Life In The Old Mining Town Of Dalton In Furness

Life In The Old Mining Town Of Dalton In Furness

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Lying in a narrow valley to the northeast of Barrow in Furness, the old town of Dalton in Furness is close to Morecambe Bay. The town was once the leading town for the area and an important centre for justice and administration. The A590 brings visitors to the region, this being the M6 Motorway link road to the area. This can be an ideal place from which to explore the Lake District.

The area is divided into two parts: High Furness and Low Furness which is the peninsula jutting out into the Irish Sea. The peninsula is dominated by tidal mudflats which bring many interesting birds to the area. The town is served by Dalton Railway Station which is on the Furness Line with connections to Lancaster, Grange over Sands, Ulverston and Barrow with longer distance services to Manchester and Preston.

Dalton Castle dates back to the fourteenth century. Built to provide a refuge against Scottish raiders for the local monks, the castle has been both court and prison over the centuries. Having undergone extensive alterations inside, on the outside the castle has retained its original features and is currently owned by the National Trust.

Furness Abbey was founded in 1127 and was a wealthy Cistercian Abbey until Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in 1537. The abbey treasures were removed, the walls partly demolished and the lead stripped from the roof. The abbey today shows artefacts found on the site as well as displays of monastic life.

Dalton was once at the heart of an iron ore mining industry. For over 150 years the town was surrounded by open cast pits as there was so much iron ore in the ground around here. Together with the pits were railway tracks and mine workings. However the scars have been softened over the years by nature leaving Dalton today a pretty market town surrounded by countryside.

Austin and Paley, the celebrated Victorian architects, designed the Church of St Mary which stands not far from the castle. The famous portrait painter, George Romney is buried in the graveyard of the church and examples of his art can be observed in nearby Kendal at Abbot Hall.

Dalton's Market Place is a source of interest with a particularly unique shop front made of cast iron at number 51. Visitors will also see the charming old Victorian drinking fountain with an open iron work dome supported by fluted columns. Not far away are old stone slabs where fish used to be put to dry out in the nineteenth century. There is also an historic market cross.

South Lakes Wild Park is the only zoological park in the Lake District. The park is a leading European conservation zoo and, among its animals, are the Sumatran and Amur Tigers which are the smallest and biggest tigers in the wild today.

Dalton Charter Celebrations take place annually on May Bank Holiday. The market charter was granted to the town in 1239 and celebrations include rural crafts, archery, street performers, a medieval fair, street market, music and falconry.

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If you are looking to Rent a House in Dalton In Furness or wish to buy, Propertywide can help first time buyers through the FirstBuy Scheme.



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