The name is of Norse origin and is a combination of , meaning slave or serf, and , meaning a spring or well. There was extensive Norse settlement in the area during the era of Viking expansion (790s–1066). Thraell was probably a reference to native Cumbrians subjugated by the incoming Norse. Historically a part of
Cumberland, Threlkeld formerly had its own railway station on the
Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway, on the opposite side of the valley, next to the (closed) Threlkeld Quarry, at the foot of
Clough Head. Today the railway line is a footpath and cycle track. Three rows of terraced houses, which used to accommodate the quarry workers, stand near the station. The
Threlkeld Quarry and Mining Museum is open nearby and operates the
narrow gauge Threlkeld Quarry Railway for tourists to enjoy. Two pubs are located opposite each other in the village: The Salutation and the Horse and Farrier. There is also a Coffee Shop, a vibrant Village Hall, and a small church, St Mary's, in the village. From 1904 to 1958 High Row, Threlkeld was the site of the Blencathra Isolation Hospital, one of the first Sanatoria in England. The hospital was eventually closed due to the fall in tuberculosis cases. From 1958 to 1972 it served as a long term stay home for the elderly, and it then became a residential centre for the
Field Studies Council. == Transport ==