Hubbry Logo
Cleator MoorCleator MoorMain
Open search
Cleator Moor
Community hub
Cleator Moor
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Cleator Moor
Cleator Moor
Cleator Moor
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Cleator Moor /ˈkliːtər ˈmʊər/ is a town and civil parish in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. The parish was historically called Cleator. During the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, the new settlement of Cleator Moor was built on the moorland to the north of Cleator village, based around mining and the iron industry. There was a significant influx of Irish immigrants in the latter half of the 19th century, leading to the colloquial title of Little Ireland. Cleator Moor grew to become the main settlement in the parish, which was formally renamed Cleator Moor in 1934. Cleator village remains part of the parish, and is now classed as part of the built up area of Cleator Moor by the Office for National Statistics.

Key Information

The town stands below Dent Fell, and is on the 190 miles (310 km) Coast to Coast Walk that spans Northern England.

History

[edit]

The name Cleator derives from the Old English word clāte meaning 'burdock' and the Old Norse erg meaning 'shieling'.[2]

The town grew up to serve the iron works industry. The town had several iron ore mines and excessive mining caused subsidence. Some parts of the town have been demolished due to undermining in the area, most notably the whole of Montreal Street including the original Montreal Primary School.

The iron works was served by two railways. The Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway (WC&ER) was the first, opening for goods traffic in 1855, then two years later for passenger traffic. The WC&ER sold out to the London and North Western Railway in 1878 but when the Furness Railway objected to the sale it too became a partner, thus forming the Furness & London and North Western Joint Railway the following year. The second railway to serve Cleator Moor was the Cleator & Workington Junction Railway. This new company had a station on the western edge of the town and its double track main line made a junction with the former company at Cleator Moor West. The Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway suffered from subsidence which forced it to build two deviation branch lines and stations. In Cleator Moor itself a new line was built curving further northwest than the original, with a new station being opened in 1866 some 600 yards further west along Leconfield Street than the original, which became a goods station. The new station was known simply as Cleator Moor, but was renamed Cleator Moor East in 1924. Subsidence also necessitated a deviation at Eskett. As in Cleator Moor itself, a new line was built to the west of the original Eskett station which was retained as a goods station up to 1931. Yeathouse station was opened on the deviation line as a replacement.

The influx of Irish workers gave the town the nickname Little Ireland. As well as the settled Irish community, World War I and World War II saw an influx of immigrants from mainland Europe. In 1938, Jakob Spreiregen founded the company Kangol in Cleator, situated across the road from St Mary's Church. The original factory building still stands but is empty, since the company ended its association with the town in 2009. With the decline of traditional industries and the resulting high rate of unemployment, the town's economy is now dependent on the nearby Sellafield complex, which provides jobs to around half the town's people.

Sectarian troubles in the 19th century

[edit]

It may be that the Irish Famine prompted some increased migration to the town, but links between West Cumbria and the northern counties of Ireland had been established before that time. Labourers crossed to work the harvest and, more permanently, to take jobs in the mines and ports long before the Famine. They were often prompted by the constant sub-division in Ireland of farmland among children. From the 1850s to the 1880s, the population expanded rapidly as rich veins of haematite (iron ore) were exploited. From a settlement of 763 in 1841, Cleator Moor grew to house 10,420 people by 1871, of whom 36% were Irish. As Donald MacRaild writes, "...formative economic developments, urban growth and the mass arrival of the Irish, took place entirely in years beyond the Famine."[3] The Irish in Cleator Moor were predominantly Roman Catholic, but the general influx into the mines and industry of West Cumbria also brought Protestants from Ireland and with them a particular sectarianism to add to the anti-Catholicism of Victorian England.

During the late 1860s the Irish Protestant preacher William Murphy led anti-Catholic meetings throughout the country, inciting people to form mobs to attack Catholic targets. Near Chelmsford in Essex, they burnt down a Catholic convent. In May 1868, two chapels, a school, and over 100 houses and shops in Ashton-under-Lyme were ransacked. This led to the Catholic populations defending themselves and their buildings. When Murphy visited Whitehaven in April 1871, the Catholic iron ore miners of Cleator Moor were determined to confront him. The local authorities requested Murphy and his Orange Order backers to cancel his talks but they would not. He was heckled and threatened at the first meeting in the Oddfellows Hall, Whitehaven and eventually had to be escorted from the place. The following evening there was more concerted opposition as 200–300 Cleator Moor miners marched to the Hall and assaulted Murphy before the meeting began. Five men were sentenced for the attack. Murphy died in March 1872 and his death was attributed to the injuries he had received in Whitehaven.

Disturbances in the area were frequent during the years that followed, particularly when Orangemen assembled on 12 July. On that date in 1884, the most serious of them occurred. That was the year the local Orange Lodges decided to hold their annual gathering at Cleator Moor, a deliberately provocative move: "as if to court disturbance the Orangemen... decided they would this year hold their annual demonstration in the stronghold of the enemy"[4] The marchers including eight bands paraded past the Catholic church and held their assembly at Wath Brow. As the gathering broke up and the Orangemen made their way back to the train station, trouble broke out. They were attacked by groups of local men throwing stones and then rushing them. Some of the marchers carried revolvers, cutlasses and pikes which they now used to defend themselves. A local postal messenger, Henry Tumelty, a 17-year-old Catholic, was shot in the head and killed while other locals were listed as having received injuries. The local Catholic priests defended their parishioners, saying they had been provoked beyond measure by the foul sectarian tunes and the weaponry. Fr. Wray expressed serious regret: "It has thrown us back at least twenty years."[5]

Governance

[edit]

There are two tiers of local government covering Cleator Moor, at parish (town) and unitary authority level: Cleator Moor Town Council and Cumberland Council. The town council is based in the Market Square at the former Free Library building (completed 1894).[6][7]

Cleator Moor is within the Whitehaven and Workington constituency.[8] Josh MacAlister is the Member of Parliament.

