45-589: The Walney Channel separates Walney Island from the British mainland . The northern portion of the channel opens into the Duddon Estuary and is both narrower and shallower. The southern half of the channel is wider and is regularly dredged to allow shipping to access the Port of Barrow . This half opens into Morecambe Bay . The channel is spanned by Walney Bridge (officially Jubilee Bridge ) completed in 1908. Because of
90-488: A fifth of the overall population of Barrow-in-Furness . The island contains two nature reserves, at either end, and its sandy beaches make it a popular leisure site. The name Walney is thought to come from Old Norse . Whilst the suffix "-ey" is a common feature of island names, the source of "waln" is less clear. The island is listed in the Domesday Book as Hougenai. The manor of "Hougun" – possibly modern day Millom –
135-518: A journey out to sea from which he never returned. It is thought that the girl went back to the Abbey every day until her death to the site she and her partner once loved; the track she walked is today still known as "My Lady's Walk." There have also been many sightings of a white lady , although due to possible conflicting stories, it is unclear whether the White Lady and the ghost of the squire's daughter are
180-613: A maximum height of 40 metres (131 ft) above ground level. The monks of the abbey were large landowners, and the most powerful body in what was then a remote border territory. In particular, they were heavily influential on the Isle of Man . One of the kings of Mann and the Isles is buried at the abbey, as are many of the Bishops of Sodor and Man . Rushen Abbey on the Isle of Man was built on land owned by
225-537: A natural shelter, which allowed the development of Barrow's large shipbuilding yards. In the 1870s, Biggar Bank became a popular seaside recreation site on Walney, and this was reinforced when a regular ferry, operated by the Furness Railway Company, was launched. In 1897, in response to the high levels of immigration to Barrow from across the UK, Vickers proposed to build a new planned town on Walney Island. At
270-510: A number of small islands , of which Barrow Island , Roa and Piel are inhabited. North of Earnsie Point are secluded beaches, backed by dunes, which tend to be used by naturists. Jubilee Bridge , a bascule bridge , has connected Walney to the mainland since 1908. The bridge forms part of the A590 , which runs between Walney's western coast and the M6 Motorway . A second bridge over Walney Channel
315-464: A small amount of pottery. Low Furness was most extensively inhabited by Norse settlers, probably travelling from Ireland or the Isle of Man , which is reflected in many local place names, including Walney. Through the Middle Ages , Walney and Furness were dominated by the monks of Furness Abbey , who constructed Biggar Dyke as flood defences on the east coast of Walney. During this time, Walney
360-400: A small visitor centre at Furness Abbey which includes a number of stone carvings and effigies as well as a gift shop. It, alongside the abbey is open to the public between 10am and 6pm daily, although this is restricted to 10am to 4pm on weekends within the winter/spring season. Free passes are available for English Heritage members as well as local residents, while standard visitor entry in 2018
405-482: Is currently Michelle Scrogham who won the seat at the 2024 General Election. At the 2001 UK census , Walney North had an unemployment rate of 7.7%, whilst it was 6.3% in Walney South Walney was historically agricultural, and a number of farms remain on the island, particularly on its southern half. Following the construction of Vickerstown , the defence manufacturer Vickers became the major employer on
450-546: Is effectively a continuation of Barrow-in-Furness, lying on the Barrow-facing east coast at the island's centre, clustered around the Jubilee Bridge. The first parts of Vickerstown were constructed in the 1890s as a workers' community for Vickers Shipyard, but this area has since been expanded by suburban development. The only residential areas on the west coast are at Earnse Bay and Biggar Bank, both of which are extensions to
495-476: Is haunted. There are supposedly at least three ghosts which have been seen numerous times at the Abbey. First, it is said that the spirit of a monk has been seen climbing a staircase and also possibly walking towards the gatehouse before vanishing into a wall. Another sighting is that of a squire 's daughter. She was known to meet her lover at the ruined abbey after the Reformation, although one day her partner took
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#1732847905411540-484: Is home to a wide number of birds, many of which use the island as a stop whilst migrating. Breeding bird species at South Walney include common eider , common ringed plover , Eurasian oystercatcher , lesser black-backed gull and herring gull . South Walney is also the home of the Walney Bird Observatory. North Walney provides a habitat for natterjack toads , as well as Geranium sanguineum var. striatum,
