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Whitehaven is to many ideally situated on the West Cumbrian coast...just a few short miles from the Lake District National Park.
'Georgian' Whitehaven was in fact one of the first post-renaissance planned towns in the country, and is one of the forty-two 'Gem Towns' of England.
Almost unbelievable today. Whitehaven in the mid 18th century was a larger port than Liverpool. Indeed in business terms it was second only to London and Bristol. Its prosperity was built on coal and the enterprise of the Lowther family who owned the mines, and built the first quay here in 1634. It was actually Sir John Lowther who built the present town on a grid system...even specifying the type of buildings. His new town of Whitehaven he had laid out to plans inspired by Christopher Wren's designs for rebuilding London after the Great Fire of 166. He even went to the extent of having factory chimneys designed in the shape of his favourite silver candlesticks.
Only one coal mine in the area is still working today, but several pit structures have been preserved in the south beach recreation area as monuments of industrial archaelogy.
Here too in 1718 Carlisle Spedding invented one of the earliest steam engines...designed to pump water from the pits, as well as experimenting with coal gas...going so far as to lighting his own office with it.
Besides coal, much of Whitehaven's early prosperity was built on the import of tobacco from America and rum from the West Indies. Cumberland Rum Butter today is still very much a local delicacy.
The towns connection with the 'New World' goes much beyond trade. George Washington's grandmother... Mildred Warner Gale, lived in Whitehaven, and is buried in St Nicholas Gardens. Additionally John Paul Jones, said to be the father of the American Navy (and later Admiral in the Russian Navy) made a raid on the town in 1778 during the American War of Independence. Historians of this era will note that two cannon used during the attack can still be seen near the old fort. Interestingly enough this sortie was the last occasion upon which the English mainland was invaded from the sea. Patriotic Scots regarded John Paul Jones as a traitor. He had physical courage, true..but he was considered despicable, particularly as he was in the slave trade for many years.
There was another, different attack in 1915 when Whitehaven sustained some damage as the result of shelling by a German U Boat.
The port today, though still busy is more geared to the activity of its fishing fleet, and as always, its many small pleasure boats...rather than the large ships of old. An indication of its famous past is shown in the following figures....In 1676 the town had 32 ships, in 1682- 40 ships, and in 1706...77.
Because of its unspoilt state, the entire harbour has been declared a conservation area. Here can be seen monuments to mining history...the candlestick chimney...the mine bogeys, and the winding wheel.
Many of Whitehaven's elegant Georgian buildings have been preserved, particularly in the Lowther Street area. The magnificent Georgian interior of St James Church is reputed to be the finest in the country.
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