The Editor of Camden (Bishop Gibson), speaking of huge stones found
together on the top of steep and high mountains, thought they might
possibly be the ruins of Churches or Chapels which had been built
there. "For," says he, "it was thought an extraordinary piece of
devotion, upon the planting of Christianity in these parts, to
erect crosses, and build chapels on the most eminent places, as
being both nearer heaven and more conspicuous: they were commonly
dedicated to St. Michael. That large tract of mountains on the east
side of the county (of Cumberland), called Cross-Fells, had the
name given them upon that account; for before, they were called
Fiends'-Fell, or Devil's Fell; and Dilston, a small town under
them, is contracted from Devil's-town."
Among the several monuments on the pavement in the cross-aisle in
Hexham Cathedral, is one ornamented with a crosier, and inscribed,
"Hic Jacet Thomas de Devilston."
The mountain, Cross-Fell, which is remarkable for the phenomenon
of the Helm-Cloud upon its summit, and the Helm-wind, as it is
called, generated within it, which is sometimes productive of such
destructive effects in the valleys below, is said to have been
formerly designated Fiends'-Fell, from the common belief that evil
spirits had their haunt upon it; until St. Augustine, to whom and
his forty followers, when travelling on their missionary labours in
these parts, a legendary tradition ascribes the expulsion of the
demons of the storms, erected a _Cross_, and built an altar on the
summit, where he offered the holy eucharist, and thus was supposed
to have counter-charmed the demons. Since that time it has borne
the name of Cross-Fell; and the people of the neighbourhood style a
heap of stones lying there, the Altar upon Cross-Fell.
The common saying, "Its brewing a storm," or "A storm is brewing,"
is one of the many phrases in which we only repeat the thought of
our primeval Scandinavian ancestors; amongst whom the beverage
quaffed in the halls of Valhalla, the drink of the Gods, was
conceived to be a product of the storm, and had more or less
identity with the Cloud-Water. In Germany, the mists that gather
about the mountain tops before a storm are said to be accounted for
in like manner, as if they were steam from the brewing or boiling
in which dwarfs, elves, or witches were engaged. Such modes of
expression, according to the dictionary of the brothers Grimm, are
of extreme antiquity.
Some such ideas seem to have been popularly associated with that
enormous cloud, which is often seen, like a helmet, to cover the
summit of Cross-Fell, and in which the Helm-Wind is generated.
In speaking of the Helm-Wind, it may be necessary to premise that
Cross-Fell is one continued ridge, stretching without any branches,
or even subject mountains, except two or three conical hills called
Pikes, from the N.N.W. to the S.S.E., from the neighbourhood of
Gilsland almost to Kirkby-Stephen, that is about forty miles.
Its direction is nearly in a right line, and the height of its
different parts not very unequal; but is in general such, that some
of its more eminent parts are exceeded in altitude by few hills in
Britain, being 2901 feet above the level of the sea. The slope to
the summit from the east is gradual, and extends over perhaps fifty
miles of country; whilst on the west it is abrupt, and has at five
miles from its base the river Eden running parallel to the mountain.
Upon the upper part of this lofty ridge, there often rests, in dry
and sunny weather, a prodigious wreath of clouds, extending from
three or four to sixteen or eighteen miles each way, north and
south, from the highest point; it is at times above the mountain,
sometimes it rests upon its top, but most frequently descends a
considerable way down its side. This mighty collection of vapour,
from which so much commotion issues, exhibits an appearance
uncommonly grand and solemn; and is named from a Saxon word, which
in our language implies a covering, the Helm. The western front of
this enormous cloud is clearly defined, and quite separated from
any other cloud on that side. Opposite to this, and at a variable
distance towards the west, and at the same elevation, is another
cloud with its eastern edge as clearly defined as the Helm; this
is called the Bar or Bur. It is said to have the appearance of
being in continual motion, as if boiling, or at least agitated by a
violent wind.
The distance between the Helm and the Bar varies as the Bar
advances towards, or recedes from, the Helm; this is sometimes
not more than half a mile, sometimes three or four miles, and
occasionally the Bar seems to coincide with the western horizon; or
it disperses and there is no Bar, and then there is a general east
wind extending over all the country westward.
The description of this remarkable phenomenon, the Helm-Wind,
we will give from observations made by the Rev. John Watson, of
Cumrew, and others. The places most subject to it are Milburn,
Kirkland, Ousby, Melmerby, and Gamblesby. Sometimes when the
atmosphere is quite settled, hardly a cloud to be seen, and not
a breath of wind stirring, a small cloud appears on the summit
of the mountain, and extends itself to the north and south; the
Helm is then said to be on, and in a few minutes the wind is
blowing so violently as to break down trees, overthrow stacks,
occasionally blow a person from his horse, or overturn a horse and
cart. When the wind blows, the Helm seems violently agitated; and
on descending the fell and entering it, there is not much wind.
Sometimes a Helm forms and goes off without a wind; and there are
easterly winds without a Helm. The open space between the Helm and
Bar varies from eight or ten to thirty or forty miles in length,
and from half a mile to four or six miles in breadth; it is of an
elliptical form, as the Helm and Bar are united at the ends. A
representation of the Helm, Bar, and space between, may be made by
opening the forefinger and thumb of each hand, and placing their
tips to each other; the thumbs will then represent the Helm on the
top of the fell, the forefingers the Bar, and the space between,
the variable limits of the wind.
