| Cumberland | |
|---|---|
| Historic county | |
.jpg)   | |
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| Area | |
| • 1831 | 969,490 acres (3,923.4 km2)1831 Census cited inVision of Britain – Ancient county data |
| • 1911 | 973,086 acres (3,937.94 km2) |
| • 1961 | 973,146 acres (3,938.18 km2) |
| Population | |
| • 1911 | 265,746 Vision of Britain –Cumberland population (density andarea) |
| • 1961 | 294,303 |
| Density | |
| • 1911 | 0.27/acre (0.67/ha) |
| • 1961 | 0.3/acre (0.74/ha) |
| History | |
| • Origin | Historic |
| • Created | 12th Century |
| Status |
|
| Chapman code | CUL |
| Government | Cumberland County Council (1889–1974) |
| • HQ | Carlisle |
 Arms of Cumberland County Council | |
| Subdivisions | |
| • Type | Wards |
| • Units | |
 | |
Cumberland (/ˈkʌmbərlənd/KUM-bər-lənd) is an area ofNorth West England which washistorically a county. The county was bordered byNorthumberland to the north-east,County Durham to the east,Westmorland to the south-east,Lancashire to the south, and theScottish counties ofDumfriesshire andRoxburghshire to the north. The county included the city ofCarlisle, part of theLake District andNorth Pennines, and theSolway Firth coastline.
Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974, when it was subsumed intoCumbria withWestmorland as well as parts ofYorkshire andLancashire. It gives its name to theunitary authority area ofCumberland, which has similar boundaries but excludesPenrith.
In theEarly Middle Ages, Cumbria was part of theKingdom of Strathclyde in theHen Ogledd, or "Old North", and its people spoke aBrittonic language now calledCumbric. The first record of the termCumberland appears in AD 945, when theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle recorded that the area was ceded toMalcolm I,king of Alba (Scotland), by KingEdmund I of England. As withCymru, the nativeWelsh name forWales, the namesCumberland andCumbria are derived fromkombroges inCommon Brittonic, which originally meant 'compatriots'.[1][2]
At the time of theDomesday Book (AD 1086) most of the future county was part of Scotland, although some villages aroundMillom, which were the possessions of theEarl of Northumbria, had been incorporated intoYorkshire.[3]
In AD 1092, KingWilliam Rufus of England invaded the Carlisle district, settling it with colonists. He created an Earldom of Carlisle, and granted the territory toRanulf le Meschin. In 1133, Carlisle was made thesee ofa new diocese, largely identical with the area of the earldom. However, on the death of KingHenry I of England in 1135, the area was regained by KingDavid I of Scotland. He was able to consolidate his power and made Carlisle one of his chief seats of government, while England descended into a lengthycivil war. The Cumbric language is believed to have become extinct in the 12th century.[4]
The area returned to the English crown in 1157, whenHenry II of England took possession of the area (fromMalcolm IV of Scotland). Henry II formed two new counties from the former earldom:Westmorland and Carliol – originally an abbreviation of theLatinCarlioliensis '[bishop] of Carlisle'. Westmorland also included areas formerly part of theEarldom of Lancaster. The lead- and silver-mining area ofAlston, previously associated with theLiberty of Tynedale was later also added to the new county of Carliol for financial reasons.[5] By 1177, Carliol had become known as Cumberland.[6] The border between England and Scotland was made permanent by theTreaty of York in 1237.
The population of Cumberland in the 1841 census was 178,038.[7]
The boundaries formed in the 12th century were not changed substantially over the county's existence. There are four English historic counties and two Scottish counties that it borders:Northumberland andCounty Durham to the east;Westmorland to the south, theFurness part ofLancashire to the southwest;Dumfriesshire to the north andRoxburghshire to the northeast.
To the west the county is bounded by theSolway Firth and theIrish Sea. The northern boundary is formed by theSolway Estuary and the border with Scotland running east to Scotch Knowe at Kershope Burn. The boundary runs south from Scotch Knowe along theCheviot Hills, then followed a tributary of theRiver Irthing and crossed Denton Fell to theRiver Tees. From Tees Head the boundary crosses thePennines to descend Crowdundale Beck, from where it followed therivers Eden andEamont to the centre ofUllswater. The line follows Glencoin Beck to the top ofHelvellyn ridge atWrynose Pass and along theRiver Duddon (nearMillom) to the sea .
The highest point of the county isScafell Pike, at 3,208 feet (978 m), the highest mountain in England.Carlisle is thecounty town.
