Askam and Ireleth
Askam and Ireleth | |
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Civil parish | |
The parish council logo. The roundel includes the initials of the villages on a symbolic representation of the beach, sea and fells. | |
Location within Cumbria | |
Population | 3,462 (2011)[1] |
OS grid reference | SD214777 |
Civil parish |
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Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county |
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Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | ASKAM-IN-FURNESS |
Postcode district | LA16 |
Dialling code | 01229 |
Police | Cumbria |
Fire | Cumbria |
Ambulance | North West |
UK Parliament | |
Askam and Ireleth is a
Ireleth has its origins as a
The pair originally fell within the boundaries of the
The nearby River Duddon estuary and surrounding countryside have made the area well known for its wildlife,[5] while the villages' exposed position on the eastern bank facing the Irish Sea have encouraged the establishment of wind energy generation, amid local controversy.
History
Ireleth
Ireleth is the smaller and older of the two villages, with its origins stretching back to the
It is thought the village was included in the Domesday Book, compiled soon after the Norman Conquest, but there is debate over which of the entries for the Furness area in William the Conqueror's census actually refers to modern day Ireleth.[3] Several sources name a settlement called Gerleuuorde, part of the Manor of Hougun, as the correct entry but there is no conclusive evidence to support this, not least because of the discrepancies in spelling.[3] Samuel Lewis' A Topological Dictionary of England, written 1848, posits a different contender as the true Ireleth. He claimed Ouregrave referred to the village because of the existence of a mill named Orga-Mill, but he conceded this was also conjecture. Lewis' full text on Ireleth is below.[8]
IRELETH, a chapelry, in the parish of Dalton-In-Furness, union of Ulverston, hundred of Lonsdale north of the Sands, N. division of Lancashire, 3 miles (N.) from Dalton; containing 744 inhabitants. Ogra-Mill, in this township, has been conjectured to be the Ouregrave of the Domesday survey: Roanhead is the point for crossing Dudden sands by the ancient road into Cumberland. Upon the east borders of Ireleth, also called Above Town, are the iron-mines of Whitridge, Lindal Moor, Cross Gates, and Inman Gill, the richest and most productive mines in Furness, with the exception of Cross Gates, the works of which have been suspended. Many thousand tons of ore are raised annually in the township. The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £100; patron, the Vicar of Dalton. The chapel was built in 1608, by Giles Brownrigg, and was originally intended for a school.
During the
Giles Brownrig caused this school house to be builded the 6 yeare of King James ano 1608 and gave a yearly salari to the schole maister for ever [sic]
Ireleth featured in the Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales. In this, it is said-[10]
IRELETH, a village and a chapelry in Dalton-in-Furness parish, Lancashire. The village stands at a st. of the Furness railway, on the E side of the Duddon sands, 2¾ miles N of Dalton; is a small sub port to Lancaster; and maintains communication across the sands at low water. The chapelry includes also the hamlets of Lindale and Marton; but does not appear to have definite limits. Post town, Dalton-in-Furness. The living is a p. curacy in the diocese of Carlisle. Value, £100.* Patron, the Vicar of Dalton. The church stands on an eminence, overlooking the Duddon.
Ireleth did not have a parish church at this point, falling into the 'Above Town' area, together with the hamlets of Marton and Lindal, of the parish of Dalton-in-Furness.[8] Lacking a place of worship, it was decided the newly built school could also be put to use as a chapel. Fishwick's 'Lancashire & Cheshire Church Surveys, 1649–1655' of 1849 cites this record from a church survey taken in 1650:[11]
That the Chappell of Irleth is not farr distant from its parish Church [Dalton in Furness], but neare enough thereto, and was onely built for a schoole, and some for their perticuler ease would have the same made a Chappell [sic]
In 1860, Ireleth, along with the newly founded Askam, petitioned for the creation of its own parish[3] following the rapid increase in population. Construction of a parish church began, with the money to build St. Peter's coming from the new-found profits of iron ore mining, giving rise to the name the 'Iron Church'. It was dedicated for use on St. Peter's Day, 29 June 1865,[12] but approval for a new ecclesiastical parish of 'Ireleth-with-Askam' did not come until almost ten years later in 1874.[13]
Askam
Askam's history starts much more recently. In 1850, iron ore deposits were discovered in the area by Henry Schneider. These turned out to be the second largest iron ore deposits in the country, with over 7 million tons of ore extracted. By 1896, 547 men were employed in the pits by the village and in nearby Roanhead, 347 of them underground. Several hundred others worked in local mines at Mouzell (between Ireleth and Dalton-in-Furness), Roanhead and Dalton.[14] Some were owned by the Kennedy Brothers Ltd. firm of Ulverston Barrow Haematite Steel Co and the Millom and Askam Iron Company. The latter built four blast furnaces in the village to smelt the iron ore being brought from mines all over the peninsula by rail.[15] The village continued to grow with terraced houses and allotments erected for the flood of immigrant labour needed to work the mines.[16] They came from all parts of the British Isles, with a large proportion coming from existing mining areas in Cornwall and Ireland. The Cornish in particular tended to bring their families and settle, while the Irish often moved on to wherever there was work. Others came from areas where Askam's mine owners had other concerns, such as Scotland and Wales.[17]
Remnants of the steel industry remain in Askam, as evidenced by a pier, consisting of slag from the works, that juts out into the bay toward Millom.[16] Also, numerous streets are named after the industry and its owners. For example, 'Steel Street' is so named because of the steel industry; 'Sharp Street' is named after Joseph Sharp, one of the earliest people involved in Askam's steel industry; and 'Crossley Street' after William Crossley, an early investor in the Askam steel industry.[3] The large numbers of slag banks left by the steel industry around the village are now important sites for wildlife.[18] By 1918, the iron ore had run out and most of the industrial buildings were demolished in 1933.[16] Since then, Askam has grown with commuter homes, exploiting the views over the Duddon Estuary to the Lake District.
