2014: A Year in Pictures

Throughout 2014 we visited many stunning places, most of which I have written about on this blog, however there are a few that I shall have to leave for 2015. This short guide will show you our favourite places that we visited month by month throughout 2014, although there are many many more I wish we could add in as well:

January

Starting off our January adventures was the beautiful English city of Coventry, located in the West Midlands. We visited the bombed out Cathedral from 1941, and climbed up to the top of the tower to get a great view out across the city. It was a poignant reminder of the virtues of peace, and the Cathedral is a permanent memorial to the Coventry Blitz which destroyed the building and much of Coventry’s historic city centre.

Later that same month we headed back to the Midlands, but this time to the East, where we visited 1st the city of Leicester, and then moved on to the town of Oakham. One of Oakham’s most interesting landmarks is the great hall of Oakham Castle, shown above, with the spire of All Saint’s Church in the near distance behind it.

February

In February we spent a lot of time on and around the River Mersey, which separates the historic counties of Lancashire and Cheshire. Starting in New Brighton on the Cheshire side, we explored the old Lighthouse, Fort and promenade, before turning to get a beautiful view back up the Mersey, with the city of Liverpool visible in the far bank, and the town of Wallasey further down the promenade.

Arriving in Wallasey, we boarded one of the Mersey Ferries to enjoy a trip along the river, giving some unrivalled views of Liverpool’s most famous buildings, the Three Graces, consisting of the Liver Building, Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building. We could also see the Radio City Tower, Liverpool’s 2 Cathedrals, and the historic Albert Dock.

March

In March, we arrived in Staffordshire for a day out, where we visited the city of Stoke-on-Trent, formed out of 6 towns who merged to create one city. Stoke has many varied attractions, and leaving the train station we came face to face with Josiah Wedgwood, a famous pottery maker from the city, whose statue greeted us. In the city centre we found an Elephant Trail in the Potteries Shopping Centre, various Town Halls that the different towns were once run by, a beautiful public park and Stoke Minster on the far side of the train line, amongst other things.

From Stoke, we did a 6 mile walk to the town of Newcastle-under-Lyme which is contiguous with Stoke. Here we found the impressive Guildhall in the centre of the Market Place, which heralded the end of our walk, although of course we still had to walk back again to get our train home!

April

April heralded a return to the Mersey, but this time we went a little further, to spend the day at the National Waterways Museum in the town of Ellesmere Port. Here you could walk around a wide variety of different canal boats, tugs and other vessels, and explore the old warehouses which were in use when this was an actual port. In the background the skyline of Liverpool can just be seen, and between us and the city lies the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey.

Later on in the month, and over 100 miles away, we arrived in the city of Durham, which we had visited previously in 2012 however we couldn’t resist but make a return visit to this beautiful place. The river Wear runs through the city centre, and high up above it on the clifftop sits the majestic figure of Durham Cathedral, alongside Durham Castle. The front end of the Cathedral was used as part of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.

Later that day we moved on to the nearby city of Newcastle to cross some of the famous bridges over the river Tyne, including the most famous one, the Tyne Bridge, which carries traffic between Newcastle and Gateshead. The Tyne forms the boundary between the historic counties of Northumberland and Durham.

May

May began in the town of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, which is home to one of my favourite buildings in England. Rochdale Town Hall, with a Clock Tower to rival even that of the Palace of Westminster, rises up into the sky, with a beautiful Union Jack flying below it. It sits in the centre of the town and is part of a much larger, grander building that we could ever have imagined. Elsewhere in Rochdale there is fine architecture and a lovely old church on top of a hill overlooking the Town Hall. The same month we also visited other towns in Greater Manchester, such as Bury, Ashton-under-Lyne, Oldham and many others, all of which have plenty of attractions.

Moving further North into the historic county of Westmorland, now part of Cumbria, we had a few hours in the town of Appleby. The centre of the town contains two Market Crosses, one at either end of the hill that forms the main road in the town, leading down to the Parish Church at the bottom, and Appleby Castle at the top.

June

We returned a month later to the area consisting of Westmorland, when we paid a call to the town of Kendal. It’s majestic Town Hall is the centrepiece of the town centre, along with a number of other stunning buildings. Kendal sits at the Southern edge of the Lake District, surrounding by stunning open countryside, and is of course famous for Kendal Mint Cake, which is readily available in the town.

Moving on from Kendal, the same day we moved down towards North Yorkshire, where the Settle to Carlisle line forges a path through the countryside, moving through the hills via the Ribblehead Viaduct, pictured above. There is a small station at the South end of the viaduct, so once you have travelled over it you can stop for a look at this masterpiece of engineering.

July

A lot of July has been spent closer to home, with our 1st stop being the city of Lancaster in Lancashire. Following the walkway along the Carlisle Bridge which carries the West Coast Main Line through the city over the river Lune, you get what is perhaps one of the best views in England. You can see towards the city centre, with the Millenium Bridge, Lancaster Castle, Ashton Memorial, Lancaster Cathedral and the Clock Tower of Lancaster Town Hall all visible. It’s an outstanding view, showcasing a beautiful city.

Later that day, on the way up to Carlisle, we stopped at Oxenholme Lake District station, to enjoy some of the local countryside. The station was very busy with trains towards Glasgow/London/Manchester/Edinburgh flying through, as well as local trains arriving from Windermere in the Lake District. A plaque at the station commemorates a local policeman called George Russell who was shot and killed during a stand off with criminals at the station.

August

In August we had an epic voyage down to the South of England, through the town of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, through Bristol and Somerset, towards Devon. From there we also visited Cornwall, and had a day out to the most Southwesterly point on the island of Great Britain, Land’s End. We posed with the famous signpost, in this rare opportunity.

Just a couple of weeks later, we embarked on our 1st trip outside of the British Isles, as we flew out to the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, which borders Spain and overlooks the Strait of Gibraltar, on the far side of which lies Morocco and Africa. The rock is a stunning sight, rising high up above surrounding Spain, and there is a never ending list of things to see in the territory, from the famous Apes who live up on the rock, the Cable Car up to the rock, the city defenses, the Governors House, 2 Cathedrals and the Lighthouse at Europa Point looking out to Morocco. We also took a bus into Spain itself, to the border town of La Linea and the city of Algeciras further around the coast.

September

September saw the arrival of Southport Air Show, and we were treated to incredible displays by the Red Arrows as they performed their famous routine above Southport Beach. Various other acts, including Lancaster Bombers, a Hurricane, rescue Helicopters and many more also joined the party, to the delight of the crowds.

October

On my birthday, the 23rd of October, we had a drive out to some local Halls in Lancashire, starting with Samlesbury Hall, just outside Preston, a fantastic 13th century mansion, which is open to the public. You can visit the gardens, the various floors and the old rooms which are still furnished with some original items. It is located close to Samlesbury Airfield, and within easy reach of the M6 Motorway.

Not far away from Salmesbury, lies Hoghton Tower, another Hall high on a hill looking out across the local countryside. It too is open to the public, and once you get to the top of the incredibly long drive, you can enter the old stone courtyard through the main gate.

November

November saw a return to the south of England, as we met up with a friend in the town of Leamington Spa, located midway between Birmingham and Oxford. A lot of the town centre is made up of a large park with the river at its edge, full of Plants, Memorials, a Lake and an Arboretum. Elsewhere in the town the towering Parish Church overlooks the river, and has a great little cafe where we stopped for lunch.

Moving on from Leamington Spa, we met another friend in Reading, and together we took a trip to Guildford, where we encountered the enormous brick form of Guildford Cathedral, sat on a hill overlooking the rest of the town. Despite a rather brutish exterior, the interior was finely furnished, and a joy to explore. The rest of the town is full of attractions, from the remains of Guildford Castle Keep, the top of which affords some stunning views, to the Guildhall on the cobbled pedestrianised shopping street that runs through the centre of town. This area is home to various old buildings, such as Churches, Almshouses and fine architecture in general.

December

To round off the year, one final set of trips. 1st up is the village of Sefton in Merseyside, which is a conservation area which takes in the ancient Church, as well as some other local buildings. Also in the village is the local War Memorial, and the site of a Medieval Well called St Helens Well, the Saint that both the Church and the nearby major town of St Helens are named after.

