Millom

In January 2023, six Bronze Age socketed axe heads at a site near Millom.{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/news/24841551.bbcs-digging-britain-features-milloms-very-rare-finds/|title=BBC's Digging for Britain features 'very rare' finds in Cumbria|date=9 January 2025|website=Whitehaven News}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-64551774|title=Millom metal detectorist's mind blown by axe head finds|date=7 February 2023|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} The finds were featured in the BBC's Digging for Britain in January 2025.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0026rl5/digging-for-britain-series-12-4-roman-crime-and-ancient-dna|title=Digging for Britain - Series 12: 4. Roman Crime and Ancient DNA|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}

Millom is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as one of the townships forming the Manor of Hougun which had been held by Tostig Godwinson, Earl of Northumbria.{{Cite web |title=Millom, Cumberland |url=http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/cumberland1.html |access-date=18 January 2011 |website=The Domesday Book Online |publisher=domesdaybook.co.uk}}

Millom Castle is a grade I listed building and scheduled ancient monument which by 1739 was in dilapidated condition.{{Cite web |title=The north-east view of Millum castle, in the county of Cumberland |url=http://www.geog.port.ac.uk/webmap/thelakes/html/lgaz/bu0114.htm |access-date=19 January 2011 |website=Print, uncoloured engraving |publisher=Samuel and Nathaniel Buck, 1739, reprinted by Hudson Scott and Sons, Carlisle, Cumberland, 1877.}}

In 1251 a market charter was granted by King Henry III of England to John de Huddleston, Lord of Millom.

Millom is the most southerly town in the historic county of Cumberland.:File:Gray1824.cumberland.jpg

The Whitehaven & Furness Junction Railway opened a station in 1850, which was known as 'Holborn Hill Halt' until the new town of Millom was built in 1866. It was taken over by the Furness Railway in 1866.

A map of 1862 shows that there was a small hamlet by the name of Holborn Hill on the northwest side of the railway line. It had a railway station, an inn and a tile and brickworks.{{Cite web |title=1862 Cumberland 1:2,500 |url=http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html?txtXCoord=317377&txtYCoord=480489 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305215022/http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html?txtXCoord=317377&txtYCoord=480489 |archive-date=5 March 2012 |access-date=19 January 2011 |website=old-maps.co.uk |publisher=Landmark Information Group |df=dmy-all}} By 1899 the small town of Millom had grown up, with terraced streets on either side of the railway, a public library, police station, banks, hotels, school, market square and allotments.{{Cite web |title=1898–1899 Cumberland 1:2,500 |url=http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html?txtXCoord=317377&txtYCoord=480489 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305215022/http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html?txtXCoord=317377&txtYCoord=480489 |archive-date=5 March 2012 |access-date=19 January 2011 |website=old-maps.co.uk |publisher=Landmark Information Group |df=dmy-all}}

In the intervening years, the Hodbarrow iron mines began extracting haematite from deposits between the village of Holborn Hill and the seashore at Hodbarrow. The first shafts were sunk in the 1850s and by 1881 there were seven pits operated by the Hodbarrow Mining Company.{{Cite book |last=Meade |first=Richard |url=https://archive.org/details/coalandironindu00meadgoog |title=The coal and iron industries of the United Kingdom |publisher=C. Lockwood and Company |year=1882 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/coalandironindu00meadgoog/page/n460 427]}} Millom & Askam Iron Company built Millom Ironworks and the first furnaces were completed in 1866. The opening of the ironworks led to the building of the new town of Millom .{{Cite web |title=Furness Railway |url=http://www.cumberlandarchives.co.uk/content/view/239/48/1/5/ |access-date=19 January 2011 |publisher=Cumberland and Westmorland Archives.}} The Hodbarrow Outer Barrier, the third seawall to be built to protect the mines from the sea, was completed in 1905 . It took five years to construct at a cost of almost £600,000.{{Cite web |title=DuddonEstuary_Booklet |url=http://www.duddon-estuary.org.uk/pdf/DuddonEstuary_Booklet.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208110018/http://www.duddon-estuary.org.uk/pdf/DuddonEstuary_Booklet.pdf |archive-date=8 February 2007 |access-date=23 January 2011 |publisher=Duddon Estuary Partnership |df=dmy-all}} The Hodbarrow Mines and Millom Ironworks were closed in 1968. The town's population of 10,997 in 1967 fell to 7,101 by the 1971 census.{{Cite web |title=The Furness Railway |url=http://www.cumbrianrailwaysassociation.org.uk/?The_Railways_of_Cumbria_-_A_History:Furness_Railway |access-date=19 January 2011 |publisher=The Cumbrian Railway Association}}

