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You may view the information for ALL the towns and villages
in Cumbria & The Lake District (the page may be very large)
or
You can view your
preferred location from the list on the left.
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Alston Town Centre - Photo:
Carl Bendelow
CCL |
At 1,000 feet above sea level,
isolated Alston lays claim to be the highest
market town in England. Set on a slope, it nestles
in the higher reaches of the River South Tyne. The
area evolved from the former industry of lead
mining and many buildings hark back to the 1800s.
Since then it has earned a reputation for serving
up Cumberland Mustard and locally produced cheese.
It stands at the start of England’s highest narrow
gauge railway, the South Tynedale Railway. |
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An old market town whose
charter was granted in 1650, Ambleside is one of
Lakeland’s tourist hotspots. It first became
popular in the 19th century when new-fangled
railways sparked a travelling boom.
The poet William Wordsworth
worked here as the Distributor of Stamps for
Westmorland. There is a Wordsworth chapel at St.
Mary's Church and nearby is Rydal House where he
once taught. Another literary figure, Mrs Hemans
(‘the boy stood on a burning deck’) lived at ‘Dove
Nest’ in the 19th century. The poet and critic
Matthew Arnold also lived here.
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View of Ambleside from Loughrigg Fell - Photo:
Nigel Davies
CCL |
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The Bridge House - Photo:
Pam Brophy
CCL |
A number of 17th century
buildings, including a watermill, give the town an
air of historic importance. The Bridge House, now
a National Trust information centre, is an
interesting folly spanning the beck of Stock Ghyll.
The town also has a medieval rush-bearing ceremony
at St. Mary's Church each July. |
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The market town of ‘apple tree
village’, on the River Eden, is the perfect base
from which to explore this beautiful locality. It
boasts a Norman castle that was restored by
philanthropic Lady Anne Clifford in the 17th
century. She also founded St Anne’s Hospital - a
group of almshouses set around a cobbled square -
and restored the local parish church where her
black, marble tomb lies within. Appleby is more
famous, however, as the setting for England’s
largest annual horse fair, first staged in 1685 by
permission of James II. |
River Eden - Photo:
Kenneth Allen
CCL |
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Gatehouse to Brayton Park, east of Aspatria -
Photo:
Nigel Monckton
CCL |
A village on the River Ellen
with prehistoric origins, Aspatria (or ‘St
Patrick’s ash tree’) stands on a former Roman road
and was the object of many attacks by Vikings and,
later, marauders from beyond the Scottish border.
It is best known for its 19th century church of St
Kentigern, on the site of a former Norman church.
Within is a carved Viking hogback tombstone and
carved stones pre-dating the Normans. The
churchyard has a holy well reputed to have been
used by St Kentigern himself. Nearby, an ancient
burial site discovered in the 18th century
contained a skeleton, weaponry and gold ornaments. |
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Best known for its nuclear
submarines and warships, this industrial town
really came to the fore during the 19th century,
first as a centre for iron working using local
iron-ore and later for shipbuilding. The
steelworks shut down in the 1980s.
A few miles northeast are the
sandstone ruins of 12th century Furness Abbey,
founded in 1123. It was the first large foundation
to be outlawed under the Dissolution of the
Monasteries. Also nearby is the Isle of Walney,
which has an important nature reserve.
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Jubilee Bridge, Barrow-in-Furness - Photo:
Rosalind Mitchell
CCL |
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Ford over stream at Bassenthwaite - Photo:
Andrew Smith
CCL |
This charming village lies
near Keswick and looks out onto beautiful
hills. Bassenthwaite Lake lies below and is
thought to be the place where Sir Bevedere
discarded King Arthur’s sword, Excalibur. Its
waters are home to the vendace, a rare fish
found only here and in Derwent Water. Soaring
above everything is the great mountain Skiddaw
where the first pair of ‘English’ ospreys bred
in 2003. |
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A short distance from Keswick,
the village of Bothel lies in the north of
Lakeland and provides access to some of Cumbria's
most attractive areas, notably the fells, the
Solway coast and the city of Carlisle. Hadrian's
Wall, the north Pennines and the Scottish borders
are also within reach. |
Road into Bothel - Photo:
John Holmes
CCL |
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Brough was the site of the
Roman fort Verteris, which was later transformed
into a medieval castle. During the 19th century it
became an important stop over for stagecoaches.