The village is close to other nearby attractions such as the Hall at Ince Blundell, the Memorial in Hightown, and the Hall in Little Crosby.

Our final picture is of the view from the remains of Hadrian’s Wall in the village of Banks up in Cumbria, not far from Carlisle. The sun was setting, and illuminated the silhouetted form of the mountains that make up the Lake District, a spectacular view to round off 2014!

To everyone out there I hope you had a great 2014, and all the best for the New Year, and 2015. There will be many more places featured on this blog throughout next year, including those shown on this list from Gibraltar onwards, so I hope you will rejoin our adventures for another year!

Lowther Castle, Cumbria, England

In the picturesque countryside of the county of Cumbria, not far outside the town of Penrith, is Lowther Castle, a stunning landmark from the 19th century…

Lowther Castle

This beautiful country home has been the home of the Earl of Lonsdale since its construction, between 1806 and 1814. The incumbent Earl has always been a member of the Lowther Family, starting with William Lowther (1757 – 1844, Tory Politician), who, along with his wife, Augusta Lowther (died 1838) became the 1st Earl and Countess of Lonsdale. Robert Smirke (1780 – 1867, English architect) built the building for William, replacing Lowther Hall, which had been rebuilt in the 17th century by John Lowther (1655 – 1700).

(The title of Earl of Lonsdale had previously existed as William was the 3rd cousin once removed of James Lowther, the original 1st Earl of Lonsdale (1736 – 1802) and the title died out as he had no proper ancestors. William recreated the title and became the new 1st Earl)

It was first called a Castle when the present incarnation was finished in 1814, thanks to its stunning appearance. It remained the home of the Lowther family through the following centuries, including:

William Lowther – 2nd Earl (1787 – 1872)

Henry Lowther – 3rd Earl (1818 – 1878) and sadly he only owned the property for 4 years as he died of pneumonia at the age of 58.

St George Lowther – 4th Earl (1855 – 1882) and also died of pneumonia, but after just 3 years in charge of the estate, at the tender age of 26.

Hugh Cecil Lowther – 5th Earl (1857 – 1944) who was forced to move out of the Castle in 1937 due to his extravagant spending habits, and he could no longer afford to upkeep the property.

Lancelot Lowther – 6th Earl (1867 – 1953) although he didn’t actually live here. The debts were left behind from his brother Hugh, and a lot of the treasures in the property were sold off at auction in 1947. Lancelot died 6 years later and the Castle passed to James, his grandson. During this time World War II broke out (1939 – 1945) and a tank regiment occupied the Castle for training purposes.

James Hugh William Lowther – 7th Earl (1922 – 2006) who again didn’t reside in the Castle. The roof was removed from the building in 1957, and still hasn’t been replaced as you can see from the above picture.

Hugh Clayton Lowther – 8th Earl (Born 1949) Hugh is the current Earl, and was the man who sold the mountain Blencathra in the Lake District in 2014.

William James Lowther – 9th Earl (Heir Presumptive) (Born 1957). William, Hugh’s son is the presumed heir of the title Earl of Lonsdale, and will become the 9th Earl.

The property remains a shell, after James was forced to demolish most of it, after an offer to give it to the local authorities was rejected. There were once stunning gardens around the Castle but their upkeep ceased in 1935, and they have long since gone for other developments. Today the area is owned by the Lowther Estate, who along with English Heritage are undertaking a restoration of the Gardens, which is slowly taking shape and is open to the public. Another restoration on the building itself is also underway, as the walls and towers are being rebuilt, and the old stables area is now a cafe, shop and museum, which we had a look at during our visit.

This is the old stables yard, which is located to the left of the main Castle building, with the entrance to the garden through the arch at the right of the picture. Its a large area, with the cafe directly opposite as you enter. The rest of the courtyard buildings house the shop and the museum, and has all been beautifully restored. It gives you a good idea of what the Castle itself must have looked like when it was whole.

One last part of the original structure survives, in the form of the outer walls of the estate round at the front of the Castle. What looks like the original entrance gate is opposite the main part of the Castle, and attached to it on either side are the Castle outer walls. The Gate and the Walls date from the Castles completion in 1814, as they are described in a book about England written at the time.

The walls are in turn connected to small fortifications, and I think that the walls were more for show than any practical usage, going off their size, and the fact that I have found some older pictures showing them at their present height. They are a great feature however and add to the medieval aesthetics of the site.

Its quite eery seeing the hollow shell of the main Castle building, and the empty ground walls. It’s easy to imagine what it must have been like at it’s prime, and it’s a real shame that it’s ended up in this state. Even so, its an incredible place to visit, and its certainly worth the trip. The Castle is located close to Junction 40 (Penrith) of the M6 Motorway from Birmingham to Gretna. You can find out more about upcoming events at the Castle by visiting their official website here.

Heading Northwards: Pt 2 – Oxenholme, Cumbria

After an interesting stop at Lancaster Castle, we boarded the next train heading Northwards, and around 20 minutes later we arrived at Oxenholme Lake District, the mainline station in the village of Oxenholme, just outside Kendal…

Oxenholme:

Status: South Lakeland District, Cumbria (historically Westmorland), Village, England

Date: 02/07/2014

Travel: Stagecoach (Banks – Preston), Virgin Trains (Preston – Oxenholme Lake District, via Lancaster)

Eating & Sleeping: Station Cafe

Attractions: Oxenholme Lake District, PC Russell Plaque, Lake District Views etc

Oxenholme is only a small village, although technically it could be classed as a hamlet due to the fact that it doesn’t have a Church. Despite this, it is one of the important railway stations between Lancaster and Carlisle, especially for travellers heading to the Lake District.

The sign that greets you at the station declares that Oxenholme is the Gateway to the Lake District, and that is a very accurate description, as there are no actual mainline stations inside the Lake District National Park, and Oxenholme is the only station on the Mainline that has direct trains into the Lake District also calling here. Incidentally, Oxenholme is also the only village on the entire main West Coast Main Line that has express trains stopping here, as all the other stations serve either cities or towns.

Two different train operators serve the station and it is one of only a handful in the north not served by Northern Rail. The first of the two operators is First Transpennine Express, which run two different sets of services:

1) Manchester Airport to Glasgow/Edinburgh Waverley. Alternating, calling at: Manchester Airport, Heald Green, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road, Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie and Glasgow Central/Edinburgh Waverley.

2) Oxenholme to Windermere, calling at: Oxenholme, Kendal, Burnside, Staveley and Windermere. Some occasional services do run through from Windermere to Manchester via Preston and Lancaster, although these are only hourly.

This makes Oxenholme important as aside from a few small village stations on the Cumbrian Coast Line, access to the only main train stations in the whole National Park are accessible via Oxenholme, and from Windermere buses can take you further into the Lakes to the major towns such as Bowness, Grasmere and Keswick. Trains to do stop at Penrith just North of the Lakes however only bus connections are available from here which makes journey times much longer. Oxenholme is also around half an hours walk from the centre of Kendal, one of the largest towns surrounding the Lake District, and one we have previously visited by car so this was the first time we have ever stopped here, despite having travelled through the station at least 100 times. The train pictured is on platform 3, the Windermere Platform. Many mainline trains of both Transpennine and Virgin are timed to meet the Windermere train so you can cross from one to the other, which is especially beneficial for tourists.

The other operator at the station is Virgin Trains, who run the main intercity services from the British capital of London up to Glasgow in Scotland. Trains seem to stop alternatively at Oxenholme or Penrith, although some of them do stop at both. There are two routes that run through here with Virgin:

1) London Euston – Glasgow Central, calling at: London Euston, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle and Glasgow Central.

2) London Euston – Edinburgh Waverley via Birmingham, calling at: London Euston, Milton Keynes Central, Coventry, Birmingham International (for Airport), Birmingham New Street, Sandwell & Dudley, Wolverhampton, Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Haymarket and Edinburgh.

There are not many villages in the north of England that have direct trains to London, and to the next three largest cities across the UK, Birmingham, Glasgow and Manchester, making Oxenholme quite special. The train pictured is heading Northwards towards Scotland on platform 2, whilst Southbound trains use platform 1. (Transpennine Express trains between Manchester and Scotland also follow this pattern).