In 1877 the expanding town needed more water and Whicham Beck was dammed at Baystone Bank (54.261226,-3.274237) to form Baystone Bank Reservoir. The reservoir remained in use until about 1996. It was drained in 2011, the dam removed and the valley returned to its original form. This work was carried out by water network company United Utilities.{{Cite news |date=22 May 2011 |title=Cumbria reservoir is returned to nature |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-13492247 |access-date=9 December 2011 |work=BBC News}}{{Cite web |title=Back to the future for Cumbria reservoir |url=http://www.unitedutilities.com/7832.aspx |access-date=9 December 2011 |publisher=United Utilities}}

During the Second World War an airfield, RAF Millom, was developed on flat coastal land at Haverigg. This was an advanced flying training station, mainly for Observers and also Air Gunners. Aircraft stationed there were firstly the Blackburn Botha and Fairey Battle, then the more popular and successful Avro Anson.Nixon, John Oh Mother, it's a lovely place! An illustrated history of RAF Millom and their Mountain Rescue Team 2009 Post-war this became the site of HM Prison Haverigg.

Throughout its history the town has struggled with socio-economic problems, once being described by the Mayor of Copeland as 'a place of despair'.{{Cite book |last=Andrew Gibson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dziIDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA14 |title=Modernity and the Political Fix |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-350-09696-7 |page=14}}

File:Millom Market Square.jpg

Millom & District Local History Society was formed at a public meeting held on 4 February 1972.{{Cite web|url=https://www.millomhistory.org.uk/|title=Millom and District Local History Society|website=www.millomhistory.org.uk}}

There are two tiers of local government covering Millom, at civil parish (town) and unitary authority level: Millom Town Council and Cumberland Council. The town council is based at 6 Newton Street.{{cite web |title=Millom Town Council |url=https://millomtowncouncil.uk/ |access-date=1 April 2025}}

Millom is within the Barrow and Furness UK Parliamentary constituency; Michelle Scrogham of the Labour Party is the Member of Parliament.{{Cite news |title=Barrow and Furness - General election results 2024 - BBC News |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001076 |via=www.bbc.co.uk}}

File:Millom Clock Tower - geograph.org.uk - 6154387.jpg]]

Millom was an ancient parish, which formed part of Cumberland from the county's creation in the 12th century.{{cite web |title=Millom Ancient Parish / Civil Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10158904 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=1 April 2025}} The parish covered a large area. It included Kirksanton and Haverigg and the adjoining coast at its southern end, and also continued northwards up the west side of the Duddon Valley and over Birker Fell to reach the south bank of the River Esk in Eskdale. The parish was subdivided into six townships: Birker and Austhwaite, Chapel Sucken, Millom Above, Millom Below, Thwaites, and Ulpha.{{cite book |last1=Whellan |first1=William |title=The History and Topography of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland |date=1860 |page=402 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_History_and_Topography_of_the_Counti/bEI7AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA402&printsec=frontcover |access-date=1 April 2025}}