The now-ruined 11th century Brough Castle lies
near St Michael's church. It was severely damaged
by Scottish raiders in 1174 but was rebuilt by
Lady Anne Clifford in the 17th century. The church
dates from 1150 and boasts a Norman doorway. |
Brough Castle |
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The Square, Broughton-in-Furness - Photo:
Humphrey Bolton
CCL |
This is something of an
‘uphill, down dale’ town, with homes and shops
sitting atop steep slopes. The town has its own
stocks as well as a 14th century peel tower built
by the Broughton family. Once visitors have
explored the many nooks and crannies here they
might like to head for Ulpha (wolf hill) to
experience a seriously exhilarating journey along
mountain passes. |
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Nestling in the beautiful,
salmon-leaping Eden Valley, Carlisle has a long
and remarkable history, which is well displayed in
a number of local museums. Although it is close to
the Scottish border, the city has often been the
main guardian of the north and, in the long-dead
past, may even have been the capital of the
ancient kingdom of Rheged.
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Its comparatively small
cathedral was founded in the 12th century but was
ravaged by fires in both the 13th and 14
centuries, so there is little left of its original
Norman architecture. Sir Walter Scott married here
in 1797.
In the 9th century, when it
was a Saxon stronghold, the city was pillaged by
Vikings and later came under fierce attack from
other marauders, notably William ‘Braveheart’
Wallace, Robert the Bruce, Oliver Cromwell and
Bonnie Prince Charlie.
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Carlisle Castle - Photo:
John Gibson
CCL |
The most efficient way to
discover Carlisle’s many charms is on foot. The
centre contains an 18th century town hall, 14th
century Guildhall and a museum displaying Roman
artifacts from Hadrian’s Wall.
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Cartmel Priory - Photo:
George Ford
CCL |
This is one of the oldest
villages in Cumbria and lies on the River Eea
within striking distance of lakes Windermere,
Coniston and Hawkshead. Its famous priory is 800
years old and is regarded by experts as one the
finest ecclesiastical buildings in the north of
England. The village reeks of a bygone age, with
cobbled pavements, ancient streets and old
buildings. The Gatehouse dates to 1340.
The village is a popular
destination for lovers of horse racing – Cartmel
Races are staged here on Spring Bank and August
Bank holidays.
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Locally known as’ Little
Ireland’, Cleator expanded in tandem with the iron
ore industry. In the mid-19th century it enjoyed
the benefits of having a largely Irish workforce
comprising immigrants escaping from the
devastating potato famine. It lies on a former
Roman road and its true origins can be traced back
to at least the 12th century. |
Cleator Church - Photo:
John Holmes
CCL |
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Cockermouth Castle - Photo:
Humphrey Bolton
CCL |
This characterful market town
in the north of Cumbria lies on the edge of the
Lake District National Park and is where the
rivers Cocker and Derwent meet. It was not only
the birthplace of Fletcher Christian, the leading
mutineer on the famous ‘Bounty’, but also William
Wordsworth. His boyhood house (Wordsworth House)
was almost demolished in the 1930s to make way for
a bus station. Instead it was handed to the
National Trust. It was owned by the poet’s father,
John, who lived there rent free, and his employer,
Sir James Lowther, of Lowther Castle. |
The church of All Saints
celebrates Wordsworth’s life in a stained glass
window while the tomb of the poet’s father lies in
the churchyard.
