There were very few organised forms of entertainment. Sometimes a dance would be held in the village, but it was more likely to have been held in the Assembly Rooms at Dalton or Ulverston. Cock fighting was a popular Furness Sport. Wrestling was well attended. In July 1851, William Fisher records . . . . "a Great rusling match at Ulverston Jackson and Atkinson suposed to be 7000 spectators present". Barrow villagers held their Sports' Days in the channel bottom, opposite the Ship Inn.

There were races and other events, such as leaping with the pole, wrestling, horse racing and trotting. The following advertisement is dated 8th December 1851 . . . . "Barrow Sports Open to all England, to be held at the King's Arms on 1st January 1852", with "Rabbit Shooting", "A Foot Race for Three Fat Geese", "A Quoiting Match", and "Rabbit Coursing With Men"; this advertisement ends . . . "a good substantial Dinner on the Table at One o'Clock".

Like any other rural community there was bound to be a fair amount of rumour and gossip; William Fisher also recorded scandals of the day. In 1824 Thomas Park was accused of rape by a servant girl, but was acquitted by a jury at Lancaster assizes. In 1817, Fisher records "the Revd John Trowton Married to Betty Layland after being a disconslate a widdower 15 weeks".