From the 17th century onwards, parishes were gradually given various civil functions under the poor laws, in addition to their original ecclesiastical functions. In some cases, including Millom, the civil functions were exercised by subdivisions of the parish rather than the parish as a whole. The parish was subdivided into three parts for administering the poor laws: the township of Birker and Austhwaite, the township of Ulpha, and the rest of the parish.{{cite web |last1=Higginbotham |first1=Peter |title=Bootle Workhouse |url=https://www.workhouses.org.uk/Bootle/ |website=The Workhouse |access-date=1 April 2025}} In 1866, the legal definition of 'parish' was changed to be the areas used for administering the poor laws, and so Birker and Austhwaite, Millom, and Ulpha became separate civil parishes.{{cite book |last1=Youngs |first1=Frederic |title=Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England: Volume II, Northern England |date=1991 |publisher=Royal Historical Society |location=London |isbn=0861931270 |page=xv}}

As the modern town began to develop from the 1860s following the opening of the ironworks, there was a need for more modern forms of local government. A Millom local government district was established in 1875, just covering the area around the growing new town.{{London Gazette|issue=24187|page=1477|date=5 March 1875}} The district was administered by an elected local board, which built the Town Hall in Market Square in 1879 to serve as its headquarters.{{cite news|url=https://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/news/17151552.clock-tower-named-top-wedding-venue/|title=Clock Tower named top wedding venue|date=4 March 2009|newspaper=The Whitehaven News|access-date=10 February 2024}}

Local government districts were reconstituted as urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894.{{cite book |title=Kelly's Directory of Cumberland |date=1906 |page=207 |url=https://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/digital/collection/p16445coll4/id/46143/rec/2 |access-date=1 April 2025}} The 1894 Act also directed that civil parishes could no longer straddle district boundaries, and so the part of Millom parish outside the urban district was made a separate parish called Millom Rural (renamed Millom Without in 1934).{{cite web |title=Millom Without Civil Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10215687 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=1 April 2025}} Millom Urban District was abolished in 1934, with Millom instead being given a parish council and reclassified as a rural parish within the wider Millom Rural District. Millom Rural District was abolished in 1974, becoming part of the Borough of Copeland in the new county of Cumbria.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|accessdate=3 March 2023}}{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=551|accessdate=3 March 2023}} Copeland was in turn abolished in 2023 when the new Cumberland Council was created, also taking over the functions of the abolished Cumbria County Council in the area.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022|year=2022|number=331|access-date=24 January 2024}}

Millom's economy is now mainly based around retail, services and tourism. It is a relatively low wage area, with a lot of people employed in skilled trades such as building, painting and decorating. Many also work in the service sector in hotels, pubs and shops within the nearby Lake District National Park. Higher wage centres are Barrow-in-Furness to the south and Sellafield to the north-west with commuting each way on the road or via the railway.

The prison at Haverigg, {{convert|2|mi|km|0|abbr=off|spell=on}} away is a large employer.

Millom was granted the status of a Fairtrade town in 2004.{{Cite web |title=Millom |url=http://www.cumbriafairtrade.org.uk/millom.html |access-date=20 January 2011 |website=cumbriafairtrade.org.uk |publisher=Cumbria Fairtrade Network}}

Millom Palladium is a theatre, bar and full multi-functional venue. Completed in 1911, it has stood on the site for over 100 years. This building and entertainments venue is home to Millom Amateur Operatic Society (MAOS), founded in 1909, and is currently an ongoing project run and managed by a registered charity and group of volunteers with hopes to reinstate the cinema facility within the building.

The Beggar's Theatre is a multi-function arts base with several activities, performing-arts based, for local talent and provides a venue for touring theatres, stand-up comedians etc.{{citation needed||date=May 2024}}

The Norman Nicholson Society promotes and explores the work of the town's most famous son, the poet and writer Norman Nicholson, who spent his whole life in the town.{{Cite web |title=Norman Nicholson Society |url=https://www.normannicholson.org/ |website=Norman Nicholson Society}}

St. George's Church stands within the town on a small hill and with its steeple is the biggest landmark of the town, being visible from many miles away.

