History of Workington

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Workington was historically a part of Cumberland now Cumbria, an historic county in North West England; the area around Workington has long been a producer of coal, steel and high-grade iron ore.

Roman times (AD 79–410)

Reconstruction of a Roman watchtower.

Between 79 and 122,

Caledonii, the most powerful tribe in what we now call Scotland. The 16th century book, Britannia, written by William Camden describes ruins of the coastal defences at Workington.[1]

The fort, now known as Burrows Walls, was established on the north bank of the mouth of the River Derwent, near present-day Siddick Pond and Northside. Another fort or watchtower would have been on How Michael to the south side of the river, near present-day Chapel Bank. In 122, the Romans begin building Hadrian's Wall from Bowness on the Solway Firth to Wallsend on the North Sea. The discovery of a Roman fort around the parish church in Moresby to the south, and fortifications to the north at Risehow (Flimby), Maryport and Crosscannonby support the argument that the coastal wall extended down the whole Solway coast and formed a key part of the empire's defences.

For many years Burrow Walls was believed to be the fort Gabrosentum or Gabrocentio, found in The Notitia Dignitatum for Britain, which lists several military commands (the Dux Britanniarum, the Count of the Saxon Shore (Comes Litoris Saxonici per Britannias) and the Comes Britanniarum). The word Gabrocentum has its origins in the Welsh or Ancient British gafr meaning "he goat" and the word hynt (set in Old Irish) meaning "path".[2] Today, many scholars believe it is more likely to be the fort known as Magis.[3]

Middle Ages

Anglo-Saxon

The name Workington, is believed to be derived from three

Anglo-Saxon words; Weorc (most probably a man's name), the suffix -ingas (the sons or people of ...) and tūn (settlement/estate/enclosure).[4] The settlers were a group of people whose leader called himself Weorc. Over 1000 years ago, the original inhabitants of the land would have called themselves Weorcingas (Weorc's people) and the settlement Weorcinga tun (estate of the Weorcingas).[5]
Over a period of almost 1000 years, the town's name has been written in at least 105 ways:

In 1533, John Leland) believed the town derived its name from the River Wyre. But the River Wyre has its origins at Ellerbeck, Hunday and Distington and actually enters the Solway at Harrington.[6] In 1688, William Camden quotes Leland, writing that the Wyre "…falls into the Derwent at Clifton…".[7]

It is believed that there was a religious community of monks, with links to Lindisfarne, living and working where St Michael's Church stands today. At that time, higher sea levels would mean the community may have lived on an island south of the river's mouth. The Lindisfarne monks attempted to cross the Solway Firth to Ireland in a boat, but a strong storm blew up and the Lindisfarne Gospels were lost overboard. The monks were forced back to shore. Tradition says that the Gospels, which were probably inside a wooden box, were discovered water-stained but safe in the sea near Candida Casa on the Isle of Whithorn.[citation needed]

The Vikings

A Viking sword was discovered at Northside, which is belied to indicate that there was a settlement on the river mouth. The sword is thought to be part of a burial,[8] in an area which has subsequently been shown to be rich in evidence of Viking period activity.

The Curwens

King Edward 'Longshanks' ordered ships and fighters from Workington

The Curwens, who were Lords of the Manor of Workington, were heavily involved in the

Battle of Falkirk (1298), giving King Edward victory.[9] It has been suggested that Gilbert waited until he knew who looked like winning before joining battle, because he had family supporting both sides in the conflict. It was at this battle that William Wallace
was defeated and subsequently executed. In 1306
Patent Rolls of King Edward I of England
records his preparing for war against Robert the Bruce. He requests lords of the manor to provide ships, barges and 'find them in men and necessaries' to continue the war. It read:

...to get ready empty

accomplices. Writ de intendendo in pursuance to the men of that county...Appointment of John du Luda, as captain and governor of the fleet from the port of Skynburnesse, Whitothavene and Wyrkinton...[10]

The Curwens were again expected to provide support and troops to fight in the Second War of Scottish Independence.