Administrative history

[edit]

Cleator was an ancient parish in the historic county of Cumberland.[9][10] By the mid-19th century, there was acknowledged to be a need for more modern forms of local government to manage the rapid growth of the area, particularly in light of the development of Cleator Moor as effectively a new town on the former moorland. An attempt to establish a local government district covering the whole parish of Cleator was rejected at a public meeting in May 1864,[11] but later that year a smaller Cleator Moor local government district covering just part of the parish was created.[12][13]

The Cleator Moor local government district was subsequently enlarged to cover the whole parish of Cleator in 1880.[14] Although the district then covered the same area as the parish, the parish kept the name Cleator whereas the district was called Cleator Moor.[15] Such districts were reconstituted as urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894.[16]

Cleator Moor Urban District was abolished in 1934.[17] Instead, the parish of Cleator was renamed Cleator Moor, reclassified as a rural parish and given a parish council, and it was included in the Ennerdale Rural District.[9] Ennerdale Rural District was abolished in 1974, becoming part of the Borough of Copeland in the new county of Cumbria.[18][19] Copeland was in turn abolished in 2023 when the new Cumberland Council was created, also taking over the functions of the abolished Cumbria County Council in the area.[20]

Demography

[edit]

At the 2021 census, the parish had a population of 6,686.[1] The built up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics (which, like the parish, also includes Cleator village) had a population of 6,670.[21] At the 2011 census, the parish had a population of 6,936.[22]

St Mary's Church

[edit]

The E.W. Pugin designed Catholic church of St Mary's was consecrated in 1872, replacing the earlier mission church built in 1853. The grounds are home to a meditative walk on the Stations of the Cross and Our Lady's Grotto, a replica of the Grotto at Lourdes, France.

Transport

[edit]

From 1879 Cleator Moor had two railway stations: Cleator Moor East on the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway, and Cleator Moor West on the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway. In 1923 both railway companies and their stations passed over to the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS). The LMS had acquired shares in the local bus company so, to make public transport more profitable the LMS closed both stations to passengers in 1931. The goods facilities at Cleator Moor continued into the 1950s.

Cleator Moor now only has one bus service number 30 that passes through the town.[23]

Education

[edit]

Cleator Moor has a Carnegie library, a grade II listed building which opened in 1906.[24][25]

The town had two secondary schools but both have closed. St. Cuthbert's stopped functioning in 1977 and in August 2008, after being open for 50 years, the town's other secondary school, Ehenside School was merged with Wyndham School in Egremont, making way for the West Lakes Academy. The academy initially used the Wyndham School buildings until a new academy building was constructed.[citation needed]

Media

[edit]

Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Border. Television signals are received from the Caldbeck TV transmitter,[26] and the local relay transmitter situated in Whitehaven.[27]

The local radio stations are BBC Radio Cumbria and Greatest Hits Radio Cumbria & South West Scotland.

The town is served by a local newspaper, The Whitehaven News.[28]

Sport

[edit]

Wath Brow Hornets are based in the town and play in the National Conference League, the top tier of amateur rugby league. The club won the GMB Union National Cup in 2004 and 2005, and the National Conference League in 2012.

Football team Cleator Moor Celtic F.C. has won the Cumberland County Cup seven times, most recently in 2018. England and former Manchester City goalkeeper Scott Carson began his career at Cleator Moor.[29] The club has supplied players to Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Carlisle United, Ipswich Town, Liverpool, Sheffield Wednesday, and West Bromwich Albion.

Notable people

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Cleator Moor

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Cleator Moor is a town and in the district of , , situated in West Cumbria approximately 4 miles east of . Historically, it emerged as a mining settlement during the , with rapid development from the mid-19th century onward centered on extensive extraction, which fueled local industry and population growth. The town's mining boom attracted significant Irish immigration, leading to its moniker "Little Ireland" due to the large Catholic community and associated cultural influences, including the of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. By 1861, the population had reached 3,995, peaking at 10,420 in 1881 before declining as mines closed in the early amid resource exhaustion and issues from over-mining. Current estimates place the population at around 6,900 residents. Post-industrial Cleator Moor has faced challenges from mining legacies, including land instability that has necessitated demolitions in affected areas, though community initiatives continue to revitalize derelict sites. also occurred locally from the late , but iron dominated the . The town maintains a distinct identity tied to its heritage, with administrative functions handled by Cleator Moor .

History

Pre-Industrial Settlement and Early Mining

Cleator Moor originated as a sparsely populated rural settlement in medieval Cumbria, where inhabitants primarily subsisted on agriculture within the lowland landscapes of West Cumberland. The area's topography, featuring moorland and river valleys, supported small-scale farming communities tied to seasonal crop cultivation and livestock rearing, with limited infrastructure reflecting its peripheral status relative to larger towns like Egremont. Initial resource extraction focused on local minerals, driven by proximity to Egremont's manorial royalties and demand for fuels and ores in rudimentary industries such as lime production and blacksmithing. began in 1788, when William Walker secured a on Egremont royalties encompassing seams from the River Ehen to the Keekle, marking the onset of organized small-scale operations in the vicinity. deposits, abundant in the region's geological formations, underpinned early workings predating widespread industrialization. records indicate probable exploitation for in pre-Roman eras, with documentary evidence emerging in ; nearby sites at Bigrigg and Moor Row feature mines documented from 1134, yielding for local forges via surface and shallow shafts. These activities remained limited in scale, constrained by manual labor and basic technology, until technological advances in the .

