GLASSON DOCK

Glasson Dock is famous - because I live there!!

Seriously, my home village is a little gem.

Glasson Dock is just south of the city of Lancaster, at the mouth of the River Lune.

Up until about 200 years ago there was only fields and marshland where Glasson Dock now stands. If the river Lune had been more navigable Glasson Dock may never have been - in 1779 Lancaster port commission decided to build a dock at Glasson as it was difficult to navigate boats up the Lune to the docks in Lancaster.

Before it became a dock, Glasson was the site of small farming and fishing community, known as Old Glasson and Brows-saltcote.
The shipyards were largely concerned with ship repair rather than shipbuilding, and closed in 1968, with the dry dock filled in a year later. Now a limited amount of commercial ships still use the dock, with shipments including coal for the Isle of Man and the Western Islands of Scotland, and incoming cargoes of animal foodstuffs and fertilizer.

As you enter Glasson Dock the first house on the left is Saltcote House, which was there before the dock and was once a farmhouse. Brows farm, from the days before the dock, is still active and you pass through its land as you enter the village, the house being on the right and farm buildings on the left.

This was a farming settlement, which was in the manor of Thurnham. Thurnham manor came into the possession of the Dalton Family in 1556 and all the land in the area stayed with the family until 1780 when Lancaster Port Commission bought it.

Many of the buildings in the village were built in the 19th century. The church - Christ Church, on the side of the canal - was built in 1840, and expanded in 1931-2. A shipyard and Customs House were built in 1834, a Watch House in 1836, and a Dry Dock in 1841.

The quay was connected to the railway network in 1883, operating until it was closed for passenger travel on 5 July 1930 (although goods traffic continued until 7 September 1964) The track ran along the bank of the river Lune (the old track bed now forms part of the Lancashire Coastal Way) through Conder Green then on to Lancaster.

WHAT IS IN OUR VILLAGE?

TWO PUBS! (Come on they have to be first!!)

Well two and two halves really as there are two more pubs within easy walking distance.

The Dalton Arms
In 1780 four cottages in the tiny street of Ten Row were made into a public house to cater for the crews of many nations that came into the port over which it looks out. That pub was the Dalton Arms.
The Dalton Arms is right on Glasson Dock, in the last few years has become The Dalton Arms Country Pub and Restaurant as a lot of emphasis has been given to the food side of the pub

It is a very friendly, welcoming & comfortable pub that offers a superb menu with delicious freshly cooked food. The Talbot's offer an extensive menu with delicious freshly cooked local food. They offer a children's menu and vegetarian menu. As well as the normal menu there is always a large blackboard full of special dishes with whatever the chef has been able to get at market.
An other difference with this pub to most others is the fact they offer a range of produce, made on the premises to buy and enjoy in the comforts of your own home.

The Victoria Inn
The other pub in the village itself is the Victoria Inn.
The Victoria Inn has welcomed customers for over 100 years.
It has a very 'nautical' theme to it and is popular with locals and visitors, it holds quiz nights and hosts live music nights and serves good pub grub.
It is also reputed to be haunted!!!!

The Stork
The Stork is one of our 'half' pubs - not actually in the village, but just a short walk (10 minutes) into Conder Green, takes you to the lovely little Stork Inn.
The Stork is a beautiful old English Country Inn, a traditional beamed coaching inn that dates back to 1660 in the little hamlet of Conder Green. It is only 3½ miles from Lancaster and it located on the estuary of the River Lune where it meets the River Conder close to the Lancaster Canal.
Inside there are many old original features, low ceilings, exposed beams, a delightful ingle nook and in the winter there are always roaring log fires.
The big surprise is though with The Stork is that still an old coaching inn in appearances, still typically English - it has now adopted a subtle South African theme courtesy of new owner Tracy Fairbrother, who emigrated from South Africa 10 years ago and last year bought the pub.

The Mill Inn
Our next 'half' pub is the Mill Inn - about a mile down the canal from the village.
This lovely building, once an old mill, is in a fantastic setting, set back away from roads it is directly on the Glasson arm of the Lancaster Canal with nothing to look over onto but rolling farmland, cows grazing in the fields and beautiful sunsets over Glasson. This is a really lovely, and popular place to wander to from the village, for a quick drink or lovely meal.

