Irton, Santon, and Melthwaite, Cumberland

Historical Description

Irton, Santon, and Melthwaite, a township and a parish in Cumberland. The township lies on the river Irt, 3 miles ENE of Drigg, and 3½ S from Wastwater, and has a station at Irton Road on the Ravenglass and Eskdale railway. Post town and money order and telegraph office, Holm Rook. The parish includes the hamlets of Holm Rook and Hall Santon. Acreage, 6180, of which 53 are water; population, 524. The manor has belonged since before the Conquest to the Irton family. Irton Hall is an ancient mansion with a square tower, and stands on an eminence commanding a fine view. Much of the land is hilly, and part is mountainous. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Carlisle; net value, £176 with residence. The church is a modern edifice on the site of an ancient one, has an embattled tower, and contains a carved oak pulpit, monuments to the Irton family, and a monument to Vice-Admiral Hodgson. An ancient stone cross about 10 feet high is in the churchyard. There is a Wesleyan chapel at Santon Bridge.

Administration

The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.

Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.

Civil Registration

For general information about Civil Registration (births, marriages and deaths) see the Civil Registration page.

Directories & Gazetteers

We have transcribed the entry for Irton, Santon, and Melthwaite from the following:

• Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Irton (St. Paul))

Land and Property

The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Cumberland is available to browse.

Maps

Online maps of Irton, Santon, and Melthwaite 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

Visitations Heraldic

The Visitation of Cumberland, 1615 is available on the Heraldry page.