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Allonby and Aspatria

Allonby and Aspatria are two of the most beautiful districts in the Lake District. Luxury Lake District hotels and boutique hotels provide the perfect stay in Windermere, Allonby and Aspatria.

For the more adventurous, the sand and shingle beach leads to a bay which is perfect for windsurfing and kitesurfing. Take a stroll behind the dunes and see some amazing examples of Georgian architecture and fishermen´s cottages. Cobbled, winding streets link passageways, shops and houses, and the rolling landscape is interspersed with villages.

Short breaks in the Lake District can be booked in Hayton, Westnewton, Blennerhasset, Torpenhow, Blencogo, Bothel, Plumbland, Threapland, Gilcrux, Alllerby, Kendal, Windermere, Allonby and Aspatria, and late hotel deals are available when you book online.

The history of Allonby

Allonby dates back to the Iron Age when Brigantian forts were built at Caermote, Ewe Close and Moota Hill.

The Romans built a series of forts down the west coast of Cumbria as sea defences for Hadrian´s Wall in AD122. One of the best preserved small forts is situated at Crosscanonby, which wasn´t discovered until 1968, and the fort of Alauna at Maryport. A Roman road headed inland via Aspatria to connect with the headquarters at Old Carlisle.

The name ´Aspatria´ is said to come from ´Asc Patric´ or the ´ash tree of Patrick´ after the newly emerging Christian missionaries took control of the area when the Roman troops left in AD410.

St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Cumbria to a high ranking Roman-British family. He was captured at the age of 16 and sent to Ireland as a slave, but escaped 6 years later. He then returned to Ireland to do missionary work, preaching and building churches and monasteries throughout the country. He is said to have travelled widely through Cumbria and baptised converts at the holy wells associated with churches in Aspatria and Bromfield.

Since those early days, the Lake District has emerged as one of the most visited regions in England, and is known throughout the world for its stunning scenery, lakes and landscapes. Whether you are looking for cheap hotels, luxury breaks or late hotel deals in the Lake District, you can find them online or from a tourist information office.

During the 9th and 10th centuries, Viking settlers landed on the western shores of Cumbria and moved inland, following river courses. Villages and settlements were founded including Allonby, Allerby and Arkleby, and in 1790, at Beacon Hill, north of Aspatria, a burial mound was revealed with several Viking artefacts including a helmet, a shield and spurs. The Normans rebuilt many of the ancient churches in Aspatria, Bromfield, Torpenhow and Gilcrux in the late 11th Century. Spirits, tobacco and textiles were smuggled regularly into Allonby and Cumbria from Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man.

The Hougomont wreck Allonby and Aspatria

The Hougomont ship left San Francisco bound for Liverpool in 1902, and carried a cargo of wheat, barley and tinned fruit and salmon in cases in the hold. When it reached the Mersey, bad weather forced the ship to continue north to Maryport, where it waited for a tug to tow it back to Liverpool. During the night, hurricane force winds struck the coast, severing the ship from its tug and driving north into Allonby Bay. By sunrise, the masts were in pieces and most of the cargo strewn on the beach. Although the crew were safely rescued, there was no shortage of tinned fruit and salmon in Allonby for years to come.

Aspatria market town

Situated on the old Roman road on the way to Carlisle, Aspatria was a market town selling wool, salt, charcoal, honey, grain and meats, which were regularly carried through the area on horses, on the way to Wigton, Carlisle and Cockermouth. Coal was mined in the area from as long ago as the 17th Century, initially from drift mines. The first pit was sunk in 1681 in Oughterside, back in the days when pit ponies and pickaxes were used to mine the coal.

The Maryport to Carlisle Railway

The Maryport to Carlisle Railway was built in 1845, and gave the local economy a boost by transporting coal to Maryport Docks where it was exported to Ireland, and to the iron and steel works in nearby Workington. Farm produce from the area was sold in markets in Carlisle and Newcastle. Warehouses, a goods yard and a cattle market also sprung up near Aspatria Railway Station, and during boom time in the 19th Century, rows of terraced houses were built to accommodate workers and residents.

