Analysis: The Industrial Legacy of Montreal Pit No. 4 and the Birth of Moor Row

The industrial landscape of West Cumbria is defined by a unique convergence of geological fortuity and Victorian engineering ambition. At the centre of this historical intersection lies Moor Row, a village whose spatial and social configuration was dictated by the exigencies of the haematite mining industry.

Among the numerous excavations that punctured the Cumbrian coastal plain, Montreal Pit Number 4 (No. 4) represents a site of particular technical and historical significance.

Distinguishable from its contemporaries by its dual-resource extraction - recovering both iron ore and coal through a singular vertical conduit - Pit Number 4 serves as a primary case study in the optimisation of complex geological faulting for industrial gain.

This report provides an exhaustive examination of the Montreal Mine enterprise, the technical specificities of Pit Number 4, the socio-economic evolution of the Moor Row settlement, and the modern archaeological and planning legacy of the site.

Historical Genesis and the Transition from Agricultural Homesteads

The evolution of Moor Row from a collection of rural homesteads to a high-density industrial hub illustrates the transformative power of the nineteenth-century mineral boom.

While the contemporary village is a product of the Victorian era, its roots extend into the mid-eighteenth century. Historical records from 1762 identify the presence of Low Moor Row and High Moor Row, agricultural homesteads situated on the moorland between the Summerhill Mansion and the village of Woodend near Cleator. 

These early settlements were characterised by familial landholdings, most notably the estates of the Wildridge family at Low Moor Row, located on the trajectory of what would eventually become Church Street.

The catalyst for the modern village’s formation was a series of pivotal land transfers and familial alliances. The marriage of Elizabeth Wildridge to a local gardener named Thomas Henry Dalzell resulted in the consolidation of these estates under the Dalzell family name.

By 1859, the first industrial terraced houses were constructed on Dalzell Street, marking the transition from an agrarian landscape to a structured industrial settlement. The naming conventions of the village streets provide a durable record of this era: Dalzell Street honours the primary landowning family whose parcels extended toward Frizington and Aspatria, while Penzance Street serves as a permanent memorial to the influx of skilled Cornish tin miners who brought essential hard-rock extraction techniques to the district.

Milestone Year	Event and Significance	Historical Impact
Pre-1762	Establishment of Low and High Moor Row homesteads.	Early agrarian foundation of the district.
1834	First documented raising of ore at Gutterby Mine.	Initial proof of commercial haematite viability.
1855	Opening of the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway.	Infrastructural catalyst for large-scale mining.
1859	Construction of the first terraces on Dalzell Street.	Formal birth of the industrial village of Moor Row.
1860	First appearance of Scalegill houses on Ordnance Survey maps.	Formalisation of the village's current naming.
1862	Inauguration of the Montreal Mine by John Stirling.	Creation of the region's largest mining enterprise.

Geological Parameters and the Haematite Phenomenon

The commercial viability of the Montreal Mines was predicated on the presence of high-grade haematite within the West Cumbrian iron ore field. This geological belt, extending approximately 16 kilometres from Lamplugh in the north to Calder Bridge in the south, is characterised by its orientation within the Carboniferous Limestone.

The formation of these deposits is attributed to the migration of iron-rich solutions through a complex network of faults. These faults acted as conduits, allowing mineralising fluids - likely originating from the offshore St. Bees Sandstone or the Eskdale Granite - to infiltrate the limestone and replace the carbonate host rock with iron oxide.

The specific appeal of Cumbrian haematite lay in its chemical purity. During the mid-nineteenth century, the metallurgical industry underwent a revolution with the introduction of the Bessemer process. This technique for steel manufacture required iron ore with exceptionally low phosphorus content to prevent the resulting steel from becoming brittle. Cumbrian ores, unlike the lower-grade deposits found in other parts of Britain, possessed the required low phosphorus levels, enabling them to dominate the national market between 1860 and 1880. The intensive demand for this "red gold" drove mining companies to explore deeper and more complex strata, eventually reaching depths of 200 to 300 metres.

