Maryport is a town and civil parish in the Cumberland district, in the ceremonial county of Cumbria, England.

The town is situated just outside the Lake District National Park, at the northern end of the former Cumberland Coalfield.

Silloth is 12.6 miles (20 km) to the north on the B5300 coast road, which passes through the villages of Allonby, Mawbray, Beckfoot and Blitterlees.

The town contains substantial remains of the Roman fort, which was the last in a series that stretched southwards along the coast from the wall to prevent it being avoided by crossing the Solway Firth.

[5] The Senhouse Roman Museum adjoins the site of Alauna, and has a replica wooden watch-tower overlooking the fort and the sea.

The Senhouse family were landowners in the area and responsible for the development of the town and excavation of its Roman past.

In 1770, Humphrey Senhouse's son, William, was appointed Surveyor General of Customs in Barbados where he purchased a sugar plantation and managed another for Sir James Lowther of Whitehaven.

[11] The Maryport and Carlisle Railway, opened in the 1840s, with George Stephenson as its engineer, made the transport of coal much easier.

By 1890, the Allerdale Coal Company had thirty Beehive coke ovens working on its site at Buckhill, Broughton Moor.

Two groups of local miners formed co-operatives and leased the mines at Crosshow and Townhead from the Lowthers.

[13] During the early years of the 20th century, trade in the docks remained steady but was badly affected by the 1926 General Strike.

Previously, the Workington Iron and Steel works had imported much of their raw material through Maryport but all of this trade was immediately transferred to the new facility.

The government declared West Cumberland a ‘Special Area' but, by 1933, 57.3% of the town's insured workforce was unemployed.

[16] Despite a minor boom during the Second World War, when coal from North East England was diverted to the port, Maryport never recovered.

[17] Today, after a series of major regeneration projects such as the yacht marina in the local harbour, prospects for the town are starting to look better.

[22] The town is part of the parliamentary constituency of Penrith and Solway, and has been represented by Markus Campbell-Savours of the Labour Party since the 2024 general election.

This has previously attracted names such as Jools Holland, Dionne Warwick, Elkie Brooks, Buddy Guy, Jethro Tull, Van Morrison, Robert Cray and Chuck Berry.

The three-day event usually takes place on the last weekend of July, attracting both local and international artists.

[28] Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Border.