Beneath the Surface: The Forgotten Iron Giant

If you were to walk through the quiet streets of Moor Row today, you might find it hard to believe that this West Cumbrian village was once the beating heart of a massive industrial operation.

Beneath the modern pavement and suburban gardens lies the legacy of the Montreal Mines - an enterprise that once rivalled the giants of the industry. While the mine closed in the 1920s, its footprint remains massive, fascinating, and occasionally dangerous.

Let’s dig into the history of the Montreal Mines. 

An Industrial Powerhouse

At its peak, the Montreal Mines were nothing short of a colossus in the iron ore industry. 

Producing an impressive 250,000 tons of ore a year, it was the most productive mine in the entire Whitehaven or Furness district, second only to the legendary Hodbarrow mine.

The scale of the operation was immense:

• The Land: The property covered 1,000 acres, with half of that land being rich in iron ore.
• The Workforce: It wasn't just machines; it was men. Between 1,000 and 1,200 local people were employed here, driving the local economy and shaping the community of Moor Row.
• The Method: It was a complex operation utilising both open-pit mining and deep shaft mining.

The Village Built on Iron

The mine wasn't situated near Moor Row; it was essentially woven into it. There were six active shafts lifting ore right within the village boundaries. The workings spread out beneath the streets, creating a subterranean honeycomb of tunnels and caverns.

This close relationship between the village and the mine has created some surreal modern juxtapositions.

• Living on History: Perhaps the most striking example of this legacy is in Montreal Place. In the centre of this modern suburban development, one of the old mine shafts still exists, sitting silently amidst new homes.
• The Darker Legacy: Water and Subsidence When the pumps stopped and the last mine closed in the 1920s, the nature of the land changed forever. The deep workings were left to drown, and the surrounding land became saturated with what locals described as "cankered mine water" - polluted, iron-rich water that serves as a murky reminder of the past. However, the water isn't the only issue. 

The ground beneath Moor Row has not forgotten its hollowed-out history:

• Shaft Collapses: In the last twenty years alone, a number of mine shaft caps have sunk or collapsed (in the wider area), a stark reminder that the ground is not as solid as it appears.
• Restricted Development: The old railway yard, specifically the eastern end near the River Keekle, is listed on the Coal Authority risk register. The undermining is so significant that the land is deemed unsuitable for housing development.
• A Landscape Transformed: Today, Moor Row is a place of history and quiet living, but the Montreal Mines serve as a reminder of the industrial might of West Cumbria.

It is a landscape where the past is literally just beneath the surface - sometimes dangerously so. It is a testament to the miners who toiled there, and a cautionary tale for the planners of today: nature may reclaim the land, but the scars of industry run deep.

Moor Row Iron Ore Railway Wagons Illustration