News and Events
Advance notice of closure of Cumbria Archive Centres, Carlisle and Whitehaven, for annual stocktaking, Wednesday 25 November to Friday 4 December 2026 inclusive
Carlisle and Whitehaven Archive Centres will be closed from Wednesday 25 November 2026 for two weeks and will reopen as normal on Wednesday 9 December 2026.
This is for staff to undertake important salvage training and stocktaking work. Please note that there may be delays with responses to email enquiries, telephone calls and digitisation requests during this period.
Barrow and Kendal Archive Centres will remain open as normal during this period.
Reopening of Kendal Archive Centre
Updated 20 August 2026.
In late March 2026, we closed the Kendal Archive searchroom at Kendal Library to allow our collection to be moved to improved storage conditions. We are pleased to report this has now been completed and we were able to reopen our searchroom at the Herdwick Room in Kendal Library on Wednesday 19 August 2026. We are currently dealing with a large backlog of enquiries and requests for bookings. Please bear with us while we deal with our interim service for providing access to records. Please note the following:
- We shall continue to operate on an appointment only basis. Your appointment will only be confirmed when we have your records ready for you.
- We ask initially for document requests three weeks in advance of your appointment. This is to help ensure we can provide your records.
- Our opening times will remain as Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 10am to 4pm
Organisations or individuals wishing to deposit records should contact kendal.archives@cumberland.gov.uk for guidance.
We thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we navigate the new way of working. For further information, please contact us at the email address above.
Fading Fires film
This short documentary film was created in 2024 by Benjamin Bogorad and looks at the decline of West Cumbria's heavy industries through the eyes of a former steelworker and coal miner. It features material from the British Steel Company collection, which is held at Whitehaven Archives. The film was selected at a number of film festivals, earning both Jury Prize and Finalist awards.
Changes to access to records at Kendal Archive Centre
The following Kendal collections have been moved on a temporary basis to Barrow Archive Centre and are available to consult there.
WDAW: Alfred Wainwright
WDMDS: Mike Davies-Shiel papers
WDRY: Le Fleming of Rydal Hall
WDTE: Browne family of Townend, Troutbeck (Westmorland)
WDVAS: Josefina de Vasconcellos
Some other collections at Kendal require a one or two week advance notice to us and further details can be found on our Advance Order Collections webpage.
Kendal Archives Centre will provide an interim public service from the Herdwick Room in the local studies library at Kendal Library, Stricklandgate, Kendal LA9 4PY. Please note the following important changes to our service:
- Please book an appointment and request records at least 72 hours before your intended visit as researcher spaces are limited in the Herdwick Room
- Our opening hours will change to Wednesdays to Fridays, 10am-4pm (no lunch closure)
- We cannot offer a drop in service at the Herdwick Room - an appointment will be required
- Our contact details will remain the same
- We can arrange deposits at County Offices by prior appointment. Please contact us for further details.