Thomas West (priest)

Thomas West
Thomas West
Born	1720; Sizergh Castle, Westmorland
Known for	Antiquarian, author

Thomas West (1720 – 10 July 1779) was a

antiquary and author, significant in being one of the first to write about the attractions of the Lake District. Partly through his book, A Guide to the Lakes, the Romantic

vision of the scenery and wilderness of the north of England took hold, ushering in a period of continued tourism in the Lakes.

Life

West was born in

Catholic priest.^[1] He visited Europe, and received at least some of his education there, specialising in various branches of natural philosophy.^[2] He returned to Britain in his later life, moving to Furness in 1774 and residing at the seventeenth century Tytup Hall.^[1] West dedicated his remaining years to learning and writing about the area's landscape and history, publishing The Antiquities of Furness in 1774. He then embarked on his magnum opus, his Guide to the Lakes.^[1]

A Guide to the Lakes

West had travelled widely throughout continental Europe, and after accompanying various parties visiting the lakes, decided to write a detailed account of the scenery and landscape.

Uvedale Price and William Wordsworth.^[7]^[8] West's book was the beginning of the era of 'true tourism' in the Lake District.^[4] It followed on from Dr John Brown's assessment in 1753 that the 'perfection' of the area rested on 'Beauty, horror and immensity', and challenged Daniel Defoe's interpretation of it in 1698 as the 'wildest, the most barren and frightful' place he had ever seen.^[9] Despite criticism and satirical spoofs of both the prose of the guides and the attitudes of the tourists they attracted to the Lakes from the likes of Thomas Rowlandson and William Combe,^[7] the book ran to seven editions before the turn of the century.^[8]

It was to be West's last work. He collected material for the second edition, but died a year after the book was first published, on 10 July 1779 at

Strickland family chapel, at Kendal Parish Church.^[2]

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c Lindop. A Literary Guide to the Lake District. p. 220.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d West. A Guide to the Lakes. pp. IX–X.
^ West. A Guide to the Lakes. p. 2.
^ ^a ^b "Development of tourism in the Lake District National Park". Lake District UK. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
^ "Understanding the National Park – Viewing Stations". Lake District National Park Authority. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
^ Gilroy. Romantic Geographies. p. 73.
^ ^a ^b Dimbleby. A Picture of Britain. p. 32.
^ ^a ^b Spiegelman. Majestic Indolence. p. 189.
^ Dimbleby. A Picture of Britain. p. 31.