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In 1887, John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles described Kendal like this:
Kendal.-- (or Kirkby Kendal), mun. bor., market town, par., and township, Westmorland, on river Kent, 20 miles N. of Lancaster, 46 S. of Carlisle, and 261 from London by rail-par., 74,062 ac., pop. 20,752; township, 2242 ac., pop. 11,719; bor., 2622 ac., pop. 13,696; 3 Banks, 2 newspapers. ...
Market-day, Saturday. The town was incorporated in the reign of Elizabeth. It is well built, and occupies a healthy situation. Woollen mfrs. have long been a leading industry among the inhabitants. As early as the reigns of Richard II. and Henry IV. special laws were passed to regulate the trade in "Kendal cloth." The goods now produced are mostly heavy fabrics, such as railway wrappers, carpets, trouserings, &c. A canal communicates with the Lancashire coal district. Kendal returned 1 member to Parliament until 1885.
Kendal is now part of WESTMORLAND AND FURNESS Unitary Authority. Click here for graphs and data of how WESTMORLAND AND FURNESS has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Kendal itself, go to Statistics.
How to reference this page:
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Kendal, in Westmorland and Furness and Westmorland | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/617
Date accessed: 08th April 2026
Click here for more detailed advice on finding places within A Vision of Britain through Time, and maybe some references to other places called "Kendal".
