19th Century Penrith

At the beginning of the nineteenth century Penrith could have been dismissed as a small country town on the edge of the Lake District. The main Turnpike through the town the Carlisle and Eamont Bridge Turnpike Trust passed through the town and finished at the village of Eamont Bridge just south of the town further adding to the view of Penrith being a backwater. However this would be a wrong view.

Penrith was the meeting point of several Turnpike Trust's apart from the Carlisle and Eamont Bridge Trust there was the Brough and Eamont Bridge Trust (A66) the Keswick and Penrith Trust (A66 west), The Alston Trust (A689) and The Penrith and Chalk Beck Trust (B5305). In fact it is noticeable that all these trusts correspond with all the A roads and one B road that come into Penrith today.

Penrith would therefore be a lively place where travelers met, stayed in the inns overnight, changed coaches and no doubt both mixed and traded with the locals. In other words a major route centre the same as it is today.