Barrow Island (England)
Encyclopedia
Barrow Island is a built up island
forming part of the town of Barrow-in-Furness
, England
. It is counted as one of the Islands of Furness
although it has not been a real island since the 1980s when part of the Devonshire Dock was filled in to provide land for the building of Devonshire Dock Hall
. The population of the Barrow Island political ward was 2,606 in the 2001 Census
, which makes it the 9th most populated island in England.
The name of the town of Barrow-in-Furness
is believed to derive from the Norse word Barrae, meaning Bare Island, which actually referred to Barrow Island. Since the 1860s the island has been connected to the mainland as its channel was modified to form two docks, the Buccleuch Dock and the Devonshire Dock. The remainder of its channel has also now been developed as part of the dock system. The Island is also known as 'Old Barrow'.
The World War Two defences
constructed around Barrow Island have been documented by William Foot. They included a number of pillboxes
to defend the docks
. The principal threat was seizure of the docks by airborne troops; a seaborne landing was thought to be highly unlikely unless Ireland
was occupied first.
The island is home to Barrow Shipyard, owned now by BAE Systems. Former owners include The Barrow Iron Ship-Building Company, Vickers Shipbuilding, VSEL and Marconi Marine (VSEL), which became part of BAE in 1999. The shipyard remains one of the largest in the United Kingdom
, rivalled only by that of Govan
. The island also forms a major part of the Port of Barrow
, owned by Associated British Ports. A large portion of The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness
is planned to be constructed on Barrow Island.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
forming part of the town of Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is counted as one of the Islands of Furness
Islands of Furness
The Islands of Furness are situated to the south-west and east of the Furness Peninsula. Within England, they are the third biggest collection of islands. They are generally quite small, though at 12.99 km2 Walney Island is the 8th biggest in England. Of these, only Walney Island, Barrow...
although it has not been a real island since the 1980s when part of the Devonshire Dock was filled in to provide land for the building of Devonshire Dock Hall
Devonshire Dock Hall
Devonshire Dock Hall is a large shipbuilding hall that forms part of the BAE Systems Submarine Solutions shipyard in the Barrow Island area of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England....
. The population of the Barrow Island political ward was 2,606 in the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, which makes it the 9th most populated island in England.
The name of the town of Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
is believed to derive from the Norse word Barrae, meaning Bare Island, which actually referred to Barrow Island. Since the 1860s the island has been connected to the mainland as its channel was modified to form two docks, the Buccleuch Dock and the Devonshire Dock. The remainder of its channel has also now been developed as part of the dock system. The Island is also known as 'Old Barrow'.
The World War Two defences
British anti-invasion preparations of World War II
British anti-invasion preparations of the Second World War entailed a large-scale division of military and civilian mobilisation in response to the threat of invasion by German armed forces in 1940 and 1941. The British army needed to recover from the defeat of the British Expeditionary Force in...
constructed around Barrow Island have been documented by William Foot. They included a number of pillboxes
British hardened field defences of World War II
British hardened field defences of World War II were small fortified structures constructed as a part of British anti-invasion preparations. They were popularly known as pillboxes by reference to their shape.-Design and development:...
to defend the docks
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
. The principal threat was seizure of the docks by airborne troops; a seaborne landing was thought to be highly unlikely unless Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
was occupied first.
The island is home to Barrow Shipyard, owned now by BAE Systems. Former owners include The Barrow Iron Ship-Building Company, Vickers Shipbuilding, VSEL and Marconi Marine (VSEL), which became part of BAE in 1999. The shipyard remains one of the largest in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, rivalled only by that of Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
. The island also forms a major part of the Port of Barrow
Port of Barrow
The Port of Barrow refers to the enclosed dock system within the town of Barrow-in-Furness, England. Morecambe Bay is to the east of the port and the Irish Sea surrounds it to the south and west...
, owned by Associated British Ports. A large portion of The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness
The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness
The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness is a £200 million development currently under construction in and around the Port of Barrow, North West England. The site covers an area of some and is due for completion in 2020...
is planned to be constructed on Barrow Island.
Demographics
| Vital statistics | Barrow Island | Barrow-in-Furness | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Religious individuals | 78.41% | 81.61% | 77.71% |
| Non-religious individuals | 13.04% | 10.79% | 14.59% |
| Religion withheld | 8.55% | 7.59% | 7.69% |
| Individuals in fairly good to good health |
84.27% | 86.75% | 90.97% |
| Individuals in bad health | 15.73% | 13.25% | 9.03% |
| People aged 16-74 who are economically active |
61.19% | 60.84% | 66.87% |
| People aged 16-74 who aren't economically active |
38.81% | 39.16% | 33.13% |
| People aged 16-74 with no qualifications |
37.11% | 32.82% | 28.85% |