Sir Gilbert (iii) de Curwen (c. 1296 – 1370), received his

pele tower built by his father in Workington in 1362. Sir Gilbert is believed to have died in 1403 during the great pestilence (plague), which also killed his first son, Sir William (i), who inherited his title.[11] The Black Death
is estimated to have killed 30% to 60% of Europe's population, reducing the world's population from an estimated 450 million to between 350 and 375 million by 1400. This has been seen the cause of a series of religious, social and economic upheavals which profoundly affected the course of European history.

Curwen tradition believes that at least one member of the family fought with

private soldiers
are not on the roll.

King James II of Scotland. The lands in Normandy were lost to the French in 1450.[14] Sir Christopher and his wife, Elizabeth Huddleston, are buried inside St Michael's Church, under a heavily carved tombstone bearing their effigies
.

Sir Thomas (iv) Curwen (c. 1494 – 1543) married Agnes, daughter of Sir Walter Strickland and great-granddaughter of Anne Parr. The royal blood of the Plantagenets came to the Curwen house.. according to the book Papers and Pedigrees by William Jackson (1892).[14]

Edward IV
granted honours to the Curwens for great and gratuitous service.

The Curwens appear to have provided material and physical support to both sides during the

House of Tudor
, which subsequently reigned over England and Wales for 118 years.

Early modern era

Scottish pirates kill the crew of a Workington-bound ship

Mary, Queen of Scots, wrote to Queen Elizabeth from Workington

In 1566, Queen Elizabeth was encouraging mining of metal ores in the area around Keswick. It appears that the Samuel, a new ship built in Bristol, was employed to supply materials to and bring ore from the mines. Workington was growing, and a stretch of the shore was purchased to unload timber brought from Ireland to help smelt ore. England was extremely short of metals and weapons technology, and the ore was primarily to be used for cannon and other weaponry.

...the (ship) Samuel of Bristol...whereof one Edward Stone was master and partie owner, and put the same to the sea, fraighted with their goodes and merchandizes the 20th September last past to traffique with the same to a place called Wurkington in the North parties of our realm, near unto our citie of Carlisle, the said ship being in her way towardes the said place was dryven by force of weather and tempest to the coast of Scotland to a place called the Keyles', and there ryding at an ancre was boorded by certaine Scottishmen, who fayning themselfes to be merchants and cum onely to see what merchandizes was in the ship, most cruelly did murdre the said Master with all his companie except two that kept themselfes in secret places of their ship until the furye of thies murderers was asswaged, and so toke both ship and goods as their owne...[15]

Mary, Queen of Scots, escapes to Workington (1568)

In 1568, Mary wrote a letter from Workington Hall to Queen Elizabeth I of England. After the defeat of her forces at the Battle of Langside and disguised as an ordinary woman, Mary, Queen of Scots,[16] crossed the Solway Firth and landed at Workington. She spent her first night in England as an honoured guest at Workington Hall. On 18 May 1568, Mary was escorted to Carlisle Castle after spending a day at Cockermouth. She was 25 years old.[17]

William Camden's Britannia (1586)

In 1586, William Camden described Wirkinton as 'a place famous for taking of Salmons'.

This extract from Philemon Holland's English translation of Britannia (1610)[18] describes Wirkinton:

...

heire
whereof they had married; and heere have they a stately house built Castlelike, and from whom (without offence or vanity be it spoken) my selfe am descended by the mothers side.

Since the 18th century

John Christian Curwen (1756–1828)

John Christian Curwen (1756–1828) Member of Parliament and leading social and agricultural reformer.

"The greatest strides in Curwen initiative occurred during the lordship of

Agricultural Society, of which he was founder-president.[21] Cumbrian archive records contain reports on Curwen's experimental farm at the Schoose, and on such other items as the estate he purchased between Windermere and Hawkshead, Lancashire, in order to encourage forestry. By planting over 800,000 trees around Windermere he transformed that area of the Lake District. An active supporter of the abolition of slavery, his friend and party activist William Wilberforce spent time with John Christian on Belle Isle
.

