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Today is Last update 16-05-2012
Membership

You can now join or renew your membership on line using PayPal, simply click on the button below to go to the membership page

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Cumbria Map
Map Of Cumbria
[Click map for larger version]

 

Cumbria as defined Post- 1974. The CWAAS 4 Affiliated Groups meet in the 4 places named.

For further details of the Affiliated Groups please click the following link.

Focus on Heritage

Countess Pillar, Brougham
[Click picture for larger version]

Committees

Click the button below for more details on the Society Committees.

Research and Grants

We help to foster research on Cumbria’s past through Grant Aid for widely-differing Cumbrian projects, and (for people under 25 years) the Clare Fell Memorial Bursaries. In addition all CWAAS Committees are widely involved in heritage matters throughout Cumbria, making their expertise available in many ways.

Sites Like Ours

Visit the links page for details of ’like minded’ sites.

Genealogy

Many visitors will also be interested in Genealogy. We have provided a page of useful links for Genealogy Researchers.

CUMBRIA COUNTY
HISTORY TRUST

The CUMBRIA COUNTY HISTORY TRUST has CWAAS support. Its website includes latest project news and excellent Gallery. See aquatints from West's 'Guide to the Lakes' (1796) and illustr. from W.G. Collingwood's 1932 'The Lake Counties', eg Mardale below..

Mardale image
Newsletter Extracts

This panel will feature extracts from old newsletters which will change on a regular basis.


Lancashire over Sands records distances over sands. Click on this image for a larger version.
Lancashire over Sands records distances over sands
[Click picture for larger version]

Our Publications

Edward 1 at Carlisle

Edward 1 at Carlisle

The Websters of Kendal

The Websters of Kendal

Three publications, The Diary of Isaac Fletcher,
The Accounts of Sir Daniel Fleming and
Brougham Castle, have all been reduced in price by 50%.
The listing now shows the new prices.
Welcome to Cumbria Past


Valley of the river Irt. Click on this image for a larger version.
Valley of the river Irt
[Click picture for larger version]

It’s good to have you with us on the Home Page of Cumbria Past, the CWAAS website. Cumbria Past: an up-to-date name for the website of an up-to-date Society interested in Cumbria's past - its history, landscape and archaeology. And behind the website is the CWAAS, the Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society, founded in 1866 and keeping the traditional name alive, although the territory changed in 1974 and was also given a new name (see caption to map top left). Quite a challenge for a Society!

CWAAS Early Days
LANERCOST GATEWAY
Picture Title : LANERCOST GATEWAY

EARLY DAYS An insight into our Society, founded 1866, and into the age itself! Illustrated snippets taken from Proceedings, for many years part of the Transactions.

BUILDING THE LEGACY: WE'VE INHERITED

*Think of the places the CWAS members visited!

*Think of the modes of transport available!

*Belonging to CWAAS took members to sites and areas not easily accessible. The element of adventure was strong.

*But the Society could not go forward without members' willingness to stand for the Council and Committees. Excursions could not take place without members who were willing to make the necessary arrangements.

*The members were appreciative and had a strong sense of duty towards our heritage, antiquarian and archaeological.

*They gave their active support to Society affairs, and were also generous in making available their personal resources to ensure that important ventures (ventures which the subscription alone could not possibly underwrite) could be undertaken in various branches of study and scholarship.

*To get a glimpse of such matters, and of how our activities developed and our publications grew and grew

ACTIVITIES

Glendalough Round Tower, Co. Wicklow
Glendalough Round Tower, Co. Wicklow
[Click picture for larger version]

We enjoy exploring, reading about and researching Cumbria's varied and rich historical and archaeological heritage. Cumbria offers prehistoric circles and stone axe factories; Roman military sites a-plenty; Saxon and Viking antiquities such as Bewcastle Cross in the far north east of the county and Gosforth Cross in the mid-west; pele towers and castles which tell of Border raids and turbulent medieval days; and evidence of a later more peaceful existence - in the numerous parish churches and gracious houses. Seafaring and diverse industries have played a major role in Cumbria's development and there is much of both available to be explored. (P.S. We also venture farther afield!)

Newsletter

We publish a Newsletter three times a year.

Current (Spring 2012) contents include:

  • Swords so sharp 'as to cut their fingers'
  • Summer with the CWAAS
  • Dorothy Charlesworth Memorial Lecture
  • Appeal for Illustrations for the CWAAS 150th Anniversary Volume
  • CWAAS Research Grants
  • Analysis of Roman pottery from Frenchfield, Brougham
  • Datestones: Item for the Society Website
  • .... and more
Newsletter front page
New Items
KENDAL AFFILIATED GROUP

2012 - 2013 Programme

CUMBRIA COUNTY HISTORY TRUST

A lecture by Dr. David Starkey 6th November 2012

ANOTHER DECADE

1920-1929 Added to the transactions Index

BEN EDWARDS

A life in North-West Archaeology.



Ben Edwards about to conduct a walk round Ribchester for the Lancashire Archaeological Society. Photo by Bill Shannon


SOUTH WEST AFFILIATED GROUP

Summer Programme 2012

NEW PUBLICATION

Whitehaven Then & Now



Whitehave Then & Now by Alan W. Routledge.


SUMMER EVENING

Rose Castle, Dalston, 22nd June 2012



ROSE CASTLE DALSTON (photo SiAlexander P. Kapp, via Wikipedia) [Share Alike Licence]


MAY WALK



One site in Shap's Prehistoric landscape Photo via Shap Community website.


CWAAS JOINS NATIONAL SET-UP

CWAAS joins national set-up See new EARLY DAYS snippet



Burlington House, headquarters of the Society of Antiquaries of London.


AFFILIATED GROUPS

For further details of the Affiliated Groups please click the following link.

THE CONSTITUTION

The Constitution of the Society is available for download from this web site.

SEARCHABLE INDEX

A searchable index is being built of all Transactions since the first issue. This is not yet complete and it is very much work in progress.

It is currently not available on this website due to changes being made. It will however be made available as soon as possible.

In the meantime, for the convenience of users, a link to the old database is provided and this will be maintained until such time as it can be transferred to this site.

 

Cumbria Research

Interested in aspects of Cumbria researched in universities in the last ten years or so? A fascinating list!

Technical

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