From T. Bulmer’s Directory of Cumberland, 1901.
Armathwaite, a chapelry of Hesket-in-the-Forest (itself till 16th century part of St Mary’s parish in Carlisle, whose parish church was the nave of the cathedral), includes Aiketgate and Nunclose. Its population in 1891 was 282. (Armathwaite east of Eden was, and is a part of Ainstable.)
Those holding their lands by the manorial system attended the manor court at Armathwaite Castle, the manor house. Until 1712, Armathwaite’s owner was Mr Skelton. In 1846, the castle was sold to Lord Lonsdale. In 1901, one of his gamekeepers, Mr Allan Edwards, lived there.
One of these Skeltons, Richard Skelton, rebuilt the chapel pre 1688. It had been a cattle-shed, a ruin, in the 1650s, closed by order of the Commonwealth. The school was enlarged in 1884 and can hold 90 pupils; about 70 go. It had no playground until 1894, when Mr Ecroyd (Low House) gave them one.
Nunclose belonged to the Nunnery (near Staffield), and was an island of cultivation within the wilds of Inglewood.
Samuel Thompson runs the Post Office, at his house. Letters come by train to the station, from Carlisle at 6am and 5pm, and are sent there at 1.50pm and 7.10pm.
Armathwaite has five tradesmen, eight farmers (four with private income), one schoolmaster, and one curate. Aiketgate and Nunclose has 13 farmers and one steam-thresher hirer.
