Drigg

Drigg sits to the north of the River Irt, with Carleton to the south of the river. The river runs from Wastwater lake and joins the River Mite just before it enters the Irish Sea. There are three bridges over the Irt within the parish; the A595 road bridge at Holmrook, the Cumbrian Coast Line railway bridge at the head of the tidal estuary near Ravenglass, and a footpath via an old packhorse bridge at Drigg Holme.{{National Heritage List for England|num=1007107|desc=Drigg Holme packhorse bridge |access-date=22 December 2024}}

Sand dunes soil is by the coast, and a freely draining loamy soil dominates the rest of the parish.{{Cite web |title=LandIS - Land Information System - Soilscapes soil types viewer |url=https://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/ |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=www.landis.org.uk}}

Since 1996, {{Convert|1396|ha|acre}} of the Drigg coast has been a designated Special Area of Conservation. The fixed sand dunes are categorised as a "priority feature".{{Cite web |title=Drigg Coast - Special Areas of Conservation |url=https://sac.jncc.gov.uk/site/UK0013031 |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=Joint Nature Conservation Committee}} The small bar-built estuary is described as "one of the most natural and least developed in the UK, with little industry and few artificial coastal defence structures".{{Cite web |title=Drigg Coast SAC |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5def76b3ed915d15f8924c58/Drigg_Coast_SAC_Factsheet.pdf |access-date=23 December 2024 |website=publishing.service.gov.uk}}

A 2007 survey found Drigg beach to be stoney at high tide from Carl Crag to Kokoarrah Scar and backed by sand dunes. The beach exposed at low tide was sand; with mud and sand at the lower foreshore. This area was frequented by both locals and holidaymakers. Barn Scar was found to be popular for collecting molluscs, whereas Kokoarrah Scar was normally inaccessible on foot as it was surrounded by seawater. From Kokoarrah Scar to Drigg Point the beach was sandy with patches of stones, and less used. Drigg Point marks the River Esk estuary.{{Cite web |last=Clyne |first=Fiona |last2=Gough |first2=Chris |last3=Edgar |first3=Anna |last4=Smedley |first4=Carol |year=2008 |title=Radiological Habits Survey: Sellafield Beach Occupancy, 2007 |url=https://www.cefas.co.uk/publications/environment/Sellafield-beach-occupancy.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103122713/https://www.cefas.co.uk/publications/environment/Sellafield-beach-occupancy.pdf |archive-date=3 January 2012 |access-date=23 December 2024 |website=CEFAS |publisher=Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science |pages=24–26 |publication-date=2008}} Since 2013 the coastline at Drigg has been designated a Marine Conservation Zone, as part of the Cumbria Coast.{{Cite web |date=November 2013 |title=Cumbria Coast Marine Conservation Zone |url=https://elibrary.cumbria.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/Internet/538/755/1929/17716/17717/42117105516.PDF |access-date=22 December 2024 |website=elibrary.cumbria.gov.uk |publisher=Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |isbn=978-1-78354-061-7}} Kokoarrah rocky scar inter-tidal zone supports a variety of marine organisms.{{Cite web |title=Cumbria Coast {{!}} Living Seas North West |url=https://www.livingseasnw.org.uk/conservation/marine-protected-areas/marine-conservation-zones/cumbria-coast |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=www.livingseasnw.org.uk |language=en}} In 2018 following a shift in the level of sand a shipwreck was discovered on Kokoarrah beach. Floor plank timber from the wreck was British oak. Tree-ring dating showed the trees were felled after 1777 and the vessel was late 18th century or early 19th century.{{Cite web |title=Historic England Research Records - Kokoarrah beach wreck |url=https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=f8542ae1-8398-4f4f-b1c9-26f0080d76d2&resourceID=19191 |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=www.heritagegateway.org.uk}}{{Cite web |last=Bale |first=Roderick |last2=Howard |first2=Robert |last3=Nayling |first3=Nigel |last4=Tyers |first4=Cathy |date=21 June 2022 |title=Drigg Wrecks, Drigg Foreshore, Cumbria - Tree-ring Analysis of Oak Timbers |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/research/results/reports/8730/DriggWrecksDriggForeshoreCumbria_Tree-RingAnalysisofOakTimbers |access-date=22 December 2024 |website=Historic England |issn=2059-4453}}

The area of sand dunes at Drigg are annotated on early Ordnance Survey maps as Drigg Common, with a rabbit warren noted on the seaward edge.{{Cite web |year=1860 |title=Sheet XClX NE Ravenglass |url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/257403751 |access-date=23 December 2024 |website=Maps National Library of Scotland}}

Hallsenna Moor is a National Nature Reserve of lowland heath and peatland.{{Cite web |date=22 May 2024 |title=Corporate report - Cumbria's National Nature Reserves |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cumbrias-national-nature-reserves/cumbrias-national-nature-reserves#hallsenna-moor |access-date=23 December 2024 |website=gov.uk |publisher=Natural England}}

File:Drigg Holme Packhorse Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 3070747.jpg

