Galgate, ENG - Postcode - LA2 0JS

Description of Galgate, England

Galgate is a settlement in Lancaster, England that lies 3 miles (4.8 km) to the south of Lancaster and directly south of Lancaster University. Galgate comes from the Cumbrian road Galwaithegate, which translates to "road to Galloway."

Some students prefer to live in the village instead of on campus at Lancaster University because of its proximity. To go to Lancaster and Garstang, you can take one of at least two buses that leave every hour.

Galgate locals pooled their resources to construct a new village hall on the recreation field behind the Plough Inn, in between the football field and the cricket ground. Opening in August of 2012, here is a relatively recent addition to the area.

There are two churches in Galgate. Galgate and the surrounding Ellel parish are served by St. John's Church, an Anglican parish church. On Chapel Lane, there may be found the village's Methodist Church.

Rhubarb City News, a community newsletter published every other month, reaches nearly a thousand homes in Galgate thanks to a dedicated group of volunteer editors.

The community is located on the A6, which goes from Preston to Lancaster, and is also close to junction 33 of the M6.

A huge viaduct carries a train from Preston to Lancaster above the town. Galgate railway station served the village until it closed in 1939; the closest station is now in Lancaster.

The town is situated on the Lancaster Canal, which features a marina for narrowboats.

Industry

Many of the buildings from Galgate's heyday as a silk manufacturing center are still standing. Galgate's community newsletter is called "Rhubarb City News" for a reason: local rhubarb was supposedly used to color silk, hence the name. Although rhubarb is a common garden plant in Galgate, there is no proof that it was ever used to color silk.

The water-driven corn mill in Galgate was replaced by the stone three-story wooden-beamed mill by Thompson, Noble, and Armstrong in 1792. Cast iron pillars were added to support the projecting stair tower and mill pond. It is believed that this mill was the first English silk mill to use mechanized production methods. A second, three-story mill with an internal cast-iron pillar structure and seven-aisled ceiling was constructed in the early 1800s. Built in 1851, the third mill is a five-story brick structure with corner pilasters and an internal beam engine house.