OS grid reference NY305505 Country England Post town CARLISLE Shire county Cumbria Dialling code 016973 UK parliament constituency Workington | Region North West Sovereign state United Kingdom Postcode district CA5 District Allerdale Civil parish Thursby | |
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Crofton is an area of Thursby, Allerdale district of Cumbria, England. It is 6.4 miles (10.3 km) west-southwest of Carlisle.
Map of Crofton, Carlisle, UK
Historically a part of Cumberland, Crofton was one of three small townships in the centre of the former Parish of Thursby. It was originally called Croft-town, derived from the word Croft, as the town standing upon the Crofts. [1]
Notable landmarks were Crofton Place, the seat of Sir Wastel Brisco, Bart. It also became a surname to John Crofton. Although Crofton Hall was demolished in approximately 1955-1956, some of the estate buildings remain, and the gateway and pond are notable remnants.
Crofton Estate was taken over by the Land Settlement Association a government initiative to get poorer people involved in agriculture and horticultural production. The LSA estate was composed of Bank End, East Park, West Park, Shaw Wood and Whinnow Land Settlement Small Holdings. The LSA was disbanded in 1974 and some small holders were left destitute, others continued to farm the land as private owners. The LSA small holders were from a variety of backgrounds and places, Irish, Polish, Scottish, Cumbrian and other parts of England.
The stables of the Brisco estate house were used as the LSA headquarters. The lake has recently been reinstated after decades of neglect.