Two iconic buildings are being brought to life again.

Maryport’s Christ Church and the Carlton cinema have both been acquired by Allerdale Council as part of a multi-million regeneration of the town.

It has also been revealed that the Maryport Maritime Museum will move out of the Queen’s Head in Shipping Brow and into the church.

Christ Church, sitting on the harbourside, is known as the Sailor’s Church and is shaped inside like an upturned boat.

It was built in 1872 and is Grade-II listed.

The clock on the steeple was donated to the town by local man Thomas Henry Ismay, who bought the White Star Line ­— the company that responsible for building the ill-fated Titanic’s maiden voyage.

It has also been painted by several artists including Percy Kelly and Sheila Fell.

Recently, an LS Lowry picture of the church sold for £80,000.

Maritime museum chairman Peter Stevenson said he believed the decision to restore the church had come from public pressure.

“It will be good for us.

“We have as many items stored as we have on display because we don’t have enough room for them.

“Christ Church will be so much bigger.”

But he added that while the maritime museum was told of the plans some time ago, “it is all moving very slowly and we haven’t heard much from Allerdale recently”.

The Carlton was restored by Allerdale Council a number of years ago and has had a chequered history.

It was bought by a Stoke-on-Trent potter who moved his business there.

When that failed, he applied for planning permission to build flats and he also ran a covered market on the ground floor.

Businessman George Kemp bought it and sold it on.