Derwent Lake is of an oblong form, about three miles in length and a mile and a half in breadth, extending southwards from the suburbs of Keswick to the vicinity of Lowdore waterfall . Its shores are indented in the most agreeable manner, and it appears to be entirely encircled with mountains, so that its scenery is of the most magnificent description, "and visitors are at a loss which to admire most, the broken rocky mountains of Borrowdale on the south, the smooth lines of Newlands on the west, or the towering Skiddaw, which closes the view to the north." Its surface is interspersed with five islands, the chief of which are Lord's Island, Vicar's Island, and St. Herbert's Island. Lord's Island contains about five acres, nearly covered with woods, and was once the property of the Derwentwater family, the ruins of whose mansion here still remain. This, and a smaller one called Ramp-sholm, were purchased in 1832, by John Marshall, Esq., of Leeds, from the Greenwich Hospital, to which institution they were given , together with the rest of the confiscated estates of James Ratcliffe, earl of Derwentwater, who derived his title from this lake which is comprehended in the parish of Crosthwaite.

The Derwentwater family were seated here from the reign of Edward I. Sir Nicholas Ratcliffe, of Dilston, in Northumberland, married the heiress of the family in the reign of king Henry VI. Francis, his descendant, was created by James II baron of Dilston, viscount Langley and Ratcliffe, and earl of Derwentwater. James, his son, by engaging in the rebellion of 1715, forfeited these titles together with his life and estate. Vicar's Island, containing about six acres, apparently received its name from its having formerly appertained to Fountains Abbey, in Yorkshire. At the dissolution of that religious house it was granted by Henry VIII to a John Williamson. It came into the hands of the Ponsonbies, of Hale, in later times, and afterwards of Mr. Pocklington, who sold it to General Peachy.

St. Herbert's Island, containing about four acres, is nearly in the centre of the lake, and has its name from St. Herbert, a priest and confessor, who, about the middle of the seventh century, made it his lonely abode, and who obtained his desire of departing this life on the same day and moment with St. Cuthbert, his bosom friend, in the yeare 688. Such was the veneration paid in after ages to this solitary abode of the hermit, that the anniversary of his death was celebrated here for several centuries, and the day dedicated to holy services, processions, and other religious ceremonies. The remains of his hermitage, both chapel and cell, are still visible.

Otter Isle, in a bay near the head of the lake, is very small, but commands some excellent views. Pieces of rocks, called Tripotholm and Lingholms stand above the surface. Besides these islets there is also an occasional one denominated the Floating Island, observed at intervals at the south-east corner of the lake, within one hundred and fifty yards of where the water is generally about six feet deep. It rises from the bottom of the lake to the surface, and still adhering by its sides to the adjacent earth, is never removed from its place. For a few inches in depth it is composed of a clayey layer in which the Littorella lacustris, the Lobelia dortmanna, Isoetes lacustris, and other plants common in this and all the neighbouring lakes, have fixed their roots; the rest is a congeries of decayed vegetable matter, forming a stratum of loose peat earth about six feet thick. The most probable cause of this phenomenon is "that air or gas is generated in the body of the island by the decomposition of the vegetable matter of which it is formed; and this gas being produced most copiously, as well as being more rarefied in hot weather, the earth at length becomes so much distended therewith, as to render the mass of less weight than an equal bulk of water. The water then insinuating itself between the substratum of clay and the peat earth forming the island bears it to the surface where it continues for a time, till partly by escape of the gas, partly by its absorption, and partly by its condensation, consequent on a decrease of heat, the volume is reduced, and the earth gradually sinks to its former level, where it remains till a sufficient accumulation of gas again renders it buoyant." It sometimes covers as much as half an acre, whilst at other times, only a few perches. It never rises higher than the surface of the lake, and generally continues only a few weeks, though in 1831 it continued from the tenth of June till the twenty-fourth of September, being the longest period ever remembered. In 1834 and 1835 it was above water only for a few weeks in each year, in August and September: it also appeared in 1837, 1842, 1846, and for about a week in August 1847.

Above Derwent township comprises the constablewicks of Braithwaite, Newlands, Portinscale and Thornthwaite, and its rateable value is about £3580. Braithwaite is a village at the lower end of Winlatter14, 2½ miles W. by N. of Keswick. It also contains the hamlets of Little Braithwaite and Porter How; the latter of which is 4½ miles N.W. of Keswick. The manor of Braithwaite and Coledale with Newlands and Portinscale, form what is now denominated the manor of Derwent Fells.

NEWLANDS chapelry contains the hamlet of Little Town and a few dispersed dwellings, about four miles S.W. of Keswick. Large quantities of ore have been found at Huithwaite lead mine, but it has not been wrought for some years. The ores got here were the sulphuret, or common galena, the white and brown carbonates, and occasionally the green phosphate of lead. Goldscap17 copper mine and Dale Head lead mine, after laying dormant for a number of years, are now worked by a company, lately established; and furnaces for separating the sulphur from the copper are being erected. The mountain called Hind Scar pushes its bold front with much grandeur into this vale, at the head of which is a quarry of roofing slate. The vale now becomes a dell, and the road a path. The lower parts are pastured with a motley herd; the middle tract is assumed by the flocks; the upper regions - to man inaccessible - are abandoned to the birds of Jove. It is not quite so bad now as it was then, for a carriage road has since been made from Keswick, through Newlands, to Buttermere.

