IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Church Street, WHITEHAVEN, CA28 7EB

The Nave was burnt down sometime in the past and for a long time the site was an eyesore until recently when the site was turned into beautiful award winning gardens and the nave area used for various events.

For almost three centuries the dominant feature of Lowther Street has been St. Nicholas' Church. Originally built in 1693 to replace a small chapel that stood at the end of Chapel St, it was rebuilt in 1883 by Miss Margaret Gibson in memory of her parents. A fire on 31st August 1971 destroyed the entire fabric except the clock tower and main entrance. Many important local families have been associated with St Nicholas. Although the graveyard was redesigned as a garden which now forms one of the features of Lowther St, some of the older headstones to be found at the Duke St end of the grounds provide a number of reminders of Whitehaven's maritime past. Inside the tower is a plaque to the memory of Mildred Warner Gale, the grandmother of George Washington. She was buried in the grounds, 30th January 1700/1. Her husband, George Gale, was buried on his plantation, called 'Tusculum', in Somerset County, just outside of Princess Anne, Maryland, USA.

The Kinetic Clock ticks away mechanically representing the story of rum from sugar cane to bottle.

For almost three centuries the dominant feature of Lowther Street has been St. Nicholas' Church. Originally built in 1693 to replace a small chapel that stood at the end of Chapel St, it was rebuilt in 1883 by Miss Margaret Gibson in memory of her parents. A fire on 31st August 1971 destroyed the entire fabric except the clock tower and main entrance. Many important local families have been associated with St Nicholas. Although the graveyard was redesigned as a garden which now forms one of the features of Lowther St, some of the older headstones to be found at the Duke St end of the grounds provide a number of reminders of Whitehaven's maritime past. Inside the tower is a plaque to the memory of Mildred Warner Gale, the grandmother of George Washington. She was buried in the grounds, 30th January 1700/1. Her husband, George Gale, was buried on his plantation, called 'Tusculum', in Somerset County, just outside of Princess Anne, Maryland, USA. Visitors may climb a narrow spiral stair in the Clock Tower, to see the workings of the clock, and to see a small display relating to the Gale family. The remaining building has been tastefully renovated, and contains a small place of worship, and a Resource Centre used by local schools and youth groups. The centre also contains a volunteer run cafe.

Originally built in 1693, St. Nicholas’ Church was substantially enlarged in 1883 by Miss Margaret Gibson in memory of her parents, but features of the first church survive. A fire on 31st August 1971 destroyed the entire fabric except the clock tower and main entrance. The tower was subsequently converted to become a multifunctional building with a chapel/worship area.

A fire in 1973 destroyed most of the church, which was first built in 1693, leaving just the tower standing. The tower is open to the public who can climb to the top and the building still contains a small chapel and a cafe.