Wolsty

Coordinates: 54°50′43″N 3°23′42″W / 54.8454°N 3.3949°W / 54.8454; -3.3949

Wolsty is a small hamlet in the civil parish of Holme Low in Cumbria, United Kingdom. It is located three-and-a-quarter miles south of Silloth-on-Solway, five miles west of Abbeytown, three-and-a-quarter miles north of the village of Mawbray, and twenty-three miles west of Cumbria's county town, Carlisle. The B5300 coast road, which heads north toward Silloth-on-Solway and south to Mawbray, Allonby, and Maryport, is three-quarters of a mile away by road, or less than a quarter of a mile by way of an unpaved farm track.

History and etymology

The name "Wolsty" is derived from the Old English wulf-stīg, meaning a "wolf-frequented path". There have been several recorded variant spellings, including Woulstie, Worsty, Wristie, Wolmsty, and Ulsty.

The area around Wolsty was fortified during the Roman period, when a series of milefortlets were constructed beyond the western end of Hadrian's Wall to guard against incursions across the Solway Firth. Milefortlets 13 and 14 are located in the vicinity of the hamlet.