On platform 1 is the main Ticket Office as well as the waiting room. On the left side of the entrance to the Waiting Room is a metal plaque, commemorating George William McKinlay Russell QGM, a member of the Cumberland, Westmorland and Carlisle Constabulary. In 1965 John Middleton, an escaped fugitive was cornered in the station and hid in the waiting room. Two police officers attended, one was George Russell and the other was Alex Archibald. They were both shot by Middleton, and sadly Russell died a few hours later in hospital. The plaque commemorates his bravery and dedication to duty, and was unveiled in 2007. Middleton later shot himself, whilst Alex Archibald survived and attended the plaque dedication.

Oxenholme is also notable for being the closest station to the Grayrigg Rail Crash in 2007, involving a Virgin Pendolino, which derailed just after it left the station, at nearby Grayrigg. The train careered down the embankment at almost 100 mph, yet incredibly there was only 1 fatality, as the design of the train meant it maintained its structural integrity and remained intact. The cause was later determined as a faulty point, and precautions to prevent further accidents have been taken.

There are two entrances to the station, one onto platform 1, and one into an underpass close to platforms 2 and 3. The entrance above is the first of these, and includes a small car park. This side of the station is where the original village of Oxenholme was founded and began to expand, and it all grew up around the station, which opened back in 1860 as a major junction station between the Main Line and the Kendal Branch Line off towards Windermere. The name Oxenholme was decided upon after Oxenholme Farm which was built in the Elizabethan Era (1558 – 1603).

This is the second entrance, which also contains a small car park, and allows access into the station underpass. This side is on the main road heading westwards towards Kendal, and the modern day village of Oxenholme has merged with the outer reaches of the town, so it’s almost a suburb now. As we had a while to relax at the station and take in the surrounding view, I went on a wander through a few of the village streets to see what I could see. I set off heading along this road towards Kendal.

As I said at the start of this post, there is no Church in the village, so it is technically a hamlet. The area is mainly housing with a few shops and the houses nearest to the station are quite pleasant, with the old stone wall effects added in the front garden, as is common in many areas of Cumbria. I kept going a bit further through the streets, before heading back.

The views around here are very impressive and on the way back up the station I found a stone wall which I managed to balance on long enough to get this picture, looking through the trees in one of the gardens and out over the rest of the village and the outer parts of Kendal. The mountains of the Lake District are visible in the distance, and shows what incredible location we were in.

Eventually we got our third train of the day, again heading North towards Carlisle. Oxenholme is the halfway point on our route between Preston and Carlisle so it only takes around 30 minutes from either end to reach the village. It was worth stopping here, taking a snapshot of history and celebrating the bravery of the local police. As we left on the train, we couldn’t quite believe it took us two years to stop at the station, and I wish we had earlier.

I’ll leave you with the above panoramic, looking from platform 1 in an arch across platforms 2 and 3 along the whole length of the station.

Kendal and the Lakes: Pt 6 – Kendal, Cumbria

Our main destination of the day was the town of Kendal, at the foot of the Lake District, and a place we have been through on the train at least a few hundred times between Preston and Carlisle and not had chance to stop yet, so it was about time we did…

Kendal:

Status: South Lakeland District, Cumbria (Historically Westmorland), Town, England

Date: 05/06/2014

Travel: Car

Eating & Sleeping: N/A

Attractions: Kendal Town Hall, Post Office Building, Carnegie Library, War Memorial, Kendal Bank, Kendal Castle, Meeting House Exhibition Centre, Quaker Tapestry, St George’s Church, County Hall, Parish Church, Museum of Lakeland Life, Kendal Mint Cake, Stricklandgate House, Kendal Bank, River Kent, Shearman House, Sandes Hospital, St Georges Holy Trinity Church etc

We pulled up on the high street, having no idea what a treat we were in for just on this one road. Directly opposite us is the Post Office Building, with a beautiful smooth stone front, and Post Office engraved above the doorway. It’s a great place to start, and whilst I think it is quite modern as it doesn’t appear on the Listed Buildings register, it is a good sign for older buildings to come.

Only a few buildings down the road from the Post Office is the one shown above, called “Black Hall”. A green plaque on the side of it identifies it as:

“Kendal’s first Alderman lived here in 1575. the house was modernised in 1810 and in 1869 became a brush factory with the sign of a bristly hog.”

The hog can be seen above the main entrance to the shop, and it is indeed bristly. An Alderman is a high ranking member of a council in English Law, who is elected by other councillors as opposed to the local population. Looking up Alderman in reference to Kendal the names of former Mayors come up, so it was the Mayor equivalent of the day. Aldermen were abolished in 1974 when Local Government reforms were brought in.

Looking back across the road, we were parked outside the large Cream/Yellow building. All over Kendal a series of very helpful plaques give a short history of the more interesting buildings, and again there was a plaque on this one as well. Looking at it first off it looks more like a stately home than anything else:

” Stricklandgate House. This house was built about 1776 by Joseph Maude, a Kendal banker and for many years housed the Kendal Savings Bank. In 1854 it was leased to the Kendal Literary and Scientific Society of which Wordsworth and Southey were Founder members and became the town’s museum and library”.

The fact that it was built for a Banker makes sense looking at the grandeur of the building, and I envy Joseph for having such a beautiful house. Stricklandgate is the name of this street, and Wordsworth is in reference to William Wordsworth (1770 – 1850, famous English Poet) who we had encountered twice already during the day, at his house in Grasmere and his office in Ambleside. Southey is also a reference, to Robert Southey (1774 – 1843, Lake Poet, and Friend of Wordsworth).

What we had seen so far was only a taste of the fantastic architecture in Kendal, and as we kept moving we arrived at the Carnegie Library.

I have talked a lot over different posts about the man who funded this building, called Andrew Carnegie (1835 – 1919). This famous Scottish/American businessman helped fund various libraries across the country, and we have seen other Carnegie libraries including in Skipton (Yorkshire) and Ellesmere Port (Cheshire). His home town was Dunfermline in Fife, Scotland, where a statue of him stands proudly in Pittencrieff Park. Kendal’s Library opened in 1909, and was designed by a local architect called T. F. Pennington.

Continuing up the street, we came across the towns War Memorial, unveiled in 1921 by Colonel J W Weston, to commemorate the soldiers who died in World War I (316 names), and later World War II (168 names). A large statue of a soldier by C W Coombes stands atop the plinth.

Just off to the right of the Memorial, out of shot is the Old Moot Hall building, now occupied by Thorntons. Sadly it isn’t the original building, as a fire in 1969 destroyed it, although the new building was built to look the same as the previous one. Its function from its construction in 1591 was as the Town Hall, Court House and Gathering Place. In 1729 the building was given a rebuilt, with a Clock and Cupola added to the top. In 1859 the Government offices moved out to Lowther Street, and the bottom floor became Shops, with a Police Station, whilst a Council Chamber was located on the top floor, and in 1861 the Clock was transferred to the Church of St Thomas. Thankfully some of the features from the 1729 revamp survived the fire, including the Venetian Windows.

There is so much history in this small section of the town, and Kendals original Market Hall once stood on the location of the Memorial. This was later knocked down in 1754, with a covered Market being installed (along with a Chapel and a Dungeon). By 1887 a new Market Hall was built just off the square, and it was later incorporated into the Westmorland Shopping Centre which is also located on this street. The Market Charter for Kendal was granted in 1189 by King Richard I (1157 – 1199) and it soon grew in importance.

Incidentally the centre of town was designed with the central high street, and a network of fortified alleyways radiating out from it in case of attack by the Border Reivers, the raiders who from the 13th – 17th centuries carried out numerous raids across the border between England and Scotland. This afforded the Market the perfect protection. Kendal also had major industries in Woollen Goods, and a colour called Kendal Green was worn by Foresters, a good example being the clothing Robin Hood is depicted in.

A lot of towns we have visited have large, beautifully sculpted buildings for the old Banks, with one of my favourite being in St Helens. Kendal Bank was formed from two other banks which both opened in Kendal in 1788:

1) Maude, Wilson & Crewdsons Bank established by Joseph Maude, Christopher Wilson and Thomas Crewdson.

