PIEL ISLAND - British Path Barrow In Furness
Launching a Coastal-Pro hovercraft at Piel Island, Barrow-in-Furness.
Leaving the Ship Inn on Piel Island at Barrow. Check out the low noise level of the new BHC Coastal-Pro hovercraft! 74dbA at 25m means it complies with the standards set out in both the Hovercraft Code of Practice as well as the EU standard - the Recreational Craft Directive.
Piel Island's a greatplace to visit, there's a ferry which costs a fiver, you can walk across the mud -not recommended- or even drive your 4x4..think carefully about this too! No - the easiest way to grab a pint is to go by hover. Oh, and the burgers are superb!
Coastal-Pro from The British Hovercraft Company from £19,950.00+VAT.
britishhovercraft.com
01304 619820
Sail to Piel island near Barrow in furness - May 2016
A cut of a sail over to a local island from Fleetwood to Piel, stayed over night, then back again. Lovely weather for May!!
Piel Island & Castle, Cumbria
Little visit to Cumbria and a ferry over to Piel Island to visit Piel Castle. There is evidence of human occupation spanning at least the last 3000 years. Piel Island was probably visited by the Celts and later by the Romans during their conquest of Britain. The first recorded name of the island, Foudray, came from the Scandinavian settlers to the area. The name Foudray or Fotheray comes from the Old Norse for fire island - meaning a fire beacon to guide boats. Foundray may have been used as a foddering place for the settlers' grazing animals.
In 1127 the island was given to the Savignac monks as part of their original land for an abbey from King Stephen to the Abbot of Savigny in Normandy. By order of the Abbot, Furness Abbey became Cistercian in 1148. Furness Abbey started to grow and Foudray fulfilled their need for a safe harbour. In 1212 King John granted the Abbey a licence to land one cargo of wheat, flour and other provisions in order to stave off a famine caused by the failure of the local harvest. It is likely that some form of structure existed to house cargos entering the port especially as the trade from Piel to Abbey lands in Ireland increased during the 13th Century. The Port of Furness was by this time well established and the trade in corn considerable. In 1327 Furness Abbey was granted the right to crenellate fortify its existing dwelling house.
The current motte and bailey castle with its defence ditches was built in the early part of the 14th century. It was probably intended to be used as a fortified warehouse to keep cargoes safe from pirates and other raiders. The Abbey soon discovered that it did not just keep the pirates out, the Pile of Fotheray (as it became known from medieval times) it also kept the King's customs men at a distance. It is widely known at the time that the Abbey was active in the smuggling business when in 1423 a petition from the merchants in Calais was issued complaining that Furness Abbey had been smuggling wool from Piel without paying the necessary dues. Six years later, due to the threat of invasion, the castle was partially rebuilt and new arrangements were made for its defence with each tenant of the Abbey required to supply men and arms.
Piel's notoriety during the 15th Century continued when Colonel Martin Swartz and his German mercenaries landed on the island on June 4th 1487 as part of an attempt by Lambert Simnel to seize the English Crown. Simnel claimed that he was the Earl of Warwick and therefore was the rightful King of England. Simnel set off across Furness for London. He was defeated by the King's forces as the Battle of Stoke on June 16th and when he did finally arrive in London it was as a prisoner of Henry VII.
Following the restoration of Charles II, the Lordship of Furness was given to the newly ennobled Duke of Albemarle in 1662 and this included the castle and part of the remaining land on the island. After this date activity on Piel seems to have revolved around shipping and industry. A salt works is recorded as existing on the island from as early as 1662 and in 1667 a proposal was made to use Piel as a ship yard with the intention of constructing three third rate frigates by 1st August 1671. There is also a suggestion that a ship's chandlery existed on the island in the 17th Century.
During the late 17th and 18th century Piel became important due to its collection of customs. A customs officer worked from Piel from 1669 and during the early 18th century several seizures of illegally imported alcohol were made. Officers working at Piel still had no permanent base and were required to travel from Lancaster.
In the early 19th century Piel remained important for shipping entering the harbour and was occupied by a number of pilots appointed by the Port Commissioners of Lancaster. They were granted an old barn to be converted into cottages and land by the Duke of Buccleuch. There were several disputes over access to land and water with the landlord of the Ship Inn. In 1875 a row of cottages was constructed for pilots to the north west of the inn.
