Old Ordnance Survey Maps of Cumbria

This page summarises the local government organisation of Cumbria since 1894.

  • In 1889 the area now known as Cumbria was covered by two counties and parts of two others, and from 1894 a network of urban and rural districts was formed:

  • Cumberland, comprising Whitehaven Municipal Borough, Workington Municipal Borough, Arlecdon & Frizington Urban Council, Aspatria Urban Council, Cleator Moor Urban Council, Cockermouth Urban Council, Egremont Urban Council, Harrington Urban Council, Holme Cultram Urban District, Keswick Urban Council, Maryport Urban Council, Millom Urban Council, Penrith Urban Council, and Wigton Urban Council; plus Alston with Garrigill Rural Council, Bootle Rural Council, Brampton Rural Council, Carlisle Rural Council, Cockermouth Rural Council, Longtown Rural Council, Penrith Rural Council, Whitehaven Rural District, and Wigton Rural Council. The City of Carlisle was a County Borough.
  • In 1934 there was a major reorganisation and several councils were abolished. Arlecdon & Frizington, Cleator Moor, and Egremont UDCs were abolished, and were amalgamated with Whitehaven RDC into a new Ennerdale Rural District, with offices in Cleator; Harrington UDC was abolished and absorbed by Workington Borough; Holme Cultram UDC was abolished and absorbed by Wigton RDC; Brampton, Carlisle, and Longtown RDCs were amalgamated into a new Border Rural District; Millom UDC and Bootle RDC were abolished and were merged into a new Millom Rural District; Wigton UDC was abolished and absorbed by an enlarged Wigton Rural District.
  • Westmorland comprised Appleby Municipal Borough, Kendal Municipal Borough, Ambleside Urban District, Bowness-on-Windermere Urban District, Grasmere Urban District, Kirkby Lonsdale Urban District, Shap Urban District (from 1904), and Windermere Urban District; plus East Westmorland Rural District, South Westmorland Rural District, and West Ward Rural District. In 1905 Bowness-on-Windermere UDC was merged into Windermere UDC.
  • In 1935 there was reorganisation. Ambleside UDC and Grasmere UDC were abolished and replaced by the new Lakes Urban District; Shap UDC, East Westmorland RDC and West Ward RDC were abolished and largely absorbed by the new North Westmorland Rural District.
  • Lancashire. The area sometimes known as 'Lancashire over the Water' included the major town of Barrow-in-Furness, a Borough since 1867. Other authorities were Dalton-in-Furness Urban District, Grange-over-Sands Urban District, Ulverston Urban District, Dalton Rural District, and Ulverston Rural District. In 1960 Ulverston RDC was renamed North Lonsdale Rural District.
  • Yorkshire. Sedbergh Rural District, in the West Riding.

    In 1974 Further reorganisation saw all this area amalgamated into one county, Cumbria. This was administered through six districts: Allerdale (based on Workington), Barrow, City of Carlisle, Copeland (based on Whitehaven), Eden (based on Penrith), South Lakeland (based on Kendal). Allerdale, Barrow and Copeland have borough status.

  • For a list of our Cumberland maps go to the Cumberland page, for Westmorland go to the Westmorland page, for 'Lancashire over the Water' go to the Furness page.
  • Most maps in the Godfrey Edition are taken from the 25 inch to the mile map and reduced to about 15 inches to the mile. They cost just £ 3.00 each (Coloured editions £ 4.00). For a full list of English maps, return to the England page

  • You can order maps direct from our On-line Mapshop.
    Minor changes are not listed here, but please advise us of any significant errors or omissions.
    Alan Godfrey Maps, Prospect Business Park, Leadgate, Consett, DH8 7PW. Tel 01207 583388
    The Godfrey Edition / sales@alangodfreymaps.co.uk / 8 January 2018