Boundary Stone On Site Of Three Shire Stones

The boundary stone, dated 1816, is located on the site of the Three Shire Stones. Although it was carved in 1816, it was not positioned until around 1860. This stone was erected as a memorial to William Field (1770-1860) of Cartmel, who served as Bridge-master and High Constable and originally commissioned the work. The stone is a single rough-dressed pillar, rectangular in shape and approximately 6 feet high. The north face features the initials "W.F. 1816," while the south side displays "LANCASHIRE," both in raised Roman capitals. Field intended this stone to serve as a more prominent marker indicating the location of the Three Shire Stones, which marked the meeting point of Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire to the north of the sands. The original Three Shire Stones, noted on Saxton's 1610 map of Westmorland, have since disappeared; they were each about 1 foot high and arranged in a triangle approximately 1 foot apart, with each stone representing a different county.