The village was an original part of Michael's lands, granted to him before 1111 by Henry I, whilst Little Urswick belonged to Stephen of Blois and later Furness Abbey.

There can be little doubt that the history of the village dates back to the Bronze Age or further, given the wealth of ancient sites in the local area.

[5] An article published in 2007 made a claim for Roman military activity focused on what later became Dalton-in-Furness: the medieval secular capital of Furness.

[6] The author bases his argument on observations made by an 18th-century antiquarian; unsupported by 20th and 21st century investigations providing evidence for Roman archaeology.

Sandstones are known to have been imported and worked for specific architectural features in Roman forts elsewhere in Cumbria – for example, at Waterhead (Ambleside) and Hardknott in Eskdale.

The results of the geophysical survey were published – Life Before Barrow – Part 1: Urswick Origins Discovery Programme Interim Report 1 – 2004-5: First Light Heritage Agency, Ulverston 2005.

In 2005, following an eleven-year historical research and archaeological survey, evaluation excavation and remote sensing investigation programme; excavations began on what was considered through a range of field and remote sensing evidence, (see above) to be the site of a 1st-century/early 2nd century Roman fort, organised by First Light Heritage Agency with the aid of students from the University of Cardiff's Archaeology Department and local people.

The outcomes of the 2004 and 2005 projects have received local criticism which failed to fully take into account evidence resulting from an 8-year study of the site published in 2002 (available from Oxbow Books, Oxford: see reference below.)

A specific historical context for this Anglo-Saxon inscription and depiction has been proposed, (see references), and an archaeological and historical context for an early medieval religious site, incorporating a post-Roman, pre-Norman church forming the focus for a significant large early Christian monastic estate.

[8] Little Urswick has an entry in The Meaning of Liff ("(n.) The member of any class who most inclines a teacher towards the view that capital punishment should be introduced in schools.")