "The Border City" Album, Carlisle and District; Published at the Tourist Enquiry Office, 58 Castle Street, Carlisle
Booklet, 6x4 inches, containing a concertina of 12 hand-coloured engravings of local views and a descriptive supplement. References are made to Mason's Guide to Carlisle and Mason's Sixpenny Guide, and the text about the Popping Stone is almost exactly the same as in Mason's Gilsland Guide. The picture of the Popping Stone shows the old shape with a couple perched on top.
Mason n.d. c1890. Gilsland Guide; Mason, Carlisle
Mawson, D. 2001. Lanercost Landmarks, Wall Walkers and Watering Holes; Pamphlet, 32pp, second edition, no publisher.
Much original material, focusing on the author's interests rather than trying to cover the whole history of the area. Proper, and valuable, references given. Unfortunately, the paragraph on Gilsland Spa, its buildings and the 127 steps down from the hotel is garbled, something which could have been avoided by visiting the site.
Mee, A. (ed.)[1937]. The King's England: The Lake Counties Cumb West; H & S
Millward, R. & Robinson, A. 1972. North East Cumberland ; MacMillan, London ("Part of a larger volume 'Cumbria', one of the 'Landscapes of Britain' series")
Academic geographers' analysis of the impact of Roman earthworks and buildings on the landscape and subsequent settlement of the area. Competent and instructive in a 1970s sort of way.
Mothersole, J. 1924. Hadrian's Wall; Morrison & Gibb, Edinburgh
Travelogue, little on Gilsland.
Mounsey, G.G. (author not stated) n.d. c1865. Gillesland: a brief historical and statistical notice of its locality and mineral waters; Printed by John Irving Lonsdale, Carlisle. Entire text online.
Opionated, poorly organised, but probably the best history of Gilsland; containing valuable detail gleaned from the author's extensive collection of books and documents. Keen on derivations of place names, mostly ludicrous. Point-by-point rebuttal of Granville's derogation of Gilsland. Considerable effort devoted to evidence of the moral degeneracy of local people, and hence the need for a church. Some of the author's notes for this book, and his collection of documents, are filed at the Cumbria County Records office, in the Mounsey family papers.
Nanson, P. 2003. Seventy-six Years under the Hammer - the History of Longtown Auction Mart; Cumberland & Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart, Longtown
Frequent references & 2 photos of Gilsland Mart 1926-1989 run by the same company.
Norman, Bill. 2002. Broken Eagles 2: Luftwaffe Losses over Northumberland and Durham 1939-1945; Leo Cooper, Pen & Sword Books Ltd, Barnsley
Stirring eyewitness accounts of air warfare, mostly between night fighters and german bombers, over the sea off Tyneside. One Dornier 207E-4 crashed at Twice Brewed, 24/25th March 1943.
Olcott, C.S. 1913. The Country of Sir Walter Scott; Cassell & Co., London
Parson, W. & White, W. 1829. History, Directory and Gazetteer of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmorland etc.; W. White & Co. Leeds
Pevsner, N. 1967. The Buildings of England. Cumberland and Westmorland; Penguin, Harmondsworth
Dismissively and erroneously lists St. Mary Magdalene Church, Spa Hotel, Orchard House and Triermain.
Pevsner, N. 1957. The Buildings of England. Northumberland; Penguin, Harmondsworth
Lists Wardrew and the Railway Station. (See also Grundy et al - 2cnd edition)
Philip, G. (publisher). n.d. c1890. Carlisle to Hexham, Including Naworth, Lanercost, Gilsland and the Roman Wall (The Concise Series of Guides, No. 2) ; George Philip & Son, London
Gilsland section has a drawing of the Popping Stone ". . now considerably the worse for wear".
Phythian-Adams, C. 1996. Land of the Cumbrians; Scolar Press, Aldershot
Dense, fascinating, in parts controversial analysis of early mediaeval Cumbria - or what ever it was called. Much on the origin and relevance of the Barony of Gilsland, clearest statement of the relationship of Gille and Bueth to the Barony that I have seen.
