The Iron Kings of Moor Row: The Legacy of the Lindow Family

Beneath the fields and modern housing of Moor Row lies a history of immense wealth and industrial ambition, much of it orchestrated by one name: The Lindows.

From Yeomen to Industrialists

The Lindows weren't outsiders who arrived with the railway; they were local stock, rooted in the parishes of Cleator and Egremont. Long before they became "Iron Kings," they were respected yeomen and millers.

Their rise began in earnest at Cleator Forge, where they manufactured the very tools that would build the modern world. If a miner in the 19th century was digging out Cumbrian haematite, there was a high probability he was doing it with a spade or shovel stamped with the Lindow name.

"The Lindow family didn't just live in West Cumbria; they forged it. From the shovels in the miners' hands to the tracks beneath the trains, their fingerprints are everywhere."

Shaping the Moor Row Landscape

While many associate the West Cumbrian "Iron Rush" with the big corporations of Workington or Whitehaven, the Lindows operated with a more personal touch. They were the primary landowners in Moor Row, and as the demand for high-grade iron ore skyrocketed, they transitioned from manufacturing tools to extracting the raw materials.

They owned and managed several key sites, including:

  • The Glebe Pit: A major source of high-quality ore.
  • Longlands and Row Foot: Pits that turned Moor Row into a bustling industrial hub.

The family was also instrumental in the Whitehaven, Cleator, and Egremont Railway. Moor Row wasn't just a village to them; it was a strategic railway junction designed to move their ore from the ground to the furnaces and ports as efficiently as possible.

Life at Ingwell Hall

Ingwell Hall was commissioned by Joseph Gunson in 1826. Upon his death, the estate was passed to the Ballantine-Dykes family. When that family moved to their ancestral seat at Dovenby Hall in 1860, they put the 262-acre Ingwell estate up for sale.

Every industrial dynasty needs a seat of power, and for the Lindows, that was Ingwell Hall. Located on the fringes of Moor Row, this grand estate became the family's residence for generations. It served as a symbol of their transition from local tradesmen to landed gentry.

The Lindows were not just employers; they were patrons of the community. Their influence can be seen in the very layout of the area, from the housing built for workers to the transport links that still define the local geography.

The Legacy Today

The Lindow family sold Ingwell Hall in 1947 to Cumberland County Council for use as a school. It was acquired during a period when many large country houses were being repurposed for public use (often as schools or hospitals) due to high inheritance taxes and maintenance costs for private families.

Following the purchase, the building was converted into Ingwell School, a community special school. It served the local area for exactly forty years before closing its doors on 1 September 1987.

Westlakes Properties (a development arm linked to the regeneration of West Cumbria) acquired the property in November 1989. The sale was a strategic move to facilitate the development of the Science Park.

Though the mines have long since closed and the pits are filled in, the Lindow name hasn't vanished. In a fitting tribute to a family that sat at the intersection of industry and land management, the Ingwell estate is now the site of the Westlakes Science & Technology Park.

The Samuel Lindow Building stands as a modern centre for education and research, ensuring that the family name remains synonymous with progress and the future of West Cumbria.

Key Facts: The Lindow Dynasty

Member Notable Contribution
Jonas Lindow Established the family's early manufacturing and milling interests.
Samuel Lindow The driving force behind the 19th-century mining expansion in Moor Row.
Isaac William Burns-Lindow Maintained the estate and local influence into the early 20th century.

The Strategic Marriage

One of the most significant moments in the family’s history was the union of the Burns and Lindow families. When Samuel Lindow died in 1871, his nephew, Isaac William Burns, inherited the vast Lindow estates and industrial interests.

To honour the lineage and the source of the wealth, he changed his name by Royal Licence to Isaac William Burns-Lindow.

This created a "powerhouse" name in the county. It allowed the family to bridge the gap between "old money" (land ownership) and "new money" (iron ore).

By the late 19th century, they were no longer just miners; they were High Sheriffs of Cumberland and influential figures in the British military and political spheres.

Name & origins

Lindow (also found as Lindoe, Lyndow, Lindowe) is a north-west English surname, with early roots in Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire. The name is toponymic (place-based), probably derived from Old Norse / Old English elements relating to a lime tree or wooded clearing, which fits the Lake District fringe landscape.

Early presence in Cumberland

By the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Lindow name appears in parish registers across west Cumberland, particularly in:
  • St Bees. 
  • Egremont. 
  • Cleator. 
  • Ennerdale / Hensingham fringe areas. 

