Skip to main content

Cumbria: Local History Resources

 Cumbria is a rural county in England’s North West region, with its northern border meeting Scotland. Down the west side of the county, the coastline meets the Irish Sea.

Cities And Towns In Cumbria

The cathedral city of Carlisle, which gained its city status back in 1158, is the only city in the county of Cumbria.

The following towns and market towns are found in Cumbria:

  • Alston
  • Ambleside
  • Appleby-in-Westmorland
  • Aspatria
  • Barrow-in-Furness
  • Brampton
  • Broughton-in-Furness
  • Carlisle
  • Cleator Moor
  • Cockermouth
  • Dalton-in-Furness
  • Egremont
  • Grange-over-Sands
  • Harrington
  • Kendal
  • Keswick
  • Kirkby Lonsdale
  • Kirkby Stephen
  • Longtown
  • Maryport
  • Millom
  • Penrith
  • Sedbergh
  • Silloth
  • Ulverston
  • Whitehaven
  • Wigton
  • Windermere
  • Workington

Facebook Groups: Cumbrian History

Swythamley Historical Society

“Swythamley Historical Society has a goal to promote interest in the history of Swythamley and the surrounding communities. We do this by organising talks and walks and researching local history topics. The research has led us to give our own talks too.”

Penrith Old Photos

Described as “a page for old photos of the town please feel free to add your photos.”

Barrow-in-Furness In Old Photos

Set up for everyone to “see photos and comments on Barrow-in-Furness in old photos”.

Cumbrian Societies And Resources

A lot of the national resources also include information and evidence about Cumbria, which you’ll find on a separate page because there are so many.

The groups and resources specific to Cumbria which could help your family and local history studies include:

  • Alston Moor Historical Society
  • Ambleside & District U3A
  • Ambleside Oral History Group
  • Appleby-in-Westmorland Society
  • Asby History Group
  • Askam & Ireleth Local History Group
  • Bampton & District Local History Soc
  • Barrow Civic & Local History Society
  • Caldbeck & District Local History Society
  • Carlisle History Group
  • Cartmel Fell & District Local History Society
  • Cartmel Peninsula Local History Society
  • Cockermouth Heritage Group
  • Crosby Ravensworth LH Society
  • Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society
  • Cumbria Amenity Trust Mining History Society
  • Cumbria Family History Society
  • Cumbria Industrial History Society
  • Cumbria Local History Federation
  • Cumbrian Railways Association
  • Cumbria Vernacular Buildings Group
  • CWAAS Carlisle Affiliated Group
  • CWAAS Penrith Affiliated Group
  • Dalton Local History Society
  • Distington Family & Local History Society
  • Duddon Valley Local History Group
  • Friends of Cumbrian Archives (FOCAS)
  • Friends of Helena Thompson Museum
  • Friends of Keswick Museum
  • Furness Family History Society
  • Hesket Local History Group
  • History of Kirkby Group
  • Holme & District Local History Society
  • Kendal Historical & Archaeological Society (CWAAS)
  • Kirkby Lonsdale & District Civic Society 
  • Kendal Oral History Group
  • Kirkoswald & Renwick History Group
  • Lamplugh and District Heritage Society
  • Lazonby & District Local History Society
  • Levens Local History Group
  • Long Marton Local History Group
  • Longtown Memorial Hall Community Centre
  • Lorton & Derwent Fells Local History Society
  • Lowther and Askham History and Archaeological Society
  • Maryport Heritage Society
  • Millom & District Local History Society
  • Morecambe Bay Archaeological Society
  • Morecambe Bay Partnership
  • Orton & Tebay Local History Society
  • Mourholme Local History Society (for Carnforth, Warton & Silverdale)
  • Newland Furnace Trust
  • North Lonsdale History Society
  • Open Mind (WestlakesU3A) member of Cumbria Local History Federation
  • Orton & Tebay Local History Society
  • Papcastle Local History Group
  • Ravenstonedale Parish History Group
  • Recording Morecambe Bay
  • Sedbergh & District History Society
  • Shap Local History Society
  • Solway History Society
  • South West Cumbria History & Archaeology Society (CWAAS)
  • Staveley & District History Society
  • Ulverston & District Civic Society
  • Upper Eden History Society
  • Waberthwaite History Group
  • Warwick Bridge Local History Group
  • Wordsworth Trust

You’ll notice some of the resources actually relate to Lancahsire, but the proximity of the two counties means there is sometimes some overlap in the information they provide.

Labels:
Location: Cumbria, UK

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Old Images of Spokane, Washington: Vintage Photos and Archive Film

Glimpse history through old images of  Spokane , Washington. Spokane  in 1902 Panorama of Spokane, Washington, taken sometime around 1902. With thanks to the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Closeup of two extracts from the panorama of Spokane, Washington, taken sometime around 1902. With thanks to the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Closeup of two extracts from the panorama of  Spokane , Washington, taken sometime around 1902. With thanks to the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Spokane ’s Davenport Restaurant Spokane ’s Davenport Restaurant was an internationally renowned venue which offered popular Sunday afternoon tea dances. Old photo of the Davenport Restaurant in Spokane, Washington, taken around 1908. With thanks to the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Closeup of an extract of the old photo of the Davenport Restaurant in  Spokane , Washington, taken around 1908. With thanks to the...
Post a Comment
Read more

The History of Manchester, New Hampshire and the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company

  The story of Manchester, New Hampshire, is the definitive narrative of the American Industrial Revolution. It is a chronicle that spans centuries, transforming a vital Indigenous fishing ground into a planned corporate utopia that housed the world's largest textile empire, before navigating a devastating collapse and emerging as a modern high-tech hub. At the absolute center of this transformation was the Merrimack River, the Amoskeag Falls, and a corporate behemoth known as the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. Manchester, New Hampshire, composed from sketches taken near Rock Raymond by J.B. Bachelder, 1855. 1. Ancient Waters and Colonial Beginnings (Pre-1810) Long before brick mills lined the Merrimack River, the geography of modern-day Manchester was shaped by the Amoskeag Falls . Dropping approximately 55 feet over a short distance, the roaring rapids created a massive natural barrier for migrating fish—and an invaluable resource for human inhabitants. Walking along the street ...
Post a Comment
Read more

10 Historical Facts That Shaped North Conway, New Hampshire

  Nestled dramatically beneath the sheer granite cliffs of Cathedral Ledge in Carroll County, North Conway, New Hampshire , is famous as a premier gateway to the White Mountains. Unlike a standalone municipality, North Conway is a distinct major village legally contained within the broader township of Conway. Its evolution from a fertile Abenaki riverfront valley into a haven for 19th-century fine artists and a pioneer of American winter sports represents one of the most successful resort transitions in New England. Old photo of the skimobile up Cranmore Mountain, North Conway, NH - circa 1940   Part of the Original 1765 Royal Charter: North Conway’s municipal history began on October 1, 1765 , when colonial Governor Benning Wentworth issued a formal royal charter establishing the township of Conway. Named directly to honor Henry Seymour Conway—a prominent British statesman and military commander who championed colonial interests in Parliament—the grant required early pioneer...
Post a Comment
Read more