Barrow-in-Furness and its surroundings have changed rapidly over the last century and a half. The contrast between the old and the new is stark, and nowhere is that better illustrated than in the photographs featured in this book. Focusing on themes including work, transport, entertainment, buildings and leisure, author Gill Jepson chronicles the changing face of the town across the decades. The transformation from agriculture to industry and the movement of the urban centres is fascinating. The old occupations of iron ore mining have given way to the newer ones of submarine building and renewable energy. The landscape is testament to the rapid growth of the town and its infrastructure, and there are numerous images that illustrate quieter and more agrarian times. Barrow Island, now home to a shipyard, was once a rural estate with just one house - the Michaelson mansion. Many old buildings were swept away under regeneration plans in the 1960s and 1970s and some of these too have now disappeared. The town is forever changing and meeting the requirements of the modern age and yet echoes the old-world filter here and there, reminding us of a time gone by.

Barrow-in-Furness is a small post-industrial town at the end of a long peninsula in the north of England. Its isolated location has produced a stalwart and close population. It started life as a small hamlet and grew to become an industrial leader, first in iron and steel and later in ship-building and engineering, drawing a workforce from all over the country. The ship-building industry continues to be a major employer but today there is less diversity than in Barrow's heyday. Although the town is known for its industry, it sits in one of the most beautiful areas of Cumbria. It boasts a rich heritage and spectacular views to the Lake District and across Morecambe Bay and, surrounded on three sides by the sea, it enjoys its own temperate climate. Furness Abbey was a great influence on the area in the medieval period and there are castles, churches, monuments and memories just waiting to be discovered by the unsuspecting visitor.

The magnificent ruins of Furness Abbey are now in the care of English Heritage and attract thousands of visitors every year. Dating back to the twelfth century, the abbey was one of the wealthiest Cistercian monasteries in the country. Over the centuries, writers and artists including William Wordsworth and Turner have been inspired by the splendour of the sandstone ruins and the tranquillity of their location in a peaceful valley. In Furness Abbey Through Time, local historian Gill Jepson, Chair of the Furness Abbey Fellowship, presents an excellent visual chronicle that looks at how the abbey precinct has changed over the last century and more. Using an impressive collection of archive photographs, postcard views and colour photographs, readers will see that successive generations have been drawn here to explore the abbey's heritage and enjoy the scenery. In addition to the main abbey precinct, photographs of its closer landholdings, such as Piel Castle, Bow Bridge, Abbot's Wood and Dalton Castle, are also included, to provide a more comprehensive collection. This superbly illustrated book will be of interest to local people and visitors to the abbey and the surrounding area.

Barrow-in-Furness was transformed by the industrial expansion of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, leading to it becoming a centre for ship and submarine building. Located at the tip of a peninsula, known for its own micro-climate and a rich and varied natural environment, the townscape is surrounded by sea, and beyond that the Lakeland Hills, while the protective arms of Walney Island provide a natural channel and harbour. Nature sits alongside industry and heritage. The iron ore industry once scarred the landscape, but time and new growth have disguised the marks. Farming is still a crucial factor in Barrow and you do not have to stray far to discover old abbey granges still functioning yet diversifying. In this book, Gill Jepson provides a fascinating insight into Barrow's places, events and its famous sons and daughters. Among them are footballer Emlyn Hughes, rugby player Willie Horne, Isle of Man TT racer Eddie Crooks, portrait artist George Romney, and the chef and 'Hairy Biker' Dave Myers. Discover the stories behind buildings including the magnificent Victorian Town Hall, the terraced houses and tenements, and gems of medieval architecture including Furness Abbey, Piel Castle and Dalton Castle.