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Chapter 31
The Dandy Highwayman Café
Ulverston is a charming, honest, little town right at the southern tip of the Lake District, a little nearer to the sea than it once used to be!
When the ancient railway bridges fell into disrepair, and finally collapsed, the canal was reinvigorated and extended to the foot of Hoad Hill. The area developed gradually and organically, becoming an increasingly more important part of the town. In the shadow of the ruins of the old Sir John Barrow Monument the locals took to calling the new Ford Park Docks informally by another name, the Pepper Pot Docks. As far as they were concerned the new Pepper Pot Docks simply had to be named in honour of the old tower.
By 2400AD one canal was no longer enough, so the Chamber had a second one added. Inbound traffic on Salt, and outbound on Pepper! The redevelopment was completed in less than five years but it took another five years before the town’s Chamber agreed that the name the Pepper Pot Docks was so ubiquitous that a relaunch and an official opening was called for.
An impressive, new stone archway was constructed to mark the event. Two massive new crests were prepared in cast iron, to be placed at the apex on each side. Spanning The Highway, the plaques were designed to be unmissable by anyone travelling in either direction between the docks and the town centre.
At the renaming ceremony the mayor proudly unveiled the town’s crest. Justifiably she said, “it gives me the greatest of pleasure to unveil the Ulverston Wolf!” And then Her Worship, Mayor Juniper Henlow delivered a slightly pompous speech about civic dignity, moral duties and Roman Roads of all things! Ending with a what seemed like a history lesson comparing and contrasting Roman Roads and canals, and their combined impact on the reshaping of society!
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