Ulverston
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| Ulverston | |
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| Population | 11,210 (2001 census) |
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| OS grid reference | |
| District | South Lakeland |
| Shire county | Cumbria |
| Region | North West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ULVERSTON |
| Postcode district | LA12 |
| Dial code | 01229 |
| Police | Cumbria |
| Fire | Cumbria |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | Barrow and Furness |
| European Parliament | North West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Cumbria | |
Ulverston is a market town in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria in north-west England. Historically part of Lancashire, the town is set on the Furness peninsula, close to the Lake District, and just north of Morecambe Bay.
It is thought that the name of the town originates from the old Norse meaning Ulfers stone. It has been suggested that it was one of the first West of England Viking settlements settled directly from the Viking homelands rather than from their spread East to West.
Over the years the town has been the birthplace of several famous people. Sir John Barrow, born at Dragley Beck, Ulverston, was the Admiralty's Second Secretary: a much more important position than First Secretary. A monument to him — a replica of the third Eddystone Lighthouse — stands on Hoad Hill overlooking the town. Famous 'Ulverstonians' include Comedian Stan Laurel of Laurel and Hardy fame; Norman Birkett, who represented Britain at the Nuremberg Trials; Maude Green, the mother of Rock and Roll music legend, Bill Haley [1] and Norman Gifford, the England Test cricketer.
In the Domesday Book, the town was referred to as 'Ulvreston' and was of sufficient note to receive a Market Charter in 1280. This was for a market every Thursday; modern Ulverston keeps its old market town appearance, and market days are now held on both Thursdays and Saturdays. The charter also allowed for all public ale houses to open from 10:30 am until 11:00pm irrespective of any other statute on the books.
Ulverston railway station, which serves the town, is located on the Furness Line from Barrow-in-Furness to Lancaster.
Historically the ancient parish included several other chapelries or townships which later became separate civil parishes: Blawith, Church Coniston, Egton with Newland, Lowick, Mansriggs, Osmotherley, Subberthwaite and Torver. From 1894 to 1974 the town constituted an urban district in the administrative county of Lancashire. It became a successor parish in the Cumbria district of South Lakeland under the Local Government Act 1972.[1]
Ulverston Victoria High School (UVHS) is the town's secondary school with approximately 1300 pupils
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[edit] Festival town
Ulverston calls itself a 'Festival Town' in reference to the many and varied festivals which take place in Ulverston over the course of a year. The most renowned being the Lantern Festival, which involves hundreds of Ulverstonians creating lanterns out of willow and tissue paper and parading them through the town. The event each year culminates in a lively display of theatrical performance and fireworks in Ford Park.
Other popular festivals include:
- ulverstonrant music festival
- Flag Festival
- Dickensian Festival
- Beer Festival
- Charter Festival
- International Music Festival
- Folklore Festival
- Comedy Festival
- Word Market — including 'Pub Scripts'
- Walking Festival
- Spring Buddhist Festival
- Print Fest
- Summer Buddhist Festival
- Ulverston Carnival Parade
- Furness Festival of Tradition
- Summer Music Festival
- Festival of Fashion
[edit] Gallery
 Market Street, Ulverston |
 View over to Hoad Hill |
 Side door of Ulverston Church |
 Town Clock of Ulverston, 1845 |
 Lanternhouse, headquarters of Welfare State International, a "company of artists" |
[edit] Twin Towns
Ulverston is twinned with:
Albert, France
[edit] See also
Duddon & Furness Mountain Rescue Team
[edit] References
- ^ Youngs, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Volume 2