585-411: Is listed in the book as owning the settlements of the whole of Furness , so that 'Hougenai' appears to mean "island of Hougun". The Old Norse word haugr means mound or hill. However, other Norse etymologies have also been suggested for the source of the island's name. Excavations of sand dunes on Walney have revealed evidence of Late Neolithic / early Bronze Age settlements on the island, including
630-727: Is located in the position of Walney, though significantly larger. Its east coast resembles that of Walney, and the main town to the east of the island is 'Vicarstown', located at the same place as Vickerstown . In music, Walney appears in the song " Wa'ney Island Cockfight ", which describes a cockfight between the lads of North Scale and Biggar on the island. The song has been recorded by Fiddler's Dram and Martin Wyndham-Reed . Public houses located on Walney are The Castle (Biggar Bank), The Queens Arms (Biggar village), The King Alfred (Ocean Rd), The Ferry (Promenade) and The Crown (North Scale). Former public houses closed or demolished are
675-595: Is popular for this sport. Windsurfing takes place around the island, particularly to its west coast and around the mouth of Walney Channel. In literature, Walney most notably appears, or rather disappears, in The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry , which was adapted into the television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends . The books and television series are all set on the fictional Island of Sodor , which
720-505: Is sometimes mooted, in order to improve access and relieve traffic, though there has never been any significant attempt to provide one. The nearest railway station to Walney is Barrow-in-Furness . No long distance bus services are provided, and all services from the island are provided by Stagecoach and terminate in Barrow. Walney Island has a small airport ( Barrow/Walney Island Airport ), privately owned by BAE Systems . It opened in 1935 and
765-503: Is £5.70 per adult. During Winter venturing into the Abbey is strongly discouraged due to the Abbey grounds being prone to flooding. In addition to work by William Wordsworth , Furness Abbey features twice in the Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Books of the 1830s, both with a poetical illustration by Letitia Elizabeth Landon : in the 1832 edition: Furness Abbey, in the Vale of Nightshade, Lancashire to
810-677: The West Lancashire Football League (WFL) Premier Division (level 11 of the English football league system ), while Walney Island Football Club, formed as Nautical FC in 1970, compete in the WFL Division Two. Walney has become an important location for kitesurfing and wind-surfing . It annually hosts one of the rounds of the British Kitesurfing Championship. In particular the flat, wide beach at Earnse Bay
855-588: The English Reformation . The abbey contains a number of individual Grade I Listed Buildings and is a Scheduled Monument . Founded in 1123 by Stephen, Count of Boulogne , it was built originally for the Order of Savigny . Located in the 'Vale of Nightshade', south of Dalton-in-Furness , the abbey is built entirely out of local sandstone . It passed in 1147 to the Cistercians, who gradually enlarged and rebuilt
900-514: The Great Britain mainland is also narrow, and named Walney Channel. The northern portion of the channel opens into the Duddon Estuary and is both narrower and shallower; at low tide, it is passable on foot, with stepping stones known locally as 'Widow's Crossing' assisting pedestrians. The southern half of the channel is wider and is regularly dredged to allow shipping to access the Port of Barrow . This half opens into Morecambe Bay and includes
945-490: The Holy Grail and King John's missing jewels are hidden somewhere inside the ' Ley tunnel '. Furness Abbey has hosted a number of large-scale mystery plays . The first of these were performed over several consecutive nights in 1958. The mystery plays continued throughout the 1960s until the recruitment of participants, perhaps over 100, became difficult. Author Melvyn Bragg attended the 1988 mystery plays revival, which were
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#1732847905411990-593: The Irish Sea . Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire , it is part of Barrow-in-Furness , separated from the mainland by Walney Channel, which is spanned by the Jubilee Bridge . Walney is the largest island of the Furness Islands group, both in population and size, as well as the largest English island in the Irish Sea . Its population at the 2011 UK Census was 10,651, distributed evenly across
1035-530: The Walney geranium , found only on the island. The island's west coast is characterised by wide sandy beaches, whilst its east coast is more built up, facing the narrow and muddy Walney Channel. Since 2005, the coast off Walney has become a centre for the construction of offshore wind farms . Since 2023 Walney has been part of Westmorland and Furness . It was previously part of the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness , within
