Backbarrow
Encyclopedia
Backbarrow is a village
in the Lake District National Park
in England
. It lies on the River Leven about 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Ulverston
in the Furness
, traditionally and historically part of Lancashire and still part of Lancashire County Palatine, now also in the region of the county of Cumbria
.
Backbarrow probably grew during the Elizabethan period, due to the corn mills that were built along the river. Earlier mills at the site had been owned by Furness Abbey
, which by this time had been dissolved. Development increased due to the iron
furnace that was built in Backbarrow in 1711. The has been described as the first efficient Blast furnace
. The cotton mills continued to grow in size during the Victorian period.
In 1868 an extension of the Furness Railway
was built through the village to transport iron and products from the mills. Though the line was closed in the early 20th century with the demise of the ironworks, the section from Haverthwaite
to Lakeside
, which passes through Backbarrow, remains open as a heritage railway
(see Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway
).
Backbarrow was particularly associated with the production of the blue pigment ultramarine
, or "dolly blue". Production of this continued until 1981. The factory, which was known locally as "the bluemills", is now a popular hotel. A display of machinery used in the old factory is maintained by the hotel's proprietors.
The growth of the National Park led to an increase in tourism in the region. In particular, Backbarrow has great views of the turbulent nature of the River Leven, just south of Windermere
. The river has also been used to develop a small hydro-electric plant, installed in 2000, generating electricity for the National Grid.
Backbarrow was hit by the nationwide floods of November 2009
, as the River Leven overflowed causing severe damage to the bridges walls and both parts of the Whitewater Hotel, alongside the Swan Hotel in Newby Bridge
1.3 miles further down the river.
In 2010 the Lakeland Motor Museum
relocated from Holker Hall
to the former site of the Reckitt's Blue Dye Works carton packaging sheds in Backbarrow.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the Lake District National Park
Lake District National Park
The Lake District National Park is located in the north-west of England and is the largest of the English National Parks and the second largest in the United Kingdom. It is in the central and most-visited part of the Lake District....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies on the River Leven about 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Ulverston
Ulverston
Ulverston is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria in north-west England. Historically part of Lancashire, the town is located in the Furness area, close to the Lake District, and just north of Morecambe Bay....
in the Furness
Furness
Furness is a peninsula in south Cumbria, England. At its widest extent, it is considered to cover the whole of North Lonsdale, that part of the Lonsdale hundred that is an exclave of the historic county of Lancashire, lying to the north of Morecambe Bay....
, traditionally and historically part of Lancashire and still part of Lancashire County Palatine, now also in the region of the county of Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
.
Backbarrow probably grew during the Elizabethan period, due to the corn mills that were built along the river. Earlier mills at the site had been owned by Furness Abbey
Furness Abbey
Furness Abbey, or St. Mary of Furness is a former monastery situated on the outskirts of the English town of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The abbey dates back to 1123 and was once the second wealthiest and most powerful Cistercian monastery in the country, behind only Fountains Abbey in North...
, which by this time had been dissolved. Development increased due to the iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
furnace that was built in Backbarrow in 1711. The has been described as the first efficient Blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
. The cotton mills continued to grow in size during the Victorian period.
In 1868 an extension of the Furness Railway
Furness Railway
The Furness Railway was a railway company operating in the Furness area of Lancashire in North West England.-History:The company was established on May 23, 1844 when the Furness Railway Act was passed by Parliament...
was built through the village to transport iron and products from the mills. Though the line was closed in the early 20th century with the demise of the ironworks, the section from Haverthwaite
Haverthwaite
Haverthwaite is a small village and civil parish in the Furness region of Cumbria. It is also within the boundaries of the Lake District National Park. It is located several miles east of Ulverston and is near the southern end of Windermere...
to Lakeside
Lakeside, Cumbria
Lakeside is a small settlement at the south end of Windermere, England. Now in the English county of Cumbria, before county reorganisation of 1974 it was in Lancashire, as part of the region known as Furness...
, which passes through Backbarrow, remains open as a heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
(see Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway
Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway
The Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway is a heritage railway in Cumbria, England.-Location:The L&HR runs from Haverthwaite at the southern end of the line via Newby Bridge to Lakeside at the southern end of Windermere...
).
Backbarrow was particularly associated with the production of the blue pigment ultramarine
Ultramarine
Ultramarine is a blue pigment consisting primarily of a double silicate of aluminium and sodium with some sulfides or sulfates, and occurring in nature as a proximate component of lapis lazuli...
, or "dolly blue". Production of this continued until 1981. The factory, which was known locally as "the bluemills", is now a popular hotel. A display of machinery used in the old factory is maintained by the hotel's proprietors.
The growth of the National Park led to an increase in tourism in the region. In particular, Backbarrow has great views of the turbulent nature of the River Leven, just south of Windermere
Windermere (lake)
Windermere is the largest natural lake in England. It is a ribbon lake formed in a glacial trough after the retreat of ice at the start of the current interglacial. It has been one of the country’s most popular places for holidays and summer homes since the arrival of the Kendal and Windermere...
. The river has also been used to develop a small hydro-electric plant, installed in 2000, generating electricity for the National Grid.
Backbarrow was hit by the nationwide floods of November 2009
2009 Great Britain and Ireland floods
The 2009 Great Britain and Ireland floods was a weather event that affected parts of Great Britain and Ireland throughout November and into December 2009. November was the wettest month across the United Kingdom since records began in 1914 and was well above average temperatures. The worst affected...
, as the River Leven overflowed causing severe damage to the bridges walls and both parts of the Whitewater Hotel, alongside the Swan Hotel in Newby Bridge
Newby Bridge
Newby Bridge is a small hamlet in the Lake District, Cumbria, although historically it was in Lancashire.Newby Bridge is located several miles west of Grange-over-Sands and is on the River Leven, close to the southern end of Windermere...
1.3 miles further down the river.
In 2010 the Lakeland Motor Museum
Lakeland Motor Museum
The Lakeland Motor Museum is a museum now located at Backbarrow, Cumbria, England which houses a collection of classic cars, motorcycles, bicycles, pedal cars and motoring related items and memorabilia and an exhibition dedicated to the land and water speed record activities of Sir Malcolm Campbell...
relocated from Holker Hall
Holker Hall
Holker Hall is a country house with a celebrated garden situated on the Cartmel Peninsula, which was historically part of the county of Lancashire, but is now part of the county of Cumbria....
to the former site of the Reckitt's Blue Dye Works carton packaging sheds in Backbarrow.