Pooley Bridge sits at the foot of Ullswater, on the right back of the River Eamont where it flows out of the lake. On the far side of the river is Dunmallard hill fort, on top of a wooded hill that was once a famous viewpoint down Ullswater. The name translates as 'Hill of Slaughter', although it isn't clear if this is due to a memory of a real event or not. The modern steamer pier now sits at the foot of the hill. The village can be traced back at least to the thirteenth century. Permission to hold a market and fair was granted in 1214, and in 1252 it was mentioned as Pulhoue, 'a hill or mound by a pool'. The oldest surviving building in the village dates back to 1691, while the church of St. Paul was built in 1868