Roa Island
| Roa Island | |
|---|---|
 Roa Island
|
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| Roa Island shown within Cumbria | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Postcode district | LA13 |
| Dialling code | 01229 |
| Police | Cumbria |
| Fire | Cumbria |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament | |
Roa Island lies just over half a mile (1 km) south of the village of Rampside at the southernmost point of the Furness Peninsula in Cumbria, though formerly in the area of Lancashire north of the sands. It is located at 54°5′N 3°10′W / 54.083°N 3.167°W (OS grid ref. SD 233650). It is one of the Islands of Furness in northern England. It has an area of about three hectares.
For local government purposes Roa Island is within the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness. The island's population stands at around 100, making it the 16th most populated island in England.
Until 1847 Roa Island was a true island, being accessible only by boat, or on foot across the sands at low tide. John Abel Smith, a London banker, bought Roa in 1840. He built a causeway to the mainland, completed in 1846, and an 810-foot (247 m) deep-water pier known as Piel Pier from where steamers sailed to Fleetwood. The pier connected with the Furness Railway line to Kirkby via Furness Abbey, making use of the causeway. Initially the line was open for goods traffic only, but on 24 August 1846 a passenger service was inaugurated.
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Wikipedia