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The town has a number of
fascinating museums - including a printing museum
and toy and model museum - as well as the 19th
century Jennings Brewery, where visitors can enjoy
guided tours and sip some fine ales. |
Cockermouth Brewery - Photo:
Humphrey Bolton
CCL |
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Coniston, with Yewdale Fells in the
background - Photo:
George Ford
CCL |
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The village of Coniston is
famous for both its great lake and its walking
terrain. It is overshadowed by the Old Man of
Coniston (standing at over 2,600ft) and is an
ideal setting from which to explore Lakeland,
owing its existence to copper and slate found
buried in its mountain slopes. Quarries and mine
workings can still be seen.
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Five-mile long Coniston Water
has a number of islands, one of which became
Arthur Ransome’s ‘Wild Cat Island’ in his
children’s adventure story ‘Swallows & Amazons’.
It was on this lake in 1967 that Donald Campbell
was tragically killed in an ill-fated attempt to
break the water-speed record in ‘Bluebird’.
A major attraction is the
steam yacht Gondola, first launched on Coniston
Water in 1859, which takes visitors on a journey
across the waters. The yacht is now operated by
the National Trust.
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Coniston's famous Steam Yacht Gondola - Photo:
George Ford
CCL |
The reformer and critic John
Ruskin lived on the lake’s bank at Brantwood and
is buried in Coniston churchyard. A visit to the
John Ruskin Museum is highly recommended.
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Egremont Castle - Photo:
Roger May
CCL |
A small town near Whitehaven,
Egremont is famous for its annual crab fairs, held
since the mid-13th century, in which apples are
thrown from a cart while local youths are
encouraged to climb up a greasy pole. It also
hosts the World Gurning competition in which
contestants pull ugly faces.
Nearby, St Bees is well worth visiting. The priory
Church of St Mary and St Bega was destroyed by
Vikings in the 7th century but was rebuilt 400
years later. It is still in use. The rocky
promontory St Bees Head lies a few miles northwest
and has both a lighthouse and a nature reserve.
Egremont Castle dates from 1120 but is now a ruin. |
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A genteel, Victorian-style
seaside resort on the north side of Morecambe Bay,
it has a mile-long promenade, which curves around
the shore, fringed by gardens. It was the northern
end of a route across the sands of the Bay until
the advent of the railways.
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Cartmel Priory is one of
few English monastic churches to have survived
the Reformation. It has carved choir stalls, a
15th century stained glass window and a tall
belfry. At Lindale-in-Cartmel, two miles
north, stands an iron monument to John
Wilkinson who spent his youth here and built
the world’s first bridge made from iron in
Shropshire. |
Grange-over-Sands - Photo:
Eileen Cowen
CCL |
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Grasmere - Photo:
Michael Parry
CCL |
The poet William Wordsworth
and his wife Mary thought Grasmere was paradise.
Today this small village lying on the shore of
Grasmere lake is just as picturesque but far less
peaceful thanks to the myriad visitors who wish to
see it. The romantic wordsmith first inhabited
Dove Cottage (1799 to 1808), then moved to nearby
Allan Bank before finally settling for The
Parsonage. Comparatively humble Dove Cottage
remains the pivot of the modern Wordsworth
pilgrimage because it is still in its original
state. Next door, a blacksmith’s shop has been
transformed into a local museum to tell the poet’s
life story. Wordsworth, Mary, their children and
his beloved sister, Dorothy, are buried at 13th
century St. Oswald's Church. |
The village is a haven for
walkers seduced by the glorious surroundings, with
the mountain Helvellyn rising nearby. A rush-
bearing service takes place in August when each
participant is given a piece of gingerbread
bearing the face of St Oswald. In fact,
gingerbread has been made here since 1854.
Grasmere’s largest annual
event, however, is its famous August sports day
when fell running and Cumberland and Westmorland
wrestling take pride of place.
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Replete with interestingly
narrow, cobbled streets, the village of Hawkshead,
near Ambleside, used to be a key woollen centre
and still retains a sense of the bygone. Poet
William Wordsworth went to grammar school here
(between 1779 and 1787) and his desk, with his
name carved on it, has become a latter-day tourist
attraction.
