© Former Crown Manor of Ennerdale - Feudal Barony of Copeland 2020-24
The Lordship of Ennerdale, located in Cumbria, encompasses approximately 17,000 acres. This extensive area
includes Ennerdale Forest, which covers about 7,500 acres, and Ennerdale Water, a glacial lake that spans roughly
1,400 acres. Additionally, the waste lands of the manor amount to around 11,000 acres This region is part of the
Lake District National Park and features a diverse landscape of mountains, rivers, forests, and historic sites, making
it one of the most scenic and historically rich areas in the UK.
In 1821, the Lord of Ennerdale was also the Queen of England which means that Ennerdale was a “Crown Manor”.
In 1822 The Earl of Lonsdale (The Lowthers) purchased of the Crown the manor of Ennerdale , with all the mines ,
quarries , etc. — for a sum of £ 2,500 . In 2019, the relative value of £2,500 from 1822 ranges up to about to
£13,940,000.00. Pounds Sterling. The Ennerdale Lordship or feudal barony was in the dominion of the Scottish
crown and English crown during different periods in history. The Lordship of Ennerdale lies in one of the wildest and
beautiful parts of the Lake District. It includes, in its 13,000 or so acres, rivers, mountains, Viking ruins, and the
glacial lake, Ennerdale Water the most western of the lakes. Ennerdale Valley lies 8 miles from the coast and is
surrounded by several fells including Great Borne (2019 ft), Great Gable (2949 ft) and Pillar Mountain (2927 ft). The
Crown Manor of Enerdale is roughly the same size as Manhatten or New York City.
Ennerdale was the last existing portion of the feudal Barony of Copeland to independently exist which was forfeited to
the Crown in 1554. Ennerdale had belongded to the family of the 9 Day Queen, Lady Jane Grey, and because the
Grey’s lost their battle for the crown with Mary, the Lordship went back to the Crown. Ennerdale or Eynerdale
remained a Crown Manor until the feudal titles and land were sold with rights to Lord Lonsdale in 1821 for £2500
pounds sterling to the noble house of Baron Whitehaven.
Ennerdale (Alnanderdale or Eynerdale) sallis ad Eyn, both the town and parish now called by the inhabitants. The
Irish named it Lough-Eanheh Lacus volucrum, of the fowls that bred there in the islands; and the river Oonh-Eanheh
and the dale Eanor or Ar-ean. The Saxons still retaining the Irish name called the bottom and valley Enerdale.
The Crown Manor of Ennerdale : A portion of the Barony of Copeland was given by Ranulf le Meschin, 3rd Earl of
Chester (1070−1129) to the priory of St.Bees, and the rest of Eynerdale which was the last independent section of the
Barony of Copeland called today Ennerdale passed successively to the families of de Harrington then the de Bonville’s
, The Duke of Suffolk and the Grey’s. This area was forfeited to the crown in 1554 by Henry Grey the father of Lady
Jane Grey. It was granted by Elizabeth I to its tenants in 1568. The complicated interaction between the Patricksons
& the Ennerdale tenants with the Crown is well documented in “Around & About Ennerdale” by Bob Orrell in 1997.
Ennerdale was now vested to the Earl of Lonsdale, having been purchased by that family in 1821. The medieval
vaccary recorded in AD 1322 is described as being at the Capud de Eynerdale (head of Ennerdale), which broadly
corresponds to the Gillerthwaite area.
The original Copeland or Egremont castle was built on a mound above the River Ehen on the site of a Danish fort
following the conquest of Cumberland in 1092 by William II of England. The present castle was built by William
Meschin, who founded the castle between 1120 and 1135. Further additions were made in the 13th century. It
eventually fell into disuse and became the ruin it is today.
Copeland Castle stands on a small hill overlooking the town. Built in the eleventh century, it exhibits all the
hallmarks of the strength of purpose associated with Norman castles. It was erected by William de Meschines, the first
baron of Copeland.
In the early years of his reign, Henry I. gave the newlyformed barony of Copeland to William de Meschines, who
changed its name to Egremont. Meschines was probably the founder of the Norman chapel there, which he gave to the
priory of St. Bees. also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135.
The province of Cumberland in Cumbria was parcelled out into eleven baronies, namely, Coupland or Egremont,
including the Honour of Cockermouth Castle, Allerdale, Wigton, Gilsland, Burgh, Greystoke, Liddell, Dalston, Crosby,
Kirklevington, and a nameless one given to Adam Fitz Seyn. De Meschines reserved to himself the Forest of Inglewood,
but shortly afterwards resigned his rights in the North to the Crown in exchange for the Earldom of Chester; the
Crown, when it had, about the year 1154, chased the Scots out of the North, confirmed by proper deeds all Ranulph's
grantees in their premises.
Ennerdale is one of the largest manors in the United Kingdom. The size of the waste lands of the manor of Ennerdale
in the township of Ennerdale, contain a whopping 11,000 acres of water, minerals, and potentially oil and gas. Keep
in mind, the common land is separate from the larger area Waste. Land which was neither let to tenants nor formed
part of demesne lands was known as "manorial waste"; typically, this included hedges, verges, mountains, waterfalls,
lakes etc. Common land where all members of the community had right of passage was known as "lord's waste". *
Reports from Commissioners, 1864
Manorial Waste include: Mountains and Crags: Rocky or rugged terrain, often found in hilly or mountainous regions.
Heath: Open, grassy land with low shrubs, often characterized by poor soil quality. Moor: Wet, boggy land covered
with heather, grasses, and sometimes small trees. Fen: Low-lying, marshy land with waterlogged soil. Ponds and
streams: Water features used for fishing or other purposes. Woodland: Forested areas that provided timber and other
resources. Overall, Commons is a smaller piece or the subset of Waste Areas where villagers had rights to graze
livestock, gather wood, or cut turf for fuel.
The Mountains of Ennerdale
Great Gable and its lesser companion Green Gable stand at the head of Ennerdale, with the walkers' pass of Sty Head
to their backs. This connects Borrowdale to Wasdale, giving Gable a footing in both valleys. The Borrowdale
connection is quite tenuous, but Great Gable is prominent in almost any view up the lake.
Ennerdale Pillar is a mountain in the western part of the English Lake District. Situated between the valleys of
Ennerdale to the north and Wasdale to the south, it is the highest point of the Pillar group. At 892 metres it is the
eighth-highest mountain in the Lake District.
Great Borne is customarily climbed from the Ennerdale side of the fell, with the car park beneath Bowness Knott
being the usual starting point. ... Ennerdale water is well seen from the summit, with parts of the lakes of Crummock
Water and Loweswater also visible.
Grike Fell
Crag Fell
Brown How
Boat How
See All LINK
See links of Ennerdale Valley
Lakes and Rivers - The Lords of Inland Lakes and Non-Tidal Rivers and Streams
About the Lord Barons of Ennerdale Copeland