1080-632: The Walney Tavern formally the Periscope, the George and the Vickerstown institute. Furness Abbey Furness Abbey , or St. Mary of Furness , is a former monastery located to the north of Barrow-in-Furness , Cumbria , England . The abbey dates back to 1123 and was once the second-wealthiest and most powerful Cistercian monastery in the country, behind Fountains Abbey , prior to its dissolution during
1125-410: The abbey site. Viceroy Li stayed longer than expected, so that his schedule had to be rearranged. The Furness Abbey complex is a Scheduled Monument and Conservation Area containing five Grade I listed buildings and structures. Restoration work took place between 2008 and 2017 amid fears that part of the abbey could have collapsed. There are many stories and sightings claiming that Furness Abbey
1170-525: The abbey. Queen Victoria and her lady in waiting Augusta Stanley are known to have visited in 1848 based on the diaries of the latter. Other notable tourists include the Theodore Roosevelt family. It was the first unguided visit on their European tour. A young Teddy Roosevelt and his siblings played on the ruins, which, in 1869, were not roped off or restricted. In 1896, while touring industrial Northern England, Chinese statesman Li Hongzhang visited
1215-457: The central Vickerstown settlement. Beyond Vickerstown, the island retains two older villages. North Scale , lies near to and to the north of Vickerstown on Walney's east coast, and consists mainly of suburban homes. Biggar is the more isolated of the two villages, located around 2 mi (3 km) to the south of Vickerstown. Biggar is situated on the east coast of the island and is a more agricultural community, with farms extending south of
1260-466: The early parts of World War I, and these or nearby installations may have been the targets of the German submarine U-21 , which approached Walney Island in shallow water in the early afternoon of Friday 29 January 1915. The artillery battery at Fort Walney , manned by 7 Company, Lancashire and Cheshire Royal Garrison Artillery , opened fire on the submarine at a range of around 7,000 yards (6,400 metres) after
1305-551: The island's beaches remain locally popular. Walney's population in the 2001 census was 11,388, representing 15% of the overall population of the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness and around 19% of the population of the town of Barrow-in-Furness . Walney lies off the southwest coast of Cumbria in the Irish Sea. It is 11 miles (18 kilometres) long from north to south, but never more than 1 mi (2 km) wide from east to west, with spits at either end. The channel separating it from
1350-490: The island's two Wards of Walney North and Walney South . Walney Island formed during the last glacial period , when the River Duddon was a large glacial lake , depositing till at its mouth, which became Walney. Some evidence of neolithic inhabitants has been found in the island's sand dunes , though its name is likely of Norse origin. The island remained rural until the growth of Barrow-in-Furness' industries in
1395-513: The island, reflecting wider trends in Barrow-in-Furness . Vickers' successor, BAE Systems , remains a major employer in Barrow and on Walney today: the island has particularly high levels of workers in skilled trades. Walney has one secondary school , Walney School . It opened in 1952 and currently teaches 681 pupils. It has several primary schools but, students entering sixth form college or further education must go to schools on
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1440-604: The larger county of Cumbria , for which Walney is again divided into two wards. In the May 2013 Cumbria County Council elections Walney North and Walney South wards both elected Labour Party councillors. At the 2011 elections at the Borough level , six Labour Party councillors were elected from the island, three from each ward. At a national level, Walney forms part of the Barrow and Furness parliamentary constituency . The Member of Parliament
1485-478: The last such performances at the abbey. Prince Edward has also attended a mystery play. Furness Abbey is located off Manor Road close to Barrow's main thoroughfare, Abbey Road , which is named after the Abbey itself. The Abbey also lies next to the Furness Line and was served by Furness Abbey railway station until closure in 1950. The closest stations are now Roose and Dalton . English Heritage operates
1530-739: The mainland in Barrow. Football and rugby league are the most popular amateur sports in the Furness area. Walney Central amateur rugby league club currently play in the Cumbria Men’s Amateur Rugby League . The club was formed in 1936, and have played on the island ever since. They reached the second round of the Challenge Cup in 1960, losing to Oldham and they competed in the National Conference League between 1991 and 2007. In football, Vickerstown Football Club play in
