Cartmel Peninsula

Cartmel Peninsula is a peninsula in Cumbria in England. It juts in a southerly direction into Morecambe Bay, bordered by the estuaries of the River Leven to the west and the River Winster to the east. It is, along with the Furness Peninsula, (from which it is separated by the River Leven) one of the two areas of that formed "Lancashire North of the Sands"; [ [http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/daytrips/lakes/lakes7.html Furness & Cartmel, the English Lake District] Manchester and the North West of England; Accessed 17/03/08 ] these two areas are now referred to as the "Lake District Peninsulas" by marketing road signs, even though they fall outside of the Lake District National Park (this term has not fallen into local use). The peninsula is often mistakenly included as part of the better-known Furness. [http://www.furnessfhs.co.uk/furness_area.htm#CARTMEL Cartmel] Furness Family History Society Accessed 17/03/08 ] To its north, the peninsula's borders are usually given to end at the border with the historic county of Westmorland.

The Cartmel Peninsula is largely rural. Its only town is Grange-over-Sands, a Victorian seaside resort, with the rest dominated by limestone outcrops and the overlooking Cumbrian mountains. [ [http://www.edgeguide.co.uk/cumbria/grange.html Grange over Sands - the Cartmel Peninsula] Edge Guide; Accessed 17/03/08 ] Grange's growth was as a result of the Furness Railway runs along the peninsula's southern edge, with stations at Grange, Cark and Cartmel and Kents Bank. Historically, the area was controlled by the monks of Cartmel Priory.

The following settlements and sites can be found on the peninsula:

* Allithwaite, Ayside
* Cartmel, Cartmel Priory, Cartmel Racecourse, Cark
* Grange-over-Sands
* High Newton, Holker Hall
* Lindale, Low Newton
* Newby Bridge

References