Pennington is mentioned in the Domesday Book as one of the townships forming the Manor of Hougun which was held by Tostig Godwinson, Earl of North Cumbria.
The manor is exactly the same size as the parish which formerly belonged to the Cistercian Abbey of Furness, and includes 4,160 acres or six and one-half square miles.
Nonetheless, the record was compiled in 1086-1087, a mere twenty years after the Norman Conquest, at the order of William the Conqueror.
The Pennington family traces its lineage back to Gamel de Penitone, a prominent figure before and during the Norman Conquest of 1066, according to "The English Baronetage" published in 1741.
[6] Nevertheless, historical evidence points to Muncaster as the ancestral home of the Pennington Family since at least 1208 when lands were granted to Alan de Penitone, though some records hint at an even earlier connection dating back to 1026.
The Ramsdens are distinguished in their own right and also played a significant role in Yorkshire's history and brought with them a legacy of estate management and horticultural expertise.
Today, the National Genealogical Society and Earlham College holds the family's digital files.