Morecambe – The Five Minute Guide

Morecambe is a coastal town situated on Morecambe Bay, which is part of the Irish Sea. Located in Lancashire, northwest England, the town is about 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Lancaster and 6 miles (10 km) southwest of Carnforth. The town is particularly renowned for its seafood, especially cockles and shrimps, and the notorious ‘Bay’, for its quicksands and fast-moving tides. In 2019, the population of Morecambe was best estimated to be 42,589.

 

A Fleeting History

Morecambe grew from the small fishing village of Poulton-le-Sands, which in the Domesday Book of 1086, is referred to as Poltune. The village with a population of around 100, amid other spelling variations, eventually became known as Poulton, the name that would endure down the centuries. The name ‘Poulton’ is likely derived from Old English, where ‘pōl’ meant ‘pool’ and tūn meant ‘homestead’. And, just like its name, the village of Poulton didn’t seem to change too much, over the years.

The oldest known building to have existed in the Morecambe area was the 13th century Poulton Hall, the seat of the local Manor, which once stood in Poulton Road. When Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries came in the 1530s, the Manor of Poulton was divided into three. One family to take a third-share were the Washingtons, ancestors of the first President of the USA, George Washington. Some of the residents that followed on from the Washingtons at Poulton Hall, included locally well-known families such as the Nicholsons, Eidsforths and Tillys.

The first use of the name ‘Morecambe’ was by historian John Whitaker, who in his book, ‘History of Manchester’ (1771), referred to the bay as the ‘æstury of Moricambe’. In 1774, Thomas West’s ‘Antiquities of Furness’, describes the body of water as ‘The Bay of Morecambe’. The name was derived from the Roman name Moriancabris Æsturis, shown on maps of the area prepared by the famed Roman mathematician and astronomer, Ptolemy.

In 1754, a small chapel was built in or close to Poulton to serve the local ecclesiastical needs. The ‘le-Sands’ was added to the Poulton name in the late 18th or early 19th century, to distinguish it from the Poulton a little further down the coast, now named Poulton-le-Fylde. According to the census of 1821, the population of Poulton was 363, and that of the parish 615.

In 1846, the Morecambe Harbour and Railway Company was formed, which had the unsurprising aim of building a harbour on Morecambe Bay, and a railway, connecting the area to the national network. A site close to the fishing village of Poulton-le-Sands was chosen for the harbour. By 1850, there was a rail link which connected the new harbour with Skipton and several towns in Yorkshire’s West Riding. A settlement quickly began to grow around the harbour to service the port. By 1858, the town had its first gasworks.

The settlement soon absorbed Poulton and the nearby villages of Bare and Torrisholme. It did not take too long before the new expanding township was being referred to as ”Morecambe” by the general population. In 1861, the London and North Western Railway Company opened a branch line to Morecambe. In 1868, construction began on Morecambe’s Central Pier to harbour local shipping. The pier was completed and opened the following year in time for the summer season at a cost of £10,000. In the 1870s, the pier was extended to 912-feet to accommodate the regular paddle steamer services that had started up from Morecambe to Barrow, Fleetwood, Belfast, and the Isle of Man.

In 1869, the first section of the town’s seafront horse-drawn tramway from the Central Pier to the Battery Hotel was opened. In 1888, the line was extended from the hotel to Strawberry Gardens in Heysham. In 1894, Morecambe Urban District Council was formed, giving the town autonomy from the jurisdiction of the Borough of Lancaster. In 1897, the town got electric street lighting. In 1889, the name of Morecambe was officially adopted for the town. In 1895, a further extension to the tramway was built from the Pier to East View. In 1898, the Pier saw the addition of a new pavilion. In 1912, the promenade’s horse-drawn trams were replaced by new petrol-engine trams but they only operated until 1924.