No visit to Hawkshead would be
complete without a tour of the unique Beatrix
Potter Gallery containing some of the children’s
book writer’s original drawings. On her death she
donated land and a number of local buildings to
the fledgling National Trust.
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Hawkshead Village Centre - Photo:
Pam Brophy
CCL |
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Nether Bridge over River Kent -
Photo:
Alley Mc Gurk
CCL |
Kendal, world famous for
(among other things) its mint cake, lies on the
River Kent and offers visitors a vision of the
past through its cobbled streets and fine old
buildings. Once a focal point of the woollen
industry, it was also the birthplace of royalty.
In 1512 Henry V111’s last queen, Katherine Parr,
was born at Kendal Castle. Remains of the
once-great fortress overlook the town.
The restored 18th century
mansion Abbot Hall exhibits paintings from artists
such as Turner and Ruskin and contains the Museum
of Lakeland Life and Industry. The Museum of
Natural History and Archaeology contains the
office of Alfred Wainwright, author of famous
guides to the Lakeland's hills.
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The town’s 13th century parish
church is one of the largest in the country with
an 80ft tower and the Parr family chapel.
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Once famous for producing lead
pencils, thanks to local deposits of graphite,
rugged Keswick is a major town in Lakeland. It
lies at the northern end of Derwent Water and is
overshadowed by Skiddaw and Blencathra. A one-time
woollen town, it developed through the mining of
materials such as lead, copper, iron and gold. The
use of graphite, found in Borrowdale, is
celebrated at the Cumberland Pencil Museum. |
View over Derwent Water - Photo: Malcolm
Winder |
The poet Samuel Taylor
Coleridge lived in Greta Hall, now part of Keswick
School, while other ‘celebrities’, including Sir
Walter Scott, Lord Tennyson, John Ruskin and
Robert Louis Stevenson, paid frequent visits. The
story of Keswick’s literary associations is told
at Keswick Museum and Art Gallery.
Castlerigg Stone Circle,
dating to 2,000BC, stands outside Keswick, while
Canon Rawnsley, who inspired Beatrix Potter and
was a founder of the National Trust, is buried at
Crosthwaite Church. Family attractions in Keswick
include Mirehouse Historic House & Gardens and
‘Cars Of The Stars Motor Museum’, which possesses
‘James Bond’ cars and Del Boy's misfiring Robin
Reliant.
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Kirkby Lonsdale Market Square
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Photo:
Carl Bendelow
CCL |
Set on a hill above the River
Lune, this is arguably one of Cumbria’s most
scenic towns, lying close to magnificent peaks
such as Skiddaw, Helvellyn, Great Gable and
England's highest point, Scafell Pike. It is
particularly well known for its Devil’s Bridge and
Ruskin’s View. The bridge spans the River Lune and
was built in the 13th century - reputedly by Satan
himself. Ruskin’s View can be found atop a series
of steps near St Mary’s Church. |
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The steep drive out of this
quaint market town on the River Eden will take you
to the Yorkshire Dales National Park, providing
dramatic views on the way. The local sandstone
church dates from the 12th century. It contains
the shaft of an Anglo-Dutch cross which has a
carving of the Devil and is unique in Britain. |
Kirkby Stephen Town Centre - Photo:
Carl Bendelow
CCL |
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Maryport Harbour - Photo:
Pat Pierpoint
CCL |
Founded in 1749, this
interesting former coal and iron-ore port was
named after Mary, wife of the Lord of the Manor
Humphrey Senhouse II and daughter of the Bishop of
Carlisle. It has neat terraces of sandstone houses
and was at one time the most important port in
Cumbria.
Its past is brought to life at
the town’s Maritime Museum, which contains
fascinating reminders of Fletcher Christian, the
matelot who led the mutiny of the Bounty. He was
born in Cockermouth in 1764. Thomas Henry Ismay,
founder of the White Star Line, was also born
here. Nearby stand the remains of a Roman Fort,
Alauna, an outlying bastion of Hadrian's Wall,
which held back the Picts. A visit to The Senhouse
Roman Museum reveals the story of the Romans
occupation of these parts.
