The Barrow Raiders can trace their roots back to 1875 when they were allegedly created by Tom H. Baynes, a shipping clerk. It is believed that he was the main financier and driving force behind the creation of the team, and it is believed that he was also the team coach. Initially the team played their games at Cavendish Park and the Parade Ground until the 1880's. In 1897 Barrow Raiders switched from rugby union to rugby league and joined the Lancashire Senior Competition Second Division and took the cup for the championship in their very first season. Unfortunately Barrow Raiders also lost a challenge match against Morecombe who were at the time the bottom club in the First Division and they were passed over for promotion due to this. The team did not manage to earn promotion until the end of the 1899-1900 season when they were able to beat Tyldesley in a challenge match. In 1914 the Barrow Raiders were forced out of Cavendish Park when it was requisitioned by authorities for use to help the war effort so the team relocaated to Little Park, three miles from the centre of time. However the league was then suspended due to the war and clubs were forced to arrange their own fixtures if they wished to continue playing. The end of World War I saw Barrow Raiders experience mixed fortunes, they peaked by finishing 5th in the league in the 1919-1920 season but their progress slowed and further league positions were very poor indeed. In 1929 a depression in the area forced attendance numbers down so the club made an appeal to the mayor and a fund was started. This managed to raise some money and lots of local volunteers helped build the teams new Craven Park ground.

World War II saw Barrow Raiders experience more troubled times with the team falling from the wartime Lancashire league in 1940-1941 and not managing to make a come back until 1945-1946. This was mainly due to many of the pre-war players retiring from the game so after much recruitment and rebuilding the 1950's proved to be the clubs "golden age". Barrow Raiders appeared at Wembley three times during the 1950's, the second time of which was against Wigan (who took victory 10-0) and they also against New Zealand where Barrow Raiders triumphed 9-5. The third time the team played at Wembley they took the Challenge Cup 21-12 against Workington Town, and were also able to add the Lancashire Cup to their list of accolades after a 12-2 win over Oldham. In the 1960's the league was split into two and because of a poor finish in the 1959-1960 season Barrow Raiders were forced to play in the second division. They last appeared at Wembley in 1967 when they were tipped to take the Challenge Cup, however they were beaten back by Featherstone Rovers 17-12. The 1970's saw the teams fortunes increase somewhat, when Frank Foster took over as coach in 1973 he pushed Barrow Raiders through to take the Second Divsion Championship in the 1975-1976 season and raech a John Player Trophy final in 1981. The team continued to flit from division to division until 1983-1984 when they took the Second Division title and Lancashire Cup against Widnes in a 12-8 victory. The closing stages of the 80's saw Barrow Raider take promotion to Division One but the team only managed to win one league and suffered a 90-0 defeat at Leeds. In 1990 the club was relegated and finished 17th out of 21 teams in Division Two.

When the Super League was announced it was intended that Barrow were to merge with Whitehaven RLFC, Workington Town and Carlisle to form a new Cumbria club to compete in the new league. This was initially resisted until 1997 when the Raiders merged with Cumbrian rivals Carlisle Border Raiders. In 2004 the team took victory of the National League Two, their first trophy in 20 years, and rightfully earned promotion to National League One. Unfortunately they were relegated to National League Two at the end of the 2005 season after winning only one of eighteen games!  Financial constraints forced the team to tighten their purse-strings somewhat and in 2005 ex player Paul Crarey was appointed as head coach. He guided teh team to National League Two play-offs on a very tight budget. Crarey resigned in 2007 and he was replaced with former player Dave Clark.