Millom, Cumberland

Description from Mannix & Whellan's History, Gazetteer and Directory of Cumberland, 1847

Transcription by Carol Bennett © 1999

MILLOM.

This parish is the extreme southern part of the county, and stretches northward from the sea along the west bank of the river Duddon, to the source of the Esk, and containing the four townships of Birker and Austhwaite, Chapel Sucken, Millom Below and Millom Above; also the two chapelries of Thwaites and Ulpha. It is bounded on the north by the Esk, which divides it from Muncaster and Eskdale, on the west by Waberthwaite, Corney, Bootle, Whitbeck and Whicham, and on the south by the mouth of the Duddon which here expands into an open sandy bay, well known for its mussels and cockles. Iron Ore has been got at Hodbarrow and Millom Park, and smelted near the brook, which still retains the name of Furnace-beck. Copper ore has been obtained at different times, though seldom in sufficient quantities to repay the working; but a rich vein was discovered a few years ago in the manor of Ulpha and is now worked by George Harrison, Esq. There are beds of slate in Millom park, and in Thwaites, but they do not break sufficiently large for use. MILLOM BELOW is a large township containing the village of Holborn Hill, and several detached houses, south south east of Bootle and west by north of Ulverstone, near the estuary of the Duddon. The earl of Lonsdale, Mr Anthony Cragg and Mr Joshua S Myers are the largest land owners. Dalzell, Dickinson & Co have a brick and tile manufactory near Holborn Hill. In 1250, Millom had a charter for holding a market here on Wednesday, and a fair for 3 days at the festival of the Holy Trinity. The school at Millom Below was endowed with £100 by Joesph Huddleston Esq who died in 1700. But that endowment was lost many years ago. It now enjoys in common with the two schools at Millom Above and Thwaites, a share of a bequest of £800 bequeathed in 1811 by Mr Wm Atkinson of Bog-house. He ordered it to be invested in Government Stock and the interest to be applied half-yearly for the education of poor boys and girls in these three townships. History, Gazetteer and Directory of Cumberland, Mannix & Whellan, 1847.

[Transcribed by Carol Bennett in 1999]

More extracts from Mannix & Whelan's Directory can be found on Steve Bulman's excellent Images of Cumbria website.