Penrith

Penrith's history has been defined primarily by its strategic position on vital north–south and east–west communications routes. This was especially important in its early history, when the Romans established two forts nearby at Brocavum and at Voreda (Plumpton). It was also vital later on when Anglo-Scottish relations were fraught. Furthermore, Penrith was a Crown possession in its early phase, though often granted to favoured noble families. It did not become a chartered borough or a municipal corporation and had no representation in Parliament in any modern democratic sense until the 19th century. Other factors in its growth were from its proximity to the Inglewood Forest and to the fertile Eden valley. The town depended mostly upon agriculture, especially cattle rearing and droving. It lacked the resources to become an industrial hub, despite its road and rail infrastructure.