ONE of Dalton’s newest pubs has reached the half-century mark.

The Newton was one of several South Cumbrian pubs to be built in the 1960s and 1970s in association with the development of large housing estates.

Some estates were even provided with community shops or even churches.

The opening of the Newton, on the top of Dalton’s Cemetery Hill, was celebrated in a two-page feature in The Mail published on October 31 in 1967.

It noted: “As a residential and modern housing area, Dalton is developing rapidly and recent years have seen the big changes on the outskirts of the town.

“Non more so than in the Newton Road and Schoolwaters area, which in the years since the end of the last year has changed considerably.

“The first development was the provision of a local authority housing estate and this has been followed by a large scale private development.

“At the present time something like a total of 500 houses have been added to the area.

“Public amenities are beginning to keep pace with the scale of development and shops and sib-post office have been provided.

“The provision of a school for the area to save the crossing of the busy main road is still a major topic of discussion with young parents.”

The Newton was owned by brewers Matthew Brown, of Cleator Moor, in West Cumbria, and the Lion Brewery at Blackburn.

The building work was carried out by contractors Thomas Armstrong, of Cockermouth.

The article noted: “The new inn is of modern design and styling.”

Wednesday, November 1, was the official opening day and on charge behind the bar was Bill and Teresa Rhodes.

They had run the Farmer’s Arms, Ulverston, for the past two years.

There were plans to introduce ploughman’s lunches, soups and morning coffee