The Square, Pooley Bridge - 01768 486 135 pbtic@lakedistrictestates.co.uk

Matterdale is a parish that runs the length of a peaceful valley from the main Penrith to keswick road to Ullswater...famous for Wordsworth's daffodils.

'I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills

When all at once I saw a crowd

a host of golden daffodils,

Beside the lake, beneath the trees

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.'

A dale of scattered farms and cottages, with at one end lying the hamlet of Matterdale End, and at the other the attractive village of Dockray. Happily it is known exactly where and when Wordsworth had this lovely vision, and also who it was who gave him eyes to see it, and helped him to interpret it. It was his sister Dorothy. On April 15 1802, the two were staying with Thomas Clarkson at Eusemere, near Pooley Bridge. As we know from Dorothy's entry in her Journal for that day, after their midday meal they set off to walk along th western side of the lake. When they had passed round the foot of the lake they rested awhile in a boathouse. They rested again about two miles further on, in Watermillock Lane. Having passed Gowbarrow Park and entered the wood beyond, approaching Lyulph's Tower they saw a few daffodils and fancied the lake had floated the seeds ashore, so close were the flowers to the water. "But," says Dorothy; "As we went along there were more and yet more, and at last under the boughs of the trees we saw that there was a long belt of them along the shore, about the breadth of a country turnpike road. I never saw daffodils so beautiful. They grew among the mossy stones about and above them, some rested their heads upon these stones as on a pillow, for weariness, and the rest tossed and reeled and danced and seemed as if they verily laughed with the wind, they looked so gay, ever glancing ever changing"

Matterdale church was built in 1685, though it replaces the original smaller church first licensed in 1573...and today is a typical Cumbrian building of greystone walls, low pitched slate roof,ancient beams, and small oblong nave windows. Simple and dignified, it was once a chapel of Greystoke, and inside it is light and homely. The sandstone font stands in an old square singing seat and has had some odd adventures. It was turned out of Greystoke church more than 200 years ago and was used as a cheese press at a hamlet along the road. It was put up in this churchyard as a sundial before it found its way into the church.

The Royal Hotel in Dockray, built in the 16th century is famous in its own right for it is said that Mary, Queen of Scots stayed here, and also William and Dorothy Wordsworth.

The famous huntsman, Joe Bowman, was born at Matterdale in 1850. 'Auld Hunty', as Joe was commonly called, has been immortalized in a famous hunting son written by Dr Walker who lived at Southport.