Bowness on Windermere

Way back in September last year we visited the Lake District in northern England, one of the places we went to is Bowness-on-Windermere. It was incredibly busy when we were there, in fact I think the locals have been complaining about the number of visitors that arrive there, some of them are a bit rowdy apparently.

We went there to see Windermere Jetty Museum which I think is fairly new. To be honest I wasn’t sure if it would be all that interesting, but we got in for half price with our Art Card so we decided to take a look. It turned out to be an interesting place to visit. These old wooden steam boats must have been the lap of luxury back in Edwardian times.

Unfortunately it was nigh on impossible to get photos with no random people also in the picture!

These old wooden boats are lovely to look at but must have been horrible to maintain.

Not all of the boats are high and dry though as you can see from the photo below there’s also a boat shed with various vessels on the lake.

There’s also this rather snazzy looking speed boat which neverthless must be quite old.

The boats below are record breaking speed boats.

One unexpected exhibit is Beatrix Potter’s boat, it’s quite primitive and basic but no doubt she enjoyed herself messing about in lakes or rivers.

Lake Windermere is quite picturesque. The Lake District is like a very miniature version of a tame Scotland. But don’t tell anyone that I said that!

https://flic.kr/p/2qUs69H

Back in September we had a few days away in the Lake District, and visited St Martin’s Church in Bowness on Windermere. While Jack was looking for Commonwealth war graves I had a walk around the outside of the church and when I got to the back of the church I found this lonely gravestone.

If you click on it you’ll be able to read it, anyway the inscription says:

In memory of Rasselas Belfield,

A native of Abyssinia,

who departed this life on the 16th Day of January 1822.

Aged 32 years.

A slave by birth I left my native land

And found my freedom on Britania’s Strand

Blest Isle! Thou glory of the Wise and Free!

Thy Touch alone unbinds the Chains of Slavery!

I suppose that there were people in the congregation who objected to a black man being buried in the church graveyard, and a compromise was sought resulting in poor Rasselas being buried on his own at the back of the church in a very gloomy dark spot, on his own.

I doubt if many people ever find his grave. My first reaction was surprise that he had been allowed to be laid to rest in the churchyard – swiftly followed by outrage at them sticking him out of sight of any others, for fear of the burial ground being contaminated presumably. Apparently there is also the gravestone of a slave trader in the same graveyard but no doubt he has a better location.

It seems that Rasselas was bought by an army officer who hailed from Bowness, and he became part of his household.

St Martin’s has unusual decoration on the walls, it seemed a bit Eastern in design, but beautiful.

Below is a photo of the side chapel.

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Tag Archives: Bowness on Windermere

Bowness-on-Windermere, The Jetty Museum. The Lake District

St Martin’s Church, Bowness on Windermere – ex slave’s gravestone