THE VILLAGE HALL

The Village Hall, in its slightly levitated position near to the smoke house, is a busy little hall were most weekend's in the summer you'll find antique fairs and flea markets. This hall can also be used for your own private functions eg. Weddings, Club meetings and Parties. The local drama group put on plays and bingo is played here, it is also the location for the village school's dramatical performances.

THE VILLAGE CHURCH

Our lovely little church is Christ Church, and it sits by the towpath of the Lancaster Canal. it is a Grade 2 listed building built by Edmund Sharpe
To find the Church, go up the canal towpath from the Basin about a hundred metres. It's on the left through a gate.
The church is very much part of village life, the school holds a lot of services there, the church holds special services for boaters, an annual Songs of Praise on the carpark at the Dalton Arms and during the year hosts several sales and fairs- their Flower Festival is legendry, held on the Bank Holiday weekend in August it is well worth a visit.

THE BASIN

The Glasson arm of the Lancaster Canal is separated from the rest of the canal by five locks near Galgate. At Glasson, the canal empties into Glasson Basin, and through two sets of lock gates into the Dock; and through the dock gates into the river Lune and the Irish Sea.

On the basin you can spot all types of craft - narrow boats, sailing boats, yachts, cruisers, canoes dingies etc, it is also host to a lot of water fowl. There is a car park beside the Basin and a public toilet opposite, next to the village bowling green.

GLASSON MARINA

Glasson Basin Marina accessed via the outer dock. It is a non-tidal marina that is located in the inner dock basin and has very good shelter with a 240-berth facility and additional berths for 20 craft.
Glasson Dock is a useful stoppingoff point for sailing to or from Scotland, within easy reach of the Isle of Man and Irelandcan have 220 boats berthed in it, with fully services jetty moorings.

It is home to some lovely craft, and it is very pleasant just to sit by the basin and take in the atmosphere of the masts jingling in a light breeze.

SMOKEHOUSE

You can find the Port of Lancaster Smokehouse on the west quay.
You get to the smokehouse throughthe Dalton Arms car park. Open 7 days a week you'll find a wonderful selection of smoked fish, cheese, salmon and meats. Also a large selection of high class provisions like chutneys, cheese, cakes, vinegars, chocolates and mustards.
It is now not possible to view the smoking area ( Health & Safety!!), you can also take your own salmon to be smoked there.

VILLAGE SCHOOL

Words cannot describe how wonderful this little school is!!
It is a caring and loving school with about 30 pupils in the whole school. It is located next to the Marina. Due to its location a lot of emphasis is put on water safety, the whole school are taken weekly for swimming lessons, British Waterways work well with the school with water safety advise and the older children are given the opportunity to learn canoeing on the basin.
With its own garden the children help to grow foods which are used in their incredible school lunches.
Once a month members of the community have the opportunity to attend a school lunch - and they really are very good!!
I am so pleased that my son had the chance to spend his last year at primary school at this wonderful school.

VILLAGE SHOP

In April 2009 our village had our little post office taken away from us with government measures to reduce costs. This was a huge loss to our community and the owner of the Post Office and Village Shop thought that he may have to close altogether. Instead Mark bought a new, larger premises right on the dock, he increased the goods he sold to cater for the tourist trade, made sandwiches etc and is making a growing concern of our village shop - from the shop you can buy your carrots, newspaper, crabbing lines, fishing bait, sweets, cakes etc.
But we DO miss our post office!!

MOTOR CYCLES

Every weekend and most nights in the summer there is a large contingency of motorcyclists who ride out to Glasson Dock.
We get a whole selection of motor cycles - shiny new ones but lots and lots of classic models - the average age of these ' bikers is around 50 !! The majority tend to congrigate around the Lock Keeper's Rest snack bar.

CAFES

The incredible Lantern O'er The Lune is a really old fashioned little café right on the dock.
The food is fantastic with home made pies and fish and chips to die for, they also do take away food.
Just a little further up the dock is the little Quayside Café that serves ice creams, teas and snacks.
On the corner opposite the Victoria Inn next to the basin car park is the infamous Lock Keepers Rest - a caravan type snack bar that serves such delicacies as bacon 'butties', chips, etc.

IN CONCLUSION

We at Glasson are very proud of our lovely little village. We love to stop and chat with the many vsitors who come to share it with us and would certainly welcome you!!

Summary: Don't forget some bread for the hungry water fowl!!