| Abstract: | This study establishes why, after centuries as a manorial borough, Kendal was incorporated in 1575 and who brought this change about. It assesses the relationships between the town, its parish and its local region and looks at the impact that the new corporation had on them. These issues are of general importance to incorporations in other towns, especially those which, like Kendal, had previously been dominated by the manorial lord, and where borough self-government was relatively unsophisticated. Of course, there is no space to discuss every aspect of the incorporation here and so the paper concludes by suggesting some further avenues for research in the run up to the 450th anniversary of Kendal’s incorporation. |
