The remains of Saltom Pit’s buildings survive despite being under constant attack.
For 250 years the site has weathered gales that have raged across the Solway Firth to the Whitehaven Coast. Saltom’s workers and residents must have known the power of those natural forces. In the eighteenth century, winter storms destroyed the harbour they built there in only two years.
But the biggest threat is less obvious - comes from the land. The local geology, and years of spoil tipping from Whitehaven’s mines, mean that the land is very slowly slipping towards the sea. It will eventually engulf the site. Two thirds of Saltom’s pit head buildings are already buried beneath “Fairy Rock”. Eventually it will all disappear.
So, why was money spent in 2008 to make Saltom accessible – why was it seen as important?
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Saltom’s ruined buildings are a stone “echo” of Whitehaven’s past and heritage
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The pit serves as a memorial to all those who lived, worked and died in Saltom
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Saltom influenced the future of mining around the world.
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The story is part of the Whitehaven we know today.
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Saltom is linked to the history of many local families.
Preserving the site will honour and respect the lives and skills of our ancestors. We will be able to stand beside the buildings and marvel at the workmanship.