Ireby is a picturesque village 550 feet above sea level, and is a former market town, some seven miles south of Wigton, and 18 miles south of Carlisle. It is situated just outside the Lake District National Park.
Ireby has shrunk from being a little market town to a village these days, with its old Moot Hall still here and its old market cross restored after being long in ruins. Though receiving its charter in 1237...and by the 17th century an important corn market...today little trade survives. Only two pubs remain (originally four). One is the Sun...once frequented by John Peel who lived in the neighbouring hamlet of Ruthwaite, and the other the Black Lion. One of the pubs now long gone was the Tun Inn at which dancing was quite popular. Dances of the region were the Cumberland Square Eight, the Long Eight, Ninepins Reel, Circassian Circle...all of which resemble Scottish country dances.
The oldest building here is the 'Od Church' which is situated in a field about one and a half miles from the centre of the village.Its a 12th century building but only the chancel still survives. It's still consecrated however, and a service is held here annually. It has been superseded by St James Church built in 1845. The new church has however an ancient font with four carved roundels, and two old stones built into the walls of the porch. One stone is carved with a pair of shears and some crosses, the other has an ornate cross and a sword, the memorial of John de Ireby who lived 700 years ago.
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