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“In the time of the first Robert de Clifford, in the year 1333 or 1334, Edward Baliol king of Scotland came into Westmoreland, and stayed some time with the said Robert at his castles of Appleby, Brougham, and Pendragon. And during that time they ran a stag by a single greyhound out of Whinfell Park to Redkirk, in Scotland, and back again to this place; where, being both spent, the stag leaped over the pales, but died on the other side; and the greyhound, attempting to leap, fell, and died on the contrary side. In memory of this fact the stag’s horns were nailed upon a tree just by, and (the dog being named Hercules) this rhythm was made upon them:‘Hercules killed Hart a greese, And Hart a greese killed Hercules.’
The tree to this day bears the name of Hart’s-horn Tree. The horns in process of time were almost grown over by the growth of the tree, and another pair was put up in their place.”–“Nicholson and Burns’s History of Westmoreland and Cumberland.”The tree has now disappeared, but I well remember its imposing appearance as it stood, in a decayed state, by the side of the highroad leading from Penrith to Appleby. This whole neighbourhood abounds in interesting traditions and vestiges of antiquity, viz. Julian’s Bower; Brougham and Penrith Castles; Penrith Beacon, and the curious remains in Penrith Churchyard; Arthur’s Round Table, and, close by, Maybrough; the excavation, called the Giant’s Cave, on the banks of the Emont; Long Meg and her Daughters, near Eden, etc.