Furness
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Furness is a peninsula in north-west England. The peninsula juts out into the Irish Sea and delineates the western edge of Morecambe Bay, and the southern end of the peninsula is dominated by the bay's tidal mudflats. The long thin island of Walney lies off the peninsula's west coast. The northern part of Furness is within the Lake District National Park.
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Administration
Historically the area was a detached part of the traditional county of Lancashire bordering Cumberland to the north-west and Westmorland to the north-east (see Three Shire Stone). It was known as "Lancashire beyond the sands [of Morecambe Bay]" or "north of the sands" or "over the sands" as in Grange-over-Sands.
In 1974 it became part of the administrative county of Cumbria. At the district level, it is now consists of Barrow Borough and part of South Lakeland.
Some people, particularly those born or brought up in the area, prefer to retain the designation "Lancashire".
Towns and villages
Towns and villages in Furness include:
- Askam and Ireleth
- Backbarrow, Bardsea, Barrow-in-Furness, Baycliff, Broughton-in-Furness
- Cartmel, Coniston
- Dalton-in-Furness
- Furness Abbey
- Gleaston, Grange-over-Sands, Great Urswick and Little Urswick, Greenodd
- Haverthwaite
- Kirkby-in-Furness
- Lakeside, Leece, Lindal
- Newby Bridge, Near Sawrey and Far Sawrey
- Rampside, Roa Island
- Scales
- Ulverston
Rivers and lakes
- Coniston Water
- River Crake
- Esthwaite Water
- River Leven
- Windermere is part of the eastern boundary of Furness
Railways
Famous people
- George Fox and Margaret Fell lived at Swarthmoor Hall near Ulverston
- Stan Laurel was born in Ulverston
- Sir John Barrow was born and lived in Ulverston
- Stan Laurel was born in Ulverston
- Beatrix Potter lived in Near Sawrey
- Emlyn Hughes was born in Barrow-in-Furness
- see Coniston Water for more people
External links
- Barrow Borough Council (http://www.barrowbc.gov.uk)
- South Lakeland District Council (http://www.southlakeland.gov.uk)
- The Backbarrow Company (http://www.iron.oakengates.com/essay1/backbarrowcompany.htm) and the Furness iron industry