The Shepherd of Skiddaw Forest

The mother of all modern democracies would, understandably, be claimed by the English nation, with its Parliament, later to expand beyond its boundaries to join with Scotland, forming the British Parliamentary system. At the heart of that is the fundamental right to vote(although I accept that never arrived for women until after the suffrage movement in 1916-1917.) Did every man have that right, or at least that ability to influence the direction of his nation?

One article I came across was 6th September 1890 edition of the Westmorland Gazette which suggests that was not always the case, and that came about purely by the practicalities of location. I attach the article as a point of Lakeland history:

THE SHEPHERD OF SKIDDAW FOREST.

CONSTITUTIONAL NUT TO CRACK.

The remote township of Skiddaw, in Cumberland, is the scene of constitutional struggle. In Skiddaw there is no church, no post office, no police station, and indeed no population save the solitary occupant of the only house of which the township boasts. It is by and on behalf of this individual that the struggle with the State is being carried on. He is the shepherd of what is known as Skiddaw Forest, although the term used to designate a region that is destitute of anything that may be called a tree. Being neither a pauper, a criminal, nor lunatic, living in his tenement continuously, and at peace with himself, he claims the right of a British citizen to exercise the franchise. It is here that the difficulty has arisen. There are no overseers of Skiddaw to make out a voters' list, and, further, there is no place of worship or public building whereon to post it. Overseers of adjoining townships decline to meddle in the matter and the result is deadlock. In ordinary circumstances a refusal to pay taxes would probably elicit from some quarter or another an ingenious solution of the difficulty. But unfortunately the rates appear to be paid by the landlord's agent to the Cockermouth Union, so that our luckless shepherd makes no direct payment that might be withheld. In the old days had he been possessed of resources, not to say local influence with himself, he might possibly have bribed himself, voted for himself, and unanimously lent himself to sit in Parliament for Skiddaw. But this royal road was long ago closed for repairs, and has never been re-opened. Under these circumstances, it is not easy to see what the shepherd of Skiddaw Forest is to do. If he were to get himself appointed as local census clerk, to count himself next April, his house, where this operation would be conducted, might perhaps by a stretch be called a populous place within the meaning of the Act. But even then there would be no overseer to post his name upon it, and he would have to remain without the privilege and dignity of the franchise unless he could be made an overseer as well. It is to be feared that the noble British Constitution has been framed in ignorance of the needs of Skiddaw. 

This of course was the remote shooting lodge of Lord Lechonfield, which would contain his gamekeeper for the area and the keeper's family.

Skiddaw Forest with the wood at centre left containing the secluded Skiddaw House.

It is believed this voting anomaly continued until corrected by the Keswick Revision Court on Tuesday 2nd September 1930 when it was corrected, certainly for local government voting.