The Earldom of Carlisle was partitioned into baronies. When the County of Cumberland was created, the baronies were subdivided aswards, acounty sub-division also used inDurham,Northumberland andWestmorland. These originated as military subdivisions used to organise the male inhabitants for the county's defence from Scottish troop incursions.[8]
Each ward was composed of a number of parishes, areas originally formed for ecclesiastical administration. In common with other northern England counties, manyancient parishes in Cumberland were very large, often consisting of a number of distinct townships and hamlets. Many of these ancient parishes eventually becamecivil parishes and form the lowest level of local government.
| Parishes[9] | Notes |
|---|---|
| Arlecdon | |
| Beckermet St John | Included part of township of Calder & Beckermet or Calderbridge |
| Beckermet St Bridget | Included townships ofEnnerdale & Kinniside, Eskdale & Wasdale |
| Bootle | |
| Brigham | Included townships ofBlindbothel,Buttermere,Cockermouth,Eaglesfield,Embleton,Greysouthen, Mosser, Setmurthey, Whinfell |
| Cleator | |
| Corney | |
| Crosthwaite (part) | Included township ofBorrowdale |
| Dean | |
| Drigg and Carlton | |
| Egremont | |
| Gosforth | Included township of Bolton |
| Haile | |
| Harrington | |
| Irton with Santon | Included township of Santon & Murthwaite |
| Lamplugh | Included townships of Kelton & Winder, Murton |
| Lorton | Included townships of Brackenthwaite, Wythop |
| Loweswater | |
| Millom | Included hamlet of Birker with Austhwaite, township of Ulpha |
| Moresby | Included township of Parton |
| Muncaster | |
| Ponsonby | Included part of township of Calder & Beckermet or Calderbridge |
| St Bees | Include townships of Hensingham, Lowside Quarter, Netherwasdale, Preston Quarter, Rottington, Sandwith, Wheddicarr,Whitehaven |
| Waberthwaite | |
| Whicham | |
| Whitbeck | |
| Workington | Included townships of Great Clifton, Little Clifton, Stainburn, Winscales |
| Parishes[9] | Notes |
|---|---|
| Allhallows | |
| Aspatria | Including townships of Hayton & Mealo, Oughterside & Allerby |
| Bassenthwaite | |
| Bolton | Including townships of Bolton Gate, Bolton Wood & Quarry Hill, Bolton Lowside, Isel Old Park, Sunderland |
| Bridekirk | Including townships of Dovenby, Great Broughton, Little Broughton |
| Bromfield (part) | Including townships ofAllonby, Langrigg & Mealrigg,Papcastle, Tallentire, Westnewton |
| Caldbeck (part) | |
| Camerton | Including township of Seaton |
| Crosscanonby | Including townships of Birkby & Canonby, Blennerhasset & Kirkland, Crosby, Maryport |
| Crosthwaite (part) | Included townships of Castlerigg St John's & Wythburn,Keswick, Ribton, Underskiddaw |
| Dearham | Including township of Ellenborough & Ewanrigg |
| Flimby | |
| Gilcrux | |
| Holme Cultram | Including townships of Abbey Quarter (or Holme Abbey), Holme East Waver Quarter, Holme St Cuthbert's Quarter, Holme Low Quarter |
| Ireby | Including townships of High Ireby, Low Ireby |
| Isel | Including township of Blindcrake and Redmain |
| Plumbland | |
| Torpenhow | Including townships ofBewaldeth and Snittlegarth, Bothel & Thrupland |
| Uldale | |
| West Ward |
| Parishes[9] | Notes |
|---|---|
| Arthuret | Included townships of Braconhill, Lineside,Longtown, Netherby |
| Bewcastle | |
| Brampton | |
| Castle Carrock | |
| Crosby | High & Low |
| Cumrew | Outside and Inside |
| Cumwhitton | Included township of Northsceugh |
| East Farlam | |
| Hayton | Included townships of Little Crosby, Fenton & Faugh, Talkin |
| Irthington | Included townships ofKingwater,Laversdale, Newby, Newtown |
| Kingmoor (hamlet) | Extra-parochial liberty belonging to the Corporation of Carlisle |
| Kirkandrews upon Esk | Included townships of Kirkandrews Moat, Kirkandrews Nether Quarter, Kirkandrews Upper Quarter,Nichol Forest |
| Kirklinton | Included townships ofHethersgill,Westlinton (or Levington) |
| Lanercost | Included townships of Askerton, Burtholme & Banks, Lineside |
| Nether Denton | |
| Scaleby | East and West |
| Stanwix | |
| Stapleton | Included townships of Belbank, Solport Quarter, Trough |