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Once the largest industrial
sites of its type in the world, this old town is
famous for iron ore mining and smelting and was
the birthplace of, and home to, Norman Nicholson,
the Lakeland poet who died in 1987. Some of his
work is dedicated to the town where he grew up.
The town’s folk museum has a
reconstruction of a drift mine while ‘The Scutcher’
is a statue, made by a cocktail of dust and resin,
which stands in the centre of Millom and
commemorates the local iron industry.
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Millom Market Place - Photo:
Simon Phillips
CCL |
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Milnthorpe Deer Park - Photo:
Michael Graham
CCL |
A weekly market has been
staged in this picturesque former coaching town
for more than 700 years. One of its key
attractions is a beautiful old mansion lying on
the banks of the River Bela. |
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Sitting at the foot of
Helvellyn, north of Ambleside, this intriguing
village was once an important centre of lead
mining. Wordsworth must have known it well because
as a young man he managed to terrify himself by
‘borrowing’ a small boat and launching it onto the
vast expanse of Ullswater, which lies nearby.
Patterdale has also given its name to the spirited
‘Patterdale’ hunting terrier. |
Patterdale - Photo:
Carl Bendelow
CCL |
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Penrith Castle - Photo:
Carl Bendelow
CCL |
Bustling Penrith is one of the
oldest of the Lake District’s towns and lies close
to the beautiful Eden Valley. It used to be
Cumbria’s capital and its importance is reflected
in the remains of a 14th century castle, now owned
by English Heritage. Owen Caesarius, King of
Cumbria, is allegedly buried in the graveyard of
St. Andrew's Church.
William Wordsworth and his
sister Dorothy stayed in Devonshire Street,
Penrith, with their grandparents. There is a
plaque to him in the Robin Hood Inn.
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Local attractions include a
pottery where visitors can try their hand at pot
throwing, and a discovery centre. Close by is
Ullswater lake and its superb steam boat cruises.
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This pretty fishing village
boasts one of Lakeland’s greatest attractions, the
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, which takes
visitors on a seven-mile journey with stunning
views. It was built in 1875 to carry iron ore from
local mines but eventually closed. Then, in 1960,
a group of people saw its potential and re-opened
it, using narrow-gauge track and miniature steam
locos.
At one time Ravenglass, lying
on Cumbria’s west coast, was a Roman naval base
known as Glannaventa. You can still visit the
remains of a Roman fort.
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Eskdale Ravenglass Steam Railway - Photo:
Gordon Mc Kinlay
CCL |
At the foot of Eskdale sits
Muncaster Castle, which has Roman foundations, as
well as Muncaster Fell where, it is reputed, a
shepherd came to the rescue of Henry VI after he
became stranded following the Battle of Hexham
Levels in 1464.
Ravenglass has a beach and a
swathe of sand dunes. They are now an important
nature reserve, while nearby Sellafield Visitor
Centre offers an insight into nuclear technology.
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Main Street, Sedbergh - Photo:
Carl Bendelow
CCL |
A small rural town, Sedbergh
is partly protected by the Howgill Fells. It is
famous for its public school founded in 1525. One
of its 19th century teachers was H.W. Fowler whose
‘Dictionary of Modern English Usage’ has given him
a degree of immortality. The town’s stunning
parish church of St Andrew is of Norman origin.
Surrounding the town are spectacular vistas. |
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A typical Cumbrian village,
Thursby took its name from the god, Thor. A temple
dedicated to him stood nearby. The Crofton Estate,
owned by the Brisco family, once covered several
thousand acres and its lake, walled garden and
stable block still exist. St Andrew’s Church dates
back to the mid-19th century. |
Thursby Parish Church - Photo:
Bob Jenkins
CCL |
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- Stone Cross at Ulverston - Photo:
Carl Bendelow
CCL |
An ancient market town,
Ulverston was granted its first charter in the
13th century and still bears reminders of the past
in the form of historic buildings and cobbled
streets. It also boasts a 90ft replica of the
Eddystone Lighthouse, a permanent tribute to
Ulverston-born Sir John Barrow, the explorer who
founded the Royal Geographical Society.
