ANCIENT VINEYARDS IN ENGLAND.
To TUX EDITOR 01 TIZ "BrEcrAToa.-] Sin—There seems reason to believe that in the Middle Ages vineyards were not confined to the South of England. Ancient field-names are known to bear a most tenacious life, and in the county of Westmoreland, where we are not com- monly supposed to have more than our fair share of sun- shine, there are two fields that still keep their old name of "The Vineyard." One is just without the borough of Kendal, the other is in the parish of Shap, within a few miles of that playground of the winds, Shap Summit. The last belonged to the Premonstratensiens of Simi) Abbey and the first to the Augustin Canons of Conisisead Priory, who had hard by their vineyard a hospital for the care and maintenance of lepers. Has the climate changed since then ? It would not be a promising venture to plant vines there now. I fear the wine was poor stuff at its best. Perhaps the good fathers drank it on days of penitence.—I am, Sir, Lc.,
Milne Lodge, Kendal, May 2nd. W. D. CEEWDSON.
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