Ainstable

{{Short description|Village and civil parish in Cumbria, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}

{{Use British English|date=September 2019}}

{{Infobox UK place

| static_image_name = Ainstable - geograph.org.uk - 212975.jpg

| static_image_caption = Ainstable

| country = England

| official_name = Ainstable

| coordinates = {{coord|54.800|-2.733|display=inline,title}}

| civil_parish = Ainstable

| population = 570

| population_ref = (2011){{NOMIS2011|id=E04002510|title=Ainstable Parish|access-date=27 March 2021}}

| unitary_england = Westmorland and Furness

| lieutenancy_england = Cumbria

| region = North West England

| constituency_westminster = Penrith and Solway

| post_town = CARLISLE

| postcode_district = CA4

| postcode_area = CA

| dial_code = 01768

| os_grid_reference = NY5346

}}

Ainstable is a village and civil parish in the English county of Cumbria. Historically part of the traditional county of Cumberland, it is now in the unitary authority area of Westmorland and Furness.

The parish stretches from the banks of the River Eden to the summits of the North Pennines where it borders Northumberland and includes the villages of Croglin and Newbiggin as well as the hamlets of Dale, Walmersyke, Ruckcroft and Longdales and part of the village of Armathwaite.

Ainstable was the site of a Benedictine convent (the manor of "Nunnery"). This is said to date from the reign of William Rufus.{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=39961 |title=Houses of Benedictine nuns: The nunnery of Armathwaite |editor=J. Wilson |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |year=1905 |work=A History of the County of Cumberland: Volume 2 |accessdate=31 March 2013 }} However, Pevsner says that "the earliest reference is 1200. The nuns were so harassed by the Scots that in 1480 they had to reinvent their own charter, spuriously dating their foundation to 1089 and William Rufus."{{Cite book|last1=Hyde|first1=Matthew|last2=Pevsner|first2=Nikolaus|title=Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness|location=New York; London|publisher=Yale University Press|year=2010|series=The buildings of England|pages=xx, 775 p.115|isbn=9780300126631}} After the closure of the monasteries, the convent building became a private home, held for many years by the Aglionby family, and is now a guesthouse.{{cite web|title=The Nunnery - Ainstable|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-73441-the-nunnery-ainstable-cumbria|publisher=British Listed Buildings}}

Eden Valley Woollen Mill is located in Ainstable itself.

The former village pub, the New Crown Inn, has closed and been sold for redevelopment.{{cite web|title=Properties that would be perfect renovation projects|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/renovatinganddiy/9851037/Properties-that-would-be-perfect-renovation-projects.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206213047/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/renovatinganddiy/9851037/Properties-that-would-be-perfect-renovation-projects.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-02-06|publisher=Daily Telegraph}}

In 2014 Eden District Council rejected a fiercely opposed plan to erect a wind turbine near to the village and the neighbouring village of Armathwaite.'We will continue our fight against turbines' The Cumberland News 25.7.2014 page 19. An action group (Ainstable Turbine Action Campaign Group) set up to oppose wind turbines vowed to 'fight any more plans for giant wind turbines in the Eden Valley'