Despite twice being burned
down by the forces of Robert the Bruce, by the
18th century the town had been transformed into a
port, largely because of the construction of a
canal enabling ships carrying ore and slate to
reach local quarries. The mile-long canal is the
shortest in England.
Ulverston’s modern claim to
fame, however, can be found at the Laurel and
Hardy Museum. In photographs and other memorabilia
it celebrates the genius of both Stan Laurel – who
was born in Ulverston – and his movie comedy
partner Oliver Hardy.
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This was an important
industrial town in the 18th century after the
Lowther family laid it out on a grid pattern to
facilitate the export of coal from their local
mines. It became the largest port in the country
behind London and Bristol. The first place many
visitors head for is The Beacon, a harbour side
museum which describes in detail the highs and
lows of this seaside town on the Irish Sea.
George Washington's
grandmother, Mildred Warner Gale, lived in the
town and is buried in 19th century St. Nicholas
Church, now a ruin following a fire in 1971.
Another famous State-side connection emerged in
1778 when the privateer John Paul Jones destroyed
a shore battery during the American War of
Independence.
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Whitehaven Harbour - Photo:
Humphrey Bolton
CCL |
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Wigton Monument - Photo:
Nigel Monckton
CCL |
The mainly Georgian market
town of Wigton, between Caldbeck and the Solway
coast, has always been a hive of activity and has
Norman roots dating back at least 1,000 years. It
has a pre-medieval town plan, which can still be
traced today. The Romans stationed cavalrymen at
‘Olenacum’ south of the town. The market place has
a 19th century fountain erected in 1872. Built of
granite, it features four bronze reliefs of the
Acts of Mercy by the Pre-Raphaelite sculptor
Thomas Woolner. |
Wigton was the birthplace of
both Melvyn Bragg, the television presenter, and
Sir William Bragg (1862-1942) who, with his son
Lawrence, won the Nobel prize for physics for
their pioneering work on crystallography. The
interior of the 18th century church of St. Mary's
was repainted by Reverend John Ford, father of
TV’s Anna Ford, in the 1950s.
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No visit to the Lake
District would be complete without a trip to
these twin ‘villages’, which offer the perfect
window of opportunity for further exploration,
whether by car, bicycle, Shanks’ pony – or
even by boat. Beware, though, because this is
one of Lakeland’s most popular destinations.
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Waterfall in Sherrifs Walk - Photo:
Phil Kirby
CCL |
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Cruising on Windermere - Photo:
Barry
CCL |
Windermere itself sits above the famous
10-mile lake while Bowness-on-Windermere is
the main centre for tourism. The lake is awash
with boats although landlubbers can take a
look through the pages of boating history at
the Windermere Steamboat Museum, which has a
fine collection of mainly steam-powered craft,
while the ‘World of Beatrix Potter’ brings to
life the author’s most famous children’s
characters. |
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The Brockhole National
Park Visitor Centre has exhibitions on
Lakeland and its past.
The
‘black’ magician Aleister Crowley settled here
for a time, and so did the poet William
Wordsworth who lived to regret the fact that
his work inspired thousands of his fellow
countrymen to follow his lead and ‘invade’ the
Lakes with the advent of the railway age. |
View over Lake Windermere -
Photo: Kevin Sheldon |
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This industrial town has a few
surprises in store. It contains a number of
magnificent Georgian buildings as well as the 14th
century Workington Hall, now a virtual ruin, where
Mary Queen of Scots stayed in 1568. The town owes
its prosperity to coal and supplied fuel to
steel-makers, taking it from seams beneath the
ocean. |
Workington Harbour - Photo:
Pat Pierpoint
CCL |
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