Maryport is a delightful harbour side town situated on the beautiful Solway Firth. Its history, covering 2000 years boasts a Roman Fort, Georgian buildings, Victorian docks, and industries which have included coal mining, iron making, shipping and shipbuilding and many fascinating links with famous men and historical events.

At the beginning of the 18th Century Maryport was hardly more than a little fishing creek at the mouth of the River Ellen consisting of a few huts and a farmhouse (now The Golden Lion Hotel which hosted Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins and George Stephenson). Maryport was a planned town and rapidly expanded with 20,000 inhabitants by the beginning of the 20th century. ,

By 1752 manufacturing was beginning with leases being granted in that year for building, quarries, furnaces and forges.

In 1756 Humphrey Senhouse changed the name of the lands known as Ellenfoot to Maryport calling the new town after his wife Mary. This change of name was later to be confirmed in an act of Parliament in 1791.

Maryport continued to develop and grow with houses numbering 100 in 1774. The year 1784 saw the building of the first blast furnace, which rose to a height of 36 feet. During the first half of the 19th century Maryport boomed. A gas supply was connected, the railway was built, ships were registered for the first time and the bonded warehouse was built in 1842.

The second half of the century saw Elizabeth 1857 and Senhouse 1884 docks opened and the Maryport and Carlisle railway, which was planned by George Stephenson, in 1845. The harbour was founded mainly for the export of coal to Ireland; however other exports included steel rails, stone bar bolts and cast iron from the Solway Iron Works and collieries based in Ellenborough, Flimby, Dearham and Aspatria. Shipbuilders' yards were a common sight, with Maryport having the largest docks on the west Cumbria coast until 1927.

A decline in industry hit Maryport hard in the second half of the 20th Century and in the late 1980s a major regeneration programme was initiated to forge a new future for the town.  To date much work has been achieved and the town now plays host to one of Britain's premier Blues Festivals, located in the town's revitalised Harbour area.

Maryport Neighbourhood Partnership

Maryport Neighbourhood Partnership was formally established in December 2006.  The Partnership represents both members of the neighbourhood community (Maryport town, Flimby, Broughton Moor, Dearham, Crosby and Crosscannonby) and the service providers in the area.  The Partnership has two principal groups working to achieve both government Neighbourhood Renewal targets and community aspirations:

Neighbourhood Group

Self selected residents from across CA15 area (not Allonby). 

Delivery Group

Heads of Service Delivery organisations in Maryport e.g. Police Inspector, secondary school Headteacher, Maryport Health Services

Strategic Priorities

Maryport Neighbourhood Partnership aims to achieve both government targets and local community aspirations.  There is a good fit between both the targets set by government and the aspirations described by local residents.

Government targets have been are directed by the neighbourhood renewal agenda, with Local Area Agreement targets presently being integrated into the work of the partnership.  Community aspirations have been determined through an existing long term (and ongoing) process of community engagement and consultation.  Maryport town Plan, Parish Plans, community surveys and Neighbourhood Forum consultations have all been used to inform the priorities.

The principal community priorities for this neighbourhood area are:

• Reducing anti-social behaviour
• Increasing activities and facilities for young people
• Improving environmental quality (reducing dog fouling, litter graffiti)
• Reducing redundant and derelict buildings in the neighbourhood
• Involvement of the community in environmental improvement programmes
• Maryport's Future: Publicity and Promotion

Activities

Maryport Neighbourhood Partnership has approximately £80,000 to commission work to support the achievement of NRF targets.  It has already commissioned the following works:

• Maryport Local Police Team                          

To reduce anti-social behaviour

• Maryport Youth Work Providers

To develop a young peoples centre

• The Rising Sun Trust             

To develop a drug and alcohol support drop-in

• Fit 4 Life

To provide additional resources for individuals on incapacity benefit to access fitness training

To assist Fit 4 Life become contract ready to tender for Condition Management Programme

• Flimby Community Association

To support the development of Flimby Green gym and assist the Community Association become contract ready to tender for Condition Management Programme

• Netherhall Community Sports Centre

To provide additional resources for individuals on incapacity benefit to access fitness training

• Maryport Health Services

Additional smoking cessation sessions to be targeted at patients with diagnosed chronic disease (those suffering with diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and heart disease).

Finally, the partnership has identified the need to develop a dedicated website for Maryport visitors and residents.