Carnforth

History

The name "Carnforth" is thought to derive from its old function as a ford of the River Keer on which it is situated. Over time the descriptive name "Keer-ford" may have morphed into the modern "Carnforth". An alternative explanation is that the name derives from 'Chreneforde' and is Anglo-Saxon in origin, as cited in the Victoria County History of Lancashire.

Much of the history of Carnforth revolves around the railway and ironworks. Vast deposits of limestone located locally made Carnforth an ideal place for an ironworks, as limestone is a key component of the smelting process. In 1846 the Carnforth Ironworks Company established a works, located near the railway station. In the same year a recession occurred in the Earl of Dudley ironworks in Worcestershire, this meant there was a surplus of workers. A number of workers moved to the ironworks and lived in the nearby company village of Dudley (now called Millhead). In 1864 the Carnforth Haematite Company took over the works and production was vastly increased due to iron ore that was brought in by rail from the Furness Peninsula. By 1872 steel production became the main focus for the works using the new Bessemer process. By 1889 this process had failed. Iron production continued at the works until 1929 when it eventually closed down. The site was taken over by the War Department as an ordnance depot and remained as such until the 1960s. From then to the present the site is now an industrial estate consisting of several businesses.

In the 19th century, Carnforth grew from a small village into a railway town when it became the junction of three major railways. With the closure of Carnforth MPD in 1968, the railway station facilities were reduced – the main line platforms were closed in May 1970 and subsequently removed when the line was electrified two years later. As a result no express services on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) call at the town. The railway station is nowadays served by trains from Lancaster to Barrow and to Leeds.

An important motive power depot was located to the west of the WCML and was one of the last to retain an allocation of steam locomotives until mid-1968. The buildings are now occupied by the West Coast Railway Company who still maintain and overhaul steam locos in their premises. The concrete locomotive coaling tower is a rare survivor.

From the 1920s to the 1980s Morphy's Mill, in Oxford Street, was a major employer of women in Carnforth. Contrary to its name it was not a mill but a factory making blouses and other garments.

In October 2016, the town council announced the replacement of the vacuum cleaner in Carnforth Civic Hall.

David Lean film

In 1945, Carnforth railway station was used as a set for the David Lean film Brief Encounter, starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. Fans of this film were one of the major factors in the recent refurbishment of the railway station, including construction of a refreshment room to match the studio set used in the film, which is now run by the Carnforth Station Trust.

Sport

The town has a popular rugby club Carnforth RUFC and football team Carnforth Rangers.

Education

Primary schools:

Secondary schools:

There is also a small public library within the town.

Governance

An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward is smaller than the parish with a total population of 4,439.

Notable people

The Conservative Party politician Cecil Parkinson was born in Carnforth in 1931 and became Baron Parkinson, of Carnforth in 1992.