Askam and Ireleth
Askam and Ireleth are both part of the Furness peninsula, where the suffix "-in-Furness" is sometimes added to place names, such as Barrow-in-Furness and Dalton-in-Furness. Askam, when referred to on its own, often uses this but it is rare for Ireleth to be called Ireleth-in-Furness.
However, Ireleth is often confused in archival records with 'Kirkby Ireleth', the former name for the community (two miles to the north) now known as Kirkby-in-Furness. These communities are differentiated in the Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales.[10][19]
While the strip development has effectively created one larger community in the past fifty years, residents of both villages still retain a strong sense of being either from Askam or Ireleth. Road signs read 'Askam and Ireleth' on entering the villages by road, but an older 'A595 – Ireleth' sign still stands on the former boundary between the two.
In administration terms, the civil parish of which they are both part uses the name Askam with Ireleth,[20] as does the local Women's Institute (WI) which had previously been called Ireleth WI. The parish was formed in 1987[21] from the unparished area of Dalton-in-Furness.[22]
Governance
Askam and Ireleth is part of the
For
The villages have their own
Environment
The upper slopes of the hill near Ireleth are home to dark blue slate, and it is found on the roofs of several local dwellings.
Much wildlife is found on the Duddon Estuary, including 20% of the national
The Askam and Ireleth Wind Farm can be found 1.25 miles (2 km) east of the village, on the southern slopes of Hare Slack Hill. Work on the turbines started in late 1998, and the wind farm took eight months to complete.
The Marton, Askam and Ireleth Windfarm Action Group was one of the first such organisations in the UK dedicated to fighting windfarm development.[27]
Location and transport
The
The railway line passes through the two villages virtually bisecting them, with a bridge and a
Askam is located on the 150 miles (241 km)
Sport
The villages have several sporting facilities, including the Fallowfield Park rugby league ground, home of Askam Amateur Rugby league Football Club, known as the Sandrats. Formed on September 13, 1879,[31] the amateur club is a member of British Amateur Rugby League Association and in 2007–2008 were elected to the National Conference League Division 2, but withdrew before the start of the season.[32] There is Askam United Football Club who play in the West Lancashire Football League Division Two and Duddon SC, a cricket team based at the old K Shoes factory social club, now called Duddon Sports and Social Club. There is also a newly formed junior football team and due to playing on the Sports Club pitches, has taken the name of Duddon Sports Junior Football Club.[33]
A 10-hole links golf course, belonging to the Dunnerholme Golf Club, lies to the north of Askam. The course has one particularly interesting feature, namely a green atop Dunnerholme Rock,[34] a large uneroded limestone rock which stands out from the surrounding flat course and sands.[18] The golf club has been in existence since 1905.[35] There’s a Wado kai karate club that’s ran down at the community centre.
Public buildings
Village halls
Askam and Ireleth has four village halls: Temperance Hall in Ireleth, Askam Community Centre (formerly part of Askam School) which was refurbished in 2010, Band Hall in Sandy Lane, the home of Askam & Ireleth Silver Band, the local
Churches
St Peter's Church overlooks the two villages atop Ireleth Hill, and is the oldest of the churches in the villages, and holds the only churchyard in the villages. It adjoins the local cemetery, and the Temperance Hall that was once used as a church. There are three other places of worship within the village.
In 1907, at a cost of £350, the Christian Meeting House was built on Crossley Street in Askam, as a
There were once two other churches in the village, but they are no longer in use as Churches. Zion, on Beach Street, Askam, was a Primitive Methodist church that was founded in 1870. It closed in 1985.
Schools
There are two schools, Ireleth St Peter's Church of England Primary School[42] and Askam Village School,[43] both of which are primary schools.
Other buildings
There is a lifeboat station, home of the Duddon Inshore Rescue, that was established in 1970.
Askam has a fountain commemorating
There is a public library in Lord Street in Askam. It was originally built in 1904 as a reading room branch of Dalton-in-Furness Library.
