Greysouthen
| Greysouthen | |
|---|---|
 The Old Punchbowl Pub in Greysouthen |
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 Greysouthen
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| Greysouthen shown within Cumbria | |
| Population | 631 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | NY07086 29077 |
| • London | 250 mi (400 km) S |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CARLISLE |
| Postcode district | CA13 |
| Dialling code | 019000 |
| Police | Cumbria |
| Fire | Cumbria |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament | |
Greysouthen (Pronounced: "Grey-soon") is a village and civil parish between the towns of Workington and Cockermouth, in Cumbria, North West England. The village has an historic association with coal mining.
John Marius Wilson's 1870 Imperial Gazetteer described Greysouthen as a settlement of 136 houses, an agricultural implement factory, a Quakers' chapel, a Wesleyan chapel and a flex mill. In 1901 Greysouthen civil parish had an area of 1,558 acres
Evidence of settlers digging for coal across west Cumbria can be dated back to the 13th century. This was the source of developing tools and weaponry in order to survive. Evidence of mining for coal within the Greysouthen area can be seen from the late 16th century.
The largest portion of Greysouthen's Coal lease was sold to William Walker & Company in 1787. The business continued to remain profitable for the next 80 years. In 1800 another firm took claim to a portion of the Greysouthen coal extraction industry. Wilson & Company invested in another Colliery within Greysouthen. The two colliery's distributed coal tokens which represented the success of the mines. Between these two mines a feud broke out over mine space. Wilson & Co was fined £16,000 damages over illegally mining William Walker & Company's land. This was a highly prolific case within the north of England with much public interest.
By the start of the 19th century Greysouthen's thriving mining industry had become the sole employer. To house miners, small rows of cottages were built within the town. In 1823 Joseph Birbeck and J.W. Flecter began mining in Greysouthen. A tax value of £20 was introduced for the annual lease of 400 tons of coal. For every ton mined over this, an additional tax of 1 shilling was applied.
The Melgramfitz pit was closed in 1886, which led to the end of the Greysouthen as a coal mining community.
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Wikipedia