File:Dunes and beach near Drigg - geograph.org.uk - 4661883.jpg

A Royal Ordnance Factory was established at Drigg in 1941. The site was chosen because the area was sparsely populated and to minimise the risk of German bombing. It was engaged in the production of Trinitrotoluene (TNT), reaching a weekly output of 400 tons.{{Cite journal |last=Kinlen |first=L |title=Childhood leukaemia and ordnance factories in west Cumbria during the Second World War |url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2360485/ |journal=British Journal of Cancer |volume=2006 |issue=95 (1) |pages=102–6 |doi=10.1038/sj.bjc.6603199 |via=National Library of Medicine|pmc=2360485 }} The factory was closed in 1945 following Victory over Japan day.{{Cite web |title=Historic England Research Records - Royal Ordnance Factory Drigg |url=https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=1075121&resourceID=19191 |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=www.heritagegateway.org.uk}}

The civil parish of Drigg and Carleton comprises the areas and settlements of Drigg, Stubble Green, Low Moor, Carleton, Saltcoats, Maudsyke, Wray Head, Hallsenna and Holmrook. Prior to the Local Government Act 1894 Carleton was a constablewick in the ancient parish of Drigg.{{Cite book |last=Whellan |first=William |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_History_and_Topography_of_the_Counti/bEI7AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=&pg=PA377 |title=The History and Topography of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland: With Furness and Cartmel, in Lancashire |publisher=W. Whellan and Company |year=1860 |page=378 |language=en}}

The civil parish population at the 2011 census was 449.{{Cite web |title=Civil parish population 2011 |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11122828&c=CA19+1XD&d=16&e=62&g=6412039&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1434454073859&enc=1 |access-date=16 June 2015}}

The parish council meets monthly in the village hall.{{Cite web |title=General Information – Drigg & Carleton Parish Council |url=https://drigg.org.uk/general-information/ |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=drigg.org.uk}} Cumberland Council provides most local services. Drigg and Carleton is within the Cumberland unitary authority ward of Millom Without.{{Cite web |title=Millom Without - MapIt |url=https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/166597.html |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=mapit.mysociety.org}}

From the 2024 general election the parish is within the Whitehaven and Workington UK parliamentary constituency.{{Cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/?x=306462&y=499121&z=6&bnd1=CPC&bnd2=CTY+GLA&labels=on |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk}} It was previously within Copeland constituency.

Neighbouring parishes are Gosforth, Bootle, Seascale, Muncaster and Irton with Santon.{{Cite web |title=Areas touching Drigg and Carleton - MapIt |url=https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/135414/touches.html |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=mapit.mysociety.org}}

Drigg railway station is on the Cumbrian Coast Line. Southbound trains run to Barrow-in-Furness and northbound to Whitehaven, Workington and Carlisle. The Victoria Hotel stands in close proximity to the railway station; it was built soon after the railway arrived in 1849.{{Cite web |title=Victoria Hotel at Drigg |url=http://www.thevicatdrigg.co.uk/ |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=www.thevicatdrigg.co.uk}}

As of 2023, the only bus service in the parish is a dial and ride service to local villages and Whitehaven; there are no fixed bus schedules.{{Cite web |year=2023 |title=Map of Cumbria bus routes |url=https://cumbria.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/Internet/544/931/3940/17845/42375151125.PDF |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808192133/https://cumbria.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/Internet/544/931/3940/17845/42375151125.PDF |archive-date=8 August 2024 |access-date=21 December 2024 |website=cumbria.gov.uk |publisher=Cumbria County Council}}

The village of Drigg is on the B5344 road between Holmrook and Seascale, it links to the A595.

{{Main|St Peter, Drigg}}

The parish church is dedicated to St Peter and was rebuilt in 1850.{{Cite web |title=St Peter’s, Drigg Parish Church – Drigg & Carleton Community |url=https://drigg.org.uk/drigg-parish-church/ |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=drigg.org.uk}}

{{main|Low Level Waste Repository}}

The site of the Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF Drigg) between the railway line and the sea is now the site of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority low-level radioactive waste repository. This was opened in 1959 by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority,{{Cite web |title=Low Level Waste Repository |url=http://www.nda.gov.uk/sites/llwr/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421081737/http://www.nda.gov.uk/sites/llwr/ |archive-date=21 April 2014 |access-date=20 April 2014 |publisher=NDA}} covers about {{convert|270|acres}}, and holds about one million cubic metres of radioactive waste, although historic disposal records are incomplete. Much of the waste came from the nearby Sellafield nuclear complex.{{Cite news |last=Terry Macalister |date=14 February 2009 |title=Can anyone recall what we put in our nuclear dump? |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/feb/14/sellafield-records-nuclear-waste |access-date=20 April 2014}}{{Cite news |last=Rob Edwards |date=20 April 2014 |title=Cumbrian nuclear dump 'virtually certain' to be eroded by rising sea levels |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/20/choice-cumbria-nuclear-dump-mistake-environment-agency |access-date=20 April 2014}}

{{portal|Cumbria}}

• Listed buildings in Drigg and Carleton

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Drigg}}

• [http://www.cumbriacountyhistory.org.uk/township/drigg Cumbria County History Trust: Drigg] (nb: provisional research only – see Talk page)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20121024203045/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=0&N=&ID=135 Drigg Reserve LNR citation ]

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Category:Villages in Cumbria

Category:Cumberland (unitary authority)

Category:Radioactive waste repositories

de:Drigg