Workington - Cumbria
AN ANCIENT AND CONSIDERABLE TOWN
The Angles who gave Workington its name, meaning ‘the settlement by the river’ but the two great shaping influences on this ancient town have been the presence of the Curwen family, and the discovery of rich deposits of coal, iron ore and other minerals in the area. As early as the 14th Century visitor was much impressed by the prosperity and liveliness of both town and harbour, and not least by the magnificence of the home of Sir Henry Curwen, Curwen Hall, standing in a commanding position on the banks of the River Derwent,.
It was at Curwen Hall, in 1568, that Mary Queen of Scots was sheltered after her arrival by sea and before she was taken to Cockermouth, on to Carlisle and into the captivity which ended in her execution.
Workington was Chartered for the holding of a Market and Fair by Elizabeth 1 in 1573 but it was really the coming of the Industrial Revolution which caused Workington’s development throughout the 18th Century into the major steel-producing and ship-building centre which it became. Local mineral supplies invited exploitation on a vast scale. During the 18th and nineteenth centuries there were over thirty pits in operation; for over 100 years Workington was the centre of steel-production in North West England and two prosperous ship-building yards produced between them a total of 244 ships, the last one being launched in 1938.
WORKINGTON TODAY
Today’s visitor will find many traces of Workington’s former prosperity, for example in the domestic architecture of the Conservation Area based on Portland Square, with its picturesque cobbled centre and handsome houses. There are landscaped walks beside the river and in Curwen Park.
Workington’s history and industrial heritage can be traced in the excellent displays at the Helena Thomson Museum and on the ground at Curwen Hall, which now ruined but can still be visited. Although industrial decline in the forties and fifties affected Workington as much as other such centres of heavy industry, it has adapted itself to its new circumstances more successfully than many other ex-industrial centres along the West coast. Several important industrial enterprises are based round Workington and the establishment here of the British Cattle Movement Centre is seen as a significant contribution to the local economy. The port is still a thriving business so visitors will find that there’s always plenty of activity to be seen in the dock area.
There’s also a lively cultural life in Workington, with the Carnegie Theatre offering regular productions of plays and operas and a two-screen cinema showing all the recent releases. Visitors at Easter can witness the famous Uppies and Downies Football Game, believed to date from Saxon times, an exciting rough and tumble event played on the fields beside the Derwent., while the town is home to professional or semi-professional teams in the contemporary codes of football and rugby league
The shopping facilities in and around Workington make it the premier shopping location for West Cumbria, with a wide choice of out-of-town retailers, as well as a thriving town-centre with a large open market, many local, specialist shops and multi-national chain stores.
Workington is an ancient town with a fascinating and varied past and a lively and flourishing present. Visitors will find that it has much to offer - and they can be sure of a warm welcome from its friendly inhabitants.
