Great Strickland

Township in Morland parish, West ward, Westmorland.

Acreage:

2,339 acres [947 ha]. Act to enclose commons passed 1830.

Population:

in range 240-280 for most of 19th and early 20th centuries (peak of 345 in 1851); then declining to 170 in 1971, before rising again to 246 in 2001.

Landownership:

manor of Strickland (which included Little Strickland) held by Strickland family from 13th century; had passed to Fallowfield family by 1430, descending by marriage of Lucie Fallowfield to John Dalston (d. 1692) of Acorn Bank; Christopher Dalston sold it to Sir John Lowther late 17th century, from whom it descended to earls of Lonsdale.

Economy:

predominantly agricultural; limestone quarrying and lime-burning in 19th century.

Places of worship:

church of St Barnabas, built as chapel of ease 1872. Quaker meeting house built 1681; closed 1806; became private house. Independent meeting house at Strickland recorded 1684. Wesleyan Methodist chapel built 1887; closed 1980s.

Schools and other institutions:

endowed school built 1790; replaced 1848 at expense of Mrs Sarah Plumer; closed c.1967. Village hall, timber and corrugated iron building which had been munitions store at Gretna, erected early 1920s.