The area's bigger landmark is the significant hill of Black Combe standing {{convert|1,970|ft}} above sea level. It forms a grand panoramic viewing platform of the south-western Lake District and also offers views of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales on a clear day.

Millom Discovery Centre (previously known as 'Millom Folk Museum' and 'Millom Heritage Museum And Visitor Centre') presents a snapshot of past times in Millom, paying particular attention to the historical development of the area brought about by the significant iron ore mining and iron works.

Millom Rock Park is situated high on the north rim of the nearby Ghyll Scaur Quarry in the parish of Millom Without.{{Cite web |title=Millom Rock Park | Heritage Open Days |url=http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/directory/millom-rock-park |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023202426/http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/directory/millom-rock-park |archive-date=23 October 2015 |access-date=2016-04-04 |df=dmy-all}} A viewpoint in the Rock Park permits views into the working quarry and overlooks the processing machinery. There is an avenue of 15 large rock specimens with detailed interpretation panels.

There are two nature reserves near the town, both of which are located on the Duddon Estuary; an internationally important area for wildlife and designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Hodbarrow Nature Reserve is owned by the RSPB and is located to the south of the town, which in October 2005, saw the unveiling of its new public aid, with logos produced by local artists Stuart Edwards and Holly Parminter. Millom Iron Works Local Nature Reserve is located to the east of the town. Both reserves are important for tern species and a number of wading birds and waterfowl. Hodbarrow is renowned for large numbers of wildfowl during the winter. Various birds of prey can be seen hunting on both reserves throughout the year.

RAF Millom Museum closed in 2010.

{{Infobox lighthouse

| qid = Q17642355

| shape = cylindrical tower with balcony and embattled top, light from a window

| managingagent = Haverigg Lighthouse Club

| module = {{Infobox lighthouse|embed=yes

| qid = Q29569459

| shape = cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern{{Cite rowlett|engnw|accessdate=2016-05-02}}

}}}}

In 1866 the Hodbarrow Mining Company built a lighthouse on Hodbarrow Point to guide ships to its dock. When the company built a seawall in 1905 to protect its mineworkings, it established a new lighthouse on the wall and abandoned the old one. Both structures still stand. In 2004 the newer lighthouse (which had itself been abandoned in 1949) was refurbished as part of a local community initiative.{{Cite news |date=15 July 2004 |title=Hodbarrow Lighthouse |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/3896175.stm}} At the time a new solar-powered light was placed in the lantern which used to operate at night, but by 2016 it was no longer functioning.{{Cite web |date=7 December 2016 |title=Call made to repairs [sic] to 'iconic' Haverigg landmark |url=https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/millom/16449560.call-made-to-repairs-to-iconic-haverigg-landmark/ |access-date=22 February 2019 |website=The Mail}}

Image:Millom Railway Station.jpgMillom is served by Millom railway station on the Cumbrian Coast Line.

The A5093 road goes through the town and is itself a loop off of the A595. The town council supports the building of a road bridge across the Duddon estuary between Millom and the Furness peninsula.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC North West and ITV Granada. Television signals are received from the Winter Hill and the local relay TV transmitters. {{Cite web |title=Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter |date=May 2004 |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Winter_Hill |access-date=5 November 2023 |publisher=UK Free TV}}{{Cite web |title=Freeview Light on the Millom Park (Cumbria, England) transmitter |date=May 2004 |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Millom_Park |access-date=5 November 2023 |publisher=UK Free TV}}

Local radio stations are BBC Radio Cumbria on 96.1 FM, Heart North West on 96.9 FM and CandoFM 106.3 FM, a community based station. {{Cite web |title=CandoFM |url=https://candofm.co.uk/ |access-date=5 November 2023}}

The town is served by the local newspaper, North West Evening Mail. {{Cite web |date=2 April 2014 |title=North West Evening Mail |url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-nw/north-west-evening-mail/ |access-date=4 November 2023 |website=British Papers}}

Millom School is a secondary school and sixth form, it includes the adult education centre, an all-weather sports pitch and the "Melvyn Bragg Drama Studio" which was opened in 2005.{{Cite news |date=17 October 2005 |title=Bragg opens namesake drama suite |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/4348592.stm |access-date=18 January 2011 |work=BBC News}} At one time it had a swimming pool, however this was subsequently demolished by Cumbria County Council.

