Lakes, Cumbria

History

The parish has its origins in an urban district called Lakes, which was created in 1935 covering the combined area of the former urban districts of Ambleside and Grasmere plus the civil parishes of Langdales, Patterdale, Rydal and Loughrigg, and Troutbeck. Ambleside was the largest settlement in the district and where the council was based. The urban district had an area of 49917 acre.

Lakes Urban District was abolished in 1974. Patterdale was transferred to Eden District, and the remainder of the old Lakes Urban District became a successor parish called Lakes within the South Lakeland district of the new county of Cumbria. South Lakeland was in turn abolished in 2023 when the new Westmorland and Furness Council was created, also taking over the functions of the abolished Cumbria County Council in the area.

Governance

There are two tiers of local government covering Lakes, at parish and unitary authority level: Lakes Parish Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. The parish council is based at Low Nook on Rydal Road in Ambleside, which forms part of the University of Cumbria's Ambleside campus.

The parish is wholly within the Lake District National Park, and so some functions are administered by the Lake District National Park Authority, notably planning. Lakes CP incorporates within its boundaries the wards of Ambleside, the Langdales, Rydal & Loughrigg, Grasmere and Troutbeck.

Geography

The A591 road, a primary route, passes through the centre of the parish. It enters the parish from the south at the point where it crosses Trout Beck at Troutbeck Bridge village. After covering 16 km (10 mi) in road distance (13.4 km (8.5 mi) as the crow flies), it leaves the parish at Dunmail Raise. The A592 road passes through the eastern area of the parish. The col of the Kirkstone Pass, at a point approximately 200 m north of the Kirkstone Inn, marks the northern boundary of Lakes CP.http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=337733&y=504125&z=120&sv=ambleside&st=3&tl=Map+of+Ambleside,+Cumbria+[Town]&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf

It is the area covered by the Kelsick Foundation, an organisation that helps locals with the costs of extra-curricular activities for children.

Demography

At the 2021 census, the population of the parish was 4,280. and 4,420 in the 2011 census.

References

References

1. "2021 Census Parish Profiles". Office for National Statistics.
2. "Lakes Parish Council".
3. "Lakes Urban District". GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth.
4. {{London Gazette. (11 August 1972)
5. Population Statistics. Area (acres)]
6. HMSO. [[s:S.I. 1972/2039. S.I. 1972/2039]]
7. "Westmorland South Registration District". Ukbmd.org.uk.
8. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
9. {{cite legislation UK. (1973)
10. {{cite legislation UK. (2022)
11. "Contact us".
12. "Planning".
13. "Parish Council | Ambleside Online".
14. "The Kelsick Trust {{!".
15. "Lakes Parish".
16. "Lakes Parish".