About This Site

Welcome to this dedicated space exploring the rich history of Moor Row. This site is a project born from a desire to preserve and share the stories of our unique Cumbrian village. It was launched in the morning of 1st December 2025.

Whether you are a long-time resident, a former local looking for a trip down memory lane, or simply a history enthusiast researching the area, I hope you find this collection of posts both informative and engaging.

Moor Row, like so many villages in West Cumbria, holds a fascinating, often industrious, past. This site is intended to be a growing repository for the facts, imagery, and historical accounts that have shaped our community over the decades.

The focus is purely on the village, its people, and the legacy they have left behind.

A Note on the Site's Operation
Please forgive the simplicity of the site's design and features. I'm new to all of this, and am learning as I go, so I am attempting to keep everything as straightforward as possible!
  • Navigation is simple - use the home page as the index, and your browser back button to return. It doesn't need to be complicated, and as I often say, KISS (keep it simple stupid). 
  • If you're feeling adventurous, try the magic search box at the top of the page. 
While I strive for accuracy in every post, historical records can sometimes be contradictory or incomplete. If you spot an error in any of the information presented, I would be grateful if you would leave a comment on the relevant page to let me know. I am more than happy to make any necessary corrections.

A Note on the Author
You may be wondering who is behind the keyboard compiling these histories. For now, I shall remain an anonymous resident - a compiler of facts and a storyteller in the shadows.

I believe that a little bit of mystery adds an extra layer to the site, allowing the focus to remain firmly and squarely on the village itself.

What I can confirm is this: I live in Moor Row. My passion for the village’s past is born from walking the very streets and paths I write about.

Adding a Creative Layer
To further enhance the immersive experience of exploring Moor Row's past, I've added my illustrations to the articles. These images are born from the same personal connection to the village that drives my writing.

By capturing everything from the rugged lines of the former industrial landscape to the quiet, subtle charm of the village streets in soft washes of colour and texture, these illustrations aim to provide a visual mood and atmosphere that archival photographs sometimes cannot fully convey. Besides, I want the website to have a different look to others out there on the world wide web - and, in a way, similar to published media in the first part of the 20th Century, where illustrations were used heavily. 

I hope these unique works prove to be suitable companions for the narrative, adding a layer of depth and feeling that truly brings the stories of Moor Row to life.

They are my attempt to not just document the past, but to paint a feeling for it, ensuring the visual poetry of our village is as compelling as its history.

Thank you for visiting, and please enjoy delving into the history of Moor Row.

Church Street Moor Row Illustration
Church Street Moor Row Illustration

Comments

  1. Anonymous2 December 2025 at 07:41

    Whoever you are, thanks for putting this together. It's great to see Moor Row online. The write-ups are really informative.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous7 December 2025 at 14:32

    Top marks must go to the author. It's 10/10 from me. This site is a brilliant resource for the village, and especially the youngsters who need to know all about where they came from, so that they can chart their own paths going forward. Awesome!

    ReplyDelete

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MOST READ

About Moor Row

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Hello, and welcome. This site is about the village of Moor Row in West Cumbria. The history of Moor Row is one intrinsically linked to the industrial boom that transformed West Cumbria. While the area's roots stretch back to before 1762, when the homesteads of Low Moor Row and High Moor Row dotted the landscape between Summerhill Mansion and Woodend with Cleator, the true genesis of the modern village lies in iron ore and the mighty railway.  From Homestead to Hub The early landscape was characterised by family landholdings, such as the estate of the Wildridge family at Low Moor Row, located on what would become Church Street. The marriage of Elizabeth Wildridge to the local gardener, Dalzell, and his subsequent inheritance of the estates, is a pivotal local event. This link is preserved today, not just through family lore but in the village's street names, a testament to the enduring influence of the early landowners. The Railway Catalyst The mid-19th century witnessed an expl...
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Beneath the Surface: The Forgotten Iron Giant

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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 1,00...
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Moor Row's Enduring Spirit: A Legacy of Sacrifice in Two World Wars

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Nestled in the heart of West Cumbria, the seemingly quiet village of Moor Row holds a history far richer and more poignant than its present-day tranquility might suggest. Like countless communities across the United Kingdom, Moor Row played its part in the monumental struggles of the two World Wars, contributing its sons and daughters to the fight for freedom and peace. The echoes of their sacrifice still resonate today, etched into the very fabric of the village, most notably in the solemn presence of its War Memorial. The Great War : A Village Answers the Call When the call to arms came in 1914, Moor Row, then a bustling mining community, responded with unwavering resolve. Young men, many working in the local pits or related industries, swapped their tools for rifles and their civilian clothes for military uniforms.  Families bid tearful goodbyes, understanding the gravity of the situation but perhaps not fully comprehending the immense scale of the conflict that lay ahead. The t...
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The Village: History, Growth, and Erosion of Amenities

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The village of Moor Row, a residential community between Whitehaven and Egremont on the Cumbrian coastal plain, essentially owes its existence to the 19th-century iron ore boom.  Originally known by various names, including Low Keekle and Moor Row Junction, the community expanded rapidly from what was initially just a scattering of homesteads.  Founding Streets and Industrial Heritage The village name itself probably refers to the houses on Scalegill Street (or Scalegill Road), which were noted on the 1860 Ordnance Survey map and represent some of the original development. The definitive oldest terraced housing, however, is believed to be the row of two-up, two-down cottages built in 1859 on Dalzell Street. This street is particularly significant, named after the prominent Dalzell family, who owned parcels of land in the area and were connected to the local gentry and mine owners (specifically Thomas Henry Dalzell). Another street, Penzance Street, directly reflects the large-...
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Moor Row: Starting the Adventure on Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk

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The Coast to Coast (C2C) walk is one of the UK’s most celebrated long-distance paths, the brainchild of the legendary fellwalker and writer, Alfred Wainwright. Spanning approximately 190 miles from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, it’s a trek filled with breathtaking landscapes, from the craggy peaks of the Lake District to the gentle undulations of the Yorkshire Wolds. But every epic journey must begin somewhere, and for the traditional western start, that place is usually the unassuming Cumbrian village of St Bees. Yet, the very first few miles - the section that takes you inland from the sea - often involves a necessary, but perhaps less-glamorous, stretch that takes you right through the former mining village of Moor Row. The Start : After dipping your boots in the Irish Sea at St Bees and picking up a pebble to carry to Robin Hood’s Bay (a lovely tradition!), the walk begins with a stunning, clifftop amble. The first sight of the coastline and the distant Isle of Man on a clear day...
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