There are a number of other schools in the town including;

• Millom Infants School,
• The Nursery,
• St James' Catholic Primary School,
• Black Combe Junior School, which was built in the early 1970s; its first headmaster, Frank Eccles, died 1 January 2013 aged 89.{{Cite web |date=7 January 2013 |title='Larger than life' Haverigg veteran remembered |url=https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/barrow/16492704.larger-than-life-haverigg-veteran-remembered/ |website=The Mail}}

Primary health care is provided at the town's community hospital. It also provides some clinics, physiotherapy, podiatry and has a small x-ray facility. The in-patients occupy one ward spanning a six- (now five-) bed bay, a four-bed bay, twin and single rooms. The hospital does not offer A+E service nor any other 'drop-in' healthcare services. The nearest A+E (Accident and Emergency) service is at Furness General Hospital {{convert|23|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} away by road at Barrow-in-Furness.

File:St George's Church, Millom.jpegMillom's original parish church is Holy Trinity, a grade I listed building dating to the 12th century.{{Cite web |title=Church of Holy Trinity |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1086617 |access-date=18 January 2011 |website=historicengland.org.uk |publisher=English Heritage}} In 1877 the growth of the town required the building of another church and architects Paley and Austin were commissioned to build St George's, a Grade II Listed building.{{Cite web |title=Church of St George |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1065710 |access-date=18 January 2011 |website=historicengland.org.uk |publisher=English Heritage}} It contains an impressive memorial window to Norman Nicholson by the stained-glass artist Christine Boyce. There are also Roman Catholic, Baptist and Methodist churches and a community church. Jehovah's Witnesses also have a Kingdom Hall in the town.

{{clear left}}

{{unreferenced section|date=June 2020}}

Millom Recreation Centre comprises a large sports hall and a small multi-gym and caters for a wide range of different sports. Millom has a Crown green bowling club, tennis and cricket are also played in the town.

Millom Rugby League Club is the oldest existing amateur rugby league club in the world having been founded in 1873.

Millom has a Rugby Union club which was formed in 1873, making it one of the oldest rugby clubs in England.

{{unreferenced section|date=June 2020}}

• John A. Agnew, British-American political geographer.
• Professor John T Andrews, (Born in Millom 1937, educated Millom School, played for the U-19 English Schools Rugby team in 1955 and 1956) University of Colorado Boulder, Fellow American Geophysical Union, Fellow American Association Science. Penrose Medal 2016 Geological Society of America.
• Norman Nicholson, poet and author, whose work was published by T. S. Eliot at Faber and Faber, spent his entire life in Millom. He is commemorated by a blue plaque on his house at 14 St George's Terrace.
• Jimmy Settle, English international footballer, was born in Millom in 1874.

{{portal|Cumbria}}

• Listed buildings in Millom
• Millom Without
• :Category:People from Millom
• Millom Rural District

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Millom}}

• [http://www.cumbriacountyhistory.org.uk/township/millom Cumbria County History Trust: Millom] (nb: provisional research only – see Talk page)
• [http://www.cumbriacountyhistory.org.uk/township/millom-rural Cumbria County History Trust: Millom, Rural] (nb: provisional research only – see Talk page)
• [http://listoflights.org/images/leuchtfeuer/gross/A4805.jpg Picture of the active Hodbarrow Point Lighthouse]
• {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Millom}}

{{Cumbria}}

{{Lighthouses in England}}

{{Authority control | additional=Q17642355,Q29569459}}

Category:Towns in Cumbria

Category:Civil parishes in Cumbria

Category:Cumberland (unitary authority)