Isel, Cumbria


Isel is a dispersed settlement and area in the valley of the River Derwent within the Lake District National Park in Cumbria. It is an ecclesiastical parish within the civil parish of Blindcrake. Nearby are the hamlets of Setmurthy, Sunderland and Redmain, and the village of Blindcrake.
Isel is a rural community, with a church, a manorial Hall and several farms ranging from dairy to poultry, but lacking basic local facilities having no shop, public house or post office. It is mentioned in the English folk song "Horn of the Hunter."
Isel Parish Church is dedicated to St Michael and the fabric is chiefly Norman. The church contains two pre-Norman carved stones, one of which is a fragment of a cross. Other buildings of interest are Isel Hall, the ancient bridge of three arches and the old vicarage.

Governance

Isel, is part of the Workington constituency of the UK parliament. The current Member of Parliament is Sue Hayman, a member of the Labour Party. The Labour Party has won the seat in every general election since 1979; the Conservative Party has only been elected once in Workington since the Second World War: in the 1976 Workington by-election.
For the European Parliament residents in Isel vote to elect MEP's for the North West England constituency.
For Local Government purposes it is in the All Saints Ward of Allerdale Borough Council and the Bothel + Wharrels Division of Cumbria County Council.
Isel has its own Parish Council; Blindcrake Parish Council.