WORKINGTON, a parish in ALLERDALE ward
above Darwent, county of CUMBERLAND, comprising the
market-town and sea-port of Worldngton, the chapelry
of Great Clifton, and the townships of Little Clifton,
Stainburn, and Winscales, and containing, exclusively
of seamen, 7188 inhabitant's, of which number,
6439 are in "the town of Workington, 34 miles (S. "W.
byW.) from Carlisle, and 310 (N. W. by N.) from London.
The only historical circumstance of interest connected
with Workington is its having been the place
where, in 1568, Mary, Queen of Scots, landed, when
she sought an asylum in England, after her escape
from the field of Langside; she was hospitably entertained
at Workington Hall (the apartment she occupied
being still called the Queen's chamber), until Queen
Elizabeth gave directions for her removal to Carlisle
castle. The town is situated on the southern bank of
the Derwent, near its influx into the sea; and, in addition
to the older part, which is narrow and irregular,
contains some more recent streets, in which are many
handsome and well-built houses; it is not lighted, and
is, badly paved with pebbles, but well supplied with
water from the Derwent. There is a small theatre in
Christian-street, and an assembly and news room in
the Square. The Hall, the ancient seat of the Curwens,
occupies an eminence on the south side of the river,
commanding beautiful views of the surrounding country,
the sea, and Scotland. Upon the Cloffocks, an extra-parochial
meadow, or island, situated north-east of the
town, on the banks of the Derwent, races are annually
held in August. A handsome stone bridge, of three
arches, crosses the river, at the entrance into the
town from Maryport, which was erected, in 1763, at the
expense of the county. The trade principally arises
from the exportation of coal to Ireland, in which more
than one hundred vessels are employed. There were belonging
to the port, in 1828, one hundred and twentysix,
with a burden amounting, in the aggregate, to nearly
twenty thousand tons. The harbour has been secured
by the erection of a breakwater within these few years,
and is now one of the safest on the coast: the entrance
is lighted with gas. Great improvement has
been also effected by enlarging the quays, owing to the
indefatigable exertions of the late Mr. Curwen. The
collieries give employment to about five hundred persons
the mines are drained by an engine of more than
one hundred and fifty horse power. There are three
ship-builders' yards, in which vessels of from three hundred
to four hundred tons' burden are constructed,
besides two patent slips: the manufacture of cordage
and other articles connected with the shipping is carried
on, though not so extensively as formerly; there
is also a manufactory for imitation Leghorn hate,
giving employment to upwards of four hundred men,
women, and children, during the summer months, in
the preparation of the straw, which is grown in the
neighbourhood: the manufacturer has received a patent
for the invention. The salmon fishery, for which
Camden mentions this place to have been famous, although
not so productive as in his time, is still purrsued
in the Derwent and along the coast. The markets
are on Wednesday and Saturday, that on the
former day being the principal: it is a large corn
market, and has recently been removed to Washingtonstreet;
there is another market-place, for butter, poultry,
&c., which is connected with convenient shambles
for butchers' meat. The fairs, on the 18th of May and
October, have nearly fallen into disuse. Manor courts
are held occasionally, and the county magistrates hold
petty sessions, every Wednesday, at the Public office
in Udale-street.
The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry of Richmond,
and diocese of Chester, rated in the king's books
at £23. 5., and in the patronage of Henry Curwen, Esq.
The church, dedicated to St. Michael, and rebuilt in
1770, is a handsome structure, in the later style-of English
architecture, with a square tower, situated at the
west end of the town. A chapel of ease, dedicated to
St. John, has recently been erected, under the auspices
of His Majesty's commissioners for building churches,
the first stone of which was laid on the 15th of April,
1822; it is a handsome building of the Tuscan order,
with a portico and cupola, and contains one thousand
four hundred and ninety sittings, of which nine hundred
and ninety are free j the expense was upwards of
£10,000. There are places of worship for Independents,
Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists, Presbyterians, and
Roman Catholics. A free grammar school was founded,
in 1664, by Sir P. Curwen, and endowed, in 1672, by
Thomas Curwen; but, in consequence of a discovery
that the endowment was void, from the circumstance
of Mr. T. Curwen having only a life interest in the
property so assigned, the school has ceased to exist.
A school in the Square was founded, in 1808, by the late
Mr, Curwen, when the free grammar school was broken
up: it is a very commodious building, and affords instruction
to about two hundred boys and sixty girls,
who pay a small weekly sum each. There is also  a
school of industry, established in 1816, for thirty girls.
A dispensary has been recently formed, and there are
several benevolent institutions for clothing the poor,
supported by voluntary contributions. On an eminence
near the sea, at a short distance hence, are the remains
of an ancient dilapidated building, called the Old Chapel;
which, as it commanded an extensive view of Solway
Frith and the Scottish coast, was probably used as a
watch-tower, to guard against the incursions of the
Scots.