| Upper Denton | |
| Walton | High and Low |
| West Farlam |
| Parishes[9] | Notes |
|---|---|
| Addingham | Included townships ofGamblesby,Glassonby,Hunsonby &Winskill |
| Ainstable and Rushcroft | |
| Alston with Garrigill | Included theChapelry ofGarrigill |
| Caldbeck (part) | Township ofMosedale |
| Carlisle, St Mary's (part) | Township of Middlesceugh & Braithwaite |
| Castle Sowerby | |
| Croglin | |
| Dacre | |
| Edenhall | Included township ofLangwathby |
| Great Salkeld | |
| Greystoke | Included townships of Berrier & Murrah, Bowscale,Hutton John,Hutton Roof, Hutton Soil,Matterdale,Mungrisdale,Threlkeld,Watermillock |
| Hesket in the Forest | |
| Hutton in the Forest | |
| Kirkland | Included townships ofCulgaith, Kirkland &Blencarn |
| Kirkoswald | Included township ofStaffield |
| Lazonby | Included township ofPlumpton Wall |
| Melmerby | |
| Newton Reigny | Included township ofCatterlen |
| Ousby | |
| Penrith | |
| Renwick | |
| Skirwith |
Cumberland Ward includedCarlisle andWigton as well as parts ofInglewood Forest. Theparish ofStanwix just to the north ofCarlisle was partly in both Eskdale and Cumberland wards.
| Parishes[9] | Notes |
|---|---|
| Aikton | |
| Beaumont | |
| Bowness | Included townships of Anthorn, Drumburg, Fingland |
| Bromfield (part) | Included townships of Blencogo, Dundraw |
| Burgh by Sands | |
| Carlisle, St Mary's (part)* | Townships of Caldewgate Quarter, Cummersdale Quarter,Wreay |
| Carlisle St Mary Within* | Included township of Rickergate Quarter |
| Carlisle St Cuthbert's Within* | |
| Carlisle St Cuthbert's Without* | |
| Dalston | |
| Eaglesfield Abbey* | |
| Grinsdale | |
| Kirkandrews upon Eden | |
| Kirkbampton | |
| Kirkbride | |
| Orton | Included township of Baldwinholme |
| Rockcliffe | |
| Sebergham | Low and High Quarters |
| Thursby | |
| Warwick | |
| Wetheral | |
| Wigton | Included townships of Oulton Water, Waverton High & Low, Woodside Quarter |
* Parts or all of these parishes and townships constituted the City of Carlisle, and were largely outside the jurisdiction of Cumberland Ward.
During the 19th century a series of reforms reshaped the local government of the county, creating a system of districts with directly elected councils.
The first changes concerned the administration of thepoor law, which was carried at parish level. ThePoor Law Amendment Act 1834 provided for the grouping of parishes intopoor law unions, each with a centralworkhouse and an electedboard of guardians. Cumberland was divided into nine unions: Alston with Garrigill, Bootle, Brampton, Carlisle, Cockermouth, Longtown, Penrith, Whitehaven and Wigton.
In the following year theMunicipal Corporations Act 1835 was passed, reforming boroughs and cities inEngland and Wales asmunicipal boroughs with a uniform constitution. The corporation of the City of Carlisle was accordingly remodelled with a popularly elected council consisting of a mayor, aldermen and councillors.
Outside of municipal boroughs, there was no effective local government until the 1840s. In response to poor sanitary conditions and outbreaks ofcholera, thePublic Health Act 1848 (11 & 12 Vict. c. 63) and theLocal Government Act 1858 allowed for the formation oflocal boards of health in populous areas. Local boards were responsibleinter alia for water supply, drainage, sewerage, paving and cleansing. Eleven local boards were initially formed at Brampton, Cleator Moor, Cockermouth, Egremont, Holme Cultram, Keswick, Maryport, Millom, Penrith, Whitehaven, Wigton and Workington.
Further reform under thePublic Health Act 1875 (38 & 39 Vict. c. 55) saw the creation ofsanitary districts throughout England and Wales. The existing municipal boroughs and local boards became "urban sanitary districts", while "rural sanitary districts" were formed from the remaining areas of the poor law unions.
Three more local boards were formed: Arlecdon and Frizington in 1882, Harrington in 1891 and Aspatria in 1892. In addition Workington and Whitehaven received charters of incorporation to become municipal boroughs in 1883 and 1894 respectively.
