Stapleton is a village and
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
in the
Cumberland
Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...
district, in the county of
Cumbria
Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial county in North West England. It borders the Scottish council areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders to the north, Northumberland and County Durham to the east, North Yorkshire to the south-east, Lancash ...
, in the North West of England. It falls under the jurisdiction of
Cumberland Council
Cumberland Council is the local authority for Cumberland, a local government district in the ceremonial county of Cumbria, England. It is a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. The ...
.
Location
Stapleton is located around 8 miles away from
Longtown and around 12 miles away from
Carlisle
Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England.
Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...
. Stapleton is located just east of the B6318, its nearest main road, and around 12 miles away from the
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway is the longest motorway in the United Kingdom. It is located entirely within England, running for just over from the Midlands to the border with Scotland. It begins at Junction 19 of the M1 motorway, M1 and the western end of t ...
, one of the major motorways in the United Kingdom. The nearest railway stations are
Brampton (Cumbria) railway station which is around 7 miles away and is operated by
Northern
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating ...
and is on the
Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway (N&CR) (formally, the ''Newcastle upon Tyne and Carlisle Railway'') was an English railway company formed in 1825 that built a line from Newcastle upon Tyne on Britain's east coast, to Carlisle, on the west co ...
.
Population
According to the 2001 UK Census there are 87 households in the parish of Stapleton, with a population of 221 people. This makes it an extremely small parish. In 1991, the population of Stapleton was 230 people. This means the population has decreased around 4.5% in the past 10 years. This is slower than the population decrease in England as a whole, which is thought to be around 8% every 10 years. However the overall decrease in the English population is the underlying reason for a reduction in small parish's populations. In 1851 UK Census the population of Stapleton was recorded as 1119 people, this is the highest recorded population of the parish, and in the next UK census, in 1881 the parish's population had dropped significantly, to 372 people. The population taken at the 2011 Census was 249.
Attractions
The
South Tynedale Railway
The South Tynedale Railway is a preserved, narrow-gauge heritage railway in Northern England and at is England's second highest narrow-gauge railway after the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway in north Devon. The South Tynedale line runs from ...
stop Kirkhaugh Station is located 18 miles from Stapleton. The South Tynedale Railway is a heritage railway that runs from
Alston in Cumbria to
Lintley in
Northumberland
Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...
. The railway line is renowned for its location, as it is England's highest narrow gauge railway line. The South Tyndale Railway attracts an estimated 40,000 tourists a year, making it one of Cumbria's main tourist attractions.
St. Mary's Church is the Parish's church. It is located in the centre of the township and was erected in 1830 on the site of a church thought to be dating back to the 12th century. The
Lanercost Priory
Lanercost Priory was founded by Robert de Vaux, Sheriff of Cumberland, Robert de Vaux between 1165 and 1174, the most likely date being 1169, to house Augustinians, Augustinian Canon (priest), canons. The priory is situated in the village of Lan ...
is around 6 miles away from Stapleton. The original priory was built in 1169, as a
monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
but was destroyed in 1536 by
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
in a period of mass dissolution of monasteries. It is believed that Anglican services have been held in the Priory every Sunday for the past 850 years, making it one of the long-standing Anglican churches. It is an English National Heritage Site.
See also
*
Listed buildings in Stapleton, Cumbria
References
External links
Cumbria County History Trust: Stapleton(nb: provisional research only – see Talk page)
{{authority control
Villages in Cumbria
Civil parishes in Cumbria
Cumberland (unitary authority)