Wigton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wigton |
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 St. Mary's Church |
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 Wigton
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| Population | 5,831 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | NY255481 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WIGTON |
| Postcode district | CA7 |
| Dialling code | 016973 |
| Police | Cumbria |
| Fire | Cumbria |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Wigton is a busy market town in Cumberland, England. It is part of Cumbria county. You can find Wigton just outside the beautiful Lake District area.
The town sits in the middle of the Solway Plain. This area is between the Caldbeck Fells and the Solway coast. Wigton has its own train station, Wigton railway station. This station is on the Cumbrian Coast Line. The A596 road also connects Wigton to Workington. The town of Silloth-on-Solway is about 19 kilometers (12 miles) to the west.
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What's in a Name? The Meaning of Wigton
The name "Wigton" comes from old English words. It means "Wicga's tūn". "Wicga" was a person's name long ago. It meant "a beetle". "Tūn" meant a small farm or village. So, Wigton means "the village that belongs to Wicga".
Wigton's Long History
Wigton is a very old place. It grew up around the River Wampool and Wiza Beck. A "beck" is a local word for a small stream. The town's old street plan from before the Middle Ages can still be seen today.
Roman Times in Wigton
The Romans had a cavalry station near Wigton. It was called Maglona, but people today call it Old Carlisle. This fort was just south of the town. A large civilian settlement, called a vicus, grew up next to it.
The fort was halfway between Carlisle and another Roman settlement called Derventio. A Roman road, now the A595, connected them. From this spot, the Romans could quickly respond to attacks. They could move east or west along the road. Then they could go north across the land to deal with threats from beyond Hadrian's Wall.
Wigton in the Middle Ages
After the Romans left, Wigton was part of the British kingdom of Rheged. Later, it became an important settlement in the Kingdom of Northumbria. This was long before the Normans arrived.
In 1086, when the Domesday Book was written, Wigton was part of Scotland. So, it was not included in that famous book.
The Normans took over the area and created the County of Carlisle. They built Carlisle Castle in 1092. Around 1100 AD, Wigton became a Norman barony. Odard de Logis became the Baron of Wigton. Wigton received its market charter in 1262. This meant it could hold regular markets.
The de Logis family changed their name to de Wigton around 1208. But the family line ended in 1348. The land then passed to the Barony of Cockermouth. Even though the town's layout is old, many buildings are from the 1700s. They are built in the Georgian style.
Important Buildings and People
In the middle of Wigton's market place, you'll find the George Moore Memorial Fountain. It was built in 1872. Look closely at the four bronze statues around the fountain. They were made by the artist Thomas Woolner. These statues show "four acts of mercy."
St Mary's Church was built in 1788. But there has been a church on this spot since the 1100s. The church looks much as it does today thanks to Rev John Ford in the 1950s. He had the gravestones laid flat and the inside painted.
The Highmoor Bell tower was finished in 1887. It was built during the Industrial Revolution. This tower used to play tunes three times a day.
Fiddleback Farm: A Musical Building?
Fiddleback Farm is a very old and special building. It is a Grade II* listed building. This means it is historically important. It is thought that the farm was once a "Mile Station" from Old Carlisle. It helped supply things to Hadrian's Wall.
The building was first built to protect against invaders. Later, it became a place of worship. It was built about 300 years ago. It is shaped like a fiddle! Two other buildings nearby were also shaped like musical instruments. A wealthy and unusual landowner built them. During renovations, a cat skeleton was found above an old doorway. Another building, shaped like an accordion, still stands. Sadly, a third building, shaped like a banjo, was taken down in the 1920s.
Life in Wigton Today
Wigton is still a busy market town. Livestock auctions happen regularly at Hopes Auction Company. The biggest employer in town is Innovia Films.
Wigton has its own secondary school, The Nelson Thomlinson School. It is a comprehensive school. It works closely with the Innovia factory.
In 2004, Wigton was the first town in the UK to try something new. It put a curfew on teenagers under 16. This meant they had to be home by a certain time. The curfew lasted for two weeks. It aimed to stop vandalism in the town centre. There had been problems with broken shop windows and older people being bothered. The curfew got attention from national news. It seemed to help, as there has been less vandalism since then.
Wigton's Main Industries
The main employer in Wigton is Innovia Films Ltd. People often call it "The Factory." It is right in the middle of town.
The company started in Wigton in 1936. It was first called British New Wrap Co Ltd. They began making cellulose film. Before that, the site was a jam factory. Then it made "artificial silk" called Rayon. In 1936, the company changed its name to British Rayophane Ltd.
Today, Innovia Films makes many different products:
- Labels and graphics: These are used for many different items.
- Cellophane and Propafilm: These are special types of film.
- Plastic banknote material: This is used for plastic money all over the world. It is even used for the new British polymer banknotes.
- Plastic labels: These are stronger than paper labels. They don't tear or get damaged by water. Clear labels are popular for a fancy look on bottles.
- UV-resistant films: These films protect against sunlight. They are used for signs and displays.
Media and News in Wigton
You can get local news and TV shows from BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Border. TV signals come from the Caldbeck TV transmitter. This is located southeast of Wigton.
For local radio, you can listen to BBC Radio Cumbria on 95.6 FM. There is also Greatest Hits Radio Cumbria & South West Scotland on 96.4 FM. The local newspaper for the town is called Times & Star. It used to be called The Cumberland News.
Famous People from Wigton
Many interesting people have connections to Wigton:
- Richard Bell was a cricketer. He played for London County Cricket Club.
- Melvyn Bragg is a famous writer and broadcaster. He was born and grew up in Wigton. When he became a lord, he chose the title Lord Bragg of Wigton.
- Jarrad Branthwaite is a footballer. He plays for Everton F.C..
- Charles Dickens, a famous writer, visited Wigton in 1857. He mentioned the town in his story The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices.
- Anna Ford is a well-known broadcaster. She grew up in Wigton.
- Thomas Holliday was a rare "dual-code" rugby player. He played for England in both rugby codes.
- William Perry Briggs was a health officer for Wigton for many years.
- Robert Smirke was an artist. He was born in Wigton.
- Roger Liddle, Baron Liddle was elected to the council for the Wigton area.
- William Henry Bragg was a physicist and a Nobel Prize winner. A mineral called Braggite is named after him.
Images for kids
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An old map of Cumberland from 1824, showing Wigton.
Gallery
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Wigton Monument
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Donaldson House
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Wigton Cemetery
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Campylite specimen from Caldbeck Fells
See also
In Spanish: Wigton para niños
