In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Kirkby Thore like this:
KIRKBY-THORE, a village, a township, and a parish, in East Ward district, Westmoreland. The village stands on the river Eden, at the influx of the Trontheck stream, and on the Eden Valley railway, 2½ miles from the boundary with Cumberland, and 4½ NW by N of Appleby; is a very ancient place; took its affix name of Thore, either from a temple dedicated to the Scandinavian god Thor, or from the old British word for a tower; and has a station on the railway, and a post office‡ under Penrith. ...
A place in the vicinity, called High Burwens, is believed to be the Roman station Brovonacæ, on the Maiden way; and has furnished many Roman relics, including coins, urns, altars, and fragments of various buildings. Burwens Hill also, in the neighbourhood, is believed to have had a Roman out camp, on a way which went over Cross Fell to Bewcastle. The township comprises 4, 572 acres. Pop., 455. Houses, 104. The parish contains also the townships of Temple-Sowerby and Milbourne, and comprises 11, 030 acres. Real property, with Newbiggin, £9, 402. Pop. of K. T. parish alone, 1, 153. Houses, 241. The property of K. T. township is divided among a few; that also of T. S. township is divided among a few; and that of M. township is much subdivided. The manor belonged once to the Whelps of Whelp Castle; passed to the Whartons; and belongs now to Sir Richard Tufton, Bart. Whelp Castle is supposed to have been built out of the Roman station. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Carlisle. Value, £959.* Patron, Sir R. Tufton, Bart. The church is early English, in good condition; has a tower; and contains an old cross, and monuments of the Dalstons. The p. curacies of Temple-Sowerby and Milbourne are separate benefices. There are a Wesleyan chapel, and charities £9.
Kirkby Thore through time
Kirkby Thore is now part of Eden district. Click here for graphs and data of how Eden has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Kirkby Thore itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Kirkby Thore, in Eden and Westmorland | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/2004
Date accessed: 05th November 2024
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