In August 1928, the local authority name changed when the then Corporation of Morecambe merged with Heysham Urban District Council to form the Municipal Borough of Morecambe and Heysham. In 1932, the last remnant of Poulton Hall, the standalone stone archway entrance was removed off site to the Town Hall. (Though in 1997, it was returned to its original position). In July 1933, the pier pavilion was destroyed by fire, but in 1936, a new 2000-seat pavilion and ballroom were completed at a cost of £25,000.

Morecambe’s tourist industry continued to soar through the inter-war period but peaked in the early post-war years. The decline of Morecambe as a tourist destination was rapid, such that by the 1970s the town was dubbed by some as ‘The Costa Geriatrica’. Those few attractions that managed to survive past the mid-1970s were at a nadir by the early 1980s. While many of Britain’s seaside resorts also suffered during the period, mostly due to the availability of cheap foreign holidays, Morecambe’s fall from grace was perhaps one of the more spectacular.

 

Modern Morecambe

End Game for Central Pier

In 1986, Morecambe’s Central Pier closed after some areas of the decking became dilapidated and collapsed. On 4th February 1987, a fire damaged the amusement arcade at the shoreward end of the pier. In November 1989, the owners were told by the Council that they would have to either refurbish or demolish the structure. In January 1990, the pier was sold on and soon after repair work began. However, in March 1991, the Council effectively condemned the attempted restoration work. In 1991, further disaster saw the ballroom destroyed by fire. In March 1992, demolition work of the pier began.

A Royal Visit

In 1999, a little larger than actual life statue of the town’s best-loved son, Eric Morecambe was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II on the promenade. Eric strikes a familiar pose and has a pair of binoculars around his neck – he was a keen birdwatcher. The ‘fun’ sculpture is set against the scenic backdrop of Morecambe Bay. It’s become a popular tourist attraction, as it’s common to see people queue to have their photo taken with the image.

Local Economy

A large proportion of Morecambe’s local economy is based on tourism, hospitality and catering, which is focused along the seafront. The main central shopping area stretches from Central Drive Retail Park to the Arndale Shopping Centre, which also incorporates the Festival Market, the Sunday Market and the Reel Cinema complex. Most of the town’s manufacturing and industrial base is located at the White Lund Industrial Estate.

Festivals

As a way of boosting the local economy, Morecambe hosts an array of events throughout the year. Kicking off with the spring bank holiday, there’s the 4-day ska and punk Nice & Sleazy Festival. The Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust generally hold a Vintage Bus Display and Running Day at various locations in Morecambe over the same weekend. The ‘Catch the Wind’ Kite Festival usually takes place around the end of June or early July. Also in July, nearby Heysham hosts an annual Viking Day. August sees Morecambe Music Festival, Morecambe Fringe and Morecambe Carnival, all taking place along the promenade.

The August bank holiday, Morecambe’s awarding-winning retro festival ‘Vintage by the Sea’ brings back all things from 1920s – 1990s, including dancing, music, singing, food, cars, etc. Morecambe’s Heritage Open Days are spread across 2 weekends in September, being part of the UK’s largest heritage and culture festival. The West End Lantern Festival, which includes a lantern procession, takes place in late October/early November. Other events include the West End Community Festival, Morecambe Jazz Festival and Tutti Frutti 1950s Festival.

Regeneration – The Eden Project North

In 2018, the Eden Project revealed its design for the Eden Project North to be housed on Morecambe seafront. The £85 million project is a partnership between the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, Lancaster University, Lancashire County Council and Lancaster City Council. The main theme of the project is to construct mussel-shaped biodomes which will have a focus on the marine environment. However, there are also new-conceived ideas for lidos, gardens, a 4,000 capacity performance space, interactive experiences and observatories, included in the proposal. The planning application for the project is due to be submitted at the end of 2020/early 2021, with a target construction completion date sometime during 2023.

 

Getting there!

