Hawkshead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hawkshead |
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 Ann Tyson's House |
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 Hawkshead
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| Population | 519 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SD3598 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | AMBLESIDE |
| Postcode district | LA22 |
| Dialling code | 015394 |
| Police | Cumbria |
| Fire | Cumbria |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | [1] |
Hawkshead is a lovely village in Cumbria, England. It's located inside the beautiful Lake District National Park. Long ago, it was part of Lancashire. The area around Hawkshead includes small places like Hawkshead Hill and Outgate. In the village, you'll find a primary school and four public houses (which are like inns or pubs).
Contents
Exploring Hawkshead's Location
Hawkshead is nestled in a valley, just north of Esthwaite Water. It's also west of Windermere and east of Coniston Water. These are all famous lakes in the Lake District! Being part of a region called Furness, it was historically linked to the old county of Lancashire.
A Journey Through Hawkshead's Past
Hawkshead has a rich history! It was once owned by the monks of Furness Abbey. A nearby place called Colthouse even got its name from the Abbey's stables.
From Wool to Market Town
In the Middle Ages, Hawkshead became an important place for selling wool. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1532, it grew into a busy market town. King James I gave Hawkshead its first special permission to hold a market in 1608.
Hawkshead Grammar School
A famous school, Hawkshead Grammar School, was started in 1585. Archbishop Edwin Sandys of York asked Queen Elizabeth I for permission to create it. Many years later, William Wordsworth, who became a very famous poet, studied there.
Village Life in the 18th and 19th Centuries
Hawkshead became even more important locally in the 1700s and 1800s. The Hawkshead Market Hall, where goods were bought and sold, was finished in 1790.
Famous Residents and Modern Times
Besides William Wordsworth, another famous person, Beatrix Potter, lived nearby in the early 1900s. She was the author of beloved children's books like Peter Rabbit.
When the Lake District National Park was created in 1951, tourism became a big part of Hawkshead's life. However, traditional farming still happens around the village. Hawkshead feels like a place where time stands still. It has charming narrow streets, old buildings with overhanging roofs, and historic squares. William Wordsworth even wrote about it beautifully in his poem The Prelude.
Today, much of the land in and around Hawkshead is owned by the National Trust. This organization helps protect special places. Their property here is called Hawkshead and Claife.
How Hawkshead is Governed
Hawkshead has two main levels of local government. First, there's the Hawkshead Parish Council, which looks after local village matters. They meet at the Hawkshead Market Hall. Second, there's the larger Westmorland and Furness Council, which is a bigger local authority. For elections to this council, Hawkshead is part of the Coniston and Hawkshead area.
A Look at Administrative Changes
Hawkshead was originally a small part of a larger church area called Dalton-in-Furness in Lancashire. It became its own separate parish (a local area) in 1578. Over time, the area was divided into smaller civil parishes.
In 1974, Hawkshead became part of the new county of Cumbria. Then, in 2023, it became part of the new Westmorland and Furness council area.
Who Represents Hawkshead in Parliament?
Hawkshead is part of the Westmorland and Lonsdale parliamentary area. The person who represents this area in the UK Parliament is Tim Farron MP.
