The town and harbour of Workington is situated on the south bank of the Derwent, near its entrance to the Irish sea; it is about seven miles north of Whitehaven, and thirty-four south of Carlisle. It is divided into the upper and lower towns. Leland, in his venerable Itinerary, describes "Wyrkenton" as "a lytle prety fyssher-town;" and in his day, indeed, most of the maritime stations on this coast, which have subsequently risen into importance, were nothing more than "pretty little fisher-towns." It is also noticed by Camden as distinguished for its salmon-fishery, owing to its favourable position at the mouth of the river Derwent, whose scenery holds so distinguished a place in the poetry of the Lakes.

The public buildings of Workington are chiefly of modern date, and the houses disposed into two clusters in that called the Upper town. In the area of the new square is the corn-market, and at a short distance are the assembly rooms and theatre, both of which, though small, are by no means destitute of taste and elegance. It has a weekly market on Wednesday for corn, and on Wednesday and Saturday for butchers' meat. The church of St. Michael, forming a prominent object in the centre of the Engraving, is a rectory in the patronage of the Curwen family, and contains a monument of Sir Patrick Curwen, Bart., who died in 1661. The chief source of industry here, as at Whitehaven and other towns of the coast, is the coal-mines, which, in the vicinity of Workington, amount to sixteen or upwards, with a depth of from forty to ninety fathoms. The coal lies in bands or seams, divided from each other by intermediate strata. Of these the uppermost is generally three feet thick, the second four, and the third, or lowest, from ten to twelve feet. The extraneous matter that separates the former varies considerably; but the covering of the main coal is of the finest white freestone, about twenty yards thick. When the "new seam," as it was then called, was first discovered at Chapel-bank, the event was celebrated by the late proprietor, Mr. Curwen, by a splendid festival, and a vast concourse of the inhabitants and neighbours assembled to drink success to the "black diamond."

The quantity of coal shipped from this port, per week, amounted latterly to two thousand tons or upwards, and the raising of which, with the aid of several steam-engines, afford employment to between six and seven hundred workmen. The agricultural society of Workington has contributed much to the improvement of the county, and owes its origin to the spirited and indefatigable example of the late proprietor of these mines. A staith or loading stage for collier vessels is seen on the right hand of the illustration. It is an object more valuable for its utility than for any beauty in an artistic point of view; but it is a distinguishing characteristic of all the ports engaged in the coal-trade, and, wherever it can be rendered available, reduces the expenses of the coal-owner, by obviating the necessity for keels or lighters.

The mansion of the Curwen family—or hall, as it is more generally designated—was formerly a castle of great strength; and, notwithstanding the numerous alterations it has undergone since the feudal epoch, still presents a noble and imposing feature in the landscape. In this hospitable fortalice Queen Mary was received and entertained by its generous owner, the ancestor of the present Mr. Curwen, till the royal pleasure of Elizabeth could be ascertained as to her future disposal. The chamber in which she slept is still a recording testimony of the fact, and retains the name of the "Queen's chamber," where we may well believe—

The mountains of Cumberland—some of which form the background in the present view—are exceedingly numerous, lofty, and of striking conformation. Around the lakes they are often finely grouped, generally clothed with copse-wood: here pastoral, and dotted with flocks; and there rugged, precipitous, and hewn into deep ravines by those thundering torrents which convey their foaming tribute to the lakes. Every mountain in Cumberland has its name celebrated in poetry—every lake has been the subject of some inspired lyric; and such was the favour in which the charming scenery of this county was held by several of the master-spirits of the age, that the lakes of Cumberland and the adjoining county were adopted as their residence, and from their banks the strains of Wordsworth and Southey were welcomed as the genuine emanations of inspired minds.