By Road

It couldn’t be easier to get to Morecambe by road. From both the North or South head for the M6, then turn off at Junction 34 (Halton) on to the A683. After around 10 miles, turning off on to the

By Train

There is a regular rail service between Lancaster (on the West Coast mainline) and Morecambe, with some trains running direct from Preston and Leeds. Trains also run to Heysham, where they connect with the ferry service to the Isle of Man. There is also a station at Bare Lane, which serves the Morecambe suburb of Bare. All services are operated by Northern.

By Bus

If you want to get to Morecambe by bus then you can take a National Express from many major UK destinations. You’ll be able to take a direct bus from major towns and cities in the North and Midlands but you will need to change buses from London and the South.

By Air

Around 66 miles away, via the M61 and M6, Manchester is the nearest airport to Morecambe. Expect the journey to take about 70 minutes by car.

 

Morecambe Bay

Morecambe Bay stretches from the southwest coast of Cumbria to Fleetwood in North Lancashire. As well as Morecambe, the coastal towns of Barrow-in-Furness, Ulverston, Grange-over-Sands and Heysham, are also located on the Bay.  The Leven, Kent, Keer, Lune and Wyre rivers all drain into Morecambe Bay, where their estuaries have formed a number of peninsulas. Much of the land around the bay is reclaimed, forming salt marshes used for agricultural purposes. The Bay is also an important wildlife sanctuary, having abundant birdlife and varied marine habitats, with a bird observatory at Walney Island. Morecambe Bay is also particularly famed for its fertile cockle beds, which local fishermen have been able to take advantage of for generations.

There are seven islands of note in the bay, all to the north; i.e. Walney, Barrow, Sheep, Piel, Chapel, Foulney and Roa. Walney Island, in the north-western corner of the Bay, is substantially larger than all the others. Sheep, Piel, Chapel and Foulney Islands are all tidal and some can be walked to at low tide across the sands with the appropriate care and local guidance. Roa Island is linked to the mainland by a causeway, while Barrow Island has been connected to the mainland for many years as part of the extensive docklands development at Barrow-in-Furness.

The Bay is recognised as one of the best places in the UK for many adrenalin-fuelled activities such as sailing, powered paragliding, parachuting, windsurfing, mountain biking, horseriding, and kitesurfing. It also has some of the most scenic coastlines around Britain and there a number of recognised long-distance walks and cycle routes that start in the area. These include the; ‘Way of the Roses’, a cycle route that traverses the country across to Bridlington Bay, and the ‘Lancashire Coastal Way’.

A reminder to anyone that may need it, if visiting the area; the Bay is notorious for its quicksand and fast-moving tides! On the infamous night of 5 February 2004, at least 21 unsuspecting Chinese immigrant cockle pickers were drowned after being cut off by the incoming tides. No one should attempt to walk within the tidal range of the Bay without proper local guidance.

There has been a royal appointed, local ‘Queen’s Guide to the Sands’, since the 16th century, who is ultimately responsible for the supervision of safe crossings of the Bay. The popular 8 or 9 mile guided walks take place between May and September each year, with the times varying, depending on the tides.

Morecambe FC

Morecambe Football Club is a professional team that currently (2020) plays in League Division 2, the fourth tier of the English football league. Nicknamed the “Shrimps”, the club plays its home games at the 6,500 capacity Mazuma Stadium. Formed in 1920, the club finally achieved coveted league status for the first time in the 2006/07 season when they beat Exeter City 2–1 at Wembley in the final of the Conference League play-offs.

Famous People

A few famous people with a connection to Morecambe are:

• Tyson Fury – is a two-time and current heavyweight boxing Champion of the World. He is currently the only boxer to have held all 4 major heavyweight belts at some time or other. Born in Wythenshawe, Manchester in 1988, he has lived in Morecambe since 2011.
• Dame Thora Hird (1911 – 2003) – was a mostly comedic actress of the British stage and screen, as well as a presenter and writer. Her career spanned more than 70 years, seeing her take up more than 100 film and television roles to become a household name throughout the UK. Thora was born in Morecambe on 28 May 2011 to a theatrical family.
• Eric Morecambe OBE (1926 – 1984) – was a comedian who famously formed a comedy double act with Ernie Wise. The partnership of ‘Morecambe & Wise’ lasted from 1941 until Morecambe’s death in 1984. Comedy icons of the 1960s and 70s, the pair made regular stage and TV appearances throughout the period. Born John Eric Bartholomew at 21 Buxton Street in Morecambe on 14 May 1926, he took his stage name from his home town.

