PROPERTY
MOVE TO
WHITEHAVEN
A low-profile spot on the West Cumbrian coast, the old port of Whitehaven is re-emerging as a Georgian seaside gem at the foot of the Lake District, writes Lesley Gillilan
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town through tough times, but it has gradually reinvented itself as a tourist attraction, underpinned by the Millennium-linked redevelopment of the old port – now one of the finest marinas on the northwest coast. In tourismspeak, they call it the ‘Georgian Gem of the North’, or the Gateway to the Lakes. Whitehaven is on the doorstep of the Lake District – the UK’s latest World Heritage site, awarded UNESCO status in 2017. On a clear day, you can see Ennerdale Fells or, in the seaward direction, across the Solway Firth to the Isle of Man. With its wild coastline, high cliffs, rugged stone harbour and mining history, it has something in common with Cornwall, except that house prices here are considerably lower – a factor which tends to attract a younger generation to this old-fashioned town. A ‘proper Cumbrian’, 33-yearold Lara Schwab has been in Whitehaven all her life and has never felt the need to leave. Her shop, Little Whims (quirky, vintage and hand-made gifts), is among a new breed of independent shops, restaurants and wine bars that have sprung up in the town in
more recent years. It’s in Market Place – a once run-down Georgian shopping street that has benefited from a Lottery-funded Townscape Heritage regeneration scheme. ‘There’s so much history here,’ says Lara. ‘And so much potential.’
WHERE TO BUY
For the classic Georgian terraces that define Whitehaven’s centre, look at the tight-knit grid of streets between High Street, Scotch Street and the harbour. Church Street has some particularly good examples but, further from the seafront, there are grander period townhouses on Foxhouses Road and Inkerman Terrace. For sea views, the best bet is a modern apartment in harbour development Pears House; or head for the nearby village of St Bees – five miles to the south – which has its own railway station, as well as a sandy beach and a fine collection of affordable period properties.
HOW MUCH?
Premium properties will go for higher prices, but they rarely top £600,000 – around £440,000£500,000 will buy a large,
PHOTOGRAPH COPELAND BOROUGH COUNCIL
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hose who have never heard of Whitehaven will be surprised to learn that this small far-flung Cumbrian town was once one of the busiest ports in England – in fact, by the late 18th century, only London was busier. The money made from shipping local coal – plus salt, sugar and tobacco – is still evident now in the neat rows of handsome Georgian houses which form the core of the harbour town. In its original form, it was a model of Georgian new town planning – it is said that New York’s grid system was based on Whitehaven’s. And if you dream of buying a Georgian townhouse with sash windows, cornices and a grand entrance, here’s where you’ll find one for a song. The town is a little out of the way, but it is also bustling with life: there are two museums (one dedicated to rum – another 18th century import), as well as a traditional high street and more than 250 listed buildings. A local habit of painting townhouses in a palette of pastel colours adds to the charm of its streets. Industrial decline has put the
