Kirkby Stephen is a civil parish and also small market community in Cumbria, in North West England. Historically it was part of Westmorland. The community rests on the A685, bordered by sparsely populated hillside country, as well as concerning 25 miles (40 kilometres) from the nearby bigger towns, Kendal and Penrith. The River Eden rises 6 miles (9.7 kilometres) in the peat bogs listed below Hugh Seat and goes by the eastern edge of the town, virtually unseen. Kirkby Stephen has a parish council and also is a centre for surrounding smaller sized towns and also parishes, consisting of Nateby, Ravenstonedale and Mallerstang. An area and also council centre in the library supplies information and also services for all the neighborhood councils (region, district and also parish). An electoral ward in the very same name exists. This ward extends south to Aisgill with a total population taken at the 2011 Census of 2,580.