19th-Century Iron Boom and Industrial Growth

The exploitation of high-quality deposits in Cleator Moor and adjacent Frizington intensified during the mid-19th century, marking a peak in activity from the to the that supported Britain's industry through the . The ore's low content provided a key advantage, enabling efficient conversion to without the impurities plaguing many foreign and domestic alternatives during this era. Principal mines, including those operated under Lord Leconfield's ownership in Cleator Moor and ventures like Parkside Mine in Frizington, yielded substantial outputs; for instance, Parkside alone raised over 100,000 tons in 1873 from extensive flat deposits. This production contributed to West Cumberland's broader role in the , with regional output surging from approximately 25,000 tons in 1856 to over 1 million tons by 1882, representing nearly one-eighth of the UK's total. Employment in the sector reached significant levels, sustaining thousands of workers across , , and ancillary operations, which drove rapid infrastructure and settlement expansion. A typical operation, such as Cleator Moor's established in and later upgraded, required teams of at least seven skilled laborers per furnace for filling, tending, and maintenance, with additional hands for and cinder handling often drawn from local families. The demand for labor spurred mining villages like Cleator Moor and Frizington to emerge as hubs, with extraction peaking in the mid-1860s to early amid favorable market conditions for domestic . Supporting this growth, railway infrastructure facilitated efficient ore exports; the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont , operational from 1861, connected Cleator Moor mines directly to ports for shipment to steelworks, while extensions like the Cleator and Railway (authorized 1876 and opened 1879) enhanced connectivity to additional sources. These developments underscored the era's empirical successes, with Cleator Moor's compact, hard varieties—such as blue and kidney ores—proving reliably productive and integral to national steel output before competitive shifts later emerged.

Irish Immigration and Sectarian Conflicts

During the 1840s and 1850s, waves of Irish Catholic immigrants arrived in Cleator Moor, primarily fleeing the Great Famine of 1845–1852 and drawn by employment opportunities in the burgeoning iron ore mines. These migrants, often from eastern counties like Wicklow, provided essential unskilled labor and mining expertise, swelling the town's population and shifting its religious composition from a Protestant majority to one with a substantial Catholic presence, which led to the locality being known as "Little Ireland." The influx intensified competition for scarce housing and jobs amid rapid industrial expansion, depressing wages and straining local resources, which fostered resentment among established Protestant workers who viewed the newcomers as disruptors of community norms and . Cultural and religious differences compounded these frictions, manifesting in sectarian clashes rather than isolated , as both groups engaged in retaliatory actions driven by proximate causes like territorial disputes over neighborhoods and employment. Notable escalations occurred in the late 1860s, when Protestant preacher William Murphy's anti-Catholic lectures across incited mobs to target Irish Catholic settlements in Cleator Moor and surrounding areas, sparking riots that highlighted underlying rivalries over social space. Further violence erupted during processions, such as the 1884 march on July 12 celebrating the , which provoked confrontations in the Catholic-heavy town due to its provocative symbolism and perceived provocation of local majorities. Empirical accounts of these "sectarian troubles" from the to reveal mutual aggressions, including assaults on religious processions and workplaces, attributable to zero-sum competition in a labor-intensive rather than primordial hatreds, though exacerbated by imported Irish divisions. While immigrants bolstered output—essential for Cleator Moor's growth—natives' grievances over overburdened and cultural imposition were substantiated by contemporaneous reports of heightened and disorder. Integration proceeded unevenly, with frictions persisting as a function of demographic pressures in isolated communities.

20th-Century Decline and Economic Shifts

The industry in Cleator Moor, which had peaked in the late , entered a period of contraction starting in the , driven primarily by the exhaustion of accessible high-grade haematite ore reserves and escalating extraction costs as deeper, lower-quality deposits were reached. Major operations at sites including Todholes, Crossfield, Crowgarth, Jacktrees, and ceased in the early , with the broader West Cumbrian haematite sector experiencing a prolonged downturn after 1890 due to diminishing viable reserves. Global market pressures intensified this decline, as cheaper imports from undercut local production, rendering many Cleator Moor mines economically unviable despite sustained output levels exceeding 1 million tons annually in the region into the early mid-century. By the , the last significant activities had wound down, leading to substantial job losses in an industry that had once employed thousands; employment in Cleator Moor's mines dwindled to negligible levels by the 1960s as the sector failed to compete on cost and quality grounds. This transition exacerbated unemployment in the town, which soared during the interwar , reflecting the inherent limits of finite local resources rather than isolated policy factors. Economic diversification efforts emerged in response, most notably with the establishment of the beret factory in 1938 by Jakob Spreiregen in a repurposed 19th-century flax mill, which provided alternative manufacturing jobs and helped mitigate some immediate hardship from 's collapse. Post-World War II, however, persistent structural challenges in the local economy sustained elevated and through the and beyond, as initial diversification proved insufficient to fully offset the mining sector's irreplaceable scale and the town's reliance on resource extraction.

Geography and Geology

Location and Topography

Cleator Moor is a town in West Cumbria, England, within the Cumberland unitary authority area, formed in 2023 from the merger of the former Copeland and Allerdale boroughs with Cumbria County Council. It lies approximately 4 miles (6 km) southeast of Whitehaven on the Cumbrian coast. The settlement sits at the western edge of the Lake District National Park, positioned as a gateway to the Ennerdale Valley. The topography features undulating moorland with average elevations of about 120 meters above , though surrounding terrain includes significant elevation changes exceeding 300 meters within a 2-mile radius. The town occupies higher ground amid valleys carved by the River Ehen, which flows past Cleator Moor, and its tributary the River Keekle, which joins the Ehen near the neighboring village of Cleator. These river valleys provided natural corridors that facilitated early pathways and transport across the otherwise rugged landscape. Cleator Moor is roughly 10 miles from the nuclear site to the southwest, yet maintains distinct local moorland characteristics shaped by its inland position and proximity to coastal influences without direct waterfront access. The area forms part of the 190-mile route, highlighting its role in regional connectivity amid varied topography.

