Port Carlisle

In the early 18th century, there were high aspirations to transform the Solway coast into ‘a second Liverpool.’ A canal was built, connecting the coast to Carlisle, and what was once a smattering of houses burgeoned into a flourishing village. This canal facilitated maritime navigation into Carlisle. The photo shows the entrance to the canal which had a set of sea gates.

However, the canal’s glory was fleeting, eclipsed by the fervour of railway development. The canal closed, making way for a railway, largely tracing the course of the canal. Unfortunately, the construction of a downstream viaduct across the Solway hindered ship access to Port Carlisle. Consequently, the railway met its demise, with freight services halting by 1899.