A look at the history of Whitehaven's street names

Whilst being a small town it has a vibrant history and many of the streets have their rich heritage. 

We wanted to look back at how some of the town's streets got their name and give you a bit of an insight into what makes Whitehaven the place it is today. 

By the 1600s Whitehaven had grown into a small village consisting of houses and an ancient chapel. 

It was from Rosemary Lane, named after the plant, that was growing there, leading to Haven through Swingpump Lane and King Street that the town would develop.

After Charles II had been restored to the throne, he granted a charter to the market and Sir James Lowther owned a lot of land in the area. 

Many of the longstanding families built houses and gave their surnames to the lanes separating them. 

One prominent family the Gales had Gale Court, Gale Lane, and Gale Backlane named after them. 

Nicholson Alley and Hamilton Lane were also called after local families. 

Bransty Arch, Whitehaven (Image: Newsquest)

As the town expanded houses were built on the other side of Pow Beck and this area became known as New Town, Pipe House Lane was the site of a manufactury. Preston Street was built much later. 

The main part of the town was designed by Sir John Lowther who intended King Street to be the main thoroughfare and was occupied by the main businesses of the day. 

Strand Street, which lay behind, gradually became built up as the town came into being. 

Chapel Street which was set to the east covered ground from the Pack Horse Inn and Savings Bank to the site of the old newspaper offices. 

The chapel which the street had been named after became too small for the town and so with planning and negotiations St Nicholas' Gardens came into being. 

The Flatt Hall was remodelled and named Whitehaven Castle in 1769 and Lowther Street became the next thoroughfare making the castle visible from the harbour and through its entire length. 

Materials from the old chapel were used to build a schoolhouse, named what is now Schoolhouse Lane. 

The name running along St Nicholas' was named Church Street and Queen Street commemorated King Charles II's wife. 

Addison's Alley gained its designation from the relative of Joseph Addison the writer and politician who, with Sir Richard Steele, was the co-founder of The Spectator. 

Duke Street continued to follow the route of the old road to Hensingham and was named after the Duke of York, later to become James II. 

Tangier Street and Senhouse Street derived their names from Tangier House and its owners. 

Irish Street came into being in the early days of the town and probably got its name from the Irish connections to the port. 

Scotch Street had a much later origin and probably got its name from the Scots who came to work in the town.