Philip, G. (publisher). n.d. c1905. Carlisle and Neighbourhood including Silloth, Naworth, Lanercost, Gilsland and the Roman Wall (The Concise series of Guides, No. 3); George Philip & Son, London
Ramm, H.G., McDowall, R.W., & Mercer, E. 1970. Shielings and Bastles; H.M.S.O.
Review of ancient farmsteads, shielings and bastles in William Howard's "North Moor" and surrounds. See Clack & Gosling above.
Robinson, T. 1709. Essay Towards a Natural History of Westmorland and Cumberland; W. Freeman, London
Robson, J.P. 1850. Summer Excursions in the North of England; R.Ward
Royal Air Force 1993. "RAF Spadeadam-The UK's Electronic Warfare Tactics Range"; Royal Air Force Public Relations Magazine; No. 5
Royal Air Force 2001. RAF Spadeadam Information Handbook; Excelsior Marketing, Royal Leamington Spa
Booklet for site personnel with details of the history and purpose of the Station, and a guide to local services.
Scott, W. See Scott section below.
Slee, M. 1917. Older Carlisle and Round About; Macbeth, London
Steele 1836. Beauties of Gilsland: A sketch of the most remarkable objects near Gilsland Spa; George Routledge, London
Quaintly meandering tour of the district, with entertaining sketches of nearby villages. Not many hard facts, and no Popping Stone. Apparently one of the first guides specifically written to co-incide with the opening of a railway line, and the first volume published by George Routledge, founder of the international publishing house.
Stewart, E.M., Miss. 1843. Lord Dacre of Gilsland. A Novel (3 volumes); London
Stewart, E.M. 1872. Lord Dacre of Gilsland; or, the rising in the North: An Historical Romance; Douglas Stewart, London
Storey, T. 1973. Haltwhistle and South Tynedale ; Cameo Books, Huddersfield
Subtitled "An introduction to the geology, geography, Industrial Archaeology and history of South-west Northumberland and the east Cumberland border". The preface expresses the hope that the book will stimulate a deeper interest in the evolution of the landscape (see Millward & Robinson, above). Local opinion is that "What 'e don't know, 'e makes up".
Storey, T. 2001. A Bibliography of Local History Sources: Haltwhistle and South Tynedale;
Lists sources on Haltwhistle, South Tynedale, Romans, Transport, Mines and Quarrying, Landscape, Mediaeval Marchland, East Cumbria, Literature and Walkers' Guides.
Teague, J.J. see Gerard, M.
Todd, J.M. 2005. "British (Cumbric) Place-Names in the Barony of Gilsland, Cumbria"; In: B.C. Jones, W.G. Wiseman & J.M. Todd (eds.) Trans. CWAAS, Series III, pp89-102
Thought-provoking extension of some ideas concerning the relevance of Cumbric place names in elucidating the history of North Cumbria. Recent analysis of the Lanercost Cartulary has added new forms and names, catalogued and utilised here.
Topping, G. ("The Scribe") 1921. Rambles in Borderland with the Clan; Charles Thurnam, Carlisle. 214 pp, index, 60 photos.
Thurnam, C. (Publisher) 1821. The New Guide to Carlisle and its Neighbourhood, with an appendix; C. Thurnam, Carlisle
Includes lists of officials, and an appendix on Gilsland Spa.
Turnbull, L. 1974. Hadrian's Wall, Book 2: A Guide to Birdoswald and the Gilsland Area; Harold Hill, Newcastle
One of a series of short books, each dealing with a section of Hadrian's Wall. The books are set out as guided walks and are packed with detail, though some is naturally a little dated now.
Vaux, R.H.C. 2007. "Who was Hubert de Vallibus ?"; Trans. CWAAS, Series III, Vol. VII, pp49-55
The author's name induces an initial "Uh-oh" moment, but he provides a competent catalogue of Normans, who seem to pop up all over England and France without contributing much to the paper's brief conclusion. A long list of references, but many assertions unreferenced.
Ward, R. (Publisher), n.d. (after 1850). A Week at Gilsland with Visits to Naworth Castle and Lanercost Priory etc.; Robert Ward
Mentions the Popping Stone, and asserts that the name derives from the proposal.