Until 1874 the ownership of the island was divided between the Duke of Buccleuch who owned the castle and the Ship Inn and a Mr C W Archibald who owned the rest. The Duke purchased the remainder of the land in 1874 and spent a considerable sum on maintenance to the crumbling castle. In 1919 the Duke decided to sell the entire island and a prospectus was drawn up. The intervention of the mayor of Barrow, Alfred Barrow in August 1919 with a request that the island be given to the town halted the sale. The entire island was given over to the town of Barrow-in-Furness in 1920 as a memorial to those who lost their lives during the First World War. The guardianship of the castle was transferred to the Secretary of State for the Environment in 1973 from whom it passed to English Heritage.
Roa Island Barrow in Furness
Roa Island Barrow in Furness showing Piel Island and Walney Island
Piel Island and Castle via Barrow lifeboat station
A sunset trip out to Piel Island and Castle via the Barrow lifeboat station. I was with group of people I met whilst I was flying my DJI Phantom 4. They kept me company throughout the flight and lots of questions lol. Hope you like the video :) The music For those in peril on the sea is by Phil Coulter, I do not own the music. Thanks for watching.
Piel Island (1961)
Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, (formerly Lancashire).
L/S, taken from on board a boat, of a ruined castle - 'The Pile of Foudry' - on Piel Island, just off the Lancashire mainland at Barrow-in-Furness. M/S of waves lapping on the shore. L/S of the ruins built by the monks of Furness Abbey to ward off Scottish invaders. M/S of the ruins. High angle shot of the beach and ruins taken from the castle ramparts. M/S of a crumbling tower supported by metal railings. C/U of old walls next to modern railings. Panning shot, taken from the ramparts, of the castle towers, the beach and the sea. High angle shot of the beach, some ruins and a white house, an inn owned by the islands only inhabitants, Dan and Sarah Rooney. L/S of the inn.
M/S, taken from inside a boat, of two men bringing boxes of provisions and mail to the Rooneys. Point of view shot from the bow of the boat as it approaches the island. C/U of retired lifeboat man, Jimmy Moore, steering the boat. M/S of Mr. and Mrs. Rooney walking across grass near the beach, Dan waves and goes to help unload the boat. Panning shot follows Dan - traditionally known as the 'king' of Piel Island - carrying a box ashore. Panning shot of Sarah bringing boxes ashore. M/S of Dan walking along the rocky beach, collecting bits of drift wood. C/U of a piece of driftwood as it is picked up. Low angle C/U of Dan. M/S of Dan walking past the ruins carrying a bundle of driftwood. M/S of Sarah cutting Dan's hair beside the castle walls. C/U of Sarah. C/U of the back of Dan's head as Sarah clips it - they're a pretty dependable couple.
Low angle shot a teenage boy, Joe Lawson, placing a knight's helmet on the head of another teenage boy, Denny Coulthard, sitting in a throne - the traditional ceremony of creating 'knights' and 'ladies' of the Ancient Order of Piel Castle is carried out about twice a year by 'King' Dan. M/S of the two boys and Dan holding a sword and reading from a book. C/U of Dan tapping Denny on the shoulders with the sword - The knight designate must swear to help in the running of any local sports such as cock fighting and bull baiting. M/S of a group of tourists next to the inn, watching the ceremony. M/S of the tourists and Dan, as Joe tips a jug of ale over Denny's head to 'seal' the bargain. M/S of Dan and the two boys. M/S of the whole group.
Mute neg is out of sync with track neg. Comb print can be used but is very scratched, faded and dirty.
FILM ID:159.14
A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT'S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES.
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British Pathé also represents the Reuters historical collection, which includes more than 136,000 items from the news agencies Gaumont Graphic (1910-1932), Empire News Bulletin (1926-1930), British Paramount (1931-1957), and Gaumont British (1934-1959), as well as Visnews content from 1957 to the end of 1984. All footage can be viewed on the British Pathé website.
Windsurfer off Piel Castle Island Barrow Cumbria England UK 18.6.18
THE RUINED PIEL CASTLE. FURNESS PENINSULA ENGLAND UK.
