Barrow Island (England)

Barrow Island is a built up island forming part of the town of Barrow-in-Furness, in Furness, England. It is one of the Islands of Furness. The population of the Barrow Island political ward was 2,606 in the 2001 Census, which makes it the 9th most populated island in England.

The name of the town of Barrow-in-Furness is believed to derive from the Norse word "Barrae", meaning "Bare Island", which actually referred to Barrow Island. Since the 19th Century it has been connected to the mainland as part of its channel was filled in for industrial purposes. The remainder of its channel is now totally developed as part of the dock system. The Island is also known as 'Old Barrow'.

The World War Two defences constructed around Barrow Island have been documented by William Foot. They included a number of pillboxes to defend the docks. The principal threat was seizure of the docks by airborne troops; [Foot, 2006, p105.] a seaborne landing was thought to be highly unlikely unless Ireland was occupied first.

The island is home to Barrow Shipyard, owned now by BAE Systems. Former owners include Vickers Shipbuilding, VSEL and Marconi Marine (VSEL), which became part of BAE in 1999. The shipyard remains one of the largest in the United Kingdom, rivalled only by that in Govan. The island also forms a major part of Barrow Docks, owned by Associated British Ports.

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General references

*cite book
last = Foot
first = William
title = Beaches, fields, streets, and hills ... the anti-invasion landscapes of England, 1940
publisher = Council for British Archaeology
year = 2006
isbn = 1-902771-53-2