Both nestle at the northern end of the Vale of Lorton, surrounded by fells such as Grasmoor, Hopegill Head and Whiteside.

[5] Lorton has a small primary school,[6] St Cuthbert's Church, a re-opened shop and coffee bar,[7] a tennis club,[8] and an award-winning pub, The Wheatsheaf Inn.

Lorton is fairly isolated: residents travel an average of 17 miles (28 km) to their jobs; 102 people aged 16–74 are economically active and only 6 unemployed.

In 1811, Lorton peaked in prosperity and population due to high demand for farm products as England recovered from the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815).

[16] Lorton Park is a Grade II Listed Regency House owned in the 19th century by Richard Harbord, a Liverpool shipping magnate buried in the parish church.

Lorton features in the Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870–1872) by John Marius Wilson as "a village, a township, and a parish in Cockermouth district, Cumberland".

[20] Wilson gave some early key statistics on the value of real property (£3,288), the head count (456) and the area (5264 acres, 2130 ha).