Saint Patrick was a Cumbrian.

 

      Saint Patrick, a British Christian Missionary in 5th Century Ireland, born about 387AD, the primary Patron Saint of Ireland, although never formally canonised, though regarded as a Saint.

      There appears to be little evidence about the places he lived and worked, but there is the story he was born possibly in what is now thought to be the Ravenglass area of Cumbria. Captured and taken as a slave to work, looking after Farm Animals for a period of six years. Before a brief return to Cumbria, where he became a cleric and then went back to Ireland again to work in the North and West of the country.

      Ravenglass in the 5th Century was in Viking England as the border with Viking Scotland is just to the north at St Bees.

Last Battle Upon English Soil

       The last battle to be fought in England was in fact at Clifton in Cumbria, although some would try to have this downgraded to nothing more than a skirmish. If this was to be the case then there are quite a number of other British Battles which could be similarly downgraded.

      The battle was fought between the armies of Prince Charles Edward Stewart upon their retreat to Scotland, following the failed conquest of England, and their pursuers the army of the Duke of Cumberland.

      The battle itself isn't well documented but is as important as any other of the Jacobite Rising. The Duke's Army was getting to close to the Prince's retreating forces and a stand was made at Clifton, which resulted in a Highland Charge, which broke the Hanoverian lines and scattered the Duke's troops. Actual losses on either side were no more than a dozen each or less, though wounded numbers are uncertain but the result was a success for the Jacobite Forces as this bought them more time and kept the Hanoverian forces at bay. 

Ambleside Doomsday 1086AD

   

      In the years after the Norman conquest of England the "new" King, Duke William of Normandy had a large and sprawling kingdom to rule, and with some difficulty collecting taxes and governing a defeated nation largely consisting of to say the least, uncooperative Saxons, from all the existing shires. There was also a wealth of other obligations owed by his subjects to their king which were not always readily and willingly forthcoming. And so in the year 1085 ordered a national survey, to define the present and possible future wealth of his subjects. The property of every person from the King downwards, including Cow, Sheep Ox or Pig.

      The census was completed in 1086 in the form we know as The Doomsday Book but did not include some lands to the North, which remained free of the Norman yoke or was deemed to miserable for inclusion in the book. Quite simply because no Norman had ventured into these wild lands. In time this would change.

      It seems Ambleside falls into the latter descriptions, it's been said Ambleside or even Amels'se'at may at the time have been little more than a couple of enclosures for sheep and several basic homesteads, all of which is uncertain. The modern Cumbria is made up of Cumberland, Westmorland and the Furness part of Lancashire. Westmorland in 1085 consists of the two principle settlements of  Kendal "Cherchebi" (Land of the King) and a collection of lesser settlements. As with Levens "Lefuenes" (Land of Roger de Poitou) and lesser yet familiar settlements.

      With the Lancashire area which became Furness, there is nowhere of any significance and places like Cartmel, Dalton and Ulverston, like many places of this time, still to rise to prominence.

      For Cumberland, the larger county of Cumbria the principle settlements are Millom "Hougenai" (Land of the King) Yet Millom is at the then, very edge of the country, which possessed little of any note other than land. Bootle "Bodele" to the North of Millom is regarded as even less than Millom. The Normans furthest venture into Cumberland.