Ulverston is a very welcoming place for newcomers, or “offcomers” as Ulverstonians put it. Most locals speak in standard English, without a strong accent or dialect. If you’re new to the area, you shouldn’t need a translator. However, there are a few words and phrases that you might not recognise, as listed below. Please let us know if you come across any more.
- 'Aya'y'alrite: One of the first phrases to greet you when you arrive in Ulverston, so be ready for it! Means "Hiya, are you alright?".
- Barra: Local term/pronunciation for Barrow-in-Furness.
- Beck: A stream. For example, the stream that runs from The Gill through Ulverston, mostly underground via Upper Brook Street, Lower Brook Street, Buxton Place, etc, is known as Town Beck.
- Big Dipper: The hilly section of Springfield Road on either side of where it crosses the bridge over Levy Beck.
- Cleg: A horsefly.
- Comb or Combe: A hollow enclosed by hills, such as Black Combe.
- Coro: Abbreviation for the Coronation Hall in County Square, now used as the standard name for the venue.
- Crack or Craic: A chat or an enjoyable conversation. "What's the craic?" means "What's happening?".
- Fell: A mountain or high hill. People who feel compelled to run over them in a manner similar to mountain goats are known as "fell runners".
- Furness: The Furness Peninsula is bounded by the Duddon Estuary and Morecambe Bay. The name derives from "far-ness", meaning distant headland, as seen from the Lancashire coast. The Ulverston area was historically known as "Lancashire North of the Sands".
- Gammy: Lame or injured, eg. gammy leg.
- Gate: A road or thoroughfare. For example, Daltongate was the road to Dalton. Note that Soutergate is a road in Ulverston and also a hamlet between Ireleth and Kirkby-in-Furness.
- Gaw-tht: Local pronunciation for Gawthwaite, a hamlet a few miles north of Ulverston.
- Gill or Ghyll: A ravine or deep gulley. In Ulverston The Gill car park area is spelt with an "i". Elsewhere in the Lake District you'll more commonly find the "y" version used, such as Dungeon Ghyll.
- Gimmer: A female yearling sheep that has not yet borne a lamb.
- Ginnel: A narrow passage between two buildings. Ulverston has many historic ginnels that are interesting to explore.
- Gleaston Motorway: An unusually wide section of country lane north of the village of Gleaston. Not actually a motorway.
- Hoad: The name of the hill above Ulverston, not the monument. The monument is the "Sir John Barrow Monument", also known as the pepper pot. Do say "I'm going up Hoad" or "I'm going up Hoad Hill". Don't say "I'm going up The Hoad".
- Hoaker or Hooker: Local pronunciation for Holker. Holker Hall and estate is situated on the Cartmel peninsula.
- How: A low hill, such as Gummer's How, on the east of Windermere.
- Kecks or Kegs: Trousers. The term "pants" is also used to mean trousers, which can be quite confusing.
- Kid or Our Kid: Refers to one's own brother, sister, or best friend.
- Kings: The "Big Kings" is the local name for the King's Arms Hotel on King Street. The "Lal Kings" is the local name for the King's Head pub on Queen Street.
- La'al or Lal or Lile: Means "little". For example, the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is known as "La'al Ratty".
- Lindal and Lindale: These are two different places! Lindal (short for Lindal-in-Furness) is a village between Dalton and Swarthmoor. Lindale is a village close to Levens and Grange-over-Sands.
- Mam: Mother.
- Marra or Marrer: A friend, companion or workmate, used similarly to "mate".
- Mere: A lake, such as Windermere. Don't say "Lake Windermere".
- Nan or Nana: Grandmother.
- Offcomer: Anyone who wasn't born in Ulverston. There are various stories about how the town bank clock chimes were silenced because of complaints from an offcomer, etc (best to nod your head and be sympathetic). * See note below.
- Ossick: Local name for the village of Urswick, which is actually two villages, known as "Gt Ossick" and "Lile Ossick".
- Owt: Anything. Note that "nowt" is the opposite, and means "nothing".
- Pace or Pasche Egg: A hard boiled decorated egg. Traditionally rolled down Hoad Hill at Easter.
- Pop: Fizzy lemonade. Marsh's Sass (short for Sarsaparilla) was brewed to a secret recipe in Barrow and was a Furness favourite until production stopped several decades ago.
- Rigg: A ridge, such as Birkrigg, to the south of Ulverston town. Note that "birk" means birch tree.
- Ron-ed: Local pronunciation for Roanhead, a popular beach and National Trust nature reserve close to Barrow.
- Sneck: Latch of a door or gate. Putting the door on the sneck, means locking it. Note that putting the door on the snib means leaving it unlocked.
- Squirrel Bench: There are about 50 benches around Ulverston that are decorated with a squirrel and grapes, in the style of the benches that were installed on the original Furness Railway station platforms.
- Tarn: A small lake, such as Urswick Tarn.
- Thwaite: A clearing or an enclosed piece of land. Local place names include Allithwaite, Haverthwaite and Satterthwaite.
- Vic: Ulverston Victoria High School (UVHS).
- Water: A lake, such as Coniston Water or Ullswater. Don't say "Lake Coniston".
- Yam or Yem: Home. The phrase "gan yam" means going home.
- Yowe: A female sheep (ewe). See also Gimmer.
* Since about 1985, most local Ulverstonians have been born at Furness General Hospital in Barrow-in-Furness.
If you’re interested in learning more about traditional words and phrases, we recommend “The Cumbrian Dictionary of Dialect, Tradition and Folklore”, by William Rollinson, which contains over 2,000 entries. Published by Smith Settle Ltd, 1997. ISBN 1-85825-066-8 (paperback) or 1-85825-067-6 (hardback).