2) Wakefield’s Bank, founded by John Wakefield in a building next to Stricklandgate House.

In 1840 the two Banks merged, and moved into this custom built building in 1873. In 1928 Kendal Bank merged with the Bank of Liverpool, which after a few name changes would eventually become Barclays Bank in 1969.

Between where we had parked and the current Town Hall is a small pedestrianised section, where the War Memorial is located. Past that you re-enter the road sections, onto the A6, which runs all the way from Luton in the county of Bedfordshire just North of London up through Kendal and on to Carlisle.

Kendal Town Hall is magnificent, and I am a big fan of Town and City Hall buildings across the UK. The Town Hall is the location of the Government Office that vacated the Moot Hall, and moved here in 1859.

A plaque on the side of the building tells the story of the building:

“Kendal Town Hall. On this site once stood White Hall, believed to have been an exchange hall for Kendal’s cloth trade with Virginia. It was replaced in 1825 by a new White Hall designed by Kendal architect Francis Webster and incorporating a billiards room, newsroom, lecture hall and ballroom. Converted to the Town Hall in 1859 this forms the southern part of the present building. Extensions were commenced in 1893 when Alderman William Bindloss and Mrs Bindloss made a very generous contribution towards the cost of the alterations and improvements. A new tower was added for the clock and eleven bells which were rung for the first time on the occasion of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897”.

Looking up Allhallows Lane, the road that comes off directly in front of the Town Hall, the Chimney of Shearman House rises up above the local houses. It was opened in 1864 as a public wash-house and baths, and allowed up to 22 washerwoman at a time to do their laundry. It was built as it was very uncomfortable in cottages of the time, and the damp conditions didn’t lend themselves well to washing and drying clothes. Facilities included clothes-horses and spin-dryers.

Eight baths made out of porcelain were also included in the building, and the plaque outside says that “the lowest charge for a warm bath being for two young women together at threepence each.” Again the conditions in local cottages and houses were often cramped and dirty, so being able to come down to the local Wash House was a great local amenity. The plaque also confirms the height of the Chimney, at 70 feet, or 21.3 metres tall.

We kept moving down this section of the A6, and came across two more historic buildings, shown above. The first, on the left, is the Shakespeare Theatre, identified by a plaque on the side:

“The Shakespeare Theatre. Kendal’s first purpose-built theatre, designed by local architect John Richardson, was opened at the top of this yard in 1829. The nationally famous actor Edmund Kean played here in 1832 but general poverty in the town and opposition from Quakers, Presbyterians and Temperance groups forced its closure after five years. It continued in use as a ballroom for many years and was converted into a church in 1994.”

Today it is the Shakespeare Inn, a local pub, although the historic nature of the overall building has been beautifully well kept.

Next to the Shakespeare is the Gatehouse to Sandes Hospital, where Thomas Sande (1606 – 1681, former Mayor and Cloth Merchant) created a school along with eight small Almshouses for poor widows who had lost their husbands. The Gatehouse was where the Master lived, and included the School and a Library above the main entrance.

Moving through the entrance into the courtyard, rows of neat little Almshouses are visible on both sides. These aren’t the original houses however as they were rebuilt in 1852 by Miles Thompson, another local architect. What I really like about Kendal is that a lot of the impressive buildings were done by local architects as opposed to highly paid ones from elsewhere like London, so it’s nice to see the amount of local work done in the town.

The School was still operating by 1886, as it was merged with the Kendal Grammar School, which would eventually become the Kirkbie Kendal School in 1980, and they still own the Gatehouse.

We have actually seen something very similar to this, with the same idea but slightly different building work. In Appleby, we stumbled upon St Anne’s Hospital, built in 1651 by Lady Anne Clifford, with 13 Almshouses for local widows. These were arranged around a beautiful courtyard with a fountain in the centre.

We kept moving, and turn off towards the River, a few streets behind the Town Hall. The River is called the Kent, and it’s journey begins high up in the hills in the Lake District, just out from Kendal. After flowing through the town, it runs over 10 miles South into Morecambe Bay in Lancashire.

There is a pedestrian footpath next to the River and it’s a pleasant area to wander up and down. In the distance is the stone figure of Miller Bridge from 1819. It stands in place of an earlier wooden bridge which lead from the town centre up to the Castle Corn Mill, but it was washed away by floods numerous times before finally being replaced in 1743 with an earlier stone version.

This new bridge was designed by Francis Webster for the Lancaster to Kendal Canal, which arrived in the town in the same year and had a large basin in Kendal. It operated until 1944 when the last coal barge arrived, and by the 1960’s it had been filled in and cut off from the rest of the network when the M6 was constructed. If you follow this link, you will get a great B&W photograph of the Canal Basin in relation to the river and the stone bridge.

In the distance we could see the stone ruins of Kendal Castle, sat on a large hill/mound. Built in the early 1200’s, it initially served as the home of the Barons of Kendal. The Barons were spread across different families, including the Parr Family, and the most notable family member has to be Catherine Parr (1512 – 1548, Queen of England from 1543-1547 and Henry VIII’s 6th Wife). She was the oldest surviving child of Sir Thomas Parr (1483 – 1517) and also a descendant of King Edward III (1312 – 1377).

The Castle was a ruin by 1512, and has stayed in the same condition to this day. The Castle site is actually quite large, with aerial photographs showing an outer wall in a ring shape around the top of the mound, with a Manor Hall at one end, with vaults beneath it. In 1897 the Kendal Corporation bought the Castle to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria (1819 – 1901) and more recently the ruins have been stabilised and repaired.

Circling back around through the edge of the town centre, we passed some old streets with yet more fascinating buildings. These streets lead back around to the High Street, although we would be heading in the other direction next.

The first of these was the famous 1657 Chocolate Shop, a historic building that in 2007 celebrated its 350th anniversary. The very first Chocolate Shop in Britain opened in London also in 1657, and soon became a popular industry. Today the Kendal Store is a Cafe, and its famous for having at least 18 varieties of Hot Chocolate! Inside there are many old features such as the wooden support beams, and you get a lovely historic feel as you enter.

Next was  number 7 Stramongate (this road) which consists of a superb 16th century house, and thought to be the oldest building used as a shop in the whole town. Its first owners were the Bellinghams, who owned a lot of land throughout Westmorland. Some time in the following years it was occupied by the sister of the noted explorer Captain Cook, Agnes Harker. Since then the building has been kept in good condition, and underwent a restoration in 1985.

We kept moving, down towards the Meeting House Exhibition Centre, from where we would circle back around to Stricklandgate, following the course of the river. A plaque on the gate post explained the origins of the centre:

“Friends Meeting House. George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends (Quakers), visited Kendal in 1652 and by his powerful preaching won many followers. They opened their first meeting on this site in 1688 and a Quaker school in 1698. The present building, designed by the Kendal architect Francis Webster, was erected in 1816 to accommodate 850 people. Kendal Quakers were prominent in business, education and welfare in the town from the 18th century.”

Inside there is quite a lot to see, with the Quaker Tapestry being the star attraction. This fantastic work of art has 77 panels, narrating the history of the Quakers, and it all started in 1981 when a small boy made a remark at a Quaker Meeting in the South of England. His teacher, Anne Wynn-Wilson was an embroiderer and started the project. It was finished in 1996, after the contributions of 4000 people from 15 countries. You can visit the official site here.

Elsewhere in the Centre is a Cafe, a Giftshop, Workshops and various Exhibitions. Its worth a look inside, and the building itself is very well preserved and there is even a model railway.

Our last stop was down by the River as we started to move back around through the town to the centre and the car. On the far bank we saw the Parish Church of St George, founded in 1754. Like most Churches it began as a Chapel of Ease, from the congregations formation in 1754. Consisting of two floors, the Chapel used the top, whilst a market had the ground floor, and the basement was the gaol (jail). The present Church replaced it in 1841 when it was completed, with later additions such as the Chancel occurring in the 1910’s. The two towers at the front appear to have been shortened, and some research soon confirmed this, as they originally stood at 100 feet tall. Due to problems with the foundations and a bit of subsidence they had to be cut down a bit in 1927, and once more in 1978, putting them at their present height. I can imagine how grand the Church must have looked with them at their full height, and it’s a shame they had to be shortened.

