It is an example of a model village built for workers by a company needing to expand, having been constructed in the early 20th century by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering.

Its construction was prompted by a lack of housing available for the workers at Barrow's shipyard, owned at the time by Vickers.

Plans for its development were begun in 1898 and Vickers bought out the Isle of Walney Estates Company to handle the construction.

After the First World War, houses began to be sold on to tenants and in 1951, with only a handful of properties still under its control, the estate company was wound up.

There are two places of worship in Vickerstown, a medical centre, a fire station, three primary schools, several pubs and numerous businesses including Tesco and Co-op supermarkets.