From coal mines to New Town dreams, Skelmersdale’s history runs far deeper than many realise.
Skem was built on hard work
Long before roundabouts, the Concourse and New Town estates, Skelmersdale was a small mining community built on hard work, resilience and industry.
Historical records show Skelmersdale’s roots stretch back to at least 1136, with the name believed to mean “Skjaldmarr’s valley.” By the 1800s, the Industrial Revolution transformed the area as coal mines began appearing across the town. In fact, records show there were 14 collieries operating in Skelmersdale by 1880.
Mining shaped everyday life here. Families moved into the area seeking work, railway lines were introduced, and local businesses, churches and pubs quickly followed. One of the most significant pits was Tawd Vale Colliery, which employed hundreds of workers before disaster struck in 1897 when floodwater broke into the mine workings.
Skelmersdale changed forever again in 1961 when it was officially designated a New Town to help house overspill families from Liverpool.
Much of modern Skem was built from that vision, but underneath it all remains the story of a proud Lancashire mining town that helped shape generations.
*Information sourced from Skelmersdale Heritage Society, National Mining Records Society and Parliamentary archives.