Penrith.-- market town and par. with ry. sta., Cumberland, on river Eamont, 17½ miles SE. of Carlisle and 282 miles NW. of London, 7587 ac., pop. 9268; P.O. T.O., 3 Banks, 4 newspapers. Market-day, Tuesday. In olden times the town suffered much from the warlike incursions of the Scots. It stands on the outskirts of the Lake District, is well built, has a grammar school founded in 1340, and is a prosperous place, chiefly through its market being the centre of a large agricultural trade. By artificial means a great deal of land, formerly waste, has been made highly productive. Near the ry. sta., at W. of town, stands the ruined castle dismantled by the Parliamentarians during the great Civil War. Several interesting antiquities and fine seats are within easy distance of the town.

(John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887))