The chapel of ease was rebuilt in 1843. It is a plain but neat building, with Norman windows, a small porch, and a bell turret, carrying two bells. In 1845 a stained east window was added by the inhabitants, both as a compliment to the incumbent and in commemoration of the rebuilding of the chapel. The average annual number of baptisms at the chapel is about eight. Portinscale has a neat village near the foot of Derwent lake, 1¼ mile N.W. of Keswick; and in its vicinity are the following pleasant villas, Derwent hill, Derwent bay, and Derwent bank, belonging to major-general Sir John Woodford, with a few other good dwellings. The Blucher hotel occupies a delightful situation in the village, at the lower end of the lake, and contains excellent accommodations. Attached to it are neat public gardens or pleasure grounds, and here is an interesting aviary, in which, amongst several other valuable birds, are two beautiful golden eagles - perhaps the only birds of the kind in the north of England; it also contains a very unique apiary. Boats are kept here for the convenience of visitors. The neighbouring heights command good views of the lakes of Derwent and Bassenthwaite, with all the sylvan and fertile country from Swineside to Skiddaw. Portinscale was formerly denominated the manor of Coledale.

ULLOCK is a small hamlet in this constablewick, 2½ miles N.W. of Keswick. Thornthwaite contains a small village on the Cockermouth new road, 3½ miles W.N.W. of Keswick. Thornthwaite chapel of ease has recently been constituted a district church, and dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The living was augmented at the same time on condition that the division of Braithwaite, containing a population of 280, should be annexed, and that the patronage should be vested conjointly in the incumbent of St. John's, Keswick, and the vicar of Crosthwaite - the latter of whom was previously patron of the chapelry. The district assigned to this church is titled Thornthwaite cum Braithwaite. Between Grange and Rosthwaite lies the famous Bowder stone, a huge piece of rock resembling a ship lying with her keel upwards; but historians are not precisely agreed as to whether it is an independent creation, or has been the appendage of a neighbouring mountain.

Watendlath is a range of rocky mountains, projecting over a deep glen, in which are two tarns, and the stupendous cascade of Lowdore. St. John's chapelry, which forms a joint township with Castlerigg and the chapelry of Wythburn, extends from two to five miles S.E. of Keswick, and comprises the two romantic and highly picturesque vales of St. John. The mountains of Naddle-Fell divide the two vales, and here stands the chapel of ease, dedicated to St. John - distant three miles E.S.E. of Keswick.

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In 1719 the curacy was augmented with £500, of which £200 was obtained from queen Anne's bounty, £200 given by Dr. Gasgarth, and the remainder by the inhabitants. It was returned by the ecclesiastical commissioners at £63, but is now worth about £70 per annum. The earl of Lonsdale and the landowners are patrons alternately, and the Rev. Edward Wilson is the incumbent, for whom the Rev. James Bush, jun., officiates. Near the chapel stands a public school, endowed with £5 a year, to which is added £21, the yearly subscription of five gentlemen. In the chapel yard is an excellent spring well, not unworthy of notice. The manor, being within that of Castlerigg, now belongs to the executors of the late John Marshall, Esq. Wanthwaite is a very narrow dell, hemmed in by mountains, through which runs a meandering brook - a branch of the river Greta. On the 22nd of August, 1749, there fell here such a water spout as in less than two hours deluged the whole valley many feet deep, sweeping away all the bridges, walls, houses, &c., and so effectually erasing the corn mill "that one of its stones has not been found to this day." A short distance from where the mill stood, an excavation was made in the side of the mountain "that would hold St Paul's." This remarkable fall of water was accompanied with the most terrible thunder and incessant lightning imaginable; and, what seems uncommon, "a buzzing noise, like that of a malt kiln, or the sound of the wind in the tops of trees," is said to have been heard "for two hours together before the clouds broke." In the widest part of the dale is a separate broken and rugged rock, called Green Crag, "which stands threatening the valley," and, to a distant observer, has the appearance of an ancient ruined castle, rising from the summit of a little mount. The vale, to the S.W. of Naddle-Fell, extends for some distance between the fell and Castlerigg, and is more verdant than the others, yet here too are many picturesque beauties. This chapelry also includes Legburthwaite, Fornside, Wanthwaite, and Burns. Dale Head Hall is the property of Thomas Leathes Stanger Leathes, Esq., who is lord of the manor of Legburthwaite, and the residence of the Revds. James Bushby, sen. and jun.

Castlerigg is a wild and rocky district, about 1¼ mile S.E. of Keswick, near the site of the ancient castle of the Derwentwater family.

Wythburn chapelry, and joint township with St. John, contains a small hamlet called "the City," near the head of Thirlmere lake, 8 miles S.S.E. of Keswick. The chapelry extends from 5 to 10 miles S. by E. of the same town, to the confines of Westmorland, where the boundaries of the two counties are marked by Dunmail Raise Stones. Mr. Pennant thus mentions these stones :- "On a high pass between the hills, observe a large cairn, called Dunmail Raise Stones, collected in memory of a defeat (A.D. 956) given to a petty king of Cumberland of that name, by Edward I, who, with the usual barbarity of the times, put out the eyes of his two sons, and gave his country to Malcolm, king of Scotland, on condition that he preserved in peace the northern parts of England."

The chapel of ease is a small humble edifice near "the City" and the high road, in the patronage of the vicar of Crosthwaite and incumbency of the Rev. Isaac Denton, for whom the Rev. James Bushby, sen., of Dale Head hall officiates. The curacy was augmented in 1742 and 1772 with £800; of which £200 was given by the dowager countess Gower, and the remaining £600 was obtained from queen Anne's bounty. This money was laid out in the purchase of lands in Crosthwaite, Great Salkeld, and Grasmere, "of the yearly value," says Hutchinson, "of £75;" but the living is now worth £82 per annum. Wythburn manor formerly belonged to the Braithwaites, of Warcop, till sold by them to Sir George Fletcher, of Hutton, with whose posterity it still remains. It is bounded on the north by St. John's and Castlerigg, by Borrowdale and Watendlath on the west, and by the towering Helvellyn on the east.