The geological environment of the Montreal Mine was further complicated by its proximity to the coal-fault, which marked the boundary between the Carboniferous Limestone and the West Cumbrian coalfield. In this marginal district, the limestone was heavily faulted, creating vertical intersections where iron ore bodies and coal seams existed in close proximity. This unique structural arrangement was the fundamental prerequisite for the operational success of Montreal Pit Number 4, allowing the exploitation of two distinct resources through a single shaft.

Geological Feature	Specification/Detail	Industrial Significance
Host Rock	Carboniferous Limestone.	Primary receptacle for haematite replacement.
Mineral Composition	Fe₂O₃ (Haematite).	High-grade ore for Bessemer steel.
Melting Point	1538°C.	Critical temperature for smelting operations.
Fault Trends	WSW to ENE (Coal Faults).	Conduits for mineralising solutions.
Depth	10 to 100 fathoms at Montreal.	Deep mining required advanced winding gear.

The Montreal Mine Enterprise: The Vision of John Stirling

The Montreal Mine was not merely a mining site but the centrepiece of an industrial empire founded by John Stirling. Born in 1820 in Ayrshire, Stirling moved to Cumberland in 1837. 

In 1841, Stirling and Ainsworth joined a consortium of local landowners to establish the Cleator Moor Iron Ore Works. However, it was Stirling’s independent venture at Montreal, established in 1862, that cemented his legacy.

The Montreal Mine property encompassed 1,000 acres, with approximately half of the acreage identified as ore-bearing. At its production zenith, the mine employed between 1,000 and 1,200 men and produced 250,000 tons of ore annually, making it the most productive mine in the district.

Stirling’s operation was noted for its vertical integration and technical diversity, utilising both open-pit and shaft mining techniques. Stirling’s management style combined ruthless industrial efficiency with paternalistic social structures.

He financed the construction of the Stirling’s Infirmary in Cleator Moor to treat injured miners and contributed substantial sums to local schools and churches, including a £1,500 donation for the erection of St. John’s Church.

Technical Profile and Operations of Montreal Pit Number 4

Montreal Pit Number 4 stands as the most technically distinctive shaft within the Stirling enterprise. Its renown stems from the "dual harvest" operation, where both iron ore and coal were extracted through the same vertical shaft - a rarity in the British mining landscape. This was made possible by the intersection of the haematite-bearing limestone and the coal-bearing measures along the primary fault lines of the district.

The operational management of Pit Number 4 was overseen by figures such as Ralph Kearton, who rose to Under Manager for the six primary Montreal pits. The extraction of coal alongside iron ore introduced specific hazards, most notably the presence of fire-damp (methane). 

While iron ore mines were typically free of explosive gases, the proximity of the coal measures required the use of locked safety lamps and rigorous inspections. The physical infrastructure of Pit Number 4 was substantial, utilising high-pressure steam-powered winding engines to raise the "red gold" and coal to the surface.

Attribute of Pit No. 4	Detail	Operational Impact
Location	Bottom of Crossfield Road, Moor Row.	Proximity to the railway junction for transport.
Shaft Function	Dual-purpose: Coal and Iron Ore.	Maximised efficiency of single-shaft infrastructure.
Safety Protocol	Locked safety lamps.	Mitigation of coal-gas risks in an iron mine.
Personnel	Ralph Kearton (Under Manager).	High-level technical oversight of six pits.

The Railway Octopus: Moor Row as "Spaghetti Junction"

Prior to the railway’s arrival in 1855, the transport of heavy minerals was limited by horse-drawn carts. The Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway (WC&ER) transformed Moor Row into a strategic nexus where four major railway lines converged, earning the village the moniker "Spaghetti Junction of the North." The railway infrastructure included a massive shunting yard and goods yard, which remained a logistical hub until the end of the Second World War. Today, these former mineral lines have been repurposed as part of the National Coast to Coast walk and cycleway.

Social Dynamics and the Labour Force of the "Red Rows"

The mining boom at Moor Row created a cultural melting pot, attracting workers from Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and particularly the South West of England. The presence of Cornish miners was especially critical, as their experience in deep-level tin mining was directly applicable to haematite extraction.