Not far from here is the local train station, with trains running Northwards from Kendal to Windermere, and Southwards to Manchester Airport, Manchester, Preston, Lancaster and Oxenholme Lake District, where there is a connection with the West Coast Main Line if you want to head North towards Carlisle, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Station originally had two lines, but one was removed in 1973 making it a single platform station, so trains only run hourly.

Arguably Kendal’s most famous creation is Kendal Mint Cake, a peppermint cake created by Joseph Wiper, supposedly after an attempt to make a batch of Peppermint creams went wrong and resulted in the Mint Cake. It is widely available all over the area, not just in Kendal, but we picked up a nice big bar of it here anyway for the journey home. My favourite fact about Kendal Mint Cake is that when Sir Edmund Hillary (1919 – 2008) became the first person to ascend Mount Everest in 1953, he actually took some up with him, as it was a good source of energy, and it was very popular amongst the group.

Elsewhere in Kendal you could visit the Museum of Lakeland Life, the Abbot Hall Art Gallery, and the other churches in the town including Kendal Parish Church, and St Georges Holy Trinity Church. On the way out we passed by Kendal County Hall, a large office building topped by a small Clock Tower in the centre. The County Offices are located here in Kendal, although Carlisle is the Administrative Centre of Cumbria. Other Local Government functions are spread throughout the county, from Wigton to Barrow-in-Furness.

Kendal is a stunning town, with some of the finest architecture we have seen, and history seeping out of every street. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit, although it was time to move on to our last stop of the day, the famous Ribblehead Viaduct in Yorkshire, and if you’ll excuse me, I have a big piece of Kendal Mint Cake to nibble on!

Kendal and the Lakes: Pt 5 – Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria

We pulled up on the shores of Lake Windermere, the largest in England, to enjoy some more iconic views of the Lake District, whilst exploring our next town, Bowness-on-Windermere…

Bowness-on-Windermere:

Status: South Lakeland District, Cumbria (Historically Westmorland), England

Date:  05/06/2014

Travel: Car

Eating & Sleeping: N/A (Does feed for the ducks count?)

Attractions: Lake Windermere, Windermere Cruisers, Beatrix Potter Museum, Bowness Drinking Fountain, St Martin’s Church, Victorian Buildings etc

We pulled up in a car park by the Lake, and started wandering around the shore towards the main town centre. It was at that moment that one of the famous Windermere Cruisers came into view, heading towards the small dock at Bowness. This particular boat is called MV Teal, from 1936, and is one of three surviving Cruisers from the original fleet of 4, the other two being MV Tern (1891) and MV Swan (1938). The fourth Cruiser was called MV Swift, from 1900, however she was dismantled in 1998, after being cut into sections and transported away by rail.

There is also a Car Ferry which operates across the Lake, from Ferry Nab, just south of Bowness, across 460 metres of open water to the far side near the village of Far Sawrey, where you can travel onwards by road to Bassenthwaite Lake.

The view across the Lake from here is fantastic, with the distant hills that run along the edge of the Lake visible in the distance. Windermere is famous for being the largest Lake in England, and runs for an impressive 11.23 miles from North to South, and at its widest it is 0.93 miles across. Whilst there is a village called Windermere, it is not actually on the Lakeside, with Bowness being the only town directly on the shore. Windermere Village is just North of us here but is almost contiguous with Bowness.

Throughout the entire Lake are 18 islands, with the largest being Belle Isle, around 0.66 miles long. The other islands are much smaller, and most of them have the word Holme after their initial name, as Holme means small island. On this picture the port is round to the right out of shot, and was our next destination .

Gemma soon got some bird feed, and we spent a while wandering up and down trying to feed the ducks, although the geese and the swans kept butting in so they got most of it! It’s a great place to relax, with the birds all around you, watching the boats coming and going from the small port pictured. If you visit the official website here you can see the different Cruiser stops available around the lake, with the main one being here at Bowness. The site also contains pricing information as well as a timetable if you are wanting to try a Cruise.

We kept moving round, through the port which is a docking point not only for the Windermere Cruisers but also local tours and boats. Ticket offices are located at the entrance to each of the piers, and also contain information to help you choose your final destination.

On the right, just behind the “Glebe Road” sign, is a small grey monument, which also doubles as a drinking fountain, gifted to the town by Sir William Bower Forwood D. L. (1840 – 1928, English Merchant and Politician from Liverpool who helped raise funds to build Liverpool Cathedral) in Sunny Remembrance 1862 – 1912. It was lovingly restored recently, and and is a treasured landmark in the town.

Continuing along the Lakeside here, you can also hire rowing boats to take out onto the Lake, and on a nice day it’s the perfect way to explore Windermere. Motor Boats are also available, and the prices are quite reasonable. For more information check out the official site here.

The land around here, along with the Lake itself (minus the Islands) was given to Windermere District Council in 1959 (1894 – 1974, now part of South Lakeland District) by Henry Leigh Groves, to celebrate him becoming the High Sheriff of Westmorland in 1958 through 1959, as well as his place on the Council which he had been a member of for 25 years.

Moving into the main town centre, there are a plethora of old and intricately designed buildings on every street.  The one shown above is on the corner of the high street, and is now inhabited by an Asian Restaurant called You & Me, replacing the previous cafe, The Royal Tea Garden.

It’s a beautiful building, built in a tudor-esque style,  whilst utilising the local slate around the bottom. Much like Ambleside, which grew from a small village into a thriving town during the Victorian Era due to the increased number of tourists, a lot of the larger buildings in Bowness are also Victorian. In the 19th century Bowness was only a fishing village however with the opening of the train station in Windermere Village in 1847 Tourism brought good fortunes and Bowness became a town and dramatically increased in size, with new hotels and houses being built. So You & Me is one of these such buildings, and there are notable similarities with buildings we saw in Ambleside earlier in the day.

One of the most famous attractions in the town of Bowness, is “The World of Beatrix Potter” a museum all about Beatrix Potter (1866 – 1943, English Author famous for her childrens books including the Tale of Peter Rabbit). Born in London, her books took off, and in 1905 she bought a farm in Near Sawrey on the far side of Windermere. In 1913 she got married to William Heelis from Hawkshead, and lived here until her death in 1943. She left behind 23 books, which are still printed and enjoyed by people of all ages today.

If she hadn’t moved here, the landscape of the Lake District would have been very different, as she is credited with saving the Herdwick Sheep from extinction, as well as buying 4000 acres of land to preserve the unique and historic feel of the Lake District, which was gifted to the National Trust upon her death. She was an inspiration not only as a writer, but also as a conservationist.

There is a small pedestrianised section in the centre of town, full of shops, bars and cafes. These old buildings have kept their historic character, and being able to walk amongst them without the noise of a car roaring past your ear every second is very pleasant. I think some of these buildings right in the very centre are from the original Village, as they look much older as well as being a more simple design, lacking the Victorian Grandeur that typified buildings of the late 19th century.Victorian Architecture has to be one of my favourite style, although I still appreciate even older buildings, as in every City, Town or Village you visit you can always see how it has expanded and been reshaped, as the styles change and new types of architecture are used. It is the same in Bowness, from the smaller buildings in the centre, out to the grand hotels the Victorians brought with them.

There is one shop in the town that parents may dread, as when their kids see it they will surely be pulled inside. The Peter Rabbit and Friends shop is located only a few minutes walk away from the main Beatrix Potter Museum, and is open 7 days a week. Stocked with a large array of Peter Rabbit Merchandise it is a must for fans of Beatrix Potter and her works.

The actual building is quite possibly the finest in Bowness, for it’s mixture of sandstone and slate, which makes its one of the most detailed buildings around. The sandstone qualities make it a mixture of both the general style in the North for building, along with the Lake District slate so it gets the best of both worlds.

We started heading back in the general direction of the Lakeside, and on the way we passed the Parish Church, which we did see earlier but we were on the wrong side to get a decent picture.