Iron Ore Deposits and Environmental Impact

Cleator Moor's subsurface geology is characterized by -rich deposits hosted in mineralized limestones of the Dent Group, which overlie the Volcanic Group rocks. These deposits formed through hydrothermal mineralization along faults and veins, yielding high-grade suitable for smelting into high-phosphorus , which was advantageous for basic steel production via the due to its self-fluxing properties during conversion. Extraction peaked during the 19th-century industrial boom, with Cleator Moor mines contributing to West Cumbria's substantial output; regional production supported over 1 million tons of annually by the 1880s, implying ore extraction in the tens of millions of tons cumulatively from the district's workings, including Cleator Moor's open-cast and underground operations like those at Nab Gill, which yielded around 8,000 tons per year before declining post-1881. Mining activities caused localized from the removal of supporting pillars in veins, leading to ground instability in areas near Cleator Moor, as documented in historical accounts of pillar extraction practices. Waste heaps from and accumulated across the , altering drainage patterns and creating derelict landforms, while and shaft discharges contributed to metal-laden , primarily iron and associated trace elements, affecting local streams through . Post-closure remediation has focused on stabilizing risks and treating polluted discharges; initiatives by the Coal Authority and include passive treatment systems for mine waters, capturing metals before river entry, though Cleator Moor's legacy impacts remain managed rather than fully reversed, with empirical monitoring showing contained rather than widespread ecological disruption beyond immediate spoil areas. These effects, while causally linked to extraction volumes, were offset by the economic value derived from the , enabling regional industrialization without evidence of irreversible broad-scale in verifiable records.

Governance and Politics

Administrative History

Prior to the 19th century, the area now known as Cleator Moor formed part of the rural of Cleator within the historic county of , governed primarily through the parish vestry system under ecclesiastical and manorial authority. The sparsely populated moorland saw limited administrative focus until industrial mining activities spurred settlement expansion. The rapid population growth from iron ore mining in the mid-19th century, which increased inhabitants from around 600 in the to over 10,000 by the , prompted the creation of Cleator Moor Urban District in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894. This status granted the town its own urban district council to manage expanding boundaries that incorporated adjacent moorland and mining hamlets, reflecting the influx of workers and infrastructure demands. The urban district operated until 1934, when it was abolished via a County Review Order amid regional reorganizations, with its territory absorbed into the newly formed Ennerdale Rural District; the underlying was concurrently renamed Cleator Moor and reclassified as rural. From 1934 to 1974, Cleator Moor functioned as a within Ennerdale Rural District, with boundaries adjusted to align with the broader rural authority encompassing former urban districts like Egremont and Arlecdon & Frizington, accommodating post-peak industrial shifts in population distribution. The Local Government Act 1972 then dissolved Ennerdale Rural District effective 1 April 1974, integrating Cleator Moor into the new —formed by merging Borough, Ennerdale Rural District, and Millom Rural District—under the overarching . This restructuring centralized services while preserving the town's parish identity amid ongoing economic transitions.

Current Local Government Structure

Since 1 April 2023, has operated as the covering Cleator Moor, absorbing responsibilities from the former Copeland Borough Council and for services including , , , and . The council comprises 46 elected councillors across single-member wards, with Cleator Moor represented by wards designated Cleator Moor East and Frizington and Cleator Moor West. Current councillors include independent Linda Jones-Bulman for Cleator Moor East and Frizington and Labour's Michael Eldon for Cleator Moor West, who participate in through full council meetings and area-specific community panels that allocate funding to local projects four times annually. Cleator Moor Town Council provides tier-parish governance, with volunteer councillors focusing on community representation, local amenity maintenance, and input into upper-tier planning decisions. The council holds regular meetings to address parish matters and maintains accountability via annual internal audits and external verification, as documented in its Annual Governance and Accountability Return for the year ending 31 March 2024. These returns confirm compliance with Accounts and Audit Regulations, including governance assertions on risk management and financial controls.

Town Deal and Regeneration Governance

In 2019, Cleator Moor received an invitation from the UK Government to bid for funding under the Towns Fund programme, part of a £3.6 billion national initiative aimed at supporting local economic regeneration in selected towns. The Cleator Moor Town Deal Board, established to lead this effort, developed a strategic bid focusing on local priorities such as improvements and economic diversification, securing an initial offer of £22.5 million in July 2021 and final approval in November 2022, alongside £18.4 million in matched funding from partners including . The Town Deal Board governs the allocation and delivery of these funds, comprising diverse local representatives including community figures like Joanne Crowe, youth advocate Paul Rowe, and business leader John Bamforth, ensuring decisions reflect grassroots input rather than top-down directives. This structure emphasizes local agency, with the Board responsible for preparing detailed business cases, procuring contracts, and monitoring progress to foster self-sustaining growth independent of ongoing central subsidies. Under the Board's oversight, four core projects address regeneration: the Revitalised Town initiative, which targets underutilised buildings and enhances public spaces to boost town appeal; Connected Town, involving upgrades to over 3.5 km of walking and cycling routes for improved connectivity; Leconfield Regeneration, developing an enterprise campus on a former industrial site to attract businesses and create jobs; and a new leisure and community hub to promote health, wellbeing, and visitor spending. Implementation has progressed steadily, with contracts awarded for the Leconfield site in February 2025 and detailed plans submitted for the community hub in October 2025, marking the start of on-ground works amid community consultations that confirmed strong local support for the Board's vision of inclusive, clean economic expansion. By late 2025, these efforts underscore a model prioritizing verifiable outcomes like job creation and durability over short-term optics.

