|
Wigton,
a thriving market town, lies at the edge of the Lake District
National Park between the Caldbeck Fells and the Solway coast. This
ancient settlement on the Solway Plain boasts a pre-medieval
layout.
Wigton
recieved a market charter in 1262 and its marketplace became
town's centre. The buildings around this triangular open
space are mainly Georgian and many of the upper storeys remain
unchanged.
The King's
Arms Hotel was once a coaching inn and Charles Dickens stayed
here with Wilkie Collins in 1857. In the marketplace is an
elaborate granite fountain, erected in 1872 by George Moore
in memory of his wife. The memorial features four fine bronze
reliefs, depicting the Acts of Mercey, by the Pre-Raphaelite
sculptor Thomas Woolner.
Lord
Melvyn Bragg, the writer and broadcaster, was born in Wigton
in 1939.
|
the internet holiday and travel guide to the UK
Wigton
