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Whitehaven is a seaside port and can be found on the west coast of Cumbria. In the middle of the 18th Century Whitehaven was the third largest port in Britain, with London and Bristol being the first and the second.

Whitehaven wealth grew through the export of coal and the import of tobacco and rum from North America. The town today as a small fishing fleet and the harbour area is a conservation area. The town has a number of monuments to its past mining history.

The town was built by the Lowther Family in the 17th & 18th Century's and some of the Georgian buildings from around that time can still be seen in Lowther Street.

Overlooking the harbour on the West Strand is The Beacon and is the first call for many visitors to Whitehaven. Inside The Beacon you will learn all about the town's origins, history with the aid of audio-visually presentations and displays, there is also a sophisticated weather station to be found.

The West Pier was built by a Scottish engineer, known as Sir John Rennie. George Washington's grandmother, Mildred Warner Gale lived in the town and is buried in St. Nicholas Church [Tower]. The church was built in 1883 on the site of an earlier church. In 1971 the church was mostly destroyed by fire with a garden surrounding the ruins now.

The church of St. James's has a fine Georgian interior and was built in 1752-3 and you will find a very moving Memorial Chapel. The church of St. Begh's is worth looking at,as it was built from white stone with a red stone dressing and dates from around 1868.

If you are a book lover, you will find the largest antiquarian bookshop in the north on Lowther Street.

Shopping in Whitehaven can be a pleasure with its varied shops for you to explore with top brands, speciality shops and also quality eating establishments. You will find Cumberland rum butter a popular delicacy here.

Clicking on the various Level Maps below will show different map views of Whitehaven and District. Maps Courtesy of Multi Map.
County Level Map
Town Level Map
Street Level Map