Demographics

The population of Cleator Moor civil parish reached its historical peak of 10,420 in 1881, reflecting rapid growth during the boom of the preceding decades. By 1901, this had declined to 8,120, marking the onset of a long-term depopulation trend that continued through the mid-20th century. The figure bottomed out at 6,411 in 1951 before a modest rebound to 7,686 by 1971. Subsequent censuses show stabilization at lower levels, with the population recorded at 6,939 in 2001 and 6,936 in 2011. The 2021 census reported 6,664 residents, representing a slight annual decline of -0.40% from 2011. This recent trend aligns with built-up area estimates from the , which approximate 6,670 for Cleator Moor in 2021, closely matching parish boundaries due to the town's compact urban form.
Census YearPopulation
188110,420
19018,120
19516,411
19717,686
20016,939
20116,936
6,664
Overall, the parish has experienced net depopulation since the late , with post-1970s levels fluctuating narrowly around 6,500–7,000, interrupted only by minor variations. No parish-specific projections beyond are available from official sources, though the consistent recent pattern suggests continued minimal fluctuation absent broader regional shifts.

Ethnic, Religious, and Socio-Economic Composition

In the 2021 United Kingdom census, Cleator Moor's was overwhelmingly , with 6,551 residents identifying as such out of a total of approximately 6,619, equating to over 99% of the . This figure encompasses primarily individuals, alongside smaller numbers of and other White backgrounds, tracing back to substantial 19th-century Irish during the iron boom, when Irish-born residents comprised up to 36% of the town's by 1871. Minority ethnic groups were minimal, including 52 Asian residents, 15 Black residents, and 1 Arab resident. Religiously, remained the dominant affiliation in the 2021 census, with 4,660 residents identifying as Christian, representing about 70% of the , while 1,635 reported no religion (approximately 25%). A notable Catholic subset persists within this Christian majority, rooted in the historical influx of Irish Catholic laborers to the industry, which prompted of institutions such as St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in the late and contributed to the town's moniker "Little ." Other faiths were negligible, aligning with the area's low ethnic diversity. Socio-economically, Cleator Moor ranks highly on deprivation indices, with multiple lower-layer super output areas falling within the 10% most deprived in for metrics as of recent assessments. This stems from the post-20th-century decline of , leading to elevated worklessness rates exceeding national averages, though has transitioned to sectors like nuclear processing at nearby and local services. Household profiles reflect this, with persistent challenges in income and skills, yet the town's integrated communities demonstrate sustained local participation in these adapted industries.

Economy

Historical Mining Dominance

Cleator Moor's economy from the early was overwhelmingly centered on and extraction, which accounted for the bulk of local employment and output value. initiated in 1788 via leases on Egremont royalties, extending across the Ehen to Keekle valleys, while iron mining exploited abundant deposits, with industrial-scale operations ramping up in the 1780s following discoveries of rich surface-level ores. By the late , annual hematite shipments from Cleator Moor exceeded 20,000 tons, directed primarily to Scottish foundries like Carron. Specific instances, such as the 1784 production at Crowgarth Mine yielding 20,000 tons of premium hard blue ore for export, underscored the scale and quality driving early profitability. These activities generated substantial employment, with regional mining employing 3,923 workers by the 1901 , a figure reflective of Cleator Moor's central role in West Cumbrian operations under owners like the Whitehaven Iron Company in the 1860s. Export values bolstered regional GDP equivalents, fueling Cumberland's output surge from approximately 25,000 tons in 1856 to over 1 million tons by 1882, as local fed burgeoning furnaces and steel converters. The ore's high iron content and low impurities proved ideal for the introduced in the 1850s, enabling efficient steel production that amplified demand and local wealth, evidenced by the establishment of coke-fired blast furnaces at Cleator Moor Iron Works in 1841. Empirically, mining's dominance yielded tangible successes in and infrastructure development, including railways like the Cleator and Egremont line dedicated to transport, while attracting migrant labor that swelled the workforce. However, the sector's extractive nature fostered boom-bust volatility tied to global commodity prices and , highlighting over-reliance despite peak-period metrics of viability; production records affirm sustained output and contributions through the , predicating later transitions without negating contemporaneous prosperity.

Post-Mining Transition and Modern Industries

Following the closure of iron ore mines in the mid-20th century, Cleator Moor adapted through private ventures, notably the hat factory established in 1938 in adjacent Cleator, which produced berets for the British military during and later expanded to civilian markets, employing hundreds locally until its closure in 2009 amid global competition and . This shift provided temporary via market-driven apparel production, peaking at four million hats annually, though vulnerability to international pressures highlighted limits of such diversification without broader industrial clusters. Proximity to the nuclear complex has sustained employment, with many residents securing jobs in decommissioning, , and related services, contributing to a regional economic anchor that generates substantial local revenue and skills in high-tech sectors. The site's operations, including ongoing investments in clean energy transitions, have mitigated post-mining peaks from the , fostering spillovers in and logistics despite challenges from decommissioning uncertainties. Recent regeneration emphasizes entrepreneurial clusters over sole reliance on jobs, exemplified by the 2021 Town Deal securing £22.5 million in funding matched by £18.4 million from partners, targeting incubation, office redevelopment, and enhancements to build . Key initiatives include the Industrial Solutions Hub Enterprise Campus at Cleator Moor, launched with £7 million from the in 2022, aiming to create 700 jobs in nuclear supply chains and clean tech by attracting private firms through collaborative facilities, with first units available in 2025. By 2025, these efforts have advanced viability, with Revitalised Town projects underway to refurbish underused buildings into hubs for startups and enterprises, countering global competition through localized rather than subsidy dependence, though sustained success hinges on private investment uptake amid West Cumbria's skilled labor pool. Private redevelopment of the former site, initiated in 2024, further signals market-led repurposing for modern uses, underscoring adaptive resilience despite historical state influences like .

