Longtown, Cumbria

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Longtown
Longtown, Cumbria (Cumbria)
Longtown, Cumbria

Longtown shown within Cumbria
Population 3,000
OS grid reference NY380686
District City of Carlisle
Shire county Cumbria
Region North West
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Carlisle
Postcode district CA6
Dialling code 01228
Police Cumbria
Fire Cumbria
Ambulance North West
European Parliament North West England
UK Parliament Penrith and The Border
List of places: UKEnglandCumbria

Coordinates: 55°00′30″N 2°58′07″W / 55.0084, -2.9687

Longtown is a town in northern Cumbria, England, with a population of around 3,000. It is in the parish of Arthuret and on the River Esk, not far from the Anglo-Scottish border

Longtown is the location of the largest sheep market in England, and is close to the site where the Battle of Solway Moss was fought in 1542. Longtown has one main secondary school; Lochinvar School with around 180 pupils.

The first animal to be found to be infected with Foot-and-mouth disease in 2001 had been purchased at Longtown market. While at the market it spread the infection to other animals. The size of the Longtown sheep market meant that the disease had spread right across the country in a very short time. Longtown became the centre for control of the disease in south western Scotland and north western England.

For more details on this topic, see 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth crisis.

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