This would have been the original harbour entrance. Not only was the port a place for loading and unloading goods (there was a regular consignment of brewing ingredients for the local branch of Thomas Greenall's brewery) but it was also a shipbuilding port taking commissions for ships from shipping companies on the north-west English coast. A relatively quiet area these days, in its heyday there were over 60 alehouses in the area and I'm sure there were the usual nightclubs, and whatever, which accompanied such thirst-quenching activities.