Matterdale, a township, formerly in the parish of Greystoke, was formed into a parish 19th May1865, and is 3 miles south from Troutbeck station on the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith railway, and 10½ south-west from Penrith, in the mid division of the county, Leath ward and petty sessional division, union and county court district of Penrith, rural deanery of Penrith west, and archdeaconry and diocese of Carlisle. The church, erected in 1573 [a matter of dispute - Jake] and licensed in 1580, is a plain building of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, north porch and small western belfry containing 1 bell. In the chancel is a memorial window to the Milner family; the ancient font was formerly in the Greystoke church. There are 125 sittings. The registers date from the year 1645. The living is a vicarage, in the gift of the rector of Greystoke, net yearly value £132, and held since 1851 by the Rev. John Bell B.A. of Durham University. the charities include Poor's stock, producing £2 18s. yearly; a bequest of £60 by Robert Grisaled [ Dr Robert Grisdale, born in Dowthwaite Head, who became vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London - Jake], 1st July, 1747, the interest of which is now £2 8s. a year, and a sum of £1,000 in Consols left by Jonathan Murray, esq. by will 19th July 1832; the interest amounting to £27 10s yearly is divided: £14 13s. 4d. being assigned to education, £9 3s. 4d. to the poor, and £3. 13s. 4d. for sermons. Henry C. Howard Eyre J.P. of Greystoke castle, is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are Isaac Brownrigg esq., Isaac Edward Brownrigg, Rev. Thomas Wilkinson B.A., Isaac Bennett, Thomas Bennett, William and Thomas Dobson and John Porter. The soil is chiefly clay and peat; subsoil clay. The chief crops are oats, and a large portion is pasture land. the area is 7,264 acres; rateable value, £2,229. The population in 1891 was township 322, ecclesiastical parish 290.

Parish Clerk and Sexton, Threlkeld Sealby [headstone in churchyard].

POST OFFICE, Dockwray. Mrs Mary Agnes James, sub-postmistress. letters through Penrith arrive at 8. 20 a.m.; despatched at 3 p.m. The nearest money order and telegraph office is at Glenridding. Postal orders are issued here but not paid.

The following hamlets are included in the parish:

DOCKWRAY-ON-THE-GLEN, AIRY BECK, ½ mile south from the church.

DOWTHWAITE HEAD, 2 miles south-west.

MATTERDALE END 1 mile north.

THORNETHWAITE which adjoins the church.

Letters for Matterdale, through Penrith, arrive at 9 a.m. WALL LETTER BOX cleared at 2.45 p.m. week days only. Penruddock is nearest money order office and Troutbeck station is the nearest telegraph office.[contradicting what it states at "POST OFFICE" above]

School (mixed), built & endowed in 1716, on a site granted by the Hon. Hy. Charles Howard, by the Rev. Robert Grisdale of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, London. The endowment, consisting of about 3 acres of land, and invested money produces about £12 a year. The school will hold 80 children; average attendance, 50; James Taylor, master; Mrs Anne Taylor, sewing mistress.

Matterdale PRIVATE RESIDENTS Bell Rev. John, B.A. The Vicarage Brownrigg Isaac, Matterdale end Thompson Mrs. Matterdale end Wilkinson Rev. Thomas, B.A. Matterdale end COMMERCIAL Bennett Isaac & Thomas, farmers & landowners, Highgate close Bennett Thomas & Matthew, farmers, Walthwaite Chapplow John, farmer, High row Chapplow Thomas, farmer, Gilsrow Cockburn Isaac, farmer, Lobs Cooper Joseph, farmer, High row Davidson Elizabeth (Mrs.), farmer, Matterdale end Dickinson Mary (Mrs.), shopkeeper, Thorneythwaite Dobson Thomas, farmer & landowner, Troutbeck Dobson Wm., farmer & landowner, Troutbeck Fothergill Richard, farmer, Bank Fothergill Robert, farmer, Dowthwaite head Head Wm., farmer, Backside Hetherington Joseph, farmer, Longholme Hind James, farmer, Dowthwaite hd Hodgson Isaac, farmer, Red syke Jackson John, farmer, Park gate Martin John, farmer, Matterdale end

Nanson John & Wm., farmers, Baldhow end Porter John, farmer & landowner, Troutbeck Potts, Wm., farmer, Matterdale end Raine John, farmer, High Row Robinson John, shopkeeper, Matterdale end Robinson Thomas, farmer Thorneythwaite Taylor George & Sons, farmers, Matterdale end Taylor James, master of Endowed school Thompson Thos., farmer, Matterdale end Thornburrow Henry D., farmer, Bogg Wear Joseph, farmer, Crookwath Wilson Mary (Mrs.), & John Mark, farmers, Gill head Wynn Mary (Mrs.), farmer, Matterdale end Dockwray Wilkinson John COMMERCIAL Bainbridge James, farmer Edmondson Joseph, blacksmith Harrison John, farmer Hebson Isabella (Mrs.), dressmaker Martin Benjamin, joiner Martin Joseph, farmer Martin Joseph, jun., farmer Walker Isabella (Mrs.), shopkeeper Weir Thomas, Royal inn & farmer