| Heysham | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Heysham Location in the City of Lancaster district Show map of the City of Lancaster district Heysham Location on Morecambe Bay Show map of Morecambe Bay | |
| Population | 17,016 |
| OS grid reference | SD415615 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MORECAMBE |
| Postcode district | LA3 |
| Dialling code | 01524 |
| Police | Lancashire |
| Fire | Lancashire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | |
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Heysham (/ˈhiːʃəm/ ⓘHEE-shəm) is a coastal village in theLancaster district ofLancashire, England, overlookingMorecambe Bay. It is aferry port, with services to theIsle of Man and Ireland, and the site of twonuclear power stations.
Of historical interest are thestone-hewn graves in the ruins of the ancientSt. Patrick's Chapel, close toSt Peter's Church. They are thought to date from the 11th century, and are carved from solid rock. Local legend has it thatSt Patrick landed here after crossing from Ireland and established the chapel. However it has been established that the chapel was built around 300 years after Patrick's death. These stone graves appear on the cover of theBlack Sabbath CD,The Best of Black Sabbath.
The grounds of St Peter's Church contain manySaxon andViking remains, and the church itself contains a Vikinghogback stone. The purpose of these strange stone sculptures is the subject of much debate; they are found mainly inNorthern England and also inScotland,Wales,Ireland and a few areas ofSouthern England with Viking links. Four figures on the hogback have been interpreted by scholars as the four dwarfs who hold up the sky inNordic mythology,Norðri, Suðri, Austri and Vestri, although this is debated.[1] Heysham also has one of only three sites in Britain and Ireland that contain a pre-Romanlabyrinth carving; the others are at Tintagel, Cornwall and Hollywood, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.[2][3]
Lancaster Museum holds artefacts from the area such as stone axe and hammer heads, some weighing up to 4 kg (9 lb), dating back to theNew Stone Age. Many of these artefacts and their original location suggest that this was an ancient burial ground, orbarrow; the area is still known locally as "The Barrows". The Barrows are the only sea-cliffs in Lancashire and contain, in a relatively small area, woodland, open grassland, sandy beaches and deeprock pools.
Heysham Heritage Centre is housed in the barn of aLonghouse in Main Street. The building is owned by theHeritage Trust for the North West, who also own the cottage part of the longhouse, 22 Main Street. The Heritage Centre is run by volunteers, most of whom belong to Heysham Heritage Association.[4]
Administratively, Heysham is part of theCity of Lancaster district and has three wards: Heysham Central (with a population of 4,397 in 2001,[5] increasing to 4,478 at the 2011 Census),[6] Heysham North (5,477 in 2001,[7] decreasing to 5,274 at the 2011 Census)[8] and Heysham South (6,262 in 2001,[9] increasing to 7,264 at the 2011 Census).[10] Together they had a population of 16,136 (2001 census), and 17,016 (2011 census). These include areas beyond the village of Heysham itself, which has a population of about 6,500.
Heysham North ward is within the area covered by Morecambe Town Council.[11][12]
From 1899 to 1928, Heysham was administered by Heysham Urban District Council,[13] from 1928 to 1974 byMorecambe and Heysham Municipal Borough Council,[14] and since 1974 byLancaster City Council.
Heysham is the terminus of theStanlow–Heysham oilpipeline at the site of the formerHeysham Refinery, and of a gas pipeline that originates in theMorecambe gas fields in theIrish Sea.[15]
Heysham Port started operation in 1904. There is a ferry service to theIsle of Man, as well as freight to Ireland and services for the easternIrish Sea and Morecambe Baygas fields. ASeaCat service toBelfast started in 1999. Some ferries connect with trains fromHeysham Port railway station to Lancaster via theMorecambe Branch Line.
Heysham oil refinery was located between Heysham and Middleton and operated from 1941 to 1976.
TheBay Gateway dual carriageway opened in October 2016, connecting Heysham directly to theM6 motorway.[16]
TheLancashire Wildlife Trust manages a 3-hectare (7.4-acre) nature reserve near to the nuclear power stations.[17]Whitethroats breed on the scrubland. Nearby, on the sea shore is a patch of rock known as Red Nab wherewaders andgulls roost and congregate. Two warm water outfalls from the power stations enrich the food supply for migratory seabirds such aslittle gulls andMediterranean gulls. Winter visitors includekittiwakes andpurple sandpipers.[18]
The artistJ. M. W. Turner visited Heysham in the 1790s when travelling throughout Britain. On a visit in August 1816,[19] he made sketches which formed the basis of his subsequent watercolourHeysham and Cumberland Mountains (British Museum); it depicts the village with the Lakeland backdrop across Morecambe Bay.
Professional footballerDavid Perkins was born in Heysham.
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