Windermere, Cumbria (town)
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Windermere (Template:IPAc-en) is a town in the civil parish of Windermere and Bowness, in the Westmorland and Furness district in the ceremonial county of Cumbria, England; it is within the Lake District National Park. The town lies about half a mile (1 km) east of the lake, Windermere, from which it takes its name.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2021 it had a population of 4,826.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
While Windermere town does not itself touch the lake, it forms one urban area with the older town of Bowness-on-Windermere, which is directly on the lake shore. Windermere began to grow when the railway station and hotel of the same name opened in 1847. Tourism is popular in the town, owing to its proximity to the lake and local scenery. Boats from the piers in Bowness sail around the lake, many calling at Ambleside or at Lakeside where there is a restored railway.
History
Historically a part of the county of Westmorland, Windermere town was known as Birthwaite prior to the arrival of the Kendal and Windermere Railway, which stimulated its development. Windermere station offers train and bus connections to the surrounding area, Manchester Airport and the West Coast Main Line.
The geological formations around the area take their name from the town. They are called the Windermere Group of sedimentary rocks.
Toponymy
The word "Windermere" is thought to translate as "Winand or Vinand's lake". The specific has usually been identified with an Old Swedish personal name Vinandr. The other possibility is for a Continental Germanic name Wīnand.<ref name="Whaley">Template:Cite book</ref> The second element is Old English 'mere', meaning 'lake' or 'pool'. There is a reference to "Wynandermer" in 1396.<ref>Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas: CP 40/541; http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT6/R2/CP40no541a/aCP40no541afronts/IMG_0077.htm; 4th entry; animals being taken from John Burgh by 2 guys from Wynandermer</ref>
Governance
Windermere was from 1894 to 1974 governed by an urban district council which in 1905 absorbed the former Bowness-on-Windermere UDC although Bowness remained a separate civil parish until 1974. Windermere UDC had slight boundary changes in 1934 and was abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 replacing it with South Lakeland District Council. At the 1961 census (one of the last before the merger of the parish of Bowness on Windermere), Windermere had a population of 6562.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 29 July 2020 the merged parish was renamed from "Windermere" to "Windermere and Bowness".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2023 South Lakeland was abolished and merged into Westmorland and Furness unitary authority area.
Transport
Windermere railway station was built in 1847 and was the reason the town was established.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The station serves trains run by Northern to Oxenholme on the West Coast Main Line; some services continue on to Template:Rws.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Stagecoach Cumbria operates bus routes to Keswick, Kendal, Lancaster, Grasmere, Ambleside, Bowness-on-Windermere, Barrow-in-Furness, Penrith and Coniston.<ref> Template:Cite web</ref>
The town is near the A591 road, a major road which runs through the Lake District from Kendal to Keswick.
Local media
Regional TV news is provided by BBC North West and ITV Border. Television signals are received from the local relay transmitter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Local radio stations are BBC Radio Cumbria, Heart North West, Smooth Lake District, and Lake District Radio that broadcast online from its studios in Kendal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The town's local newspapers are The Westmorland Gazette and North West Evening Mail.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Education
There are three primary schools located in the town. Secondary education is provided by The Lakes School (state) and Windermere School (independent, ages 2–18), both of which are located on the outskirts.
Notable people
- George Godfrey Cunningham (c. 1802–1860) – Scottish writer<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
- Thomas Gardner (born 1996) – filmmaker.<ref>Nicholson, Savannah. "Windermere Filmmaker on new war film" The Westmorland Gazette. 25 May 2021</ref><ref>"Award-winning film shot by Cumbrian man" CumbriaCrack. 5 April 2022</ref>
- Dr David Clark, Baron Clark of Windermere, lives in Windermere.