THIS week we wanted to take a look at the history of Cleator Moor.

The town lies just south of Whitehaven, with the centre being a historic market square which now houses the library and council offices.

It is four miles from the coast and also just a stones throw from Ennerdale Valley. Cleator Moor's skyline is dominated by Dent Fell, which is sometimes referred to as Longbarrow, which sits in a dominating position over the area.

It is the first fell that walkers come to when completing Wainwright's Coast to Coast walk. From the summit views can be seen of the Cumbrian coast and Lake District mountains.

Walkers and cyclists can follow an old railway track that runs from Whitehaven, through the heart of Cleator Moor, and into Ennerdale. The track forms part of the Sustrans C2C cycle route from Whitehaven to Sunderland.

The town has strong links to art, as internationally renowned artist LS Lowry painted a several parts of the town, including the Wath Brow Mission Church which is now a house.

Local artist Conrad Atkinson, who was born in Cleator Moor in 1940, also has three sculptures displayed on the market square.

A lot of Cleator Moor's history has been formed from iron ore mining, history tells us that monks mined iron ore from the ground around the town as far back as the 12th century.

However, it wasn't until the industrial revolution that Cleator Moor was transformed from a quiet village to a bustling centre of industry. It was during this time that many Irish immigrants began to populate Cleator Moor, giving it the colloquial name of Little Ireland.

These photos show what has gone on in the town in years gone by, we hope that they help to bring back some fond memories for you.