{{Short description|Pair of villages in Cumbria, England}} {{Use British English|date=June 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Educational assignment}} {{Infobox UK place |country = England |official_name = Lorton |type = Civil parish |static_image_name = St Cuthberts, Lorton - geograph.org.uk - 786545.jpg |static_image_caption = St Cuthbert's Church, Lorton |coordinates = {{coord|54|37|09|N|3|18|30|W|display=inline,title}} |population = 253 | population_ref = (Parish, 2021)<ref name=2021census>{{cite web |title=2021 Census Parish Profiles |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/sources/census_2021_pp |website=NOMIS |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=31 March 2025}} (To get individual community data, use the query function on table PP002.)</ref> |civil_parish = Lorton |unitary_england = [[Cumberland (district)|Cumberland]] | lieutenancy_england = [[Cumbria]] |region = North West England |constituency_westminster = [[Penrith and Solway (UK Parliament constituency)|Penrith and Solway]] |os_grid_reference = NY1602623548 |postcode_district = CA13 |postcode_area = CA |post_town = COCKERMOUTH |dial_code = 01900 }} '''Lorton''' is a village and [[civil parish]] in the [[Cumberland (unitary authority)|Cumberland]] district of [[Cumbria]], England. The village is in two parts: '''Low Lorton''' and '''High Lorton''', with the parish church of St Cuthbert standing between them. Lorton is at the northern end of the Vale of Lorton, part of the valley of the [[River Cocker, Cumbria|River Cocker]], and it is surrounded by [[fell]]s such as [[Grasmoor]], [[Hopegill Head]] and [[Whiteside (Lake District)|Whiteside]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lortonweather.co.uk/ |title=Lorton Weather Website |access-date=28 April 2012}}</ref> They are about 4 miles (6.5 km) from [[Cockermouth]], which gives access to the main [[A66 road (England)|A66 road]]. Other nearby places include [[Loweswater]] and [[Brigham, Cumbria|Brigham]].
==Toponymy== The second element in the name "Lorton" is from the [[Old English]] "tūn" meaning farmstead or village, but the first is enigmatic. Experts have suggested<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ekwall |first=Eilert |title=The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names |edition=4th |location=Oxford |publisher=Clarendon |year=1960}}</ref> the [[Old Norse]] river name "Hlóra", meaning roaring, as with the Norwegian "Lora".<ref name="Whaley">{{Cite book |last=Whaley |first=Diana |title=A dictionary of Lake District place-names |location=Nottingham |publisher=English Place-Name Society |year=2006 |pages=lx, 423 p. 221 |isbn=0904889726}}</ref> The roaring may refer to the Whit Beck or to the [[River Cocker, Cumbria|River Cocker]].
==History== ===Agriculture, brewing and writing=== In 1811, Lorton peaked in prosperity and population due to high demand for farm products as England recovered from the [[Napoleonic Wars]] (1803–1815).<ref name="Lorton 200 years ago">{{Cite web |url=http://www.derwentfells.com/pdfs/Lorton200yearsagoslides.pdf |title=Lorton as it was 200 years ago |year=2011 |access-date=30 April 2012}}</ref> Most residents were employed across the six farms, including one attached to the 17th-century New House. These were powered by fast-flowing tributaries of the River Cocker, running the length of the valley. Most houses and cottages started as barns and mills.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.midtowncottages.co.uk/lorton/index.html |title=A brief history of Lorton Village |access-date=1 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120115190729/http://www.midtowncottages.co.uk/lorton/index.html |archive-date=15 January 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Church records indicate a post-war depression from 1816 to 1830, with a population decrease of about 50 and smaller numbers of marriages.<ref name="Lorton 200 years ago"/>
[[Jennings Brewery]] was set up in Lorton in 1828 by John Jennings and brewed here exclusively until 1874.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jenningsbrewery.co.uk/history/ |title=Jennings Brewery History |access-date=1 May 2012}}</ref>
Lorton Park is a Grade II Listed Regency House owned in the 19th century by Richard Harbord, a Liverpool shipping magnate buried in the parish church.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lorton Park, Lorton, Cumbria |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-72675-lorton-park-lorton-cumbria |publisher=British Listed Buildings}}</ref> In 1863, Prince Arthur visited Lorton Park and planted a commemorative chestnut tree in the gardens.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100408085128/http://webdata.carterjonas.co.uk/assets/CJ/sales/pdf/KEN080051.PDF Lorton Park]</ref>
The writer and newspaper publisher [[Ann Fisher (grammarian)|Ann Fisher]] was born in this parish in 1819<ref>{{Cite ODNB |date=2004-09-23 |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/45847 |pages=ref:odnb/45847 |editor-last=Matthew |editor-first=H. C. G. |access-date=2023-03-26 |title=Ann Fisher|place=Oxford |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/45847 |editor2-last=Harrison |editor2-first=B.}}</ref> as was the novelist and agricultural writer and activist [[Doreen Wallace]] (1897–1989).
