Cockermouth

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100 AD - a Roman fort was built 1 mile northeast of where Cockermouth is today at Papscastle.

1134 - Cockermouth Castle was built with stone from the Roman Fort, with the town growing around the Castle. The Castle was owned by the Mighty Percy family from the 1400s. It has been the private home of the Wyndham family since the 1700s, with the best views from the Riverside Walk.

Cockermouth was built where the Rivers Derwent and Cocker merge, leading to a number of Great Floods over the centuries.

1200s - the Market Place was established with a Charter from King Henry III.

1500s - there are still some buildings in Cockermouth centre from this time, but most are from the 1700s - early 1900s.

1600s - the Moot Hall was built at the Market Place.

1745 - a Mansion was built on the Main Street for Josua Lucock.

1765 - the Wordsworth family began living at the Lucock Mansion through the fathers work as a Legal Representative.

1761 - the Castle Pub was built at the Market Place, a time most pubs in England were only allowed to open a few hours per day, but Cockermouth Pubs would be open all day when the Markets were on, attracting vast numbers of visitors for a merry time.

1770 - William Wordsworth was born at the Lucock Mansion.

1771 - Dorothy Wordsworth was born at the Mansion.

1778 - William Wordsworth mother died, leading to him being sent to live at Hawkshead for schooling 36 miles southeast. Dorothy was sent to live in Yorkshire.

1783 - William Wordsworth father died.

1793 - the first Poems by William Wordsworth were released.

1800s early - Flax and Cotton Mills opened at Cockermouth powered by the two Rivers.

Around 40 other companies followed such as Hat Factories and Tanneries.

You can still see a huge Mill building on the Riverside Walk or where the main Car Park for the Town is.

1825 - the Town Hall was built at the Market Place to replace the Moot Hall. The Town Hall was used as a Court up to the 1930s, used for Weddings since 2016.

1828 - Jennings Brewery was founded at Lorton village 6 miles southeast of Cockermouth.

1836 - JB Banks Ironmongers opened at the Marketplace, still there as a Shop and Museum.

1850 - Cockermouth United Reformed Church was built on the Main Street.

1856 - St Joseph's RC Church was built on Crown Street.

1874 - Jennings Brewery moved from Lorton to Cockermouth, , known as the Castle Brewery, becoming one of the biggest Brewery names in England.

1875 - a Statue of Earl Mayo was erected on Cockermouth Main Street, a former M.P. for Cockermouth who was murdered when serving in India.

1903 - the Cockermouth Library was built on the Main Street, now also used as a Tourist Information Centre.

1930s - the large Cotton Mill closed, then used as a Shoe Factory.

1934 - a large building on the Main Street from 1670 was converted to serve as the Lakes Hotel, with that name changing to the Trout Hotel in the 1960s, a time Fishing on the Rivers here was real popular, attracting celebrities such as Bing Crosby.

1938 - The National Trust took over the Lucock Mansion to be used as the Wordsworth House Museum.

1990s - the Shoe Factory was closed then converted to Flats.

2015 - Storm Desmond led to a Great Flood in Cockermouth, taking years to repair the damage. Images.

There have been 15 Cockermouth Floods since records began in 1761.

2022 - the parent company of the Jennings Brewery put the Cockermouth Brewery up for sale.