A Short History of Distington Parish.
Distington History Society
The village of Distington was formed about 500 AD, by Anglo – Saxons who were the first settlers, living in a clearing in the middle of the forest of Cumberland near a stream. Common End or Beck Green was probably the beginning of the village with its name being derived from “Diss” or “Dist” being thought to be the leader of the people. “Ing” means a clearing and “ton” beside water.
The Norman Knights came to settle in the area from circa 1100AD. Gilbert of Dundraw was given land after William the Conqueror’s victory in the Battle of Hasting. He built Hayes Castle at Common End. It was a square Pele-tower with three floors and was surrounded by a moat. The Knight’s eldest son inherited the estate and the second son was made rector of the church, a very rich position to hold. The castle fell into ruin when the Lords wanted more comfort and bought Moresby Hall, which was originally built by another Norman Knight, called Morris, the Welshman.
As the trees were cleared, farming spread, becoming the main employment for village labourers. Men were hired for six months, being paid only when their time was up.
A church has been in the village since Anglo-Saxon times. It was on a mound overlooking the village. The church was built of local trees, mostly oak, and was surrounded by a round wooden fence. The Normans were the first to build a stone church. Others since then have been built in 1330, 1662 and the present church, The Church of the Holy Spirit, was built from 1883 to 1886. Two bronze bells hang in the tower, one dated 1404 and the other one is older.
During the Middle Ages, coal was found, initially dug from drift mines driven into the side of hills and also bell pits: these were shallow, because no roof supports were used and were dug out in the shape of a bell. The last pit in the Parish was Oatlands Pit, owned by the Moresby Coal Company, which closed down in 1934 due to lack of sales during the depression. Pica Cottages was built for the miners working there.
A number of stone quarries were dug in the 19th Century, the largest of which was Barffs Quarry. Limestone was sent to the port of Harrington for exporting to Scotland and Ireland, the track became the Lime Road, still called that today. The owner was Mr Charles Fisher, and his family home was Distington Hall, a large mansion where the Crematorium now stands.
Mr William Walker, a Whitehaven businessman, built Gilgarran Mansion, 1805 to 1809. When he was killed at sea, his sister married a sea captain named Robertson, who on marriage took on the name Robertson-Walker. The family and his descendants took a large interest in village life until the last occupier of the mansion, Mr Austin Robertson-Walker left in the early 1950s and the mansion was demolished.
The first school was at Brookfield House, Common End and opened in 1794. Some private schools were opened on the main street and at Gilgarran. When the government passed the Education Act Law making free places available for all children, the Main Street School opened in 1878.
The railway came when the Cleator and Workington Joint Railway Company, built a line in 1873 mainly for goods, with a passenger service being set up by the Furness Railway Company. Three other lines were built shortly afterwards, with one line running past Barffs Quarry to Parton Junction. Then a line was built to Rowrah with a station at Oatlands Pit, and a fourth mine which was for goods only went to Branthwaite.
After the depression between the wars, Jack Adams, later Lord Adams of Ennerdale, led the effort to bring new industry to the area. He was successful in bringing High Duty Alloys to Lillyhall. The factory, which was built by Laing’s 1940-41, working flat out with three shifts per day during the war effort, employed 3,000 people operating three shifts; many of these were women using machinery for the first time in their life when their husbands were away in the forces.
Billy Myers and Billy Bowman started in Pica repairing cycles and farm equipment before moving into Distington where they developed a vehicle workshop business. It became the largest of its kind in Cumberland and also the area’s largest employer until High Duty Alloys was built. Distington expanded between the two world wars, when council houses were built.
Distington Parish Council 