Lake District historical timeline

1901–1950

1935	18 August – The last service at Holy Trinity Church in Mardale Green, Westmorland, is given by the Rev. W.H. Cormack. The congregation exceeds the church's capacity of 75, and overflows to several thousand outside. Those on church grounds listen via loud speakers, attached to the church tower. The following year the church is demolished, and ancient yew trees are cut down prior to flooding the Mardale Valley for the Manchester Corporation's newly constructed Haweswater dam and reservoir.
1945	▶ 4 May – The Dower Report. John Gordon Dower (1900 – 1947), secretary of the Standing Committee on National Parks, produces the first post-war official report with proposals for the creation of National Parks of England and Wales.	▶ 21 July – The National Parks Committee is set up by the Minister of Town and Country Planning, under the chairmanship of Arthur Hobhouse (1886 – 1965). Under advisement from the Dower Report, further preliminary work is deemed necessary on the subject of National Parks.
1947	The Hobhouse Report is published. This landmark report sets out the legislation for the creation of 12 national parks in England and Wales.
1949	16 December – National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 gains Royal Assent. This Act of Parliament establishes the foundation of today's National Parks, with a focus on preserving and enhancing their natural beauty, along with providing access to recreational opportunities for the public.

1951–1974

(Lake District Planning Board)

1951	▶ 9 May – The Lake District is designated with National Park status. It is the second national park to be designated this status after the Peak District. The Lake District is the largest national park in England, and remains so to this day, at 2,362 km2 (912 mi2).	▶ 13 August – The Lake District Planning Board is founded.
1954	Board member, Leslie Hewkin, proposes the recruitment of voluntary wardens to help deal with an ongoing issue of litter, which had been problematic for some time. The Board agrees the proposal and the first litter pick takes place on the August Bank Holiday at White Moss Common, Grasmere.
1955	Number of volunteer wardens reaches 32. This volunteer service continues with the "litter" problem, promotes the Country Code, tackles illegal camping, and provides advice on a wide range of topics to visitors.
1956	A Wardens Committee is set up due to increasing numbers of volunteer wardens.
1960	▶ Huge illegal camping takes place on Elterwater Common. A total of 250 abandoned vehicles are removed by the volunteer wardens.	▶ The position of Warden is advertised in the spring. Upwards of 400 applications are received by the Lake District Planning Board.	▶ John Wyatt is the first full-time warden of Lakeland. He starts in September.
1961	31 March – John Wyatt's first end of year report as fulltime warden. It covers management of the Board's landholdings and properties, promotion of mountain safety, organisation and assistance of exhibitions, advising visitors and continued litter clearances.
1972	The Lake District Planning Board celebrates its 21st birthday. There is an evening reception at the National Park Centre at Brockhole. The Chairman of the Board and Director of the Countryside Commission attend with representatives of local councils, local societies, Board members and staff. The Board is congratulated by the Chairman of the Commission on its achievements over the previous 21 years.
1974	Lakeland now employs nine full-time wardens.

1974–1997

(Lake District Special Planning Board)

1984

▶ A litter pick produces 1,000 sacks of rubbish from the valleys and fells.

▶ 23 July – The water level of Haweswater was over 37 feet below normal, and falling at a consistent rate or around three feet per week. Water was flowing in at less than one million gallons per day, as opposed to 80 million gallons going out. This leaves the distinctive white band of rock and shingle on the shoreline. The remains of the flooded and once picturesque hamlet of Mardale Green were visible.

1997–to date

(Lake District National Park Authority)

2021

9 May – The Lake District National Park celebrates its 70th anniversary since its original designation. The open spaces and natural beauty of Lakeland are appreciated with increasing enthusiasm due to the restrictions of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Celebrations continue through to August, which marks the National Park Authority's 70 years since it was founded (13 August, 1951). People are invited to mark the anniversary by sharing their favourite Lake District memories on various social media, using #LakeDistrict70 and tagging Lake District National Park. Chief Executive, Richard Leafe says: "This last year has shown us how much people value this protected, national landscape and how important it has been for everyone’s wellbeing," and that this "anniversary is a chance to reflect on highlights from the last seven decades, and to look ahead too."

Sources

• Berry, Geoffrey (1984). Mardale Revisited: The Story of Haweswater. Kendal: Westmorland Gazette.
• Robinson, Jeremy Rowan. Managing the Lake District National Park: The first 60 years. Kendal: Lake District National Park.