General history: Religious houses, boroughs, markets and fairs

Magna Britannia: Volume 4, Cumberland. Originally published by T Cadell and W Davies, London, 1816.

'General history: Religious houses, boroughs, markets and fairs', in Magna Britannia: Volume 4, Cumberland, (London, 1816) pp. xxxi-xxxiv. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/magna-britannia/vol4/xxxi-xxxiv [accessed 25 April 2024]

Monasteries, Colleges, and ancient Hospitals.

The Austin monks had a priory at Carlisle; and it is observed, that when the church was made a Bishop's see, it was the only episcopal chapter of that order in England. The same order had a priory at Lanercost. The Benedictines had a priory of monks at St. Bees, and another at Wetheral, both cells to the abbey of St. Mary in York. The same order had a nunnery at Armathwaite, in the Parish of Croglin, the site of which is now called Nunnery, and another at Seaton alias Lekelay, in the parish of Bootle. The Cistertians had an abbey at Calder, and another at Holme-Cultram. The Black friers and Grey friers had each a convent in Carlisle, and the Grey friers another at Penrith. There is said to have been a religious house of ancient foundation at Carlisle, another at St. Bees, and a third at Dacre, destroyed by the Danes: David, King of Scotland, is said to have founded a nunnery at Carlisle: of these monasteries we have no further particulars. The churches of Greystock and Kirk-Oswald were collegiate. At Carlisle was an Hospital for 13 lepers, dedicated to St. Nicholas, and at Wigton an hospital and free chapel dedicated to St. Leonard.

Boroughs and Market-Towns.

This county returns only six members to parliament; two knights of the shire: two burgesses for Carlisle, and two for Cockermouth. Both Cockermouth and Egremont sent burgesses to the parliament at Westminster, in the 23d year of Edward I. It does not appear that Egremont ever received another summons. Cockermouth was restored in the year 1640, and has ever since returned two members.

Mr. T. Denton enumerates 15 market-towns in this county in 1688. He has omitted Hesket: probably the market was established, and the place acquired its present name of Hesket-Newmarket, since that time. The market is now very inconsiderable. Maryport market is of course of later date, the town having been long since built. The markets at Workington also have been established within the last century. The market at Allonby is quite of modern date.

The following is a table of the Cumberland markets, according to their present state:—



Market Towns.	Market Days.	Commodities.
Abbey-Holme, or Holme-Cultram	Saturday (in the summer only)	Butchers'-meat, &c.
Allonby	Saturday	Butchers'-meat, &c.
Alston-Moor	Saturday	Butchers'-meat, oatmeal, potatoes, &c.
Bootle	Wednesday	Butchers'-meat, &c.
Brampton	Wednesday	Corn, potatoes, butter, &c. &c.
Carlisle	Wednesday and Saturday (which is the chief market)	Corn, cattle, provisions of all sorts.
Cockermouth	Monday	Corn and provisions.
Egremont	Saturday	Corn and provisions.
Hesket	Friday	Butchers'-meat and other provisions.
Ireby	Thursday	Butchers'-meat.
Keswick	Saturday	Corn and provisions.
Kirk-Oswald	Thursday	Butchers'-meat.
Longtown	Thursday	Butchers'-meat, &c. (famous for cranberries in the season.)
Maryport	Tuesday and Friday (the latter the principal market)	Butchers'-meat and other provisions.
Penrith	Tuesday	Corn, and all sorts of provisions.
Penrith	Saturday	Butchers'-meat.
Ravenglass	Friday (fn. n1)	Butchers'-meat.
Whitehaven	Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday	Butchers'-meat, fish, flour, oatmeal, &c.
Wigton	Tuesday	Corn and provisions.
Workington	Wednesday	Corn and provisions.
Workington	Saturday	Butchers'-meat and other provisions.

The following places had formerly charters for markets, which have been long ago discontinued; Greystock, Hayton, Kirk-Cambock, Kirklinton, Melmerby, Millom, Seaton, and Skinburness. The market at Skinburness, two or three years after the grant, was removed to Kirkby-Johan alias NewtonArlosh.

Fairs and Great Markets.



Towns, &c.	On what day held.	Description.
Abbey-Holme, or Holme-Cultram	Thursday before Whitsuntide, and October 29.	Horses and cattle.
Alston-Moor	Last Thursday in May	Black cattle, horses, and pigs.
	Friday before Sept. 27.	Black cattle, horses, and sheep.
	First Thursday in November	Black cattle and horses.
Arlochden	April 24, the first Friday in June, and Sept. 17.	Cattle.
Boonwood in Gosforth	April 25.	Cattle.
Boonwood in Gosforth	Oct. 18.	Foals and cattle.
Bootle	April 5. and Sept. 25.	Cattle, &c.
Borrowdale	The first Wednesday in September	Sheep.
Brampton	The second Wednesday after Whitsunday, and the second Wednesday in Sept.	Young cattle, milch cows, sheep, and lambs.
Brampton	April 15. and Oct. 23.	Shew of cattle previously to the great markets at Penrith and Newcastle.
Carlisle	August 26.	Cattle.
	Sept. 19.	A great fair for horses and cattle.
	Great markets on Saturday from October 10. to Christmas	Horses and cattle.
Cockermouth	Whit-monday and Martinmas Monday	Statute fairs for hiring servants.
Cockermouth	Great markets every Wednesday fortnight from the beginning of May till Michael mas	Cattle, &c.
Egremont	The third Friday in May, and Sept. 18.	Cattle, &c.
Ennerdale	The second Tuesday in September	Sheep.
Ireby	Feb. 24.	Horses.
Ireby	Oct. 18.	Sheep.
Keswick	The first Thursday in May, and every Thursday fortnight for six weeks; the Saturday before Whitsunday, and on the Saturday nearest to the festivals of St. Michael and St. Martin, or on the festivals if they happen on Saturday	Cattle. The Martinmas fair is noted also for the sale of rams and cheese.
Kirk-Oswald	Thursday before Whitsuntide, and Aug. 1.	Inconsiderable fairs.
Longtown	Thursday before Whitsuntide	Horses.
Longtown	Thursday in Whitsun-week, and Thursday after Martinmas	Statute fairs for hiring servants.
Loweswater	The second Friday in September	Sheep.
Newlands	The last Friday in September	Sheep.
Rosley	Whitmonday, continued every Monday fortnight till Michaelmas	A great fair for horses, cattle, sheep, cloth, &c.
Threlkeld	The first Thursday in September	Sheep.
Uldale	August 29.	A great sheep fair.
Nether Wasdale	The first Monday in September	Sheep.
Whitehaven	August 12.	Yorkshire cloth, Irish linen, hardware, &c. &c.
Wigton	St. Thomas	Great markets for butchers'-meat, apples, honey, &c.
	Feb. 20.	A noted horse-fair.
	April 5.	Black cattle, stallions, Yorkshire cloth, hardware, &c. &c.
Workington	May 18, and Oct. 18.	Cattle.