A look at the history of Harrington Marina

The marina sits by the shore of the small coastal village that is nestled between the larger ports of Whitehaven and Workington.

It was originally developed as an iron ore and coal port. The first small quay at the mouth of the river Wyre was constructed by Henry Curwen in 1760. At that time there were no houses in the area and no ships were recorded as belonging to Harrington. But by 1794 there were around 60 ships.

The main cargoes were coal being shipped to Ireland from Curwen's mines nearby, as well as lime from Distington to Scotland.

A decline in manufacturing industry saw the harbours usage drop dramatically during the latter part of the 19th Century.

It currently has 14 yacht moorings for boats up to 34 feet and 25 moorings for boats under 20 feet. In addition there are six moorings for larger fishing boats up to 35 feet and one for official visitors.

Harrington once had five railway stations. it still has one station, on the Cumbrian Coast railway, near the harbour.

The parish consists of Harrington itself, High Harrington, and Salterbeck, which is a large housing estate on the Workington side of the parish.

These photos show some of what has been going on at Harrington Marina over the years. We hope that these pictures help to bring back some fond memories for some of you.