See also
References
- ^ Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ UK Census (2001). "Local Area Report – Askam and Ireleth Parish (16UC001)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Maclean, Mark (1997). "A Short History of Ireleth and Askam-in-Furness" (PDF). Mark Maclean. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2007.
- ^ "Lancashire AncC: Historical Boundaries". A Vision of Britain Through Time. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2007.
- ^ a b Hutchinson, Kate. "Duddon Estuary Wildlife". Duddon Estuary Partnership. Archived from the original on 6 April 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Map from between 1850 and 1873, showing Ireleth". PlanAccess GUI. Barrow Borough Council. Archived from the original (Flash) on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2007.
- ISBN 0-7134-3248-9.
- ^ a b Lewis, Samuel (1848). "Ireleth". A Topographical Dictionary of England. A Topographical Dictionary of... (Seventh ed.). London, England: Samuel Lewis and Co.
- ^ a b "History of St Peter's Ireleth". Ireleth St. Peter's school. Archived from the original on 26 September 2006. Retrieved 9 March 2007.
- ^ a b Wilson, John Marius (1872). "Ireleth". Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales.
- ^ Fishwick, H. (1879). "Parochial chapel: Dalton in Furness, Ireleth chapel" (Flash). Lancashire & Cheshire Church Surveys, 1649–1655. p. 138.
- ^ "Ireleth & Askam – St Peter's Church". Visit Cumbria. 21 January 2005. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ Youngs, F. (1991). "Cited by A Vision of Britain Through Time, on their Askam With Ireleth entry". Local Administrative Units: Northern England. London, England: Royal Historical Society. p. 176.
- ^ Hedley, John L. (1896). Lancashire's Mining Industry in 1896 – A List of Metalliferous Mines. Britain's Active Mining History Society.
- ^ Baggerly, Phil. "A gallery of West Cumbrian railway wagon destination cards". banklands.com, a tribute to the Workington iron and steel industry. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ a b c d "Askam in Furness Cumbria". The Cumbria Directory. Archived from the original on 20 November 2006. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Migration and Movement". Furness Family History Society. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ a b Thomson, Rona. "The Duddon Estuary" (PDF). The Duddon Estuary Partnership. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ Lewis, Samuel (1848). "Kirkby Ireleth". A Topographical Dictionary of England. A Topographical Dictionary of... (Seventh ed.). London, England: Samuel Lewis and Co.
- ^ "Parish and Town Councils". Barrow Borough Council. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "The Barrow-in-Furness (Parishes) Order 1987" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- ^ "Barrow-in-Furness Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- ^ "Parish Councils". Barrow Borough Council. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Askam and Ireleth Parish Council".
- ^ "Geology of Furness & Cumbria". Lindal and Martin Community Website. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Nature on the Map :: Maps" (Flash). Natural England. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Living With Wind Turbines". MAIWAG. 2004. Archived from the original on 20 April 2006. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Blueworks X7 Kirkby-In-Furness - Askam - Barrow" (PDF). Cumbria County Council. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- ^ "Area transport statements [page 24 of 50]" (PDF). Cumbria County Council. November 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Cumbria Coastal Way". GoLakes website, the official website of Cumbria Tourism. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
- ^ "Eamel Rugby Badges (Askam ARLFC)". Sports Kerlectables. Archived from the original on 10 February 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Division Two Club Register". National Conference League. Archived from the original (Flash) on 3 March 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Clubs". Barrow Sports Council. Archived from the original on 19 March 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Dunnerholme Golf Club". UK Golf Guide. Archived from the original on 11 February 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Dunnerholme Golf Club". Dunnerholme Golf Club. Archived from the original on 6 February 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Useful links and contacts". askamandirelethparishcouncil.org.uk. Askam and Ireleth Parish Council. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ Stringer, Phil (14 February 2007). "Saves Lane Bible Christian, Ireleth with Askam". GENUKI. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ Stringer, Phil (14 February 2007). "Christian Meeting House, Askam in Furness – Church of Christ". GENUKI. Retrieved 11 March 2007.
- ^ Wakefield, Bill. "Cumbria's Places of Worship". BBC. Retrieved 11 March 2007. [dead link]
- ^ Stringer, Phil (14 February 2007). "Zion, Ireleth with Askam – Primitive Methodist". GENUKI. Retrieved 11 March 2007.
- ^ Stringer, Phil (14 February 2007). "Duke Street United Methodist Free Church, Ireleth with Askam". GENUKI. Retrieved 11 March 2007.
- ^ "St Peter's School". Ireleth St Peter's School. Archived from the original on 5 April 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Askam Village School". Department for Education and Skills. 2003. Archived from the original on 26 July 2004. Retrieved 10 March 2007.
External links
- Cumbria County History Trust: Dalton-in-Furness (nb: provisional research only – see Talk page)
- Askam and Ireleth parish council