The museum holds an unusual reminder of a clever dog which saved its owner's life. In 1820, John Dodd, who ran a saddler's shop in Penrith's Market Square was driving his cart on the fells near Shap when mist began descending.
After a while his dog 'Rolla', which had been running alongside the cart suddenly darted in front of the pony causing it to come to a halt. The dog ignored Dodd's calls to get out of the way and he was forced to get down from his driving seat. It was just as well, for he found himself, his cart and the pony standing by the edge of a steep drop and only seconds from disaster.
Dodd decided to commemorate how his pet had saved his life in an unusual way. A cowrie shell was mounted in silver to make a snuff-box and the lid was engraved to show a likeness of his pointer dog, with his own, and Rolla's name, and the year in which the dog had come to his rescue.