The top of the Tower is clearly visible from the Lake, as this area of the town is on an incline, meaning the Church rises up above many of the other local buildings. It’s official name is St Martin’s Church, and it’s the local Parish Church for the Anglican Faith, under the diocese of Carlisle.

A few sections of the current building date back to the original Chapel of Ease here from 1203, being the font, base of the tower and a door. That church burnt down in 1480 and construction for a second began in 1483, when it became the Parish Church. This model still stands today, and was restored in 1870 by a group of architects from Lancaster, called Paley & Austin. Since the start of the 20th century there have been a few additions to the original building, including a Vestry in 1911, a Chapel in 1922 and a Tower Room in 2000, made up of a large glass screen in the arch below the tower.

It’s a great looking building, and it fits in so well with the other buildings in the town. The main material used is Slate, a common material in the area. In the East Window is supposedly a piece of stained Glass which dates from 1260, the oldest surviving one. Whilst some people think it looks a bit plain, I like the lead coverings on the roof, as the grey contrasts with the colour of the slate around the rest of the Church and gives it a nice shine on a sunny day.

Looking out across the Lake, the Piers and the Docks, is “The Belsfield” Hotel,  a fine Victorian construction from 1845, in a prime location. With 64 bedrooms, of which 25 face the Lake, it is the perfect place to enjoy the Lake from, and it benefits from being up another incline to see over the boats and down the Lake itself.

The Gardens surrounding it are quite extensive, and it shows the detail and skill the Victorians put into the buildings they created, and just how popular Bowness was back then, and indeed still is today. You can visit their official website here.

I mentioned before that Gemma had some fun feeding the Ducks. On the way back around the Lakeside before we returned to the car we got another few bags of feed to see how many different birds we could get.

To our surprise, a few Doves took residence on her arms, and by the end she had 4 or 5 doves sat on her, with a few pigeons trying to get in as well. Crowded around here feet were a legion of Geese, Mallards and the odd Swan. I think Bowness has a new Bird Lady! Three bags of feed and some very happy birds later, it was time to move on, and we left Bowness, for the large town of Kendal, just outside the Lake District, nearing the border with Lancashire and Yorkshire.

Bowness is a beautiful little town, situated in an ideal location next to Lake Windermere. You can take a steamer up the Lake towards Ambleside, or any of the other small ports along the way, or delve into the world of Beatrix Potter. The nearest train station is in Windermere Village, and provides direct services to Manchester Airport, via Manchester City Centre, Preston, Lancaster and Kendal, as well as Oxenholme Lake District for mainline services North to Scotland via Carlisle or South to London via Preston and Wigan. There are also occasional services to Barrow-in-Furness and Blackpool North. Stagecoach buses leave from the station and call at local towns including Grasmere and Keswick, and there are numerous main roads to help you get around.

Kendal and the Lakes: Pt 4 – Ambleside, Cumbria

We soon arrived at our next destination, the town of Ambleside, just a mile or two from the Northern end of Lake Windermere. We pulled up in the town centre, and set out to explore…

Ambleside:

Status: South Lakeland District, Cumbria (Historically Westmorland), Town, England

Date: 05/06/2014

Travel: Car

Eating & Sleeping: Greggs

Attractions: St Mary’s Church, Market Hall, War Memorial, Museum & Library, Old Police Station, Market Cross, Shopping Centre, River Rothay, Lake Windermere, Wordsworth’s Office, Rotary Club Wishing Well, Central Buildings etc

To explore the town, we did a circular route from the car, round through the main streets and past the major buildings, circling back around to the car via the one way system which provides a nice planned out route you can take around the town centre. I mentioned in my Grasmere post about the local slate being mined in the Lake District, and it has been put to good use in the many towns and villages that inhabit the National Park, including here in Ambleside.

Just off the main road, on Church Street, we came across a plaque on the side of an old building, which states that the building is:

“The office of William Wordsworth as distributor of stamps for Westmorland March 1813 to July 1843”

I mentioned Wordsworth in my Grasmere post, as he lived in the village for 14 years and his house is now open as a Museum, called Dove Cottage, on the outskirts of the village. He lived and worked in the Lake District, and was born in 1770, in the town of Cockermouth. After moving around various places, his final home was Rydal Mount, a house in the village of Rydal very close to Ambleside. He lived here from 1813 until his death in 1850.

It was in 1813 that he was appointed as the Distributor of Stamps for Westmorland, and he lived happily in the area with his wife Dorothy. Wordsworth is of course well known for introducing the Romantic Age in England starting with “Lyrical Ballads” a collection of poems written by both Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772 – 1834, friend of Wordsworth) which were very different from previous poems, in their Romantic nature, something which has triumphed ever since.

Wordsworth often said that he considered the Great Lakes to be his office rather than a building, but he spent a lot of time here in Ambleside, and is a much loved resident.

Continuing along the loop, we passed more impressive slate houses, as well as one building in particular that caught my interest, the one just before the buildings with the large white jutting out windows. This is the Old Police Station, built in 1882. I think there is also another building, on Rydal Road which is the main road into the town, which is also a former Police Station, and has a studded door on the front.

Looking at the original building, it blends in perfectly with the surrounding houses, and it was quite by chance that I noticed the plaque at the top of the building with the name and date. I am unsure when exactly the building changed hands, but if I find out any more information I shall update the post.

Meeting the next main road, we came across the town green, inhabited by a Golf Course, in a nice picturesque part of town. St Mary’s Church is visible in the background, and green foliage and trees surround the course. If we had had longer in the town I might have been tempted to try a game, to enjoy the cool air and the fantastic scenery whilst playing the most popular of tourist sports, mini golf.

Outside of the Golf Course was a seemingly normal looking bench, where you could stop and relax, watching the world go by. Upon closer inspection however, there is a plaque on the back rest, which reads:

“Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Presented to Ambleside Urban District Council.”

My first thought was that it was presented in 2012 to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, but then I realised that it says Ambleside Urban District Council, which no longer exists administratively as the town is now in South Lakeland District. Some research soon told me it was formed in 1894, and abolished in 1935. This means that the plaque must have been gifted in 1897, when Queen Victoria (1819 – 1901), the previous British Monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee, made it to this impressive milestone. Whilst I am sure that the Bench has been replaced a number of times since 1897, the Plaque itself is in good condition, and it’s nice to see a reference like this, and later on in this post you will find out why the Victorians were so important to the overall development of Ambleside.

Looking across the road from the Golf Course, there are more of the beautiful slate houses, the occupants of which are afforded a grand view over the green and towards the Church. What better way to unwind than to nip over to the Golf Course for a quick play, then settle down to enjoy the sweeping views. The Church Spire is visible from most places in the town, and was our next port of call.

We wandered round to St Mary’s and gazed in awe from the churchyard entrance at the giant construction in front of us. This isn’t the first Church in the area, so to find out where St Mary’s history begins, we have to go back to 1550, when an old Chapel called St Annes was constructed. A new Chapel was built in 1812, but became redundant in 1854 when, due to the increased number of visitors with the opening of the railway here in 1847, the present Church was constructed, complete with Spire.

The design was by Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811 – 1878, English Gothic Architect), and was consecrated in 1854, as St Marys Church. St Mary was the daughter of St Anne, so it’s a sort of passing of the torch through history. In 1940 the original Chapel was consecrated by King George VI (1895 – 1952). Aside from a large fire in 1953 which destroyed the Clock in the tower, the building has remained the same ever since, although St Anne’s Chapel was later converted into apartments.

Above is one of the newer developments in the town, a small Shopping Outlet from 1997, which replaces the old Bus Station, demolished a number of years ago. There are various high street shops, and it’s a pleasant area for shopping and relaxation.

At the front of the complex is what appears at first glance to be a fountain or a shrine. It is in fact a Wishing Well, where visitors are encouraged to put change in and make a wish, on behalf of the Rotary Club of Ambleside Kirkstone. It’s a fun idea, and I am glad that both the Shopping Outlet and the Well have both been built in the same kind of Slate that typifies the rest of the town, so that they blend in well and appear to be original features.

Walking through this area of the town, it really hits you how close the mountains and hills of the Lake District are, with the town nestled in a valley between them. As with both Keswick and Grasmere, most directions you look out of the town you will see a large hill looming over you, which makes the Lake District so amazing, being in the centre of nature yet working with it.