In the ''Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales'' (1870–1872) by John Marius Wilson, Lorton was described as "a village, a township, and a parish in Cockermouth district, Cumberland". Wilson gave some early key statistics on the value of real property (£3,288), the head count (456) and the area (5264 acres, 2130 ha).<ref>{{cite web |title=Lorton, Cumberland |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/place/2581 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=20 April 2025}}</ref> Lorton was mentioned some 15 years later in the ''Gazetteer of the British Isles'' (1887) by John Bartholomew, whose figures show some changes: the population was down by 59 at 397 and the area up by 54 acres at 5318 acres (2152 ha).
The poet [[William Wordsworth]], born in nearby Cockermouth, immortalised the Lorton Yew Tree in his poem "Yew Trees" in 1804. It is estimated to be at least 1,000 years old, but was severely damaged by a storm shortly after the poem was written.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.visitcumbria.com/cm/lorton-yew-trees.htm |title=Lorton Yew Trees |access-date=30 April 2012}}</ref>
==Geography== The village is in two parts: High Lorton on higher ground to the east, and Low Lorton by the banks of the River Cocker to the west.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lorton |url=https://melbreakcommunities.wordpress.com/parish-councils/lorton/ |website=The Melbreak Communities |publisher=Lorton Parish Council |access-date=20 April 2025}}</ref> The small primary school,<ref>{{cite web |title=Lorton Primary School |url=https://fid.cumberland.gov.uk/kb5/cumberland/directory/service.page?id=c1yXyE4lozA |website=Cumberland Council |access-date=20 April 2025}}</ref> village shop,<ref>{{cite web |title=Lorton Village Shop |url=https://www.lortonvillageshop.com/ |access-date=20 April 2025}}</ref> and village hall (Yew Tree Hall) are at High Lorton,<ref>{{cite web |title=Yew Tree Hall |url=https://hallbookingonline.com/yewtreehall/ |access-date=20 April 2025}}</ref> and the village's only public house, the Wheatsheaf Inn, is at Low Lorton.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wheatsheaf Inn |url=https://wheatsheafinnlorton.co.uk/ |access-date=20 April 2025}}</ref> St Cuthbert's Church stands between High Lorton and Low Lorton.
The parish extends eastwards from the River Cocker up into the high ground either side of the [[Whinlatter Pass]]. The road over the pass (the B5292) connects Lorton with [[Braithwaite]] to the east. The B5289 also passes through the parish, running roughly parallel to the River Cocker, passing through Low Lorton and linking the village with Cockermouth to the north and [[Buttermere, Cumbria (village)|Buttermere]] and [[Loweswater (village)|Loweswater]] to the south.<ref name=electionmaps/>
[[Lorton, Virginia|Lorton]] in [[Fairfax County, Virginia]], United States, is named after it.
