Kirkby-in-Furness
| Kirkby-in-Furness | |
| Lancashire | |
|---|---|
 St Cuthberts Church, Kirby Ireleth | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SD227824 |
| Location: | 54°13’53"N, 3°11’14"W |
| Data | |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Westmorland & Furness |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Westmorland and Lonsdale |
Kirkby-in-Furness is a village in the Furness area of Lancashire. It is about 3 miles south of Broughton in Furness and 5 miles northwest of Ulverston. It is one of the largest villages on the Furness peninsula's north-western coast, looking out over the Duddon estuary and the mountains of the Lake District.
Kirkby is an agglomeration of six different hamlets, namely: Soutergate, Wall End, Beck Side, Sand Side, Marshside and Chapels. The village's name was given by the Furness Railway company during the construction of its coast line, and was the name they gave to the Kirkby-in-Furness railway station, which serves these hamlets. The name "Kirkby" however is much older; the parish of Kirkby Ireleth is listed in the Domesday Book and is of Norse origin. Kirkby Ireleth is mentioned in the Domesday Book as one of the townships forming the Manor of Hougun held by Earl Tostig.[1]
Much of the housing and infrastructure in Kirkby arose due to the growth and development of the Burlington Slate Quarries, which are owned by the Cavendish family of Holker Hall and Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. Houses at Marshside and Incline Foot were originally built for quarry workers, and the railway linked up to the quarries following bogie lines. Present-day Kirkby-in-Furness is now primarily a commuter village but still provides a work force for the slate and agrarian work.
The poulation has been declining in recent years despite the fine location.
The nearby Kirkby Moor rises to 1,098 feet above sea level, atop which is found not the wild, unspoilt moor but a 12-turbine wind farm.