Directly across from the Shopping Outlet are a number of Landmarks, the most prominent being the Market Cross. It was during the English Civil War that the first charter was granted to the town, in 1650, giving it the right to hold a Market. King Charles I (1600 – 1649) was deposed in 1649 and executed, with the Parliamentarians and Oliver Cromwell (1599 – 1658) taking over. The Monarchy was eventually restored in 1660 when King Charles II (1630 – 1685) took over, and his successor, King James II (1633 – 1701), granted a second charter to Ambleside, which enabled it to collect tolls.

The Market Place was then the centre of the town, where a lot of local trading took place. Behind the Cross is a set of shops called Central Buildings, built in Victorian times, along with much of the rest of Ambleside, which was originally only a small town, however the sheer volume of tourists and it’s growing popularity caused the town to be expanded substantially. At the front of Central Buildings is the Tourist Information Office, where you can get information about the town and the local area.

The loop finally returned us to our start point, as we had parked outside the impressive Market Hall, shown above. Again it is a Victorian Building, from 1863. I mentioned before about the building boom in the Victorian era, and it continues here as many old buildings were demolished, including the old Market Hall, allowing for a new, grander building.

If you look below the main “The Market Hall” sign, you might spot that it is in fact inhabited by a Thai Restaurant now, although this only takes up the bottom floor. It’s a beautiful building, as are most throughout the town, and although it’s a shame that some of the very old buildings were taken down to make way for new ones by the Victorians, they definitely did a good job in designing the new town.

Across the road from the Market Hall stands the Queens Hotel, which is proudly flying three flags, which are, from left to right:

The Coat of Arms of the County of Cumberland

Cumberland County Flag

Westmorland County Flag

Whilst Ambleside is actually in Westmorland, the three countries of Cumberland, Lancashire and Westmorland historically met not far from here, near Oxen Fell. The northern detached part of Lancashire, along with Cumberland and Westmorland now make up Cumbria, but their local identity has recently emerged and become much more prominent.

Elsewhere, a river called the Under Loughrigg runs through the town, meeting up with the river Rothay, that nears the end of it’s long journey from Threlkeld, through Grasmere Lake and on to Windermere just past Ambleside. You could also visit the Armitt Library & Museum, founded in 1909 by Mary Louisa Armitt, showing off an impressive collection of paintings by a German artist called Kurt Schwitters, as well as over 10,000 books in the main Library. The most famous patron of the Museum was Beatrix Potter (1866 – 1943, famous English Author who created Peter Rabbit), and her own personal copies of the books she wrote can also be found in the Museum.

Ambleside is a great little town, with the town centre very well co-ordinated by the Victorians as well as modern day architects who have made sure that all new buildings fit in perfectly. The Northern end of Lake Windermere is at the bottom of the town, with Steamers running from there round to towns along the Lakeside including Bowness-on-Windermere. Local buses run around the area, and it is ideally located in the centre of the Lake District, with endless scenery.

Ambleside is a perfect place to visit if you are exploring the Lake District, with a trip on Windermere a must. Incidentally, Bowness-on-Windermere was our next stop, on the shores of the largest Lake in England…

Kendal and the Lakes: Pt 3 – Grasmere, Cumbria

After leaving Keswick, we set out to explore the beauty of the Lake District, and soon passed Thirlmere, the next Lake along after Derwent Water. After that, we arrived at Grasmere, another of the region’s famous lakes, next to the village of the same name…

Grasmere:

Status: South Lakeland District, Cumbria (Historically Westmorland), Village, England

Date: 05/06/2014

Travel: Car

Eating & Sleeping: N/A

Attractions: Grasmere Lake, Dove Cottage, River Rothay, The Island, Grasmere Village etc

Whilst we did divert off the main road and drive through the village itself, we didn’t really have time to stop as we had a lot to pack into the rest of the day, so we settled for a stop on the edge of the actual Lake, although on the way I did get a few snaps out of the car window.

The first was the above sign welcoming us to Grasmere, an ancient village, whose name means “The lake flanked by grass” and is also famous for it’s gingerbread, made to a secret recipe of Sarah Nelson (1815 – 1904).

This is a typical building in the village, similar to those all over the Lake District. It is made out of slate, which makes up the main walls. The design is fantastic and utilises the very common Slate, found all over the area. In fact, right in the centre of the Lake District is the Honister Slate Mine, which sells a product called Westmorland Green Slate, with mining of the material dating back to Roman Times. It was used on many 13th century buildings, and it was widely written about by the 1700s. Production has increased over the last few centuries and it is still a common building material.

On the outskirts of the village, is the Wordsworth Trust, celebrating the life of William Wordsworth (1770 – 1850, famous English Poet from Cockermouth who introduced Romantic Literature). Wordsworth lived in Grasmere for 14 years, and it was his favourite place, and he is quoted as saying “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found”. The Museum is housed in a building (shown above) close to Dove Cottage (which is on a road just behind it), where he lived from 1799 until 1808 with his sister Dorothy (1771 – 1855). William soon required a larger house for his expanding family. He married a woman called Mary in 1802, and she and her family moved in, resulting in three children for the couple. The Cottage was later bought by the Wordsworth Trust in 1890 and opened in 1891, which it remains to this day.

We pulled into a layby further up the road, on the edge of the Lake itself. The river Rothay feeds the Lake, running through Grasmere itself en route before running into the Northern end of the Lake. It also flows out of the Southern end for half a mile down to Rydal Water, the next lake along. From there it continues Southwards, merging with the River Brathay past Ambleside, and together the rivers flow through to Lake Windermere.

You get a fantastic view from here, across the calm waters of the Lake towards the hills in the distance. The Lake has a full length of 1540 metres, and at it’s widest point it’s 640 metres. It’s one of the smaller lakes in the Lake District, and is around 16th with respect to water volume out of the major lakes.

On the left, you can see the only island in Grasmere Lake, imaginatively called “The Island”. You are allowed to take rowing boats out on the lake, and the shores are open to any visitors.

After enjoying the local scenery, we pushed on towards our next destination, close to the North end of Lake Windermere, via some incredible views…

Westmorland Road Trip: Pt 4 – Shap

Our final stop of the day was to the small village of Shap, located next to the M6, around halfway between Penrith and Kendal. Pulling through the village, we spotted our first landmark, and set out to investigate…

Shap:

Status: Eden District, Cumbria (Historically Westmorand), Village, England

Date: 26/05/2014

Travel: Car

Eating & Sleeping: N/A

Attractions: Shap Abbey, St Michaels Church, River Lowther, Market Cross etc

The beautiful old tower of Shap’s St Michaels Church rises up above the main village, due to it’s prominent location on a hill near the centre of Shap. It’s history starts in 1140, when the main part of this Church was built, replacing earlier models, as a Church has stood here since 750.

in 1898 a full restoration was undertaken, and as a result the only original features from the Norman building erected all those centuries ago are the lower portions of the walls/windows on the north end, and the pillars inside the Church itself.

In the Churchyard you will find a monument to the workers who died in the 1840’s during the construction of the Lancaster and Carlisle Railways. Today they form part of the West Coast Main Line, and although there was once a Shap Station (opened in 1846, closed 1968) trains no longer stop in the village but fly through Northwards to Carlisle and Scotland, and South to Lancaster and London.

We moved on, and parked up by the River Lowther, just outside of the main village itself. The Lowther begins it’s journey near the village of Keld, only a mile outside of Shap, and eventually meets the river Eamont just outside Penrith, at Brougham Castle. The Eamont then in turn runs into the river Eden, and out into the Solway Firth and eventually the Irish Sea.

It’s a very idyllic location out here, with only the sound of the birds, the leaves in the trees rustling, and the ripples of the water as it flows downstream, as it begins its 40 mile journey to freedom.

The bright sunshine in the area lit up the Lowther, and reflected off the stones at the bottom, giving off a lovely golden hue.

An old stone bridge crosses at this point, and is the main access point for pedestrians, as the area is also a working farm so they have their own dedicated river crossing. We crossed the bridge, and followed the old stone wall towards the farm.

