Longtown, Cumberland

Description
Longtown, a town in Arthuret parish, Cumberland, on the river Esk, adjacent to the North British railway, at the forking of the branches toward Carlisle and Gretna, 3 miles-S of the boundary with Scotland, and 8 1/2 N by W of Carlisle. It was founded at a remote period by the Grahams of Netherby; continued till a recent period to be only a poor village; is now a well-built place with good modern houses and regular spacious streets; a seat of petty sessions; and has a post, money order, and telegraph office (R.S.O.), a railway station, a stone bridge over the Esk, and Presbyterian, United Presbyterian, and Wesleyan chapels. The parish church of Arthuret, St Michael stands about half a mile from this town, and is a building in the Gothic-style consisting of nave, aisles, chancel, and a western tower. There are also a bank, a mechanics' hall erected in 1851, a literary institute and reading-room opened in 1890, and a pffiice station.