In 1889, under theLocal Government Act 1888, theCumberland County Council was created as thecounty council for Cumberland, taking over administrative functions from the Court ofQuarter Sessions. TheLocal Government Act 1894 reconstituted the existing sanitary districts asurban districts andrural districts, each with an elected council.
The Act of 1888 also allowed any municipal borough with a population of 50,000 people or more to become a "county borough", independent of county council control. In 1914, Carlisle successfully applied for this status, ceasing to form part of theadministrative county, although remaining within Cumberland for the purposes such asLieutenancy andshrievalty.
TheLocal Government Act 1929 imposed the duty on county councils of reviewing the districts within their administrative county so as to form more efficient units of local government. In general, this meant the merging of small or lightly populated areas into larger units. A review was carried in Cumberland in 1934. The following table lists the urban and rural districts before and after the changes.
| District 1894–1934 | District 1934–1974 |
|---|---|
| Alston with Garrigill RD | |
| Arlecdon & Frizington UD | Part of Ennerdale RD |
| Aspatria UD | Absorbed by Wigton RD |
| Bootle RD | Part of Millom RD |
| Brampton RD | Part of Border RD |
| Carlisle RD | Part of Border RD |
| Cleator Moor UD | Part of Ennerdale RD |
| Cockermouth RD | |
| Cockermouth UD | |
| Egremont UD | Part of Ennerdale RD |
| Harrington UD | Absorbed by Workington MB |
| Holme Cultram UD | Absorbed by Wigton RD |
| Keswick UD | |
| Longtown RD | Part of Border RD |
| Maryport UD | |
| Penrith RD | |
| Penrith UD | |
| Whitehaven RD | Part of Ennerdale RD |
The distribution of population in 1971 was as follows:1971 Census; Small Area Statistics
| District | Population |
|---|---|
| County Borough of Carlisle | 71,580 |
| Cockermouth Urban District | 6,366 |
| Keswick Urban District | 5,184 |
| Maryport Urban District | 11,612 |
| Penrith Urban District | 11,308 |
| Municipal Borough of Whitehaven | 26,721 |
| Municipal Borough of Workington | 28,431 |
| Alston with Garrigill Rural District | 1,917 |
| Border Rural District | 29,267 |
| Cockermouth Rural District | 21,520 |
| Ennerdale Rural District | 30,983 |
| Millom Rural District | 14,088 |
| Penrith Rural District | 11,380 |
| Wigton Rural District | 21,830 |
In 1974, under theLocal Government Act 1972, the administrative county and county borough were abolished and their former area was combined withWestmorland and parts ofLancashire and theWest Riding of Yorkshire to form the new county ofCumbria. The area from Cumberland went on to form the districts ofCarlisle,Allerdale,Copeland and part ofEden.[10]
The name continues in use as a geographical and cultural term, and it survives inCumberland sausages;HMSCumberland; the Cumberland Fell Runners Club; the Cumberland Athletics Club; and various organisations and companies, such as the local newspapersThe Cumberland News, andThe West Cumberland Times and Star, and theCumberland Building Society. It is also mentioned inMacbeth as the kingdom given to Prince Malcolm, and is also the initial setting for theGeoffrey Trease historical novelCue for Treason.
In June 1994, during the1990s UK local government reform, the Local Government Commission published draft recommendations, suggesting as one option a North Cumbriaunitary authority (also includingAppleby, the historic county town of Westmorland). It also suggested that Cumberland could be reinstated as an independentceremonial county. The final recommendations, published in October 1994, did not include such recommendations, apparently due to lack of expression of support for the proposal to the commission.
TheGrass-of-Parnassus was thecounty flower. It had been associated with the county since 1951, when it was included in thecoat of arms granted to the Cumberland County Council. It subsequently featured in the arms granted to Cumbria County Council andCopeland Borough Council, in both cases to represent Cumberland. The flower was also attributed to Cumbria in 2002 as part of a nationalCounty flowers of the United Kingdom campaign by the charityPlantlife. In 2012, a flag based on the arms of the former Cumberland County Council was registered as theflag of Cumberland with theFlag Institute.
In 2013, theSecretary of State for Communities and Local Government,Eric Pickles, formally recognised and acknowledged the continued existence of England's 39 historic counties, including Cumberland.[11][12][13]
In 2021, it was announced that on 1 April 2023 local government in Cumbria would be reorganised into twounitary authorities, one of which isCumberland and includes most of the historic county, with the exception ofPenrith and the surrounding area.[14] The new authority covers 77% of the area and 90% of the population of the historic county.
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| National | |
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