HISTORY OF RAVENGLASS

Ravenglass was part of the principality of Rheged until it was eventually absorbed into the larger Kingdom of Strathclyde, and was for hundreds of years was passed back and forth between the English and Scots Kings, often the local inhabitants were never sure whether they were English or Scots.

In the year 1208 AD an innovation of lasting importance to Ravenglass occurred. The granting by King John to Richard de Lucy Earl of Egremont a Charter for a Market at Ravenglasss on Saturdays and a yearly fair on the festival of St. James, August 5th. The fair became so big it was spread over 3 days by 1675 AD and included a horse race along the foreshore. The Fair eventually became a sports event known locally as St. Jam Races the last being held in 1900. Today the Charter Fair is again in existence thanks to the vicar Rev Malcolm Stonestreet who after a 95 year gap resurrected the Charter Fair with the help of a committee of local residents, though the fair is now held in the latter half of June.

Some of the buildings in the village have an interesting history. The Ship House and Bay House , both situated at the end of the Main Street, were once Inns frequented by smugglers. The Bay House lies on the left hand side of the road and was once the Bay Horse Inn. In the yard there was a blacksmiths shop wheelwrights. The most infamous owner of the Bay Horse was a William Wilson who in 1838 led the villagers on a raid of another village called Annside a few miles down the coast, with the assistance of the people of Whitebeck and Bootle. Wilson was struck by a well aimed club, and the people of Ravenglass withdrew to their ships. All this for the sake of some stones from the beach at Annside that he planned to sell in Liverpool.

The Ship Inn lay on the right of the main street, above the door you can see a, now empty frame, which once held the sign reading the Ship Inn. If you walk on to the beach you will see a mysterious flight of steps disappearing into a blank wall. You can imagine in the 1700's dark figures late at night climbing these steps carrying their booty of Rum or Brandy. Rumours abound that these two Inns were connected by an underground tunnel, where smugglers moved their contraband from Inn to Inn and hide from the Customs men.