Barony of Kendal

The parishes of the two wards are as follows: Geographically, with the exception of its southern side, the Barony of Kendal is surrounded by mountainous terrain and water.

Other parts, including Beetham, were held by Earl Tostig, whose possessions later passed in some cases to the king, and in others to Roger of Poitou.

William de Lancaster I was in any case the first administrator of the region after England recovered the area from King David I of Scotland.

But modern commentators believe this to be impossible, and made by placing a sequence of lords into the simplest possible family tree.

Despite common assertions to the contrary, Farrer and Curwen thought that William was probably not a true "Baron" of Kendal, in the sense of being a direct tenant of the monarch, because he appears to have had lords above him apart from the king.

Farrer wrote in the Introduction to Records of Kendal: After a careful review of the evidence which has been sketched above, the author is of opinion that no barony or reputed barony of Kentdale existed prior to the grants of 1189–90; and that neither William de Lancaster, son of Gilbert, nor William de Lancaster II, his son and successor, can be rightly described as "baron" of Kentdale.

Therefore, the eventual county of Westmorland was not originally a merger, but a takeover, which was then re-structured in the time of King Richard I of England.

And after him came the above-mentioned Gilbert son of Roger fitz Reinfrid, the husband of Helewise, who was the daughter and heiress of William de Lancastre II.

The last true Baron of the whole of the Barony of Kendal was the son of Gilbert fitz Reinfrid, who used the name William de Lancastre III.

And some smaller possessions also split off outside these large fees: A short summary of the historical dividing of the feudal barony can be summarised as follows:[13]

The ruins of Kendal Castle, the ancient seat of the Barons of Kendal.
The coat of arms attributed to William de Lancaster I and several of his descendants who were Barons of Kendal.
The arms of Westmorland. In modern times, the two red bars were incorporated into the arms of the traditional county of Westmorland, as a representation of the Kendal half of that county. The apple tree represents Appleby, or Northern Westmorland. [ 6 ]
Catherine Parr , who married Henry VIII . Her brother was the last Parr to possess the Marquis Fee division of the Barony of Kendal.