Blennerhasset and Torpenhow
Blennerhasset and Torpenhow is a civil parish in Cumbria, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 437, reducing to 423 at the 2011 Census. It includes the villages of Blennerhasset and Torpenhow at and the smaller settlement of Kirkland Guards at. It is located just outside the Lake District National Park. Baggrow railway station was immediately north of Blennerhasset.
The local pronunciation of Torpenhow is, rather than the more intuitive . Blennerhasset is pronounced instead of as would be expected outside of Cumbria.
St Michael's Church, Torpenhow has a Norman chancel arch with a remarkable carving of interlocking human figures, and a painted wooden ceiling.
Toponymy
The name Blennerhasset derives from the Brittonic blaen dre, meaning "hill farm", with the later addition of Old Norse hey sætr, "hay shieling". Similarly, Torpenhow derives from the Brittonic tor pen, meaning "peak head" or "end of the high ground", to which the Old English word hōh has been added. Alternatively, Torpenhow may be an entirely Brittonic name incorporating a plural suffix.Governance
Blennerhasset and Torpenhow is part of the Penrith and Solway constituency of the UK parliament.For Local Government purposes it is in the Cumberland unitary authority area.
Its parish council is Blennerhasset and Torpenhow Parish Council.