Whitehaven
14 miles south of Maryport lies a Georgian port called Whitehaven. The towns' historic past lies within the harbour which dates back to 1634 when the first pier was built, and some 200 years later the Queen dock opened to serve the coal industry. By the mid 18th Century, Whitehaven was the third largest port in England behind of Bristol and London.
The town's harbour is the only place in Britain to have been raided by the American Navy and to-date was the last time when Britain was attacked from sea. Whitehaven's wealth developed through its shipbuilding activities, the exportation of coal and the importation of tobacco and rum from North America.
Whitehaven was designed, based in the grid system of Sir Christopher Wren and was one of the first planned towns in England, built by the Lowther family in the 17th and 18th Century.
Nowadays, the town’s coal and shipbuilding past are evident with monuments throughout Whitehaven highlighting places of interest. In addition to these, the town boasts a number of tourist attractions. For more information visit www.whitehaven.org.uk
In addition to the main attractions, the towns Georgian building are also a fascinating attraction with around 250 listed buildings including the St Nicholas Church, where George Washington's grandmother, Mildred Gale is buried.
