Gasworks in Cumbria

 

A guide to what remains by Roger Baker

Interest in the history of gasworks in Cumbria? Click to find out more about:-
Gasworks in Cumbria – the early years
Gasworks in Cumbria – the later years
Country House Gasworks in Cumbria
The Independents

Visit the Gasworks Gallery to see a recent view of each site

Place Date Grid Ref Location What’s there now (2006) Any obvious remains (2006)
Alston 1843 NY 718466 Opposite the station Cleared – proposed housing development Office(?) against boundary wall
Ambleside 1843 NY 381041 On left at top of Blue Hill Road Cleared – proposed housing development Remains of retort house walls and chimney. Gasholder tank walls.
Appleby 1837 NY 671205 On left at end of Chapel Street Health Centre on site Reconstructed boundary wall
Askam SD 214778 Off Duddon Road Shoe factory Boundary wall to station yard
Aspatria 1859 NY 155424 On A596, NW edge of town Green space and playground
Barrow-in-Furness 1 1861 SD 196691 Hindpool Road, next to DIY store Still in use as gas depot Two unused gasholders
Barrow-in-Furness 2 1917 SD 219688 Salthouse, NW of Salthouse Mills Cleared Concrete bases
Brampton 1836 NY 525611 Down Orchard Beck, off Longtown Road Car park and garage Boundary wall to beck on north side
Burton-in-Kendal 1866 SD 529765 Down Station Lane, 100m from Main Street Converted to housing Gateposts to entrance. Manager’s house (extended). Retort house(?) converted to garage.
Carlisle 1 1819 NY 403555 Collier Lane Station car park
Carlisle 2 1849 NY 401555 Nelson Bridge Car park
Carlisle 3 1922 NY 401551 Rome Street Still in use as depot Gasholders – 1 original + 1 modern
Cleator Moor 1872 NY 023155 Birks Road, adjacent to cycleway
See the Little Ireland website
Cleared site. Modern governor house on corner of site near road. Raised trackbed of former rail siding. Manager’s house at end of roadside terrace.
Cockermouth 1834 NY 117305 S end of Derwent Street Council depot Gateposts to entrance
Dalton-in-Furness 1853 SD 226736 Abbey Road Car showroom
Egremont 1853 NY 013107 Lamb Lane, off Main Street Green space
Frizington 1910 NY
037164
Park Street Part housing Entrance walls and gates.
Manager’s house.
Grange-over-Sands 1867 SD 431791 Meathop Road, before bridge over R.Winster Cleared. Modern booster station on site. Boundary wall at roadside. Gas Works cottages. Manager’s house(?).
Harrington 1866 NX 989254 North of harbour Housing Rear wall
Kendal 1825 SD 518919 N side of Parkside Road United Utilities depot Old but not original buildings still in use
Keswick 1845 NY 267236 Greta Side, opp Victoria St car park Car park. Booster station. Boundary wall in part
Kirkby Lonsdale 1846 SD 615788 Bottom of Mill Brow, near river Private dwelling Manager’s house renovated and extended over site of retort house. Lawn in garden over site of original gasholders. New (1940s?) gasholder was in walled yard on other side of Mill Brow.
Kirkby Stephen 1864 NY 774092 Brough Road before cemetery at junction with Middlegate Lane Waste ground. Part car compound. Gasholder tank walls visible at surface. Office building against Lane.
Longtown 1857 NY 382686 Raefield, off Burn Street near Clinic Housing
Maryport 1834 NY 036374 N of harbour, along Nelson St, below Roman Museum on cliff top Green space. Play area.
Millom 1875 SD 177804 Millom Road, end of Queen St. Cleared site
Milnthorpe 1861 SD 495814 Next to River Bela, off B5282, W of town centre Cleared. House built on site.
Penrith 1830 NY 519300 Old London Road Part in use for gas storage and depot. Part other commercial use. Gasholder. Some buildings and boundary wall to road frontage.
St.Bees NX 989115 Private dwelling and garden Manager’s house
Seascale NY 039009 Across recreation ground, next to water treatment plabt Green space
Sedbergh 1850s NY 661922 E side of New Street, off Main Street, below Methodist Church Private garden. Commercial use.
Silloth 1858 NY 112534 Lane off junction of Skiddaw Street and Eden St Waste ground Office building and boundary wall
Staveley-in-Kendal 1865 SD 471982 Off SW side of Main Street House. Round House Theatre. Retort house – originally woollen mill -converted to private house. Theatre built above gasholder tank.
Ulverston 1834 SD 292781 Morecambe Road Mixed commercial use Retort house. Office buildings. Boundary wall.
Whitehaven 1 1831 NX 974189 N of harbour, lane off Bransty Rd, near junction with Bransty Row Skateboard park
Whitehaven 2 NX 974171 E side of Low Road, S of town centre, N of junction with Meadow Road Housing and commercial use Retort house converted to private dwelling. Boundary wall.
Wigton 1831 NY 258485 Down Tenters, off Main St Housing. Storage sheds. Manager’s house
Windermere 1862 SD 405967 On left at top of Brantfell Rd, off Kendal Rd in Bowness Housing estate Row of gas works cottages above site. Water supply issuing from field. Iron framework for coal store behind modern house built on delivery point. Manager’s house.
Workington 1 1840 NX 994289 Stanley St, W of station Part cleared. Part housing. Part commercial. Office building
Workington 2 NX 995283 Clay Flatts, off Solway Road, S of town centre Still in use as gas depot and storage facility Gasholders

FURTHER READING
The two articles on gasworks in Cumbria at the top of this page both have lists of references attached, but in addition see:
The Windermere gasworks 1862-2004 : Blake Tyson, Transactions of the CWAAS, 2007
Seascale gasworks : James and Joyce Cherry, Transactions of the CWAAS, 2007
And the Cumbria Railways Association show a number of trackside gasworks on their photo gallery.
Barrow-in-Furness and the provision of utilities and toluol during the First World War : Transactions of the CWAAS, 2023
Historic England have a wealth of information about gasworks on their website, including a gazetteer and interactive map, both of which include sites in Cumbria. Click on this link to see them: https://historicengland.org.uk/research/current/discover-and-understand/industry-and-infrastructure/manufactured-gas-industry/

(Page created 18/05/06. Last updated 13/03/24)