Life for the mining families was defined by the relentless rhythm of the pits. Census records from 1881 and 1891 reveal the presence of pit pony drivers as young as thirteen, who navigated the dark underground labyrinth guiding heavy tubs of ore.

Workforce Demographics	Origin	Contribution/Legacy
Cornish Miners	South West England.	Hard-rock skills; memorialised in Penzance Street.
Railway Workers	Various (UK and Europe).	Staffed the WC&ER junction and shunting yards.
Pony Drivers	Local (often age 13+).	Essential underground transport of ore tubs.
Management	Scottish/Local Elite.	Financial and technical oversight of the complex.

Economic Decline and the Transition to Modern Industry

The dominance of the West Cumbrian iron ore field began to erode toward the end of the nineteenth century. While Cumbrian haematite remained superior in quality, advancements in steel-making allowed for the use of lower-grade, cheaper ores. Coal production at Montreal ceased in 1918, and the mine eventually closed as seams were exhausted. The transition of Moor Row to a residential community was accelerated by the rise of the nuclear industry at nearby Sellafield and the Westlakes Science and Technology Park.

Modern Archaeology and Planning: The Legacy of Crossfield Road

The site of Montreal Pit Number 4 at the bottom of Crossfield Road remains a focal point for modern archaeological assessment. The legacy of the mining era is visible in subsidence hollows and contaminated land. Recent planning applications within Moor Row reflect ongoing efforts to repurpose former mining land, involving detailed reviews to balance residential expansion with the preservation of historical and natural environments.

Conclusions and Future Outlook

Montreal Pit Number 4 serves as a profound symbol of the West Cumbrian industrial epoch. Its unique ability to raise both coal and iron ore from a single shaft was a masterstroke of Victorian pragmatism. While the "red gold" has long since been extracted, the village’s current role ensures that its history of industrial contribution remains unbroken. The story of Pit Number 4 continues to be integrated into the narrative of West Cumbria’s development, providing essential context for the region’s future evolution.

Technical Characteristics of Pit No. 4

Pit No. 4 was one of several shafts sunk to access the deep-seated "flats" of high-grade haematite and the underlying coal measures. 

• Dual Extraction: Montreal was famous for being a "mixed" mine. While Pit No. 4 primarily targeted iron ore, the wider complex utilised the same infrastructure to raise coal. This efficiency allowed the mine to supply its own fuel for the pumping and winding engines.
• Geological Challenges: The miners at Pit No. 4 had to contend with heavy glacial deposits (boulder clay) overlying the ore. In later years, as the shallow ore-bodies were exhausted, the mine followed the seams upwards, which eventually caused significant surface subsidence in the Cleator Moor area.
• Infrastructure: The pit was directly served by the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway, which opened in 1855. This rail link was vital for transporting the ore to the blast furnaces at Cleator and the port at Whitehaven.
• Subsidence: The location is historically notable for being part of the "subsidence zone." Because the mine followed ore seams close to the surface, large "craters" or "bell pits" appeared in the landscape, some of which are still detectable as depressions in the local fields or have been filled in over the decades.​

Key Features

• ​The Headframe (Gallows): The prominent wooden structure with two large wheels at the top is the headframe. These wheels, known as sheave wheels, guided the winding ropes from the engine house down into the mine shaft to raise and lower the cages containing miners and iron ore. ​
• Steam Power: Steam power was the lifeblood of these mines, used for pumping out water to prevent flooding and for hauling the heavy ore. ​
• Narrow-Gauge Rails: Tracks used for "tubs" or wagons to transport the ore away from the shaft head to nearby railway sidings or local blast furnaces.
• Double-Cage Winding: There were two wheels. This means the engine was "balanced" - as one cage went down, the other came up. This was the mark of a high-production pit. ​
• The Chimney: The square base of the chimney is a classic 1860s/70s design. Later chimneys (post-1890) were almost exclusively circular to better handle wind resistance and heat expansion.

Montreal Pit No. 4 Illustration