The Bishop of Barf
On a rocky site at 700 ft and clearly visible from the Cockermouth to Keswick road, is the "Bishop of Barf", a white painted stone marking the spot where, according to local legend, the Bishop of Derry was killed falling from his horse in 1783, after drunkenly betting he could ride up the hill. Both the Bishop and his horse are said to be buried near a smaller stone, the Clerk, at the base of the hill. The stone was whitewashed each year by staff at the nearby Swan Hotel, until the Hotel was converted to apartments. The whitewashing is now carried out by members of Keswick Mountain Rescue.
The Bishop did briefly enjoy a splash of colour as the result of some cheeky chappies' escapades, though the new look was to be short lived as they were sent back up to re-paint it.
The Bishop stands about 7 ft high on the shortest side, while the Clerk is a much smaller conical stone.
Read more about this topic: Barf (Lake District)
Famous quotes containing the word bishop:
“The waiting room
was full of grown-up people,
arctics and overcoats,
lamps and magazines.”
—Elizabeth Bishop (1911–1979)