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Allonby
Allonby
Village
	Allonby, from the east
	Allonby Location in the former Allerdale district Allonby Location within Cumbria
Population	444 (2011)
OS grid reference	NY081430
Civil parish	Allonby;
Unitary authority	Cumberland;
Ceremonial county	Cumbria;
Region	North West;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Maryport
Postcode district	CA15
Dialling code	01900
Police	Cumbria
Fire	Cumbria
Ambulance	North West
UK Parliament	Workington;
	List of places UK England Cumbria 54°46′18″N 3°25′53″W / 54.7717°N 3.4313°W

Allonby is a village on the coast of Cumberland in Cumbria, England. The village is on the B5300 road 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Maryport and 8 miles (13 km) south of Silloth.^[2] The village of Mawbray is 3 miles (4.8 km) to the north, and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to the east is the village of Westnewton, Carlisle is located 26 miles (42 km) to the north-east. Other nearby settlements include Crosscanonby, Edderside, Hayton, and Salta.

Etymology

The name 'Allonby' is derived from " 'Alein's bȳ'...'Alein' is a French personal name of Breton origin."^[3] ('Bȳ' is a late Old English word from Old Norse 'bȳr' and Swedish or Danish 'by' meaning 'village' or 'hamlet').

Geographical aspect

The village overlooks Allonby Bay in the Solway Firth. The area is within the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the historic county of Cumberland. Allonby, and the five-mile coastal strip of the bay, has views across the Solway to the Galloway hills of southern Scotland. Both the South Saltpans beach and the West Winds beach were awarded the Blue Flag rural beach award in 2005. The village is located on the 150 miles (240 km) Cumbria Coastal Way long-distance footpath.

History

From the late 18th century until the mid-19th century, Allonby was home to a small fishing fleet. The main catch was herring. Fish yards were built where these were salted and packed in barrels made on the premises.^[4] There was also a smokehouse where kippers were produced. In the early part of the 19th century, Allonby was a popular sea-bathing resort. Baths were built in 1835.^{[citation needed]}

The village has a 17th-century coaching inn now known as the Ship Hotel. Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins stayed overnight at the hostelry in 1857 (due to Collins' illness) while they were touring northern Cumberland; Dickens subsequently described Allonby as a 'dreary little place'.^{[citation needed]}

The Reading Room, opened in 1862, was designed by Alfred Waterhouse, the Victorian architect, when he was only 32 years old. The building was largely financed by Joseph Pease, who was Britain's first Quaker MP.^[5]

Governance

Allonby is part of the parliamentary constituency of Penrith and Solway, and has been represented by Markus Campbell-Savours of the Labour Party since the 2024 general election. Previously the village was represented by Mark Jenkinson, a member of the Conservative Party, who unseated Sue Hayman, a member of the Labour Party, at the 2019 General Election.^[6] The Labour Party had previously won the seat in every general election since 1979; the Conservative Party had only been elected once in Workington since the Second World War: in the 1976 Workington by-election.^[7]

Before Brexit, it was in the North West England European Parliamentary Constituency.^{[citation needed]}

For local government purposes, since 1 April 2023, it is in the unitary authority of Cumberland.

The village also has a parish council, Allonby Parish Council.^[8]

Notable residents

Joseph Huddart was born here in 1741.^[9]

References

^ "Parish population 2011". Retrieved 18 June 2015.
^ Cumbria Directory - Allonby Archived 26 January 2005 at the Wayback Machine
^ Armstrong, A. M.; Mawer, A.; Stenton, F. M.; Dickens, B. (1950). The place-names of Cumberland. English Place-Name Society, vol.xxi. Vol. Part 2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 261.
^ ‘Mary Beeby's Memorandum' published by Cumbria Family History Society, Aug. 1998
^ Holme St Cuthbert History Group: More Plain People, 2007
^ "Allerdale Borough Council website". Archived from the original on 7 April 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
^ "A vision of Britain website – general elections section". Retrieved 27 April 2012.
^ "Allonby Parish Council".
^ "Huddart, Joseph" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.