The valley is famous for the Gilpin family who were given the valley and much surrounding land after an act of bravery by a member of the court of King John. According to legend, around the time of the signing of the Magna Carta Richard de Gilpin, known as "Richard the Rider" accompanied the Baron of Kendal to Runnymeade as his secretary because the Baron himself was unable to read or write. After their return, Richard achieved renown for killing the Wild Boar of Westmorland a ferocious animal that had been terrorising the local villages. As a reward for his bravery, the Baron gave him the land in and around Kentmere, about 4,000 acres (16 km²), described as ""a breezy tract of pasture land"" by the French Chronicler Froissart. From this time onward, the Gilpin's crest included a sable boar on a gold background. Many areas near and surrounding Kentmere still sport the name of Gilpin given to them by descendants of this family.