It is in the civil parish of Lindale and Newton-in-Cartmel, in Westmorland and Furness Unitary Authority.

Lindale's most famous resident was John "Iron-Mad" Wilkinson, an ironworker and inventor who lived in the village from 1750, where he owned the Castle Head estate.

Traditionally a farming village, Lindale's proximity to the A590 road has seen a growth in the number of commuters who live there.

The local tourist boom has largely missed Lindale, with nearby Grange-over-Sands developing into a seaside resort, and villages to the north and west (such as Windermere) benefiting from their position in the Lake District National Park.

[2][3] The church closed in 2019 as a result of a declining congregation and costs of repair.