Characterised by the often uncompromising landscapes of the northern English Lake District, the perceived marginality of Cumbria has meant that its prehistoric record has seen little systematic academic attention. However, the region's topographic layout and agricultural history have contributed to the survival of many aspects of the prehistoric record. Although recent archaeological work has been limited this means there is a variety of data including pollen records, lithic evidence and a diverse range of extant and excavated monuments. The main concerns of this thesis are to present a synthesis of this evidence and to construct an integrated regional sequence from the Later Mesolithic to the Early Bronze Age. The application of contemporary theoretical approaches and engagement with the physical landscape means it is possible to explore the ways prehistoric communities organised themselves across local and regional landscapes and how this changed over time. Analysis and interpretation of the monument record, occupation evidence and the character of depositional traditions allows the formulation of a regional model of landscape occupation. Through this it is possible to explore the ways the distributions, settings and uses of monuments and important aspects of the natural world tied into the ways people lived across Cumbria at different social, geographical and temporal scales.