==Tourism== Lorton is relatively untouched by tourism, but many pass through on the way to the [[Buttermere]] valley. There are several hill walks available. For instance, Hopegill Head can be climbed from High Lorton and [[Fellbarrow]] from Low Lorton. Of interest are the 12th-century St Cuthbert's Church and the 1663 [[pele tower]], but the latter is closed to the public.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.visitcumbria.com/cm/lorton.htm |title=Visit Cumbria Website |access-date=28 April 2012}}</ref>
==Governance== [[File:Village Hall, High Lorton - geograph.org.uk - 1027716.jpg|thumb|Yew Tree Hall, High Lorton]] There are two tiers of local government covering Lorton, at [[civil parish|parish]] and [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] level: Lorton Parish Council and [[Cumberland Council]]. The parish council meets at Yew Tree Hall, a late 18th or early 19th century maltings building at High Lorton which was formerly part of Jennings Brewery, but has now been converted into the village hall.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lorton Parish Council |url=https://melbreakcommunities.wordpress.com/parish-councils/lorton/lorton-parish-council/ |access-date=20 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE|desc=Yew Tree Hall|num=1311806|grade=II}}</ref> The parish is wholly within the Lake District National Park, and so some functions are administered by the Lake District National Park Authority, notably [[town planning|planning]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Planning |url=https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/planning |website=Lake District National Park |access-date=10 April 2025}}</ref> The parish council works in partnership with the three neighbouring parishes of [[Blindbothel]], [[Buttermere, Cumbria (village)|Buttermere]], and [[Loweswater (village)|Loweswater]] as the Melbreak Communities, particularly to respond to issues of flooding along the River Cocker.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Melbreak Communities |url=https://melbreakcommunities.wordpress.com/about-us/ |access-date=14 April 2025}}</ref>
For national elections, the parish forms part of the [[Penrith and Solway (UK Parliament constituency)|Penrith and Solway constituency]].<ref name=electionmaps>{{cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=20 April 2025}}</ref>
===Administrative history=== Lorton was historically a [[Township (England)|township]] in the [[ancient parish]] of [[Brigham, Cumbria|Brigham]], in the [[Historic counties of England|historic county]] of [[Cumberland]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Whellan |first1=William |title=The History and Topography of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmorland |date=1860 |page=295 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_History_and_Topography_of_the_Counti/ZkJCAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA295&printsec=frontcover |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref> The parish of Brigham was large, and its four south-eastern townships of [[Brackenthwaite, Buttermere|Brackenthwaite]], Buttermere, Lorton, and [[Wythop]] were served by a [[chapel of ease]] at Lorton.<ref name=VoB>{{cite web |title=Lorton Chapelry / Civil Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10066499#tab02 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=14 April 2025}}</ref> Further chapels subordinate to the one at Lorton were subsequently also established at Buttermere and Wythop.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hutchinson |first1=William |title=The History of the County of Cumberland |date=1794 |page=122 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_History_of_the_County_of_Cumberland/orb3K8N7C3MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA122&printsec=frontcover |access-date=14 April 2025}}</ref>
The township of Lorton took on civil functions under the [[poor laws]] from the 17th century onwards. As such, the township also became a [[civil parish]] in 1866, when the legal definition of 'parish' was changed to be the areas used for administering the poor laws.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Youngs |first1=Frederic |title=Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England: Volume II, Northern England |date=1991 |publisher=Royal Historical Society |location=London |isbn=0861931270 |page=xv}}</ref> The parish of Lorton was included in the [[Cockermouth Rural District]] from 1894.<ref name=VoB/>
Cockermouth Rural District was abolished in 1974, becoming part of the borough of [[Allerdale]] in the new county of Cumbria.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|accessdate=3 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=551|accessdate=3 March 2023}}</ref> Allerdale was in turn abolished in 2023 when the new Cumberland Council was created, also taking over the functions of the abolished Cumbria County Council in the area.<ref name=2022order>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022|year=2022|number=331|access-date=24 January 2024}}</ref>
==Population== At the [[2021 United Kingdom census|2021 census]], the parish had a population of 253.<ref name=2021census/> At the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]], Lorton had a population of 250.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=792970&c=lorton&d=16&e=13&g=431495&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=1&s=1335783357948&enc=1&dsFamilyId=781 |title=Office For National Statistics Neighbourhood Statistics (People) |year=2001 |access-date=30 April 2012}}</ref>
==See also== {{portal|Cumbria}} *[[Listed buildings in Lorton, Cumbria]]
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Lorton, Cumbria}} *[http://www.cumbriacountyhistory.org.uk/township/lorton Cumbria County History Trust: Lorton] (nb: provisional research only – see Talk page)
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[[Category:Villages in Cumbria]] [[Category:Cumberland (unitary authority)]] [[Category:Civil parishes in Cumbria]]