This dataset comprises plant species, soils, habitat types and major biota present, collected during a survey of the English county of Cumbria, using standardised survey methods. The survey was undertaken by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (a forerunner of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology) in 1975 within a stratified random set of sites. In total, up to 650 plots were surveyed from within 48 x 1km squares.