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Bela, River
runs into:-    Kent Estuary

civil parish:-   Beetham (formerly Westmorland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   river
1Km square:-   SD5079 (etc) 
10Km square:-   SD57
10Km square:-   SD57


photograph
BPY96.jpg  Downstream of Hang Bridge.
(taken 30.1.2008)  
photograph
BVT89.jpg  At Beetham, after a few wet days.
(taken 6.1.2012)  

evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Wmd 46 3) 
placename:-  Beetha, River
placename:-  Belah, River
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.
"River Belah / Ordinary Spring Tides flow to this point"
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.
"River Beetha"
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.
"River Beetha"

evidence:-   old map:- Bowen and Kitchin 1760
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, A New Map of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland Divided into their Respective Wards, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Emanuel Bowen and Thomas Kitchin et al, published by T Bowles, Robert Sayer, and John Bowles, London, 1760.
image
BO18SD37.jpg
double line with stream lines, river mouth, into the Kent Estuary 
item:-  Armitt Library : 2008.14.10
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old map:- Jefferys 1770 (Wmd) 
placename:-  Beelo River
source data:-   Map, 4 sheets, The County of Westmoreland, scale 1 inch to 1 mile, surveyed 1768, and engraved and published by Thomas Jefferys, London, 1770.
image
J5SD58NW.jpg
image
J5SD58SW.jpg
image
J5SD57NW.jpg
"Beelo River"
image
J5SD48SE.jpg
single or double wiggly line; river 
item:-  National Library of Scotland : EME.s.47
Images © National Library of Scotland

evidence:-   old map:- West 1784 map
placename:-  Beela River
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, A Map of the Lakes in Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, engraved by Paas, 53 Holborn, London, about 1784.
image
Ws02SD47.jpg
image
Ws02SD57.jpg
item:-  Armitt Library : A1221.1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old text:- Camden 1789 (Gough Additions) 
placename:-  Byth Water
placename:-  Betham, River
source data:-   Book, Britannia, or A Chorographical Description of the Flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by William Camden, 1586, translated from the 1607 Latin edition by Richard Gough, published London, 1789.
image CAM2P153, button  goto source
Page 153:-  "..."
"... "... By Bytham runneth Byth water, a pretty river." Below at the mouth of the river Betham is Milthorp, ..."

evidence:-   old map:- Cary 1789 (edn 1805) 
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Westmoreland, scale about 2.5 miles to 1 inch, by John Cary, London, 1789; edition 1805.
image
CY24SD48.jpg
river running into the Kent Estuary 
item:-  JandMN : 129
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   road book:- Cary 1798 (2nd edn 1802) 
placename:-  Beloo, River
source data:-   Road book, itineraries, Cary's New Itinerary, by John Cary, 181 Strand, London, 2nd edn 1802.
image CY38p315, button  goto source
image  click to enlarge
C38315.jpg
page 315-316  "Cross the Beloo River."
item:-  JandMN : 228.1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old text:- Capper 1808
placename:-  Betha, River
source data:-   Gazetteer, A Topographical Dictionary of the United Kingdom, compiled by Benjamin Pitts Capper, published by Richard Phillips, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, London, 1808; published 1808-29.
image CAP135, button  goto source
"[Milnthorpe] ... on the river Betha, which soon after joins the Ker near its mouth, and over which is a handsome stone bridge. In the neighbourhood are 2 paper mills. ..."

evidence:-   old map:- Cooper 1808
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Westmoreland ie Westmorland, scale about 9 miles to 1 inch, by H Cooper, 1808, published by R Phillips, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, London, 1808.
image  click to enlarge
COP4.jpg
tapering wiggly line; river; county boundary 
item:-  Dove Cottage : 2007.38.53
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   descriptive text:- Otley 1823 (5th edn 1834) 
placename:-  Belo, River
source data:-   Guide book, A Concise Description of the English Lakes, the mountains in their vicinity, and the roads by which they may be visited, with remarks on the mineralogy and geology of the district, by Jonathan Otley, published by the author, Keswick, Cumberland now Cumbria, by J Richardson, London, and by Arthur Foster, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, 1823; published 1823-49, latterly as the Descriptive Guide to the English Lakes.
image OT01P041, button  goto source
Page 41:-  "The Kent ... enters the sea near Milnthorp, where it is joined by the Belo."

evidence:-   old map:- Garnett 1850s-60s H
placename:-  Beetha, River
source data:-   Map of the English Lakes, in Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, 1850s-60s.
image
GAR2SD58.jpg
"Beetha R."
wiggly line, river 
item:-  JandMN : 82.1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old map:- Postlethwaite 1877 (3rd edn 1913) 
placename:-  Peetha, River
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Map of the Lake District Mining Field, Westmorland, Cumberland, Lancashire, scale about 5 miles to 1 inch, by John Postlethwaite, published by W H Moss and Sons, 13 Lowther Street, Whitehaven, Cumberland, 1877 edn 1913.
image
PST2SD58.jpg
"River Peetha"
wiggly line, running into Kent Estuary 
item:-  JandMN : 162.2
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old map:- LMS 1920s maps
placename:-  Beela, River
source data:-   Railway map, lithograph, 23 pages of strip maps, The Journey in Brief, the Route London to Carlisle, published by the London Midland and Scottish Railway, LMS, 1920s.
image  click to enlarge
LS3p25.jpg
"R. Beela"
item:-  JandMN : 95.2
Image © see bottom of page


photograph
BYG99.jpg  At Milnthorpe,
(taken 30.4.2013)  
photograph
BYU22.jpg  Down from Milnthorpe Bridge,
(taken 11.7.2013)  
photograph
BYU23.jpg  Up from Milnthorpe Bridge,
(taken 11.7.2013)  

places:-  
SD49697968 Beetham Bridge (Beetham)
SD49647996 Bela Falls (Beetham)
SD49628112 Bela Mill (Milnthorpe)
SD48648146 Bela Viaduct (Beetham / Milnthorpe) gone
SD49078119 Dallam Wheel (Beetham / Milnthorpe)
SD51218015 Hang Bridge (Beetham)
SD49637998 Heron Corn Mill and Museum of Papermaking (Beetham) L
SD496799 hydroelectric scheme, Beetham (Beetham)
SD59169110 Killington Reservoir (Killington)
SD48928132 Milnthorpe Bridge bridge L
SD49458131 Milnthorpe Mill (Milnthorpe)
SD49338141 Old Bridge, Milnthorpe (Milnthorpe) L
SD51438086 railway bridge, Beetham (3) (Beetham)
SD50407975 stepping stones, Beetham (Beetham)
SD49717989 Waterhouse Mills (Beetham)
SD49288140 port, Milnthorpe (Milnthorpe)
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