Infrastructure

The railways serving Cleator Moor were developed primarily to support the local mining industry by enabling efficient bulk transport to coastal ports for export. The Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway opened its line through Cleator Moor in 1861, initially focused on hauling and from nearby mines, with passenger services added later. The Cleator & Workington Junction Railway, incorporated in 1876 and operational from 1879, provided a dedicated freight route from Cleator Moor area mines—such as those at Knockmurton and Frizington—to , bypassing high tolls on existing lines and directly serving ironmasters' needs. Cleator Moor featured multiple stations, including Cleator Moor East on the junction , which handled both and traffic tied to output. services declined early, with Cleator Moor East closing to passengers on 13 April 1931 amid falling demand post-mining peak, though workmen's trains briefly resumed; freight persisted longer, with parts of closing in 1954 and tracks lifted by 1964 as extraction waned. Rail's capacity for heavy loads—far exceeding pre-rail era road or methods—drove the town's 19th-century expansion, but post-closure, road assumed dominance for remaining due to flexibility despite lower per-ton efficiency for bulk . Contemporary transport relies on roads, with the A5086 providing Cleator Moor's main connection to the A595 , approximately 2 miles west, linking north to and south toward Egremont and beyond. No passenger rail operates, following full line closures by the . Bus services, operated by , include route 22 from Cleator Moor Square via Cleator and Egremont to West Cumberland Hospital and , running weekdays and Saturdays as of December 2024; recent restorations and additions, such as enhanced links from January 2025, address prior cuts in rural connectivity.

Education and Public Services

Cleator Moor is served by several primary schools catering to the local mining-descended community, which historically required accessible education for shift-working families. Montreal Church of England Primary School, located on Ennerdale Road, provides education for children aged 4-11, with reported high pupil stability at 87% continuous enrollment but elevated absence rates indicating challenges in consistent attendance. St Patrick's Catholic Primary School on Todholes Road similarly focuses on primary-age pupils, achieving 95.03% whole-school attendance as of recent data, exceeding the national primary average of 94.8% while targeting 96%. Cleator Moor Nursery School on Ennerdale Road supports early years provision for ages 3-4. Nearby Moor Row Community Primary School, with a capacity of 120 but only 76 enrolled pupils as of 2023, suggests underutilization potentially allowing smaller class sizes but raising questions of long-term viability in a depopulating former mining area. Secondary education is accessed via nearby institutions such as West Lakes Academy in Egremont or The Whitehaven Academy, reflecting centralized provision for the region's sparse population. Public services in Cleator Moor fall under oversight following the 2023 local government reorganization, which integrated former County and district functions to streamline delivery. The Cleator Moor Library on Market Street offers borrowing, computer access, printing, and specialized loans like storysacks for families and support bags, with hours including Tuesdays and Fridays for public access. Plans announced in October 2025 propose relocating and enhancing the library within a new public services hub by reconfiguring buildings, funded partly through the £22.5 million Cleator Moor Town Deal, to better integrate amenities amid post-mining community needs. Health services are provided through the NHS-managed Cleator Moor Health Centre on Birks Road, housing Fellview Healthcare's GP surgery serving approximately 23,603 patients across sites, including community clinics, physiotherapy, and dental suites. The centre, established following proposals in , supports local access without requiring travel to larger facilities, though integration with council services post-2023 has emphasized coordinated initiatives. Enrollment and usage data indicate adequate basic provision for the town's scale, with low school capacities mirroring modest demand from a of around 6,700, though persistent attendance issues in some primaries signal potential gaps in family support structures.

Culture and Society

Religious Institutions and Community Dynamics

St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Cleator, serving the Cleator Moor area, was established to accommodate the influx of Irish Catholic immigrants during the 19th-century iron mining boom. The foundation stone was laid on 3 October 1869 by the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, with the church opening in 1872 under a Benedictine mission initiated in 1853. Designed in the Decorated style by E.W. Pugin, it became a focal point for the Catholic community, including the construction of a Lourdes-style grotto in 1927 that drew pilgrims from across the Diocese of Lancaster. Protestant institutions include Cleator Moor Methodist Church, a central venue for community events and ecumenical activities, and Anglican parishes such as St John's in the Hall, Cleator Moor, which holds regular services and fosters an inclusive worship environment. Evangelical groups like Church on the Moor also operate from the Civic Hall, emphasizing Bible-centered gatherings. These denominations reflect the town's mixed religious heritage, with prominent among native working-class populations. Historically, the arrival of predominantly Catholic Irish laborers in the mid-19th century, earning Cleator Moor the "Little ," introduced religious tensions with the Protestant majority, manifesting in and Orange Order parades that exacerbated communal divisions. Over time, these conflicts subsided through economic interdependence in and gradual integration, contributing to social cohesion. By the 2011 census, Cleator Moor wards showed Christian affiliation rates of 70-82%, predominantly Catholic in heritage areas, with declining attendance mirroring national trends but sustained roles in welfare and events. Today, ecumenical initiatives, such as joint services hosted by Methodist facilities, indicate reduced divisions and collaborative dynamics.

Sports, Media, and Local Traditions

Cleator Moor features clubs rooted in community participation, including , which competes in the Premier Division of the and plays home matches at Birks Road. Wath Brow Hornets ARLFC, an amateur club, fields open-age teams in the National League's top tier alongside youth squads from under-6s to under-18s, drawing on local mining-era traditions of team sports for recreation. Public facilities at Cleator Moor Activity Centre support these activities with a 3G synthetic pitch suitable for football and rugby hire, plus a five-rink indoor hall managed by the local council. Local media coverage relies on regional outlets, with News providing dedicated reporting on Cleator Moor events, sports, and matters as part of its focus on Copeland borough since its establishment. Broader news reaches the town via News & Star, which includes west Cumbria in its distribution. Since 2023, a dedicated media studio in Cleator Moor has enabled local businesses and residents to produce podcasts for outreach, expanding digital informational access beyond traditional print. Community traditions reflect the town's 19th-century mining boom, which attracted substantial Irish immigration, earning Cleator Moor the moniker "Little Ireland" and infusing Celtic cultural elements evident in local nomenclature like Cleator Moor Celtic F.C. This heritage, linked to iron ore extraction that peaked with immigrant labor from Ireland and elsewhere, sustains informal commemorations of mining history through town societies and events, though formalized festivals remain limited.

