Silloth
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Criffel Street, Silloth |
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Silloth shown within Cumbria | |
Population | 2,906 (2011) |
OS grid reference | NY113536 |
Civil parish |
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District | |
Shire 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 | |
Silloth (sometimes known as Silloth-on-Solway) is a port town and civil parish in Cumbria, England. It sits on the shoreline of the Solway Firth, 22 miles (35 km) west of Carlisle. The town of Maryport lies 12 miles (19 km) miles to the south, down the B5300 coast road which also passes through the villages of Blitterlees, Beckfoot, Mawbray, and Allonby. Wigton is twelve miles to the east, along the B5302 road, which also passes through the village of Abbeytown, 5.5 miles (8.9 km) miles to the south-east. Silloth has a population of 2,932, reducing slightly to 2,906 at the 2011 Census.
Historically a part of Cumberland, the town is one of the finest examples of a Victorian seaside resort in the North of England. Silloth developed in the 1860s onwards around the terminus of the railway from Carlisle and associated docks which had begun construction in 1855 to replace Port Carlisle as the deep-water port for Carlisle.
For the first time workers from the factories of Carlisle were presented with affordable access to the seaside and the town flourished as a destination for day trippers. The town reached the peak of its popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Recent years have seen a great deal of development with many of the sea facing properties having received facelifts. The main central attraction is a large expansive green that is utilised throughout the year to host various events and activities.
'Silloth' means "'sea barn(s)', v. 'sǣ hlaða'." (The first word is Old English, the second is Old Norse).
An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward stretches north and inland with a total population at the 2011 Census of 3,268. There is an active parish council, known as the town council.