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The Battle of Annaside is a well-known piece of Ravenglass folklore. It took place on 18 August 1838, and the title of this page is the headline from the Cumberland Pacquet of 21 August (exclamation mark and all). Their article is given below, shorn of a few wordy Victorian flourishes ... The Wilson referred to is the landlord of the Bay Horse (or rather, as other sources indicate, William Wilson, son of the ageing owner of the inn, Samuel Wilson). "On Saturday last, early in the morning, a most sanguinary conflict took place at Annaside, near Bootle, between the inhabitants of that hitherto peaceful village and the crews of three vessels, assisted by a number of persons from Ravenglass, under the command of a leader named Wilson, who is an innkeeper in the latter place, and who, like 'the hot-brained Buckingham' seems to glory in a battle." ... "The conflict above alluded to, however, arose from an attempt made by the sailors of three vessels and their companions attempting to load their ships with stones from the beach, which the inhabitants of Annaside were determined to prevent for reasons which they very properly assigned. It appears that in consequence of the frequent removal of stones along the coast the sea has of late years made great irruptions, and destroyed and washed away considerable property; on account of which new roads have been to cut at considerable expence of the parish. These have also been destroyed by the sea, and others have been made to supply their places. All this, we are informed, has arisen in consequence of the continual practice which has long prevailed of removing the stones which formed a kind of natural barrier to the ocean; or, at least, in a great measure protected the land from being encroached upon by the sea. Matters had gone on in this way for a length of time, till the inhabitants of Annaside began to think that they had tolerated the encroachment long enough, particularly as they were becoming heavy sufferers through their own neglect. They therefore at once determined upon asserting their rights and defending their property against all such intrusions in future." ... "In spite of repeated remonstrances and cautions from persons having land adjoining the coast, Wilson, the Bonniface of a village inn, and the leader of the forces against the inabitants of Annaside, had been accustomed to load vessels bound for Runcorn or Liverpool, totally regardless of the injury that he was doing by persevering in such a practice; and what was worse, on his part, he treated with great insolence and contempt the expostulations and reasonings of those whom he was injuring by his conduct, thus, as it were, adding insult to injury. Having removed all the stones from a part called Stub Place, Wilson attempted, on Friday last, to load three vessels from the beach at Annaside. The inhabitants............