Mourholme Local History Society was formed in 1980. Indeed the work goes back beyond this date, to that undertaken by members of a Liverpool University Extension Studies course under the leadership of Paul Booth in the 1970’s. These members went on to found this society. Why or where is Mourholme? This is the first question we are often asked as committee members.

Mourholme was the castle situated at Dock Acres which is now Pine Lakes near the M6 motorway. Mour means marshes and holme means island so it was a Castle on the ‘Island of Marshes’. The site was positvely identified in 1975 when much pre 1400AD pottery was found, along with a 12th / 13th century gold ring inset with a diamond, probably from India and is one of the earliest dated diamonds in the country. (It is on display at Lancaster City Museum).

The first record of Mourholme Castle is in 1216, when the Lord of Mourholme also known as the Lord of Warton had to surrender his castle alongside his other castle at Kendal to King John as a sign of good behaviour, after he had been one of the signatories of the Magna Carta. Mourholme Local History Society, therefore concentrate on the seven townships under the Lord of Warton.

The story of these seven townships, as contained in our publications and this website, is the outcome of many years of work by the members of Mourholme Local History Society.

Click here for a full site map.