 

Did you know?

The famous comedy double act of Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise were not only TV and stage personalities, as they also starred in three feature films. The spy spoof ‘The Intelligence Men’ (1965) was their first film outing. ‘That Riviera Touch’ (1966) saw the hapless duo become accidentally involved with jewel smugglers, whilst holidaying in France. ‘The Magnificent Two’ (1967) found the comedy pair crossing paths with a dissident group in South America, when Eric is mistaken for their leader. Great stuff – for any fans of the rambunctious British comedy of the era!

 

Things to see and do!

There’s a great variety of things to see and do in and around Morecambe

• Morecambe Heritage Centre – depicts the town’s unique heritage through a number of displays and exhibitions on the likes of local archaeology, architecture, geography, entertainment, tourism and people.
• Eric Morecambe Statue –  is a 6’6” high tribute to Morecambe’s greatly loved comic and famed son. The bronze statue by renowned sculptor Graham Ibbeson is situated on the promenade against the scenic backdrop of Morecambe Bay.
• The Festival Market – is a large indoor market shopping space overlooking Morecambe Bay.
• Happy Mount Park – was opened in the 1920s but it’s is still a popular venue with families today. There are woodland walks, a Japanese-styled garden, putting, bowling, a Splashpark, play areas, miniature railway, crazy golf, swing boats and more!
• The Promenade – is more than 4 miles long and has been extensively refurbished over recent years. The perfect place for a stroll, there are fantastic views across the bay to Cumbria.
• The Stone Jetty – is the site of the town’s former harbour and is now a refurbished area for the display of public art and games.
• Morecambe Winter Gardens – first opened its doors in 1897, consisting of a theatre, ballroom, restaurants and the gardens themselves, which are located at the rear. Over the years, the iconic venue has played host to some of the UK’s most famous stars of stage and screen.
• Way of the Roses Cycleway – transverses the 170-mile west to east coast route from Morecambe to Bridlington. Its usually undertaken in that direction because there’s a much better chance of having the wind behind you. While there are some challenging, long, steep climbs en-route, the path also passes through some of Britain’s most scenic countryside. There’s also plenty of things of interest along the way, as well as the odd pub or two.
• Salt Ayre Leisure Centre – offers a wide range of activities, including swimming, indoor climbing, gym, sauna, exercise classes and badminton. It also has a kid’s soft play area. It’s conveniently located on the A589 about 3 miles out of Morecambe towards Lancaster.
• Morecambe Golf Club – is a private members club but visitors can pre-book to play the course. The club is just over a mile from the town centre and overlooks the marvellous Morecambe Bay.

Where to stay?

In terms of accommodation, you’ll find the full works in and around the general area of Morecambe. You’ll find Hotels, B&Bs, Inns, Lodges, Guesthouses, Camping, Caravans, etc. all in or close to the town. Holiday Villages, Self Catering Lets, Apartments and luxury hotels, tend to be some 8-15 miles away from the town. A broad price guide for 2 adults sharing per night is:

B&Bs/Inns/Guesthouses/Lodges/Small Hotels: £50 – 100

3/4 Star Hotel: £100 – 150

5 Star Hotel: £150+

Thinking of moving?

Thinking of moving to Morecambe? The average selling price for all property in Morecambe for the year up to August 2020 was approximately £144,600. This represents a fall of about 2% on the previous 12 months. In terms of property types, flats sold for £93,500, terraced houses for £115,200 and semi-detached for £154,800.