Cleator_Moor Cumbria the Lake District.

Cleator Moor street courtesy of Graeme Dougal Cleator Moor-its name describes the land on which it sits and comes from the Norse 'cliff and hill pasture'-owes its existence to iron ore. First worked by 12^th century monks, rich deposits were found close to the surface in the 1780's, and workers from Ireland disembarked at Whitehaven to mine the ore.

Cleator Moor market square courtesy of Graeme Dougal The Cleator Moor Iron Works were built in 1842, and the town and the nearby village of Cleator continued to grow with the Industrial Revolution. The town was not without its mine disasters, three occurring from the 1840's to the 1860's. By the early 1900's mining slowed down with the depletion of iron ore reserves. The heavy mining caused much subsidence in the area.

Cleator Moor Library courtesy of Graeme Dougal Limestone quarrying was also part of the industrial picture here. After the mines closed down, agriculture became a major means of livelihood, the common providing good pasture for sheep. Cyclists can now enjoy the railway lines constructed by the Whitehaven, Cleator and Egremont Railway in 1866 to carry the ore. They were incorporated into the C2C network. Cleator Moor mining sculpture courtesy of Graeme Dougal

Cleator Moor's market square was built in the late 1800's. Three sculptures honour its past history. The town boasted of a large number of pubs, and many are still part of the scene. The Victorians built a large church, St John the Evangelist, in Cleator in the early 1870's. Today, even without the mines, Cleator Moor is a good-sized market town.

Cleator Moor St John's Church courtesy of Graeme Dougal Location Map of Cleator Moor
Cleator Moor is located southeast of Whitehaven on the B5295 (off the A5086).

The Mineral Museum at Cockermouth contains samples of the minerals mined at Cleator Moor.

For historic photos and further details go to Tom Duffy's website www.themoor.ukf.net

Cleator Moor Brook Inn by Barbara Ballard Photos courtesy Graeme Dougal and Barbara Ballard

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