Barony of Westmorland
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The Barony of Westmorland (medieval Westmarieland or Westmaringaland) also known as North Westmorland, the Barony of Appleby, Appleshire or the Bottom of Westmorland, was one of two
baronies Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
making up the English historical county of
Westmorland Westmorland (, formerly also spelt ''Westmoreland'';R. Wilkinson The British Isles, Sheet The British IslesVision of Britain/ref> is a historic county in North West England spanning the southern Lake District and the northern Dales. It had an ...
, the other being the
Barony of Kendal The Barony of Kendal is a subdivision of the English Historic counties of England, historic county of Westmorland. It is one of two ancient barony (county division), baronies that make up the county, the other being the Barony of Westmorland (al ...
. Geographically, the barony covered the northern part of the larger county of the same name, and was divided into two
ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
s – East Ward and West Ward. It covered an area similar to that of the
Eden District Eden is a local government district in Cumbria, England, based at Penrith Town Hall in Penrith. It is named after the River Eden, which flows north through the district toward Carlisle. Its population of 49,777 at the 2001 census, increased ...
of the new county of
Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumb ...
, although it did not include Penrith, which is now the administrative capital of the district. While the Barony of Westmorland is part of the historic County of Westmorland, the latter covers a wider area. To avoid confusion, the barony has often been known by alternative names, including North Westmorland and names based on its largest town, Appleby, including the Barony of Appleby and Appleshire. It was also referred to as the Bottom of Westmorland because it is mostly made up of the low ground of the valley of the River Eden, surrounded by hills and mountains. The barony has survived in various forms into modern times, but originated as a
feudal barony A feudal baron is a vassal holding a heritable fief called a ''barony'', comprising a specific portion of land, granted by an overlord in return for allegiance and service. Following the end of European feudalism, feudal baronies have largely been ...
, granted in 1203 or 1204 to Robert I de Vipont (or Vieuxpont, or Veteripont), for the service of four
knight's fee In feudal Anglo-Norman England and Ireland, a knight's fee was a unit measure of land deemed sufficient to support a knight. Of necessity, it would not only provide sustenance for himself, his family, and servants, but also the means to furnish him ...
s. Earlier, in the 12th century, the lands from which the barony of Appleby were formed were controlled by the feudal baron of
Burgh-by-Sands Burgh by Sands () is a village and civil parish in the City of Carlisle district of Cumbria, England, situated near the Solway Firth. The parish includes the village of Burgh by Sands along with Longburgh, Dykesfield, Boustead Hill, Moorhous ...
, Cumberland, of which the first recorded holder was Robert de Trevers, in the time of
Henry I of England Henry I (c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts. On William's death in ...
(1100–1135).Sanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin & Descent 1086-1327, Oxford, 1960. pp.103-4, Appleby, pp23-24, Burgh-by_Sands. The county named Westmorland thus formed out of two feudal barony, including one with the same name, in several steps in the generations after the English permanently captured this territory in competition with Scotland. At first it appears that the "Barons" of Kendal were actually tenants of the lord who possessed north Westmorland at the time. But
King Richard I of England Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and was overl ...
, on 15 April 1190, acquitted the then Baron of Kendal, Gilbert fitz Reinfrid, of his dues to northern Westmorland. According to J.F. Curwen:
By these grants of the same date Gilbert fitz Roger fitz Reinfrid was endowed with full baronial status throughout Kentdale and the outlying members, including the manor of Morland and a considerable part of Barton. His service to the crown for the same being definitely fixed at the service of two knights. Thus the Barony of Appleby was created some thirteen years after the Barony of Kentdale.