Notable Individuals

Andrew Belton (1882–1970), born on 17 April 1882 in Cleator Moor to John and Susannah Belton, was a British soldier, adventurer, and businessman. He served in the Anglo-Boer War and later in , where he earned the Arabic title "Kaid" for his military exploits, including participation in the deposition of Abd al-Hafid in ; he was awarded the OBE for his contributions. Belton later settled in , engaging in business ventures. Sir John Stirling Ainsworth (1844–1923), born on 30 January 1844 in Cleator Moor, was a British politician from a family prominent in local iron mining. Created 1st Baronet of Ardanaiseig in 1916, he represented as a Liberal MP from 1893 to 1910, focusing on issues including Irish Home Rule. His forebears, including father Thomas Ainsworth, pioneered mining operations in the Cleator area during the 19th-century iron boom. Conrad Atkinson (1940–2022), born in Cleator Moor, was a conceptual whose works often addressed industrial labor and community struggles, including memorials to the town's history such as sculptures at former pit sites. Educated at Carlisle and colleges of art, he exhibited internationally, with pieces acquired by institutions like the ; his art drew from personal observations of Cumbria's decline. Scott Carson (b. 1985), raised in Cleator Moor after birth in nearby , is a professional footballer who began with local club Cleator Moor Celtic before progressing to Leeds United's academy in 2002. A , he earned two caps in 2008 and played for Manchester City from 2019 to 2024, winning the in 2024; he retired in 2024 after over 600 career appearances. Kenneth Graham (1922–2005), born in adjacent Cleator, was a trade union leader who started as a miner and rose to become general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers () in 1960 and chairman of the Mining Department. Appointed CBE in 1979, he advocated for workers' rights amid post-war coal industry changes.