Aspatria evolved into one of England´s major mining towns, and Allonby was fast becoming famous as a fashionable seaside resort. Wealthy visitors flocked to Allonby to benefit from the sea air, and enjoy the beautiful views over the Solway. The Victorian Baths were opened in 1835, which provided visitors with heated saltwater pools to bathe in.

The Mechi Farm Experiment

One experiment in the Lake District attempted to introduce progressive ideas in agriculture management to Mechi Farm in Blennerhasset in 1862. New agricultural techniques were tried and tested, and experiments with different crop and livestock to sustain productive harvests. Here the first steam-driven ploughs in Cumberland were put to work. Mining and quarrying were important industries in Aspatria, and dairy farms dotted the countryside. Cattle-breeding produced good dairy herds, which in turn produced enough milk for butter and cheese.

In 1888 a group of dairy farmers founded the West Cumberland Dairy Company, and built a creamery near the railway station, so milk and dairy products could be sent directly to Carlisle, Newcastle and London by rail tankers. Once the milk industry was nationalised in 1934, the Aspatria Dairy was the first to be taken over by the Milk Marketing Board, which went on to turn the original production plant into one of the most modern cheese-making factories ever.  Now over 170 dairy farms supply the creamery with milk.

The churches of Allonby

Heritage and culture in the Lake District combines beautifully with the surrounding landscapes and scenery to keep attracting visitors from far and wide. If you are planning a break in the Lake District, and you want to discover the local heritage of Allonby for yourself, consider a trip to the following:

St Kentigern´s Church Aspatria

An avenue of Yew trees leads you up to St Kentigern´s Church, Aspatria, and its features include a Norman doorway, a decorative font and a medieval grave slab. This Victorian church was built in 1846, although it was a place of worship long before the Normans arrived. Take a stroll around the intriguing Musgrave Chapel, which contains memorials to members of the family who lived at Hayton Castle, and you will see the holy well where St Kentigern baptised converts, plus a fine replica of the Gosforth Cross which was erected to commemorate local archaeologist and vicar, W S Calverley who lived in Aspatria from 1847 to 1898.

St Mungos Church Bromfield

St Mungo´s Church dates back to the Norman times in the 12th Century, and the nearby St Mungo´s Well was said to be a Celtic site used by the Romans and ´christianised´ by early missionaries, including St Mungo, who baptised converts here. The union of Christian and pagan religions is commemorated with the faces of a Roman monk and a Celt carved into the base of the chancel arch.

St Marys Church Gilcrux

Gilcrux means ´church on a hill´ and represents the prominent church of St Marys. Gilcrux once belonged to Calder Abbey and, although St Mary´s dates from this era, the actual church stands on a site of significance from pre-Christian times. Springs spout from the hillside, and a Celtic head is built into the exterior wall. The simple white interior has a large hole in the wall to make sure everyone could see the service.

St Michaels and All Angels Church Torpenhow

St Michael´s and All Angels Church, Torpenhow, is regarded as one of the few unspoilt 12th Century churches in Cumbria, and it boasts many interesting features including a Norman font with intricate carvings, highly decorated corbels, a painted ceiling and Roman architecture.

Transport to Aspatria and Maryport

If you plan to travel to the west of Cumbria, and want to visit the monuments of Aspatria or the beautiful harbour at Maryport, contact Aspatria Buses on: 0871 200 2233 for travel timetables.

You can choose from a wide range of Lake District Hotels, and whether you are looking for a short break, a week away or boutique hotels in the area, you will not be disappointed. Good rail links and public transport will enable you to visit Windermere, Kendal and every other Lake District region, or you can hire a car when you arrive, and explore England´s most scenic area at your own leisure. Bargain weekend breaks, combined with elegant accommodation and a wealth of things to see and do, keep visitors flocking to the Lake District.

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