History: The Island known history dates from the time of King stephen who, in 1127, gave the island to the Savignac monks as part of a land grant for an abby. When the Savignacs.became part of the Cistercians order later in the 12th century, the island came under the control of the Cistercians at nearby Furness Abby.
Walney Island and my hometown of Barrow-in-Furness.
I created this video with the YouTube Slideshow Creator (
The ruins of Piel Castle Barrow-in-Furness #AlanGriffiths
Barrow-In-Furness Royal Launch Aka Launching Of Oriana (1959)
Title reads: Royal Launch.
Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
The launching of ocean liner, the Oriana. G/V the Oriana on the slipway. L/S underneath ship's hull. L/S the propellors. High angled shot people entering shipyard for launching. C/U young sailor with Barrow-in-Furness on his hat band. C/U group of shipyard workers. Panning shot Princess Alexandra walking through the shipyard waving to the crowd, she is accompanied by VIP. C/U shipyard worker. M/S Princess Alexandra talking to some of the shipyard workers.
G/V crowds gathered around the Oriana prior to the launching. L/S Princess Alexandra pulling lever to release champagne bottles which smash against the bows, the liner then begins to move down the slipway. G/V the Oriana going down the slipway. High angled shot crowd waving. G/V the Oriana entering the water, dragging chains after it.
Note: Oriana brochure, press releases and letters from Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd and other companies involved on file.
FILM ID:1599.19
A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT'S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES.
FOR LICENSING ENQUIRIES VISIT
British Pathé also represents the Reuters historical collection, which includes more than 136,000 items from the news agencies Gaumont Graphic (1910-1932), Empire News Bulletin (1926-1930), British Paramount (1931-1957), and Gaumont British (1934-1959), as well as Visnews content from 1957 to the end of 1984. All footage can be viewed on the British Pathé website.
Piel Island
Crossing the sand and mud to Piel Island on an xrv.org.uk rideout
Boat from Barrow in Walney/Piel Channel Cumbria England UK 18.6.18
Prince Charles visits Barrow in Furness 26th March 1993
Prince Charles visits the Forum 28 civic centre during a visit to Barrow in Furness on 26th March 1993
Roa Island - Barrow-in-Furness
I believe the boat is no longer there, shame really as it made for a good subject to photograph
Boxing Day 2018 at Earnse Bay, Walney Island, Barrow in Furness, UK.
High tide and an onshore wind (as usual) at Walney Island's Earnse Bay, Barrow in Furness filmed on Boxing Day 2018.
Roa Island - Cumbria from the air - Mavic 2 drone footage
Roa Island lies 5 miles south of the shipyard town of Barrow-in-Furness, and just over half a mile (1 km) south of the village of Rampside at the southernmost point of the Furness Peninsula in Cumbria.
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. The railway continued in use until July 1936.
Roa Island has a population of about one hundred. Despite its moderate area it boasts a yacht club, and a café and a chip shop, Overlooking the sea with a south-facing aspect is Roa Island House. Originally built for the Furness industrialist H.W. Schneider as a holiday residence, it sports a distinctive observation tower and served as a fisheries investigation laboratory and as army premises during World War II.
Roa Island has been home to a RNLI lifeboat station since the first one was established in 1864. The volunteers based at Roa Island are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The current station was opened in 2001 and cost £3million.
In 2008 a new Tamar class lifeboat, the Grace Dixon, was placed on service ready to be launched down the 80 metre slipway at a speeds of up to 25mph.
In 2010 the station placed on service a new D-Class inshore inflatable, the Vision of Tamworth.
The Roa Island Boat Ramp is utilised during the summer months by the Piel Ferry; a small, commercial wooden passenger boat ferrying sightseers to and from Piel Island, home of local landmark Piel Castle.
Another interesting building on the island is the Grade II listed Watch Tower, built in 1847 it is a former boathouse, Lifeboat House and a Customs and Excise building.
The 30 meter Belgian fishing trawler ‘Vita Nova’, a seemingly abandoned houseboat project now lying derelict and beached on the sands between Roa Island and Rampside, slowly rusting away.
Piel Island.wmv
Piel Island
Barrow-in-Furness then coming into Land at Walney
Description