Gilcrux facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gilcrux
St. Mary's Church, Gilcrux
Gilcrux
Population	299 (2011 Census)
OS grid reference	NY115381
Civil parish	Gilcrux
District	Cumberland
Shire county	Cumbria
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WIGTON
Postcode district	CA7
Dialling code	01697
Police	Cumbria
Fire	Cumbria
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Workington
List of places UK England Cumbria 54°43′48″N 3°22′30″W / 54.730°N 3.375°W / 54.730; -3.375

Gilcrux is a small village in Cumbria, England. It's a civil parish, which is a local area with its own council. Historically, it was part of Cumberland. You can find Gilcrux just outside the beautiful Lake District National Park.

The village is located on the south side of the River Ellen. It's about 5 miles (8 km) north of Cockermouth. It's also around 23 miles (37 km) southwest of Carlisle, which is the main town of Cumbria. One of the earliest maps showing Gilcrux is from 1567. On this map, made by Christopher Saxton, the village was called Gilcrosse.

What's in a Name? The Meaning of Gilcrux

The name Gilcrux has an interesting history. It might come from old British words. *Cīl means "a hidden place" or "retreat." -Crṻg means "a lonely or steep hill." So, the name could have meant "hill retreat."

Another idea is that it comes from an old Gaelic phrase. *Cil-cruaich could mean "a church with a cross." The name we use today has also been shaped by other languages. Gil comes from Old Norse and means "a ravine" (a narrow valley). Crux comes from Latin and means "a cross."

A Look Back: Gilcrux's History

We can learn about Gilcrux's past by looking at census data. A census is like a big survey that counts people. In the United Kingdom, a census happens every 10 years. The first records for Gilcrux's population are from the 1801 UK census.

Figure 1: How Gilcrux's Population Changed Over Time

Figure 1 shows how the number of people living in Gilcrux changed. The population grew steadily until 1891. After that, it slowly went down to what it is today. John Marius Wilson wrote in his Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales that the population grew because coal mines in the area expanded. More mines meant more jobs, which brought more people to live there.

Figure 2: What People Did for Work in Gilcrux, 1831

Census data also tells us about the types of jobs people had in 1831. Figure 2 is a pie chart that shows this. Half of the people in Gilcrux worked as farm labourers or servants. They likely worked for the "Employers and Professionals" group. This group made up almost a quarter of the total population.

Who's in Charge? Gilcrux's Government

Gilcrux is part of the Workington area. This area elects a Member of Parliament (MP) to the UK Parliament. The current MP for Workington is Mark Jenkinson. He is a member of the Conservative Party.

The Labour Party used to win this seat in almost every election from 1979 to 2017. The Conservative Party has only won twice in Workington since the Second World War. These wins were in a special election in 1976 and in the general election in 2019.

For local matters, Gilcrux is part of the Ellen & Gilcrux Ward. This ward is part of Allerdale Borough Council. Before that, it was part of Cockermouth Rural District.

The village also has its own local council, called the Gilcrux Parish Council. This council helps make decisions for the village and part of Bullgill.

Cool Places to See: Gilcrux Landmarks

The village is home to St. Mary's Church. This church sits on top of a small hill in the middle of the village. The church building dates back to Norman times. It was updated in the late 1200s.

The church has a special Anglo-Danish Norse cross on its roof. Inside, you can see a glass altar screen. This screen shows Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting, The Last Supper.

Gilcrux also has a village hall. Work on the hall started in January 2010 and finished in March 2012. It cost £580,000, with a lot of the money coming from the national lottery. The hall was improved with a glass entrance, more meeting rooms, a bar area, and better toilets.

You can also find the Beeches Caravan Park in the village. Because Gilcrux is so close to the Lake District, it's a popular spot for tourists. The caravan park is open all year round.

Getting Around: Transport in Gilcrux

If you're traveling by road, Gilcrux is near two main roads. The A596 is about 2 miles (3 km) north of the village. The A595 is about 3.7 miles (6 km) to the south. These roads connect Gilcrux to Carlisle, which is about 23 miles (37 km) away.

The only public transport in Gilcrux is a bus service. The 39 bus runs on Tuesdays and Fridays. It travels from Bothel to Carlisle once on those days.

The closest train station is Aspatria railway station. It's about 3.4 miles (5.5 km) from Gilcrux. Trains from this station run every day. They go north towards Carlisle and south towards Barrow-in-Furness.

Who Lives Here? Gilcrux's Population Details

In 2001, the United Kingdom Census 2001 showed that Gilcrux had 303 people living in 119 homes. By the 2011 Census, the population had slightly decreased to 299 people, but there were more homes, 132 in total.

About 145 people between 16 and 74 years old are "economically active." This means they have a job or are looking for one. Nine people in this age group are unemployed. Another 66 people are "economically inactive," meaning they are not working or looking for work (like students or retired people).

Most jobs in Gilcrux are split between two main types. About 41% of people work in industries like mining or manufacturing. The other 59% work in the service industry (like shops, hotels, or healthcare).

The census data also shows how far people in Gilcrux travel to work. On average, they travel about 14.55 miles (23.42 km). This suggests that many people who live in Gilcrux travel to larger towns for their jobs each day.

Gilcrux Weather: Climate Information

Famous Faces: Notable People from Gilcrux

• Dr William Perry Briggs: He was a Medical Officer of Health for the Aspatria Urban District Council for many years (1892–1928).