As mentioned above, it was 13 years later in 1203 that the barony of Westmorland was granted for 4 knight's fees. The division of Westmorland into two administrative wards, east and west, was much later, and as in other parts of England, large parishes split into smaller one over time also. However a rough list of old parishes corresponding to the two wards is as follows: *East Ward: Appleby, Asby, Brough under Stainmore,
Crosby Garrett Crosby Garrett is a hamlet and civil parish in the Eden District of Cumbria, England. It was formerly in the county of Westmorland. In the 2011 census Crosby Garrett was grouped with Waitby to give a total of 195. The place-name 'Crosby Garret ...
,
Dufton Dufton is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, England. Historically part of Westmorland, it lies in the Eden Valley and below Great Dun Fell. It is mostly around 180m above sea level. At the 2001 census the parish had a population of 169, ...
,
Kirkby Stephen Kirkby Stephen () is a market town and civil parish in Cumbria, North West England. Historically part of Westmorland, it lies on the A685, surrounded by sparsely populated hill country, about from the nearest larger towns: Kendal and Penrith. ...
,
Kirkby Thore Kirkby Thore is a small village and civil parish in Cumbria, England (), in the historic county of Westmorland. It is close to the Lake District national park and the Cumbrian Pennines. It includes the areas of Bridge End, in the southwest by t ...
,
Long Marton Long Marton is a village and civil parish in the Eden District of the English county of Cumbria. In 2011 the population was 827. The village previously had a railway station called Long Marton railway station which closed in 1970. Within the p ...
,
Great Musgrave Great Musgrave is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Musgrave, in the Eden district of Cumbria, England. It is about a mile west of Brough. In 1891 the parish had a population of 175. Great Musgrave sits atop a hill nea ...
,
Newbiggin-on-Lune Newbiggin-on-Lune is a village in the Eden district of Cumbria, England. Historically in Westmorland it is about south west of Kirkby Stephen, and lies on the main A685 route from Brough to Tebay. Nearby to the north is located the Smarda ...
,
Ormside Ormside is a civil parish in the Eden District of Cumbria, England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the C ...
(once "Ormshead" or "Ormesheved"),
Orton Orton may refer to: Places England * Orton, Eden, Cumbria, a village and civil parish * Orton, Carlisle, Cumbria, a parish * Orton, Northamptonshire, a village and civil parish *Orton, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire * Orton, Staffordshire, a hamlet ...
(once "Overton"), "
Ravenstonedale Ravenstonedale is a village and large civil parish in Cumbria, on the watershed between the River Lune and River Eden. The village lies south west of Kirkby Stephen. The parish includes the village of Newbiggin-on-Lune and several smaller sett ...
", "
Warcop Warcop is a village and civil parish in the Eden district of Cumbria, England. The parish had a population of 491 in the 2001 census, increasing to 532 at the Census 2011. It is near the A66 road and is north of Kirkby Stephen and about 5 ...
". *West Ward: Askham,
Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumb ...
, Barton St Michael,
Brougham Brougham may refer to: Transport * Brougham (carriage), a light four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage * Brougham (car body), an automobile with a similar style Automobile models * Cadillac Brougham, 1987–1992 * Chrysler New Yorker Brougham, c. 1 ...
,
Clifton Clifton may refer to: People *Clifton (surname) *Clifton (given name) Places Australia * Clifton, Queensland, a town **Shire of Clifton *Clifton, New South Wales, a suburb of Wollongong *Clifton, Western Australia Canada *Clifton, Nova Scotia ...
, Cliburn,
Crosby Ravensworth Crosby Ravensworth is a village and civil parish in the Eden district of Cumbria, England. The village is about 4 miles (6.4 km) east of the M6 motorway, and Shap. At the 2001 census the parish had a population of 538, decreasing to 517 at ...
, Lowther, Morland,
Shap Shap is a linear village and civil parish located among fells and isolated dales in Eden district, Cumbria, England, in the historic county of Westmorland. The parish had a population of 1,221 in 2001, increasing slightly to 1,264 at the 2011 ...
(sometimes spelled as "Hepp" in old documents).


References


External links


Records of North Westmorland
extensive extracts from the records of the barony, arranged by parish. First edited by John Curwen, here part of British History Online.
Cumbria County History Trust: Appleby
(nb: provisional research only – see Talk page) {{Authority control History of Westmorland Baronies