To modern eyes, however, one of the most interesting of his projects was his introduction of

social security and mutual benefit schemes for his farm and colliery workers.[22]

Education

St Joseph Catholic High School on Harrington Road.

Key education developments include:

  • Patricius Curwen's school on High Street (1664 – 1813), becoming the 'National' school in Portland Square (est. 1813),
  • Wilson Charity School (1831 – 1967) on Guard Street which became the Higher Standard Council School (locally called 'Guard Street'),
  • St John's School (1860 – present) on John Street,
  • St Michael's School (1860 – present),
  • Lawrence Street School (Marshside) (1874 – 1979),
  • Victoria School,
  • Northside School (1878 – present),
  • Siddick School (1902 – 1967),
  • Bridgefoot School,
  • Westfield School,
  • Moorclose School (1967 – 1984),
  • Newlands School (1909 – 1984),
  • Lillyhall School, Distington (1961 – 84),
  • Distington School,
  • Derwent Vale School, Great Clifton,
  • Ashfield School,
  • Southfield School (1984 – 2015),
  • Stainburn School
    (1984 – 2015),

References

  1. ^ "cumbeng". Philological.bham.ac.uk. Retrieved 21 June 2009.
  2. ^ Armstrong AM, Mawer A, Stenton FM, Dickens Bruce (1952), The Place-Names of Cumberland, English Place-Name Society, Vol XXII Part III, P512.
  3. ^ "Magis: The Roman Fort at Burrow Walls, Workington,". roman-britain.org. Archived from the original on 13 January 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  4. ISBN 0-7188-2006-1
    , pages 170–171.
  5. ^ Lee Joan (1998), The Place Names of Cumbria, Heritage Services, Carlisle, 0-905404-70-X, Page 93.
  6. ^ Byers Richard LM (1998), The History of Workington, An Illustrated History from Earliest Times to AD 1865, Richard Byers Pub. Cockermouth, p22.
  7. ^ Camden, William (1610), Britannia- A 1586 Survey, Philemon Holland.
  8. ^ "The West Seaton Viking Sword" (PDF). biab.ac.uk. September 2005. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  9. ISBN 978-0-9529812-2-0
    , page 31-34
  10. ^ "Calendar of Patent Rolls" (PDF). sdrc.lib.uiowa.edu. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
  11. ^ a b Byers Richard LM (1998), The History of Workington, An Illustrated History from Earliest Times to AD 1865, Richard Byers Pub. Cockermouth, p35
  12. ^ "The Battle of Agincourt Roll of Honour". familychronicle.com. Archived from the original on 24 August 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  13. ^ "Henry V: calebdar of Patent Rolls, 1405" (PDF). sdrc.lib.uiowa.edu. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  14. ^ a b Byers Richard LM (1998), The History of Workington, An Illustrated History from Earliest Times to AD 1865, Richard Byers Pub. Cockermouth, p36
  15. ^ "Lettres, instructions et mémoires de Marie Stuart". archive.org. Retrieved 21 June 2009.
  16. ^ Marilee Mongello. "Mary, Queen of Scots: Biography, Portraits, Primary Sources". Englishhistory.net. Retrieved 21 June 2009.
  17. ISBN 978-0-297-17773-9
    .
  18. ^ "index". Philological.bham.ac.uk. 14 June 2004. Retrieved 21 June 2009.
  19. ^ "The Curwen Family of Workington hall 1358–1939". nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  20. ^ "Extract: The Curwen Family of Workington hall 1358–1939". nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  21. ^ "Schoose farm Records". nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  22. ^ "Workington and other Friendly Societies". nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  23. ^ "School Information : Our school". Seatoninf.cumbria.sch.uk. Archived from the original on 21 September 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2009.

External links

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