Ward Lock & Co. (Publishers) Hexham 1902-03 and Gilsland, Carlisle and the Borderland etc; Ward Lock & Co., London
Whellan, W. 1855. History, Topography and Directory of Northumberland; Whittaker and Co.,
Whellan, W. 1860. History and Topography of Cumberland; Whellan, Pontefract
Grigg's "Principal inhabitants of Cumberland 1847" is a people index for this book.
Whitehead, F.B. & Yarrow, P.J. 1987 "Sir Walter Scott and Gilsland"; Durham University Journal; Vol. LXXX 1 (New series XLIX No. 1), pp3-7
Comprehensive if aimless discussion of Scott's links with Gilsland.
White, W. 1859. Northumberland and the Border Chapman & Hall, London
Entertainingly written travelogue, rich with anecdote and detailed observation, giving a vivid snapshot of border life at this time.
Wills, D. 1984. The Gilsland Spa (and other poems); Literary Craft Publications, Lincoln
"Clouds are so free
Drifting painlessly . ." etc
Wilmott, Tony. 2005. Birdoswald Roman Fort; English Heritage, London
This plush new EH potboiler, or hereditas-anglorum scaphium-fervesco, gives chapter & verse on the well-worn mythologies of "The Romans" and "The Dark Ages" at Birdoswald . . as elaborated by . . T Wilmott. The sections on archaeology are excellent, as are the historical reviews of the Roman centuries but uncritical repetition of unsourced content from guidebooks spoils some of the last section. review
Works by and on Sir Walter Scott :
Bookseller World A Sir Walter Scott Bibiography - UK First Editions; http://www.booksellerworld.com/sirwalter-scott.htm Website consulted 19th November 2005
Burger, G.A. 1796. The Chase and William and Helen: Two Ballads from the German of Gottfried Augustus Buerger. (Free translations of "Der Wilde Jager" and "Lenore" by Walter Scott); Manners and Miller, Edinburgh
Scott's first book, a translation of Augustus Gottfried Bürger's popular ballads from the original German. In Scott's Essay on Imitations he comments that "the fate of this, my first publication, was by no means flattering . . .[and] so complete was the failure of the unfortunate ballads, that the very existence of them was soon forgotten."
Corson, J.C. 1943. A Bibliography of Sir Walter Scott; Oliver Boyd, Edinburgh
Apparently the definitive bibliography.
Grierson, H.J.C. 1938. Sir Walter Scott Bart., a New Life, Supplementary to and Corrective of Lockhart's Biography; Constable, London
Johnson, E. 1970. Sir Walter Scott: The Great Unknown; MacMillan, New York
Lockhart, J.G. 1842. Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Bart., (single volume edition); Robert Cadell, Edinburgh
Biography by his son-in-law and "literary executor". Simultaneously acclaimed as one of the greatest biographies in E.Lit. and as full of errors, bias and 'calumnies' (see Trustees, 1838 & Grierson, 1938). Details two visits to Gilsland, though it is still unclear whether the second was in 1804 or 1805.
Oman, C. 1973. The Wizard of the North; Hodder & Stoughton, London
Pope-Hennessy, U. 1932. The Laird of Abbotsford; Putnam, London
Pope-Hennessy, U. 1948. Sir Walter Scott; Home & Van Thal, London
Scott, W. 1813. The Bridal of Triermain; Ballantyne
Scott, W.(published anonymously) 1815. Guy Mannering; Ballantyne (3 volumes)
Meg Merrilees, Dandy Dinmont etc.
Scott, W. (actually attributed to "The Author of Waverley") 1824. St Ronan's Well; Constable, London, (3 volumes)
Novel apparently based on Scott's experiences at Gilsland Spa, with a boarding house called "Shaws Castle", and another "at the well". The wide variety of characters and intrigues, (including a well-to-do young man urgently seeking a wife), are also no doubt drawn partly from the society he found there.
Sutherland, J. 1995. The Life of Walter Scott: A Critical Biography; Blackwell, Oxford
Trustees of Messrs. Ballantyne. 1838. Refutation of the Misstatements and Calumnies Contained in Mr Lockhart's Life of Sir Walter Scott Respecting the Messrs. Ballantyne; Longmans, London