References

  1. https://www.mindat.org/loc-4759.html
  2. https://www.littleireland.co.uk/
  3. https://cumbriaguide.co.uk/cleator-moor-in-the-spotlight/
  4. https://heritage.wicklowheritage.org/topics/events/little-ireland-the-mining-town-of-cleator-moor-and-its-links-with-wicklow
  5. https://www.cumbriacountyhistory.org.uk/township/cleator
  6. https://www.copeland.gov.uk/sites/default/files/attachments/cleator_moor_tip.pdf
  7. https://co-curate.ncl.ac.uk/cleator-moor-cumbria/
  8. https://haigpit.wordpress.com/coal-mining-in-cleator-moor/
  9. https://www.cleatormoortowncouncil.gov.uk/
  10. https://www.copeland.gov.uk/sites/default/files/attachments/cleator_moor_conservation_area.pdf
  11. https://earthwise.bgs.ac.uk/index.php/Haematite_deposits_of_Cumbria
  12. https://www.cumberland-geol-soc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Iron-Ore-Mines-near-Bigrigg-NY-002-130-and-Moor-Row-NY-006-145.pdf
  13. https://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/a-z-of-industries/iron-and-steel/
  14. https://www.mindat.org/loc-4859.html
  15. https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%257CA219077123&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=00264628&p=AONE&sw=w
  16. https://www.edenviaducts.org.uk/industrial-history/
  17. https://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/a-z-of-industries/iron-mining/
  18. https://www.visitcumbria.com/wc/cleator-moor-railway/
  19. https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Cleator_and_Workington_Junction_Railway
  20. https://www.littleireland.co.uk/2020/11/cleator-moor-iron-works.html
  21. https://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/content/articles/2006/10/10/your_community_cleator_moor_feature.shtml
  22. https://irishandcumbrian.wordpress.com/2014/11/04/mining-and-migration-piece-on-cleator-moor-and-wicklow-miners-connection-httpwww-glensoflead-comfind-your-mining-ancestors/
  23. https://liverpool.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.5949/UPO9781846312892/upso-9780853236528-chapter-2
  24. https://liverpool.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.5949/UPO9781846312892/upso-9780853236528-chapter-6
  25. https://www.littleireland.co.uk/2021/03/the-inglorious-12th.html
  26. https://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/news/17159213.history-with-brian-parnaby/
  27. https://geoinvestigate.co.uk/2022/05/15/iron-mining-report-cleator-moor-and-frizzington/
  28. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj31xkdv6j8o
  29. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-62738806
  30. https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/news/2025/supporting-communities-cleator-moor
  31. https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Cleator-Moor/Whitehaven
  32. https://www.visitlakedistrict.com/explore/cleator-moor
  33. https://en-gb.topographic-map.com/map-t7rsdn/Cleator-Moor/
  34. https://weatherspark.com/y/37977/Average-Weather-in-Cleator-Moor-United-Kingdom-Year-Round
  35. https://co-curate.ncl.ac.uk/river-ehen/
  36. https://co-curate.ncl.ac.uk/river-keekle/
  37. https://www.coasttocoast.uk/lake-district/st-bees-ennerdale/river-ehen/
  38. https://www.westernlakedistrict.com/location/cleator-moor/
  39. https://www.mindat.org/loc-22856.html
  40. https://webapps.bgs.ac.uk/Memoirs/docs/B01506.html
  41. https://www.cumberland-geol-soc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Proceedings%25201998-99%2520Part%25203.pdf
  42. https://environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/2023/02/07/cleaning-up-rivers-polluted-by-abandoned-metal-mines/
  43. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7b957eed915d1311060332/scho1111buvo-e-e.pdf
  44. https://cumbriaarchives.org.uk/catalogues-and-guides/UDCs
  45. https://www.alangodfreymaps.co.uk/cumbria1.htm
  46. https://co-curate.ncl.ac.uk/ennerdale-and-kinniside-civil-parish/
  47. https://www.copeland.gov.uk/local-government-reorganisation-information
  48. https://www.cumbriaobservatory.org.uk/unitary-local-authority/
  49. https://cumberland.moderngov.co.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=WARD&VW=LIST&PIC=0
  50. https://consult.cumberland.gov.uk/community-panels
  51. https://www.cleatormoortowncouncil.gov.uk/council
  52. https://www.cleatormoortowncouncil.gov.uk/finance
  53. https://www.cleatormoortowncouncil.gov.uk/sites/cleatormoor/files/2025-05/250523123316_0001.pdf
  54. https://www.copeland.gov.uk/towns-fund-cleator-moor
  55. https://socialimpact.sellafieldsite.co.uk/project/cleator-moor-town-deal/
  56. https://cleatormoortowndeal.org.uk/the-board/
  57. https://cleatormoortowndeal.org.uk/the-process/
  58. https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/news/2025/another-step-forward-cleator-moor-town-deal-project
  59. https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/news/2025/another-step-forward-connected-town-cleator-moor
  60. https://cumberland.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s24043/Construction%2Bcontract%2Baward%2Bfor%2Bthe%2BLeconfield%2BRegeneration%2Bscheme%2BCleator%2BMoor.pdf
  61. https://cleatormoortowndeal.org.uk/2023/07/25/survey-reveals-community-support-for-cleator-moor-town-deal/
  62. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLkdQ3oG-Ek
  63. https://co-curate.ncl.ac.uk/cleator-moor-civil-parish/
  64. http://citypopulation.de/en/uk/northwestengland/admin/copeland/E04010474__cleator_moor/
  65. https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/dvc2278/fig01/fig01/datadownload.xlsx
  66. https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/northwestengland/cumbria/E63000338__cleator_moor/
  67. https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/media/university-of-cumbria-website/content-assets/public/researchoffice/documents/IoD-Report--Final.pdf
  68. https://www.cumbriacountyhistory.org.uk/sites/default/files/county-info/the_industries_and_economy_of_cumbria_0.pdf
  69. http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/c909.htm
  70. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4nn0ngkjz9o
  71. https://www.in-cumbria.com/news/24254066.new-life-former-kangol-site/
  72. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nda-invests-7million-into-the-industrial-solutions-hub-at-cleator-moor
  73. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02690942231190020
  74. https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/news/2024/community-update-transformational-cleator-moor-projects
  75. https://www.in-cumbria.com/news/25390344.first-units-available-cleator-moor-ish-enterprise-campus/
  76. https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/news/2025/work-gets-underway-cleator-moors-revitalised-town-programme
  77. https://cumbrianrailways.org.uk/wcumberland.php
  78. https://www.littleireland.co.uk/2019/11/the-railway.html
  79. https://www.copeland.gov.uk/sites/default/files/attachments/cleator_moor_spatial_framework.pdf
  80. https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/buses/service/22
  81. https://nappyvalleynet.com/great-british-schools-guide/school/132170-montreal-cofe-primary-school-ca25-5lw/
  82. https://www.st-pats.co.uk/key-information/attendance
  83. https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Establishment/Details/112161
  84. https://crystalroof.co.uk/report/ward/cleator-moor-west-cumberland/schools
  85. https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/libraries-and-archives/find-library-near-you/cleator-moor-library
  86. https://www.accessable.co.uk/community-health-partnerships/access-guides/cleator-moor-health-centre
  87. https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-7568131835/inspection-summary
  88. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-10918377
  89. https://www.littleireland.co.uk/2020/04/st-marys-roman-catholic-church.html
  90. https://taking-stock.org.uk/building/cleator-st-mary/
  91. https://www.st-pats.co.uk/curriculum/catholic-life/our-church
  92. https://co-curate.ncl.ac.uk/church-of-st-mary-cleator/
  93. https://www.stmarysandstjosephs.com/the-grotto.html
  94. https://www.westernfells.uk/our-churches/cleator-moor/
  95. https://crosslacon.net/our-churches/st-johns-in-the-hall-cleator-moor/
  96. https://www.churchonthemoor.com/
  97. http://cleator-moor-south.localstats.co.uk/census-demographics/england/north-west/copeland/cleator-moor-south
  98. https://areainsights.co.uk/borough/copeland/cleator-moor-west
  99. https://www.westlancashireleague.co.uk/club-info/119504877
  100. https://www.facebook.com/wath.hornets/
  101. https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/cumberland/cleator-moor-activity-centre
  102. https://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/
  103. https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/
  104. https://www.in-cumbria.com/news/23192380.new-podcasts-created-cleator-moor-media-studio/
  105. https://www.dib.ie/biography/belton-andrew-a0570
  106. https://www.littleireland.co.uk/2023/02/kaid-andrew-belton-king-maker.html
  107. https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/features/24461408.kaid-andrew-belton---cleator-moors-lawrence-arabia/
  108. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ainsworth-1881
  109. https://www.cumbrianlives.org.uk/lives/john-stirling.html
  110. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/dec/18/conrad-atkinson-obituary
  111. https://cumbriacrack.com/2022/10/10/internationally-renowned-artist-conrad-atkinson-dies-aged-82/
  112. https://artscouncil-ni.org/news/obituary-conrad-atkinson-1940-2022
  113. https://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/news/25567904.cumbrian-goalkeeper-scott-carson-announces-retirement/
  114. https://www.transfermarkt.us/scott-carson/profil/spieler/14555
  115. https://www.ozwhitelufc.net.au/players_profiles/C/CarsonSP.php
  116. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/jul/23/guardianobituaries.politics
  117. https://www.cumbrianlives.org.uk/lives-index/g.html
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.