Pallaflat Vista

This view is from above Pallaflat Farm, to the west of Bigrigg in West Cumbria. Dent fell, and the Ennerdale Fells can be seen in the distance.

Bigrigg has remnants from its mining past scattered across the landscape. If you look close enough, you can see evidence of the former Bigrigg, Pallaflat, Croft, Mossbay, Parkhouse, Fletcher, Woodend, Wyndham, and Croft mines. Some of the old mines date back over 200 years.

• Did you know, the correct name for Bigrigg is, Bigrigg Moor?

Bigrigg sits on the A595 road that leads from Whitehaven to Egremont. Deep hollows in the area attest to iron ore mining as far back as medieval times. Bigrigg's Hematite deposits were considered to be of the highest quality.

In 1924 a mine disaster at the Croft Pit trapped ten men for 28 hours before they were rescued. By 1932 all the mines were closed. St John's Church in the village was built in 1878-80. Its stained glass memorial windows are by Charles Kempe, a Victorian stain glass manufacturer.