Ponsonby, Cumberland

Historical Description

Ponsonby, a village and a parish in Cumberland, on the river Calder, 2½ miles from Sellafield railway station, and 4 SE by S of Egremont. Post town and money order and telegraph office, Calder Bridge. Acreage, 2422 of land and 25 of foreshore and water; population, 169. The manor was held at the Norman Conquest by the Ponsonbys, ancestors of the Earl of Bessborough, and, with Ponsonby Hall, belongs now to the Stanleys. The hall was built about 1786; contains many old curiosities brought from Dalegarth, and stands in a finely-wooded park, through which the river Calder flows, with picturesque features, and commanding extensive views. A Roman camp is at Ponsonby FelL The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Carlisle; gross value, £81 with residence. The church is ancient, has some old stained glass, consists of chancel, nave, a tower and spire, and contains monuments of the Stanleys. It was thoroughly restored in 1874.

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 Ponsonby from the following:

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

Land and Property

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

Maps

Online maps of Ponsonby 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)

Visitations Heraldic

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