| Cumbria is located in the North West of | | | | Cumbria it's diverse array of place names. |
| England. The County boundary is naturally | | | | |
| defined by the Irish Sea to the West, from | | | | The disputed ownership of Cumbria and the |
| the Solway Firth to Morecambe Bay, with the | | | | frequently military assaults that took place |
| Scottish border to the north and the Pennine | | | | in the region between the 11th and 14th |
| hills to the east. | | | | centuries meant that the purely civil system |
| | | | of administration that developed in the rest |
| In it's history Cumbria has been a fortified | | | | of the country did not happen. Instead a |
| and disputed land. | | | | series of military based baronies formed, at |
| | | | the heart of which was a string of Castles. |
| The Romans used Cumbria as a military | | | | Political control of the area by the English |
| mustering area for incursions into Scotland, | | | | was strengthened by religion and the |
| and also to protect more southerly | | | | establishment of the diocese of Carlise in |
| settlements. Roman fortification culminated | | | | the 12th century, even so sporadic raids |
| in the construction of Hadrian's Wall, an 80 | | | | still continued over the next few hundred |
| mile long defensive structure with forts, | | | | years. |
| ditches, encampments and watch towers. | | | | |
| Hadrian's Wall runs from Newcastle upon Tyne | | | | These turbulent times for Cumbria left it |
| in the East to Bowness on Solway in the west, | | | | somewhat isolated from the rest of the |
| effectively connecting these two coasts, | | | | country both economically and culturally. The |
| separating England from Scotland and was | | | | mountainous terrain further isolated the |
| built between AD122 and AD138. | | | | region from industrial development as |
| | | | building canals was difficult, and road |
| The Romans left England and Cumbria in the | | | | transportation was poor relying for a long |
| 5th Century, leaving the county to an influx | | | | time on pack animals. However the western sea |
| of Anglo-Saxon immigrants which in the end | | | | ports offered a means of transporting goods |
| drove the indigenous population of Celts out | | | | to the rest of England and the World. Cumbria |
| of the fertile lowland plains. | | | | being rich in minerals attracted, coal, |
| | | | copper, tin and iron mining. |
| The 7th to 10th centuries saw rival claims | | | | |
| from Scottish and Anglo-Saxon kings for | | | | The arrival of the railway was arguably the |
| sovereignty over much of the county. These | | | | greatest factor in ending the social and |
| battles saw the end of the last of the Celtic | | | | economic isolation of Cumbria. The first line |
| Kings, Dunmail in 945. During this time the | | | | in the county linked Carlise and Newcastle in |
| region was also being colonised by immigrants | | | | the 1830's. Not only did the railways allow |
| from Ireland and Scandinavia. This mixture of | | | | the easy export of goods and create jobs, but |
| Celts, Anglo-Saxons and Scandinavians, as | | | | they also allowed people to visit. |
| well as the previous Roman population gives | | | | |