WORKINGTON, a seaport town of England in the county of Cumberland, is situated near the south bank of the Dement, about a mile from its embouchure. The new streets are neat and elegant, and contain some handsome houses, but the ancient ones are narrow and irregular. A neat square of 20 houses, containing the corn market, was built in the upper town. The church is a handsome building with a neat Gothic tower. The other buildings are a spacious workhouse, a neat assem bly room, and a theatre, a Lancasterian school for 220 boys, and a female school for girls. On an eminence, near the east end of the town, stands 'Workington Hall, the seat of the Curwens. It forms an elegant quadrangle, and is surrounded with fine grounds and fields, brought into the high est state of cultivation by its late public spirited possessor. The Derwent is navigable for ships of 400 tons, and the harbour is safe and commodious.
The quays have been enlarged, and there are now about 160 vessels belonging to the port, many of them from 100 to 300 tons. The exports are chiefly coals to Ireland and the Baltic, cannon and cast iron kettles. The imports are timber, bar iron, and flax. The manufactures are cordage, sailcloth, and the casting and forging of iron. There is an extensive salmon fishery on the Der went belonging to Lord Lonsdale.
Workington is distinguished by its extensive coaleries, belonging to Mr. Curwen, which we have described in our article CUMBERLAND, VOL VII. p. 341. See also MINE, Vol. XIII. About 150 wagons, each containing three tons of coal, are shipped daily, and between 500 or 600 men are employed in the work. Population of the town ship in 1821, 1224 houses, 1751 families, 469 do. in trade, and 6439 inhabitants. The returns state that 439 sailors were absent.