Jenny Brown's Point facts for kids
Jenny Brown's Point is a small piece of land sticking out into the sea. It's located in Silverdale, a village in Lancashire, England. This point sits right on the edge of Morecambe Bay.
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What's in a Name?
Jenny Brown's Point has had a few different names over time. People called it Brown's Point in 1812. Later, it was known as Silverdale Point in 1818. In 1828, it was called Lindeth Point. The name Jenny Brown Point started appearing on maps in 1829. The Ordnance Survey, which makes official maps, began using this name in 1848.
Who Was Jenny Brown?
No one is completely sure who Jenny Brown was. Some records show a girl named Jennet was born in 1628. She lived at Dikehouse farm, right at the point. Jennet later married a man named Robert Brown. One of their daughters, born in 1665, was also named Jennet, or "Jennye" in her father's will.
There are also many stories about Jenny Brown:
- Some say she was a lover waiting for her sailor to come home.
- Others believe she was a nanny who saved children from the incoming tide.
- Another idea is that she ran a lodging house for visitors.
- A fun theory suggests "Jenny" was a type of steam engine sent to the point!
The Old Chimney
Near Jenny Brown's Point, you can see an old chimney. Sometimes people call it a tower. This chimney is a special listed building, which means it's protected because it's historically important.
Experts have studied the chimney and old records. They now think it's part of a short-lived copper mining project. A man named Robert Gibson started this project in the 1780s. He thought he could mine for copper at Cragfoot, which was inland from the point.
Copper Processing
The copper ore was brought to Jenny Brown's Point. Here, it was processed in a special oven called a reverberatory furnace. The chimney you see today was part of this furnace. The whole mining operation stopped in 1788. This happened after some legal problems, and Robert Gibson died a few years later in 1791.
Walduck's Wall
Close to the point, you can find the remains of Walduck's Wall. This wall was an attempt to create new land from the bay. Work on the wall started in 1877. However, the project stopped just two years later, in 1879. For many years, the shifting sands of the bay covered the stones. Then, in 1975, parts of the wall reappeared.
Other Interesting Facts
- Brown's House, or Brown's Houses, is an old building from the 1700s. It is also a protected listed building.
- In 1894, a sad event happened near Jenny Brown's Point. A pleasure yacht called the Matchless sank. Twenty-five people lost their lives in this accident.
