MARYPORT, Cumberland - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

"MARYPORT, a chapelry, seaport, and market town in the parish of Crosscanonby, ward of Allerdale-below-Derwent, county Cumberland, 5 miles E. of Workington, and 7 N.W. of Cockermouth. It is a station on the Maryport and Carlisle railway, which communicates between the eastern and western coasts and the North and Irish seas. Maryport is situated on an eminence at the river Ellen's mouth. Previous to 1750 it was but a poor fishing village called Ellen-foot, but is now an extensive and thriving coal port, and of late years has been rising into commercial importance. The streets are spacious but irregularly built, partly on the sea-shore and partly on the cliff. In 1838 it obtained the privilege of registering vessels, hitherto having been under the port of Whitehaven. The harbour has since been considerably enlarged and has easy access, the depth of water averaging 18 feet at spring tides and 12 feet at neap tides. There is a wooden pier extending between 700 and 800 feet into the sea, on which a lighthouse has been erected. In the vicinity are extensive coal mines and quarries of limestone and red freestone, giving employment to a large number of hands. Many of the inhabitants are employed in the herring fisheries, which are very productive. Shipbuilding is carried on to a large extent, there being several building yards and two patent slips, in which vessels of considerable burdens are constructed, chiefly for the coasting and foreign trades. In the town are also factories for cotton and linen checks, sail cloth, cables, anchors, iron and brass foundries, flour-mills, steam saw-mills, a brewery, tanneries, and coarse earthenware. A brisk import trade is carried on in timber and flax from America and the Baltic. The town is governed by twelve trustees, regulated by the Act of Parliament passed in the reign of William IV. It contains many good shops and private residences, and is well paved, lighted with gas, and bountifully supplied with good water. There are a branch bank of the Cumberland Union Company, a savings-bank, market-house, gas-works, and a mechanics' institution: this latter was erected in 1857 at an expense of £2,500. Petty sessions are held by the magistrates every alternate Friday at the courthouse in Fleming-square. On an eminence at the S. end of Crosby-street is an observatory, erected in 1858. It stands 140 feet above sea-level, and commands a most extensive and varied view. The custom house and harbour office are situated on the quay. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Carlisle, value £162. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a stone structure with a square tower. It was founded in 1760, and was thoroughly restored and enlarged in 1845. There are National schools for both sexes. The Presbyterians, Scotch Church, Roman Catholics, Wesleyans, Baptists, Primitive Methodists, and Society of Friends have places of worship. The cemetery is situated about 1 mile N. of the town. Near Ellenborough is a Roman camp where many relics of antiquity have been found. Joseph Pocklington Senhouse, Esq., J.P., is lord of the manor and chief landowner. Market days are Tuesday and Friday. There are two statute fairs for hiring servants, viz: Friday in Whitsun week, and the Friday nearest to the 11th November."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]