Crosthwaite, Cumberland
Historical Description
Crosthwaite, an ecclesiastical parish in Cumberland, in the basin of the Derwent river. It adjoins Keswick, which is the post town. The population is 2239. The ancient civil parish of Crosthwaite measured 10 miles by 8, and included Keswick and several other townships. The district around Crosthwaite is very beautiful and forms a prominent part, in extent, variety, and richness, of the Lake country, Copper and lead ores with plumbago are found. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Carlisle; net value, £291 with residence. Patron, the Bishop of Carlisle. The old church stands three-quarters of a mile N of Keswick; is an ancient edifice, with centre and side aisles; and has a hexagonal figured font, a brass of Sir John Ratcliffe, the ancestor of the Earls of Derwentwater, and a beautiful marble monument of the poet Southey, and a handsome reredos made in part by the members of the Keswick School of Industrial Art, and also a mosaic pavement in honour of St Kentigern. The first founder of the church was St Mungo, alias St Kentigern, circa 553. There are Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist,, and Congregational chapels, and a meeting-room for Plymouth Brethren, an endowed grammar school, and several charities-See KESWICK.
Administration
The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.
Ancient County | Cumberland | |
Ecclesiastical parish | Crosthwaite St. Kentigern | |
Poor Law union | Cockermouth | |
Ward | Allerdale below Derwent |
Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.
Directories & Gazetteers
We have transcribed the entry for Crosthwaite from the following:
- Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Crosthwaite (St. Kentigern))
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Cumberland is available to browse.
Maps
Online maps of Crosthwaite are available from a number of sites:
- Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- Google Streetview.
- National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
- OpenStreetMap.
- old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
- Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)
Villages, Hamlets, &c
Briery CottagesMill Beck
Newlands
Portingscale
St John in the Vale
Swinside (Crosthwaite)
Underskiddaw
Wythburn
Visitations Heraldic
The Visitation of Cumberland, 1615 is available on the Heraldry page.