1575-535: The monks. They also owned mines on the island, and built Piel Castle to control trade between the Furness Peninsula and the Isle of Man. Being about 70 miles down the coast from Scotland , the monks occasionally found themselves in between the frequently warring Scots and English. When Robert the Bruce invaded England, during The Great Raid of 1322 , the abbot paid to lodge and support him, rather than risk losing
1620-472: The needs of navigation, particularly the activities of the Vickers shipyard , it was constructed as a bascule bridge . Walney Channel . Walney Webs 54°06′07″N 3°14′24″W / 54.102°N 3.240°W / 54.102; -3.240 Walney Island Walney Island , also known as the Isle of Walney , is an island off the west coast of England, at the western end of Morecambe Bay in
1665-498: The nineteenth century. In particular, the development between 1867 and 1881 of docks at Barrow Island , in Walney Channel opposite Walney, encouraged the growth of Walney as a settlement. The planned worker town of Vickerstown was built on the island in 1898, resulting in a large population increase, and the construction of Jubilee Bridge connecting Walney to the mainland in 1908. Walney's contemporary population now forms about
1710-450: The original ornate church . The majority of the current ruins date from the 12th and 13th centuries. By the 15th century, it had been completely remodelled and had become the second richest and most powerful – as well as one of the grandest – Cistercian abbeys in England, behind Fountains Abbey . The Gothic-style monastery and its adjacent structures cover an expansive area of land and reach
1755-546: The same person or not. Possibly the most famous ghost of Furness Abbey is a headless monk on horseback, who rides underneath the sandstone arch near the Abbey Tavern; the death of this individual is linked to an invasion by the Scots in 1316. A tunnel is said to run underneath the Abbey to both Piel Castle and Dalton Castle, allowing the monks to receive supplies and keep watch upon the local settlements. It has also been rumoured that
1800-434: The same time, other developers imagined developing Biggar into a larger seaside resort. The first tenants moved into Vickerstown in 1900, and this saw the beginning of the integration of Walney as part of the town of Barrow. Walney Bridge , a Bascule bridge was built in this decade, opening in 1908 and connecting the island to the mainland. Vickers operated facilities constructing submarines and other shipping in Barrow in
1845-501: The submarine fired its deck gun at the airship station on the island. After a few minutes' exchange of fire, with no hits on either side, the submarine withdrew. Walney continued to grow through the twentieth century, with a number of suburban housing developments on the island. The majority of growth occurred between the building of the 'Links' estate in 1936, and the completion of suburban housing at North Scale in 1976. The recreational facilities at Biggar Bank were scaled back, but
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1890-683: The village as far as the South Walney Nature Reserve . It is possibly the oldest settlement on Walney, with Furness Abbey records from 1292 mentioning a grange at Biggar, and today is still a farming village. Walney is low-lying, narrow and windswept – it is said by the North-West Evening Mail to be the windiest lowland site in England. The island's northern and southern ends, South Walney and North Walney , are both nature reserves, consisting of salt-marsh , shingle , sand dunes and brackish ponds. South Walney
1935-517: The wealth and power of the abbey. The Abbey was disestablished and destroyed in 1537 during the English Reformation under the orders of Henry VIII . The abbey now lies in ruins and is on the Cistercian Way – a walk which used to link the abbey with the nearby town of Dalton-in-Furness . William Wordsworth visited several times and referred to it in his 1805 autobiographical poem The Prelude , whilst J. M. W. Turner made numerous etchings of
1980-456: Was initially used for military purposes during World War II , before Barrow council purchased the airfield. It was purchased by Vickers in 1968 and has remained with the company's successors ever since. There have been a few attempts at scheduled passenger services – Air Ecosse , Air Furness and Telair have all operated flights from the island – but none has lasted longer than two years. The main settlement on Walney, Vickerstown ,
2025-452: Was largely pastoral , and remained so into the early Industrial Revolution : in his 1810-book Guide to the Lakes , William Wordsworth describes seeing "Walney's early fields of corn" from the summit of Black Combe . However, Walney was soon caught up in the rapid expansion of industry at Barrow-in-Furness . Barrow docks were built on Barrow Island , in Walney Channel. The island acted as
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