Welcome to Whitehaven

Whitehaven is located on the north-west coast of England, in the county of Cumbria, approximately 305 miles north-west of London and 7 miles south of Workington.

The town has a population of around 26,100. Administratively it is within the Borough of Copeland which covers an area of approximately 738 sq kms.

The former seaport and coal-mining town is now an industrial centre and base for visitors to the western Lake District. It is one of the few grid-planned towns in England and displays some fine Georgian architecture. Notable historic buildings include the Church of St James, built in 1752, and in the 17th century harbour can be seen the last coal-fired dredger working in Britain. Its bustling centre of pedestrianised narrow streets has good shopping and there are numerous visitor attractions within the town and its surrounds.

The town's history dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. Whitehaven was built by the Lowther family who developed the export of locally mined coal to Ireland,. The town's prosperity also came from the trade in coal for Ireland and the burgeoning trade in slaves from Africa. Ships transported slaves to America and the West Indies and carried tobacco on the return trip. Whitehaven became one of Britain's three largest importers of tobacco, rum, spices and sugar and at one time was second only to London as a port.The  port declined when Liverpool and Bristol began to take over its trade.

Historically the town's economy was based upon coal mining and its role as a commercial port. Today the major industry is the nearby British Nuclear Fuels Ltd Sellafield complex.

The name Whitehaven comes from the Old Scandinavian 'hvitr' + 'hofuth' + 'hafn', meaning 'harbour near the white headland'. In 1135 it was recorded as Qwithofhavene.