button to main menu  Old Cumbria Gazetteer
roman fort, Ravenglass
Glannoventa
Walls Castle
Ravenglass Roman Bath House
locality:-   Ravenglass
civil parish:-   Muncaster (formerly Cumberland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   roman fort
locality type:-   roman bath house
coordinates:-   SD08859580 (etc) 
1Km square:-   SD0895
10Km square:-   SD09

photograph
BMC10.jpg (taken 11.5.2006)  
photograph
BMC11.jpg (taken 11.5.2006)  
evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Cmd 82 11) 
placename:-  Walls Castle
source data:-   Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.
evidence:-   old map:- Donald 1774 (Cmd) 
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, 3x2 sheets, The County of Cumberland, scale about 1 inch to 1 mile, by Thomas Donald, engraved and published by Joseph Hodskinson, 29 Arundel Street, Strand, London, 1774.
image
D4SD09NE.jpg
"Castle in Ruins"
large building; a castle 
item:-  Carlisle Library : Map 2
Image © Carlisle Library
evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
source data:-   Photograph, b/w, Walls Castle, Ravenglass, Cumberland, by Herbert Bell, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s?
image  click to enlarge
HB0306.jpg
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS665
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
source data:-   Photograph, b/w, Walls Castle, Ravenglass, Cumberland, by Herbert Bell, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s?
image  click to enlarge
HB0307.jpg
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS666
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
source data:-   Photograph, b/w, Walls Castle, Ravenglas, Muncaster, Cumberland, by Herbert Bell, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s?
image  click to enlarge
HB0329.jpg
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS689
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
source data:-   Photograph, b/w, Walls Castle, Ravenglas, Muncaster, Cumberland, by Herbert Bell, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s?
image  click to enlarge
HB0330.jpg
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS690
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
source data:-   Photograph, b/w, Walls Castle, Ravenglas, Muncaster, Cumberland, by Herbert Bell, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s?
image  click to enlarge
HB0331.jpg
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS691
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old text:- Gents Mag
placename:-  Walls Castle
source data:-   Magazine, The Gentleman's Magazine or Monthly Intelligencer or Historical Chronicle, published by Edward Cave under the pseudonym Sylvanus Urban, and by other publishers, London, monthly from 1731 to 1922.
image G907A170, button  goto source
Gentleman's Magazine 1907 part 1 p.170  "..."
"Tradition says that the [Pennington] family at first took up its abode at a residence now known as Walls Castle, quite close to the ancient harbour of Ravenglass, then an important place. Walls Castle is in itself most interesting. For many years it was believed that it was merely a relic of medieval times. However, the Cumberland and Westmoreland Antiquarian Society took the matter up, and by a series of excavations in 1881 they proved beyond doubt that the ruins are those of Roman house. The walls still stand some fourteen feet high in places, so it is evident that the original Roman who built it could not have been of the tribe of Jerry with which we are so cursed to-day. ..."
evidence:-   textbook:- Rivet and Smith 1979
placename:-  Glannoventa
placename:-  Clanoventa
placename:-  Cantiventi
placename:-  Cantaventi
placename:-  Cantanenti
placename:-  Glannibanta
source data:-   The roman fort at Ravenglass, Muncaster, Cumberland. Part of the bathhouse remaining is called Walls Castle. 
evidence:-   site plan:- 
placename:-  Walls Castle
source data:-   Plan, uncoloured lithograph, Ground Plan of Walls Castle, Ravenglass, scale 5 feet to 1 inch, Muncaster, Cumberland, published by the Cumberland and Westmorland Archaeological and Antiquarian Society, 1878.
image  click to enlarge
PR1558.jpg
With an article by Canon Knowles and William Jackson. 
printed at bottom:-  "Ground plan of 'Walls Castle' / Ravenglass"
item:-  private collection : 237
Image © see bottom of page

photograph
BMC12.jpg (taken 11.5.2006)  
notes:-  
 The bath house is part of the roman fort at the end of the road from Brougham, via Ambleside and Hardknott, to Ravenglass.
Tradition has it that it is associated with King Arthur and King Eveling.

: 1928: Trans CWAAS: series 2 vol.28: pp.353-366
: 1958: Trans CWAAS: series 2 vol.58: pp.14-30
notes:-  
 roman bath house

Perriam, D R &Robinson, J: 1998: Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria: CWAAS:: ISBN 1 873124 23 6; plan
person:-    : English Heritage
button to lakes menu  Lakes Guides menu.