John Covel and Jingling Pot

langcliffe

Well-known member
I have found a quotation in Cultures of Natural History attributed to John Covell (1638-1722) which refers to Jingling Pot in Kingsdale, saying that he was:

"particularly pleased with Gingling Cove and Reeking Cove near Ingleton, which outdoe Oakey Hole in Somersetshire, and all the wonders of the Peak".

The name "Gingling Cove" was also used by Thomas Dixon in his A Description of the Environs of Ingleborough of 1781.

Does anybody know the source of the quotation? I suspect that it have been from a published diary, but I have been unable to track anything down.
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Can't help directly Langcliffe, sorry.

Only reason for posting is to ask if you're certain this is Kingsdale - and not Jingle Pot (Chapel-le-Dale) also very near Ingleton? That was often on the tourist circuit in those days.

Is his "Oakey" Hole actually what we know as Wookey Hole?
 

langcliffe

Well-known member
Pitlamp said:
Can't help directly Langcliffe, sorry.

Only reason for posting is to ask if you're certain this is Kingsdale - and not Jingle Pot (Chapel-le-Dale) also very near Ingleton? That was often on the tourist circuit in those days.

Is his "Oakey" Hole actually what we know as Wookey Hole?

Thank you for the response.

I did consider the other "Jingling". The reason why I think that it's Jingling Pot, Kingsdale is that Thomas Dixon also referred to it as "Gingling Cove" in 1781, when he describes it as being next to "Routing Chasm".

The first decent description of Jingling I have found is in John Hutton's fourth version of his Tour of the Caves, published in 1784 in John West "Guide to the Lakes".

Yes - "Oakey hole" is Wookey, and I think that I can safely say that we all agree with Covel that Jingling is much better than Wookey Hole, and that it also outdoes anything to be found in the Peak.  :)
 

langcliffe

Well-known member
Speleofish said:
Reeking Cove? If he's talking about spectacular surface features, would this be Alum Pot or Gaping Gill?

I cannot think of anywhere today that has a similar name, in which case a more obvious candidate is Weathercote Cave, which was described by Pocock in 1750 (probably 50 years later than Covel?) as "one of the most extraordinary and surprizing scenes I have ever beheld". Weathercote Cave really did become part of the tourist trail, and was visited by Wordsworth and Ruskin, and painted by Turner.
 

mikem

Well-known member
Stephen Craven did an item about him in CPC record 110 & tried to contact the author of the chapter you mention:
https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/opinion/opinion_letters/10450967.do-you-know-doctor/
 

mikem

Well-known member
Christ College in Cambridge might be a good place to start:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Covel

Could it be Rowten (Rotten) Pot?
 

langcliffe

Well-known member
mikem said:
Stephen Craven did an item about him in CPC record 110 & tried to contact the author of the chapter you mention:
https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/opinion/opinion_letters/10450967.do-you-know-doctor/

Thanks - I had missed that (and I wrote the article that proceeds it!). If Stephen couldn't track it down, I won't stand a chance.
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Open potholes were common rubbish dumping sites - one can imagine that they might end up quite smelly, possibly explaining the "Reeking Cove" name. Hurtle Pot in particular was used, being conveniently located next to the road at low level just outside a hamlet.

But - I agree, surely "near Routing Chasm" must refer to Jingling Pot in Kingsdale.

This is all quite fascinating Langcliffe; keep up the good work!  (y)
 

mikem

Well-known member
Reeking seems to have been used in the past for rising smoke or condensation, so could be anywhere, including Rowten:
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/903/old/whtco10.txt

In fact Thomas Dixon's description does mention the stream dropping in & it had various versions of the name:
A considered description appears in Balderstone's 1890 Ingleton, Bygone and Present, where it was variously given the names of Rowantree Gulf, Rowting Hole, and Rowton Holes. Balderstone also claims to have explored down the gully to a depth of 30 metres (98 ft).
http://www.lakesguides.co.uk/html/lgaz/lk09868.htm
 

mikem

Well-known member
Rowten was certainly awe inspiring to early explorers:
https://www.yrc.org.uk/journal-and-image-archive/journal-selector/yrc-journal-1902-vol-1-no-4/rowten-pot-gragreth/

Good article on Hutton's tour:
http://www.croydoncavingclub.org.uk/node/461
 

langcliffe

Well-known member
mikem said:
A considered description appears in Balderstone's 1890 Ingleton, Bygone and Present, where it was variously given the names of Rowantree Gulf, Rowting Hole, and Rowton Holes. Balderstone also claims to have explored down the gully to a depth of 30 metres (98 ft).

Nothing like having my own words quoted back at me!
 
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