The Iron Ore Empire

The Lindows were lucky, but they were also incredibly shrewd. The iron ore found on their land in Moor Row and Cleator was Haematite, often called "Kidney Ore" because of its shape. 

This was the highest quality iron ore in the world at the time.
  • Purity: Cumbrian haematite was low in phosphorus, which made it the only ore suitable for the Bessemer process - the world's first inexpensive industrial process for the mass production of steel from molten pig iron.
  • The Global Link: Because of the Lindows' mines, the little village of Moor Row was directly connected to the steel mills of Sheffield and the booming rail expansions of the United States.

The "Lindow Spade"

While the mines were their most profitable venture, the family’s heart was at Cleator Forge. This was a massive manufacturing complex powered by the River Ehen.

They didn't just extract the ore; they understood the value chain. By manufacturing the tools used in mining and agriculture, they created a self-sustaining economy.

The "Lindow Spade" was legendary for its durability, and the forge remained a major employer in the region for over a century, long after many other local industries had faded.

The Engineering of Moor Row 

Moor Row as it exists today was largely "engineered" by the family's needs.
  • The Junction: They pushed for Moor Row to become the primary junction of the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway (WC&ER). This meant that every ton of ore leaving the district had to pass through their sphere of influence.
  • Housing and Community: The family provided land and funding for local infrastructure, including schools and churches, which helped them maintain a stable (and loyal) workforce in what was otherwise a rough-and-ready mining frontier.

A Tale of Two Halls

The family’s dominance was marked by two grand houses:
  • Ingwell Hall (Moor Row): The primary seat, built in a Neo-Classical style. It was the "corporate headquarters" of their estate.
  • Ehen Hall (Cleator): A secondary but equally grand residence that allowed them to oversee the operations at Cleator Forge.
To truly understand the Lindows, we can look at the "snapshot" provided by the Victorian census records and the specific tools they forged at Cleator.

These details show a family that was both a massive employer and a dominant social force. 

The 1871 Census

Life at Ingwell Hall In April 1871, shortly before his death, Samuel Lindow was recorded at Ingwell Hall. The census provides a stark look at the divide between the "Iron Kings" and the miners living in the terraces of Moor Row.
  • The Head of House: Samuel Lindow (aged 70), described as a "Landowner and Iron Ore Master."
  • The Household: He lived with his wife, Lucy, and a small army of domestic staff.
  • The Staff: To maintain the grand estate, the Lindows employed a resident Butler, Cook, Housemaids, and a Groom. Outside in the grounds, there were several gardeners and gamekeepers living in tied cottages.
By the 1881 and 1891 censuses, the estate had passed to Isaac William Burns-Lindow. His records show him as a "Magistrate and Major in the Westmorland & Cumberland Yeomanry," highlighting how the family used their iron wealth to buy into the highest levels of British military and legal society.

The Cleator Forge "Catalogue"

While the iron ore made them millions, the Forge was where the Lindow name was physically branded onto the tools of the era. They were specialists in edge tools. A typical "catalogue" of their output would have included:
  • The "Cleator Spade": A heavy-duty, long-handled spade designed specifically for the sticky, clay-heavy earth above the West Cumbrian iron deposits.
  • Mining Picks: High-carbon steel picks used to break the rock in the deep pits like the Glebe.
  • Drainage Shovels: Essential for the marshy land around Moor Row and the Ehen valley.
  • Haematite Hammers: Smaller, specialized hammers used for "cobbing" (breaking down large chunks of ore into manageable sizes for shipping).

A Conflict of Interest?

The Lindows didn't just own the mines; they were masters of the "Vertical Monopoly." An 1882 report reveals a fascinating dispute where shareholders in the Whitehaven Haematite Iron and Steel Co. grew suspicious.

The directors of the company were Jonas Lindow Burns-Lindow and his cousin, Jonas Lindow. The shareholders realized that:
  • The Lindows were the directors of the Steel Works.
  • The Lindows were the owners of the Mines that supplied the ore.
  • The Lindows charged the Steel Works whatever price they liked for the ore!
This "conflict of interest" was actually a brilliant business strategy that ensured that whether the steel market was up or down, the Lindow family always made a profit. 

The End of an Era

The family’s dominance began to wane after World War I, as the easily accessible haematite deposits were exhausted and foreign ore became cheaper to import.

The Burns-Lindow family eventually sold their interests, and Ingwell Hall passed out of the family, eventually becoming the science park it is today.

Cleator Forge Illustration
Cleator Forge Illustration
Location: Moor Row CA24, UK

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