Biggar, Cumbria

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Biggar village.
Biggar village.

Biggar is a village towards the south of Walney Island in Cumbria, England. Along with the village of North Scale, it is the oldest settlement on the island. It now forms part of the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness.

Furness Abbey records from 1292 mention a grange at Biggar, of around 100 acres (0.40 km²) in size.[1] Biggar Dyke was built in the Sixteenth century as coastal defence for the village and island. The New Inn (Queen's Arms), the village's only pub, opened in 1869.[2]

Biggar has remained outside of the main urban limits of Walney and Barrow-in-Furness, and is still a small farming village. It lies on the western coast of Walney, to the north of a nature reserve, containing one of England's few oyster farms.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Barnes, F.; 1968; Barrow and District; Second Edition; Barrow-in-Furness Corporation;
  2. ^ Walney Island Timeline Accessed June 4 2006