About
Rockcliffe is a village pleasantly situated by the Northern Banks of the River Eden on the upper tidal reaches of the Solway Firth around 4 miles North West of Carlisle.
The village takes its name from the old Norse spelling ‘raudhr klif’ which translates as ‘red cliff’ and alludes to the colour of the cliffs that are still today a striking aspect on the river bank. The River Eden is a very distinctive element of the outlook from the village and ranks in the top three Salmon Rivers in England. Another important river – The Border Esk – marks the northern extremity of the parish.
St Mary’s Church is a very prominent feature in the centre of the village. In the churchyard stands an Ancient Norse Cross which dates back to the 10th century, with the first recorded existence of a church being made in 1185. The village is not short of colourful history with smuggling, fishing, shipping and marauding invaders from the north all playing a part. The area once formed part of the ‘debateable lands’ and has seen plenty of conflict and dispute in its ancient past. Part of the parish boundary to the north now forms the start of the border with Scotland.
Rockcliffe in recent years has seen some new development but still keeps its rural community feel. It currently consists of around 150 dwellings which are a mixture of modern and traditional houses. As well as the church, the village enjoys the facilities of a thriving C of E Primary School, a large modern Community Centre, a village Cricket Club and The Crown and Thistle Public House. The village is surrounded by some good quality arable farmland and enjoys the outstanding feature of Rockcliffe Marsh to the west. The marsh has SSSI status and is a very important wetland for many species of migrating birds particularly wild geese.
The settlements of Rockcliffe Cross and Metal Bridge to the North; Todhills to the East; Harker, Low Harker and Harker road ends to the South are all situated within and form part of the wider parish of Rockcliffe. The parish also has three industrial areas belonging to Kingmoor Park estates.