Seaton, Cumbria
| Seaton | |
 Saint Paul's Church |
|
  Seaton Seaton shown within Cumbria | |
| Population | 4,861 (2001) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | NY018310 |
| Civil parish | Seaton |
| District | Allerdale |
| Shire county | Cumbria |
| Region | North West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Workington |
| Postcode district | CA14 |
| Dialling code | 01900 |
| Police | Cumbria |
| Fire | Cumbria |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament | Workington |
Seaton is a civil parish and one of the smallest towns in England,[citation needed] housing 4,861 people.[1] Historically a part of Cumberland, it is situated next to the town of Workington and the village of Camerton along the River Derwent and dates back at least to Medieval times. It forms part of the Borough of Allerdale.
Etymology
" Formally, this name represents OE 'Sǣtūn', 'sea tūn' ".[2] (OE=Old English and 'tūn' means 'homestead', 'village'). However, because Seaton is over a mile away from the sea, "the exact sigificance of the name must remain doubtful".[3]
History
In 1762 Seaton Iron Works was established on the north bank of the River Derwent below the village at Barepot. It was a major concern at one time, employing hundreds of people, before its blast furnace ceased operation in 1857. The structures were demolished and there is very little trace remaining of the iron works today.
Seaton has a long history of mining and farming, and had a large population increase during the 1800s caused by the boom of nearby Workington's steel industry. Although the steel industry is now subsided somewhat, it remains a dormitory settlement for other West Coast industries such as B.N.F.L.
On 7 April 1964 Seaton was the site of the murder of John Alan West which led to the two final executions in the United Kingdom.
Housing
The village is traditionally split into 'High' and 'Low' Seaton. Generally speaking, Low Seaton is the oldest part of the village and runs South West from Causeway Road towards Camerton. High Seaton makes up the remainder. Many housing estates have been built since 1950, including Ling Beck Park, Hunter's Drive Estate and Whitestiles, and house the vast majority of the current population. As these developments are in the North and East of the village, they are considered a part of High Seaton.
Amenities
Amenities include: some small local shops, a petrol station, two schools - Seaton Academy (formerly Infant School),[4] and Seaton Junior Church of England school ,[5] a library, several pubs, and a local Rugby League team, Seaton Rangers.[6]
Parish Council
There are fifteen parish councillors in Seaton. The Chair of this council is Trevor Fee. The Parish Clerk is Paul Bramley. It meets in the Seaton Parish Rooms (on Church Road) on the 3rd Monday of every month. It has responsibility for planning application, footpaths an other local amenities and has recently had grit bins placed at points around the village. Seaton Parish Council webpage
Transport
Seaton had a station (54°39′44″N 3°31′24″W / 54.6621°N 3.5233°W) on the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway, but the station closed in 1922.
Bus service number 47 links Seaton to Workington.[7]
References
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Allerdale Retrieved 2009-11-22
- ↑ Armstrong, A. M.; Mawer, A.; Stenton, F. M.; Dickens, B. (1950). The place-names of Cumberland. English Place-Name Society, vol.xxi. Part 2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 319.
- ↑ Armstrong, 1950, p.319
- ↑ Seaton Academy website.
- ↑ Seaton Junior School Website.
- ↑
- ↑ http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/Service47from31August2008.pdf
External links
Media related to Seaton, Cumbria at Wikimedia Commons- Cumbria County History Trust: Seaton (nb: provisional research only - see Talk page)