 In 1745, John Egerton, later Bishop of Durham, started taking friends on boat trips down the valley from the rectory at Ross.The area became more widely known following the publication of works by the poet Thomas Gray, and, in particular, "Observations on the River Wye" by the Reverend William Gilpin, published in 1782.The first illustrated tour guide to be published in Britain, it helped travellers locate and enjoy the most "Picturesque" aspects of the countryside.