Westmorland was probably conquered by the Angles of Northumbria under Ecgfrid, who took several districts between the Ribble and Cartmel and Carlisle from the Cumbrian Britons, about S.D. 685. It became part of the kingdom of Northumbria, of which it shared the fate. The county is mentioned only once in the Saxon Chronicle, where it is called Westmoringaland. In the later Anglo-Saxon and in the earlier Anglo-Norman period it is said to have been included in the kingdom or principality of Cumbria, held by the heir-presumptive of the crown of Scotland. William the Conqueror erected the baronies of Westmorland and Kendal. Appleby Castle was taken by William of Scotland and the town destroyed in 1173, and the town was again destroyed by the Scots in the reign of Richard II.
The castles of APPLEBY, KENDAL, Baotou, Bliley, Howell, and Brougham, with Shap Abbey, are the plincipal remains of the build ings of the middle ages. Braley, or Bewley Castle, is on the left bank of the Eden below Appleby, and is a mere ruin, showing little remains of its former strength. Howgill Castle, near Milburn, on the northern border of the county, is occupied as a farm-house; some of the walls are more than 10 feet thick. Of Brougham Castle there are consider able remains. The keep is standing, but all the inner apartment& are destroyed, except one vault, the roof of which IA formed of groined arches, supported by an octagonal pillar in the centre.
In the civil war of Charles 1., Appleby Castle was occupied by a royalist garrison, but was obliged at tut to surrender. One of the
island. in Windermere was the stronghold of Colonel and Major Philip son, brothers, royalists. In the rebellion of 1745-46 there was some fighting at Kendal (14th December, 1745), between the townspeople and a party of the rebels then on their retreat toward Scotland; and a few days after there was a rather severe skirmish at Clifton, on the road to Penrith, between the rear-guard of the insurgents and the forces of the Duke of Cumberland.
Statistics : Religious Worship cad to the Returns of the Census for 1851 It appears that there were then in the county 165 places of worship, of which 78 belonged to the Church of England, 29 to Wesleyan Methodist', 16 to Primitive Methodists, 13 to Association Methodists, 0 to Independents, 4 to Baptists 4 to Qnakers, and 2 to Roman Catholic.. The total number of provided was 37,133. Of Sunday schools there were 121, of which 74 were in connection with the Church of England. The total number of Snnday scholars was 7516. Of day schools there were 214, of which 119 were public schools with 6591 scholars, and 95 were private schools with 2384 scholars. There were 5 evening schools for adults, with 157 scholars. Of literary and scientitlo institutes them were 5, with 318 members, and libraries containing 2545 volumes.
Savings Banks.--in 1853 the county possessed two savings banks, at Kirkby Lonsdale and Kirkby Stephen. The amount owing to depo sitors on November 20th 1853 was 35,5111. 16s. 4d,