WHITEHAVEN, seaport, market town, municipal borough, Whitehaven parliamentary division, Cumberland, England, 41 m. S.W. of Carlisle on the L.M.S. railway. Pop. (1931) 21,142. At the mouth of a river, the harbour is protected by two piers. It has a large dock and a tidal harbour and extensive quayage. Regu lar summer communications are maintained with the Isle of Man. The exports are principally coal, pig iron and ore, steel and stone. There are collieries near the town, the workings extending beneath the sea ; there are also iron-mines and works, engineering works, and shipbuilding yards. From 1832 until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough returning one member.
Whitehaven (Witofthaven) was a possession of the priory of St. Bee which became crown property at the dissolution of the religious houses. It was acquired before 1644 by relatives of the earl of Lonsdale, who secured the prosperity of the town by work ing the coal-mines. From 1708 the harbour was governed by 21 trustees, whose power was extended by frequent legislation, until, in 1885, they were incorporated. In 1894 a municipal corporation was created by charter in that year. The harbour was entrusted to 15 commissioners.