PENRITH, an ancient market-town of the county of Cumberland, England, is situated at the foot of Penrith Fell, near the river Petterel, on the north, and the con fluence of the Eamont and the Lowther on the south. The houses are built of red stone, covered with blue slate ; and the more modern buildings are constructed with considerable elegance. The streets are by no means" regular. The town-house in the market-place is large, and the figures of bears climbing up a rugged staff re minds us of its antiquity. Wheat, barley, cattle, horses, &c. are sold in distinct parts of the town. The giant's grave in the church-yard, consists of two stone pillars 15 feet asunder, 1 12 feet high, and nearly 5 in circumference at the bottom, where they are morticed into round stones imbedded in the earth. The upper part is square, tapering to a point, and is ornamented with fretwork, the relievo of a cross, and the figures of some animals. These pil lars are thought to have been erected in memory of Ewein Cxsarius, a gigantic warrior, and great destroyer of bears, Nvho reigned in this country in the time of Ida, one of the Anglo Saxon kings. The giant's thumb is a single stone not far from the pillars, 5 feet 8 inches high, and antiquarians have not agreed about its object. The church is elegant, commodious, and spacious ; and its roof supported by pillars, whose shafts consist of an entire red stone, taken from a quarry in the neighbourhood. It is inclosed by a neat elliptical iron palisade about 4 feet 4 inches high. On a rising ground to the west are the ruins
of a castle, which seems to have been built in an oblong shape, and fortified with a deep fosse and walled rampart. Nothing remains but the arched vaults and outside walls, the fortress having been dismantled during the civil wars. Penrith was burned by the Scotch in the 18th Ed. III. and the following year. The plague nearly depopulated it in 1597, when 2260 died in a year and a half. The Scotch Highlanders were quartered in this town for a night, without doing much injury, on their way to Pres ton, in the rebellion of 1715 : but, in 1745, they acted with the violence of encodes. The population of Penrith, ac cording to the last census, is 5038 males, and 5896 fe males. The lower classes are chiefly employed in agri culture, the weaving of check, and hat-making. In 1820, the poor rates were nearly 3000/. ; but in consequence of the appointment of a select vestry, by the exertions of Mr. Shaw, churchwarden, and the adopting of great economy, they are now almost reduced to 1500/. A benefit society, public library, male and female free school, national school, and other benevolent institutions, receive support and encouragement. Penrith is 18 miles south of Car lisle, and 283 north-north-west of London. West Long. 2° 45'. North. Lat. 54° 40'. See Hutchinson's History of Cumberland.