The open space is clear of clouds with the exception of small
pieces breaking off now and then from the Helm, and either
disappearing or being driven rapidly over the Bar; but through
this open space is often seen a high stratum of clouds quite at
rest. Within the space described the wind blows continually; it has
been known to do so for nine days together, the Bar advancing or
receding to different distances. When heard or felt for the first
time it does not seem so very extraordinary; but when heard or felt
for days together, it gives a strong impression of sublimity. Its
sound is peculiar, and when once known is easily distinguished from
that of ordinary winds; it cannot be heard more than three or four
miles, but in the wind or near it, it is grand and awful, and has
been compared to the noise made by the sea in a violent storm.
Its first effect on the spirits is exhilarating, and it gives a
buoyancy to the body. The country subject to it is very healthy,
but it does great injury to vegetation by beating grain, grass, and
leaves of trees, till quite black.
It may further be remarked of this wind, that it is very irregular,
rarely occurring in the summer months, and more frequent from the
end of September to May. It generally blows from Cross-Fell longest
in the spring, when the sun has somewhat warmed the earth beneath,
and does not cease till it has effectually cooled it; thus it
sometimes continues, according to Mr. Ritson, for a fortnight or
three weeks, which he considers a peculiarity of the Helm wind of
Cross-Fell. The wind itself is very chill, and is almost always
terminated by a rain, which restores, or to which succeeds, a
general warmth, and into which the Helm seems to resolve itself.
The best explanation of this very interesting and remarkable
phenomenon is given in the following observations of Dr. T. Barnes
of Carlisle.
The air or wind from the east ascends the gradual slope of the
eastern side of the Penine chain or Cross-Fell range of mountains,
to the summit of Cross-Fell, where it enters the Helm or cap, and
is cooled to a low temperature; it then rushes forcibly down the
abrupt declivity of the western side of the mountain into the
valley beneath, in consequence of the valley being of a warmer
temperature, and this constitutes the Helm wind.
The sudden and violent rushing of the wind down the ravines and
crevices of the mountains occasions the loud noise that is heard.
At a varying distance from the base of the mountain the Helm wind
is rarified by the warmth of the low ground, and meets with the
wind from the west, which resists its further course. The higher
temperature it has acquired in the valley, and the meeting of the
contrary current, occasion it to rebound and ascend into the upper
region of the atmosphere. When the air or wind has reached the
height of the Helm, it is again cooled to the low temperature of
this cold region, and is consequently unable to support the same
quantity of vapour it had in the valley; the water or moisture
contained in the air, is therefore condensed by the cold, and forms
the cloud called the Helm-Bar.
The meeting of the opposing currents beneath,--where there are
frequently strong gusts of wind from all quarters, and the sudden
condensation of the air and moisture in the Bar-cloud, give rise
to its agitation or commotion, as if "struggling with contrary
blasts." The Bar is therefore not the cause of the limit of the
Helm wind, but is the consequence of it. It is absurd to suppose
that the Bar, which is a light cloud, can impede or resist the
Helm wind; but if it even possessed a sufficient resisting power,
it could have no influence on the wind which is blowing near the
surface of the earth, and which might pass under the Bar.
The variable distance of the Bar from the Helm is owing to the
changing situation of the opposing and conflicting currents, and
the difference of temperature of different parts of the low ground
near the base of the mountain.
When there is a break or opening in the Bar, the wind is said to
rush through with great violence, and to extend over the country.
Here again, the effect is mistaken for the cause. In this case,
the Helm-Wind, which blows always from the east, has, in some
places underneath the observed opening, overcome the resistance
of the air, or of the wind from the west, and of course does not
rebound and ascend into the higher regions to form the Bar. The
supply being cut off, a break or opening in that part of the Bar
necessarily takes place.
When the temperature of the lower region has fallen and become
nearly uniform with that of the mountain range, the Helm wind
ceases; the Bar and the Helm approach and join each other, and rain
not unfrequently follows.
When the Helm-Wind has overcome all the resistance of the lower
atmosphere, or of the opposing current from the west, and the
temperature of the valley and of the mountain is more nearly
equalized, there is no rebound or ascent of the wind, consequently
the Bar ceases to be formed, the one already existing is
dissipated, and a general east wind prevails.
There is little wind in the Helm-cloud, because the air is colder
in it than in the valley, and the moisture which the air contains
is more condensed and is deposited in the cloud upon the summit of
the mountain.
There is rarely either a Helm, Helm-wind, or Bar, during the
summer, on account of the higher temperature of the summit of the
Cross-Fell range, and the upper regions of the atmosphere, at that
season of the year.
The different situations of the Helm, on the side, on the summit,
and above the mountain, will depend on the temperature of these
places: when the summit is not cold enough to condense the vapour,
the Helm is situated higher in a colder region, and will descend
down the side of the mountains if the temperature be sufficiently
low to produce that effect.
The sky is clear between the Helm and Bar, because the air below
is warmer and can support a greater quantity of vapour rising from
the surface of the earth, and this vapour is driven forward by the
Helm-Wind, and ascends up in the rebound to the Bar. In short,
the Helm is merely a cloud or cap upon the mountain, the cold air
descends from the Helm to the valley, and constitutes the Helm
Wind, and when warmed and rarified in the valley, ascends and forms
the Bar.