Barony of Westmorland
Coordinates: 54°34′41″N 2°29′20″W / 54.578°N 2.489°W The Barony of Westmorland, originally often written as Westmarieland or Westmaringaland, was one of two baronies making up the English county of Westmorland, the other being the Barony of Kendal. Geographically, the barony covered the northern part of the county of the same name, and was divided into two wards — East ward and West ward. It covered an area similar to that of the Eden District of Cumbria, although it did not include Penrith, which is now the administrative capital of the district.
The Barony of Westmorland is not the same as the better-known county of Westmorland which it is part of, and in order to distinguish the two, the barony came to be referred to in other ways such as North Westmorland, or based upon the name of its chief town of Appleby, the Barony of Appleby, or Appleshire. It was also referred to as the Bottom of Westmorland, because it is mostly made up of the low ground of the valley of the River Eden, surrounded by hills and mountains.
The barony has survived in various forms into modern times, but originated as a feudal barony, granted in 1203/4 to Robert I de Vipont (or Vieuxpont, or Veteripont) for the service of four knight's fees. Earlier, in the 12th century, the lands from which the barony of Appleby were formed were controlled by the feudal baron of Burgh-by-Sands, Cumberland, of which the first recorded holder was Robert de Trevers, in the time of Henry I of England (1100–1135).
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