FOR this week's Nostalgia we wanted to take a look at Whitehaven Harbour.

The harbour and marina has been a focal point of the town for centuries.

Whilst for many years the area was used as a working, industrial harbour it is a quiet marina nowadays which many people visit for a leisurely stroll or to enjoy one of the bars or cafes.

The development of the harbour started with the beginning of the Irish Coal Trade. In 1634 Sir Christopher Lowther built a stone jetty which is now known as Old Quay.

The Sugar Tongue Quay, which was used for unloading sugar from the West Indies, was added in 1809, and the Lime Tongue, from which large quantities of lime were exported, was added in 1754.

As trade continued to expand additional quays were built, culminating in the construction of the North Pier and West Pier.

The final phase was Queens Dock, which was majorly used by Marchon Chemical Plant until 1992, bringing calcium phosphate from Africa to make detergents.

There is little that remains of the once flourishing coal and iron industries, the Candlestick Chimney is the only remaining part of the engine house which was built in 1850.

Just a short walk from the Candlestick is Duke Pit fan casing which once house a large wooden ventilation fan.

Because of the harbour's rich history, many people are still keen to learn about the heritage of the area. Places like The Beacon and The Rum Story offer a detailed history of Whitehaven.

These photos show some of the things that have happened at the harbour over the years. We hope that they will bring back fond memories for some of you.