This photograph taken on the morning of New Years Day

2010 looks across the Solway Firth from Harrington towards the coast of Scotland near Kirkcubright. Harrington is located on the West Cumbrian coast between Workington and Whitehaven. This area of the old county of Cumberland originally relied upon agriculture to survive, however, with the coming of the Industrial Revolution coal sourced from the West Cumbrian coalfields led to an extensive development of the coal mining industry in the area. Pits were abundant, stretching from Maryport through Flimby, Siddick, Workington and Whitehaven with several being found in Harrington. This in turn led to the expansion of Harrington harbour to ship the coal to Ireland and other destinations. The growth of the harbour created a demand for ships and a thriving shipbuilding industry developed which included the manufacture of sails and ropes.
The existence of good quality iron ore in the area led to the building of several ironworks in Workington, Harrington and Cleator Moor and in turn, to the steelworks of Workington which supplied railway lines to much of the world right up until August 2006.
At it's industrial peak Harrington boasted a busy harbour, iron, brick and chemical works, five railway stations, coal mines, shipbuilding, sand pits and quarries. Almost all of these are now gone, except the one railway station and the harbour, which is now a marina. The vast majority of the harbourside settlement, together with the ironworks etc. have long been demolished. File 7436.