It was a beautiful day, and the sun shone through all the trees, which became silhouetted against the sky. A few sheep nestled behind the trees, and the bleating of small lambs carried on the breeze. It’s a picture perfect location, and there is one other thing that adds to the atmosphere, and was the reason we had come out here…

Even though it is actually pre-dated by St Michael’s Church, Shap Abbey is the villages most well known landmark, and the ruins of it are nestled in the farm grounds, and it’s quite an odd sight, especially with the field of chickens off to the left. I guess the chickens don’t appreciate the building as much as the rest of us!

The Abbey and it’s community was originally built 20 miles away near Kendal, back in 1190. It didn’t last long however, as by 1199 it was replaced by this Abbey, minus the tower which was added in the 15th century.

Like Brough Castle, the Abbey is free to enter, and you can go into the ruins and look at the outline of the old walls, pantry and kitchen. The Tower is in the best condition, however the remaining walls are still very impressive and show the extensive layout the site once had. Henry VIII (1491 – 1547) instigated the dissolution of the monasteries (1536 – 1541) when he took their assets across England, Wales and Ireland, and became the head of the new Church of England, after splitting with the Pope in Rome.

Shap Abbey survived however, but it was closed only a few years later, in 1540 and sold to the Governor of Carlisle, and it was almost abandoned. By the end of the 17th century most of the masonry was removed and used to build Shap Market Hall, along with the stonework being taken to Lowther Castle, near Penrith.

There are some interesting features to look at in the Abbey, including the bases of the columns, which would have towered over anyone entering the main halls, as well as this unusual Stone Coffin, although I am unsure who once inhabited it.

Shap itself is quite interesting, as whilst it’s only a small village in size, it is technically a market town as it received a Market Charter in the 17th century, and a Market Cross is located on the high street.

Shap is situated in a great stretch of countryside, very close to the Lake District National Park, between the larger towns of Penrith and Kendal, both of which have train stations on the West Coast Main Line between London and Glasgow/Edinburgh, where you can get local buses to Shap. A tour of the local countryside here is very rewarding, and Shap is no exception so if you want to explore the local area Shap is an ideal choice to visit, for its history and beauty.

Westmorland Road Trip: Pt 3 – Brough Castle

Our next stop was the town of Brough, around ten miles from Appleby, and we pulled up near the impressive ruins of Brough Castle.

Brough:

Status: Eden District, Cumbria (Historically Westmorland), Village, England

Date: 26/05/2014

Travel: Car

Eating & Sleeping: N/A

Attractions: Brough Castle

Walking up to the Castle, we were struck by the incredible silhouette it cast on the landscape. There are three main sections of the Castle remaining:

1) The Square Tower

2) Exterior End Wall

3) Interior Wall Foundations.

The Castle is completely free to enter, so we set out to explore, starting with the foundations around the main exterior wall. This towering scheduled monuments has it’s origins in the 11th century, when it was built on the site of the former Roman Fort, Verterae that was abandoned in the 5th century. Brough Castle was built by William Rufus (1056 – 1100), the son of William the Conqueror (1028 – 1087, first Norman King of England) after he invaded in 1091, with a Motte and Bailey design (containing a keep made out of wood or stone on a motte). This version of the Castle was destroyed in an attack by the Scottish in 1174, and later rebuilt.

These sections of the Castle were part of the Inner and Outer Ranges, whilst directly opposite, off to the left out of shot the Kitchen, Bakehouse and Brewery were separated from the Ranges by a large hall that was built in the 12th century. A lot of the stone portions of the Castle were built during the rebuild, as the older wooden sections were rebuilt in stone to give it greater protection. The owner by now was Robert de Vieuxpont who was gifted the Castle by King John in 1203, along with nearby Appleby Castle.

The stand out feature of the ruins is Cliffords Tower, which was added after the Clifford Family took possession sometime around the 1260’s.

The Tower is incredible, and you can go inside and gaze up at the empty walls. There are steps at the top, however the gate to these was locked when we visited, and it could be a seasonal thing or it has been closed due to structural reasons.

Either way, it’s a shame as the view across the valleys is stunning enough from the base of the Castle, so it must be amazing from the top of the Tower.

The Cliffords added a lot of fortifications to the overall structure, but would go on to accidentally destroy the whole Castle in 1521, when Henry Clifford (1454 – 1523) had an incident during a Christmas Dinner. He died not long afterwards, just 2 years later.

If you have read my Appleby post, I talk a lot about Lady Anne Clifford, an important figure in the area and it’s history. She restored Brough Castle, and also owned Appley Castle, After all her work the Castle was fully restored and habitable, and Clifford’s Tower became apartments. Sadly there was a second fire, in 1666 and the Castle was again destroyed. Anne died 10 years later, with the Castle abandoned.

Anne’s daughter, Margaret soon got married to John Tufton (1608 – 1664). John’s son, called Thomas, removed many of the furnishings and sold them in 1714 to help rebuild parts of Appleby Castle, and by 1763 most of the stone in the Tower was removed and put to use restoring Brough Mill.

Looking past Cliffords Tower, some large sections of the wall are lying on the grass below. It was noted that  the South-West corner partially collapsed in 1800, with more following in 1920, so I assume they are mean this section.

Today the Castle is owned by English Heritage and restoration work is regularly carried out, along with archaeological works around the site, most recently in 2009. Visitors are allowed to freely visit the whole site, and there is a small coffee and ice cream shop sat just opposite it, the perfect place to relax and sight see. The river Eden winds its way through the valley below, through to Carlisle and eventually close to Gretna where it runs out into the Solway Firth.

After exploring this beautiful old Castle we moved on, to the village of Shap, and it’s fantastic ruined Abbey…

Westmorland Road Trip: Pt 2 – Settle & Carlisle Railway: Appleby

After exploring the centre of Appleby, we made our way up to the train station, which lies on the Settle & Carlisle Railway, a famous line running from Settle in Yorkshire through to Carlisle in Cumbria (Cumberland). We pulled up in the car park, and set out to explore.

One of the first things we noticed was a large steam locomotive in a siding next to the main tracks. There was no number on it so we can’t identify which specific locomotive it is, but it looks very splendid. It was getting a bit rusty, and if you look closely at the bottom of the tender, above the wheels you can see a line of rust slowly eating through it but I am sure this fine engine will be restored at some point in the near future.

We made our way up onto the pedestrian footbridge, and from there you get a great view across both platforms, and the old station buildings. Trains are quite scarce, as on the normal timetable trains run around every 2 hours, often meeting here as they travel in either direction.

The main services run from Carlisle through to Leeds via Settle, and the famous Ribblehead Viaduct in Yorkshire, which has 24 arches rising 104 feet tall, with an incredible 1.5 million bricks used in it’s construction.

Appleby Train Station opened in 1876, as Appleby station, which it was rebranded in 1968 after a name change in 1952 to Appleby West (due to an old station called Appleby East nearby although it is now closed). The station was originally operated by the Midland Railway, before becoming part of the London, Midland & Scottish Railway in 1923. It was finally nationalised in 1948, however it is now owned by Northern Rail after the privatisation of the British Rail industry. The line begins at Settle, where a junction takes trains on to Leeds, and ends at Carlisle via Langwathby, Lazonby, Ribblehead, Appleby, Kirkby Stephen and more.

After the findings of Dr Beeching in the 1960’s there were plans to abolish the line, but luckily they were shelved, and the line was kept open, albeit with only 2 stations remaining, Settle and Appleby. The rest of the line was eventually reopened and full passengers services restored, as only 2 trains a day ran through the 2 remaining stations.

The whole line is 73 miles long, from the Settle junction, however the services provided extend to the Yorkshire city of Leeds, which is around another 42 miles away. If the West Coast Main Line is down or obstructed Virgin Trains services are diverted along this line and re-emerge onto the mainline at Carlisle, although there is no electricity on the line so Pendolinos are hauled by diesel locomotives.

From the footbridge you also get a fantastic view of the surrounding countryside, and down into the town centre, with the England flag flying proudly on top of the tower of St Lawrence’s church visible down below.

We soon left Appleby behind, after a fantastic morning exploring the town and the railway. Our next stop was the imposing ruins of Brough Castle, around 10 miles away…