This is an article I wrote when I was 18:-
“In Mr Wainwright’s excellent guide book to the Northern Fells he mentions that there are 81 different names containing “thwaite” (Noirse for a clearing) on the 1” Ordnance Survey map of the Lake District. After much labour and eye-straining I have found them. when I got to 75 I gave up for a while, convinced that he had miscounted. I should have known Wainwright better! Further investigation along the cracks of my much used map found a couple more and the rest were hiding in woods and forests. This is the complete list and it makes interesting and amusing reading.
Raisthwaite
Hawthwaite
Seathwaite
Scrithwaite
Branthwaite
Thackthwaite
Nibthwaite
Ruthwaite
Brackenthwaite
Thornythwaite
Stubberthwaite
Stanthwaite
Wanthwaite
Burnthwaite
Ickenthwaite
Orthwaite
Gillerthwaite
Tilberthwaite
Satterthwaite
Starnthwaite
Tranthwaite
Lowthwaite
Thornthwaite
Hewthwaite
Dunthwaite
Armathwaite
Bassenthwaite
Lothwaite
Lanthwaite
Shoulthwaite
Gawthwaite
Birkerthwaite
Heathwaite
Stonythwaite
Waberthwaite
Hoathwaite
Crosbythwaite
Threshthwaite
Ulthwaite
Esthwaite
Smaithwaite
Legburthwaite
Thwaite
Rosthwaite
Longthwaite
Stonethwaite
Easthwaite
Tullythwaite
Burthwaite
Southwaite
Applethwaite
Ormathwaite
Littlethwaite
Braithwaite
Crosthwaite
Graythwaite
Scawthwaite
Burblethwaite
Finsthwaite
Kirkthwaite
Haverthwaite
Sleathwaite
Boothwaite
Greenthwaite
Mousthwaite
Wallthwaite
Allithwaite
Murthaite
Fusethwaite
Loanthwaite
Beanthwaite
Scathwaite
Smallthwaite
Laithwaite
Thwaites
Hallthwaites
Gillthwaiterigg
Scalthwaiterigg
Dowthwaitehead
Walthwaite
If you are a Lakeland rambler an interesting exercise is to see how many of these you can place. Where, for example, is Kirkthwaite? Obviously by a church but which one? And which wall is Wallthwaite named after - there are plenty to choose from!
The names which recur the most are Thwaite, Thornthwaite, Lowthwaite, Seathwaite, Heathwaite and Rosthwaite. The loveliest sounding is without doubt Burblethwaite whilst Ickenthwaite is the most intriguing.
There are more thwaites to be found on the 2½ inch maps and a glance at a few revealed Copthwaite, Lewthwaite, Yewthwaite, Burthwaite, Thwaitehouse and Grassthwaitehow. Perhaps some day I shall have a go at the 6 inch maps.”
(I never did!!!)
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