HARRINGTON, a parish and sea-port (small), in
ALLERDALE ward above .Darwent, county of CUMBERLAND,
2 miles (S.) from Workington, containing 1845
inhabitants. The living is a discharged rectory, in the
archdeaconry of Richmond, and diocese of Chester, rated
in the king's books at £7 7 3., and-in the patronage of1
H. C. Curwen, Esq. The church is a neat structure, without
a tower, standing upon an eminence a little westward
from the old village of Harrington, and eastward of the
new town, which is a small but thriving sea-port, formerly
termed Bella-port, situated at the mouth of a small
stream called the Wyre, which falls into the Irish sea, and
subordinate to the port of Whitehaven. The harbour was
considerably improved at the expense of the late J. C.
Curwen, Esq., whose father constructed the first quay,
from which period its trade has been gradually increas-i
ing. In 1760, not a single ship belonged to the port
but there are now upwards of forty, averaging one hun-
dred and twenty-two tons each; they can sail quite
into the town, loading and unloading before the houses,
and are chiefly employed in conveying large quantities
of coal obtained here to Ireland; besides these, about
five hundred sloops annually take in lime, which ia
brought by land from the adjoining parish of Distington,
for Scotland. Iron-stone and fire-clay abound in  the
parish, and much of both was formerly exported to
Scotland and Wales. The town now consists of several
streets, though seventy years ago not a single house had
been erected. There are two shipwrights yards, a rope-
walk, and vitriol and copperas manufactories. The
Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists have each a place of
worship. A school-house has been recently erected by
subscription, to which the late Mr. Curwen was the
principal contributor, for teaching children on the Lancasterian
plan.