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Wherever you are in Cumbria and the Lake District you can feel the shadow of a deep cultural heritage. Here are the standing stones and circles of the ancients, the powerful traces of Rome and the mighty fortresses of the Normans. The history of the Vikings, the Angles and the Saxons is read in the names they left behind, including fell, dale, beck, ghyll, mere, tarn and howe.
Later arrivals came not to conquer but to bask in the beauty of the landscapes and let it inspire them to artistic greatness: William Wordsworth, John Ruskin, Beatrix Potter, JMW Turner, Kurt Schwitters and Andy Goldsworthy are just a few of the names who carved their creativity out of Cumbrian stone; today, a rich creative life builds on this exceptional heritage.
You can see it and feel it within a few short miles; the artworks in mountains and forests, the scores of galleries and artists’ studios, the packed programme performances and festivals – not just music and comedy but wool, print and ceramics. It's the intimate venues and outdoor stages in stunning settings that make a cultural break here something unique.
For a taste of the art and culture waiting for you in England’s best-known landscape explore the sections below and at www.lakesculture.co.uk.
Home to the Hasell family since 1679, visitors to Dalemain will discover a fascinating combination…
The 8th century, Anglo Saxon Bewcastle Cross, stands free in the churchyard where it has been for…
Cartmel Priory has been described as the medieval jewel among churches, making a lasting impression…
Imagine coming to a ruined castle, walking through its gardens and into the woodlands and stumbling…
Cautley chapel was built in the early 1860s by the Upton family, when the London and North Western…
Windermere Jetty Museum is a vibrant, family-friendly visitor attraction dedicated to the boats,…
Aldingham church hugs the Cumbrian side of Morecambe Bay and is open to the wild beauty of the Bay,…
St Peter’s was built in 1874 designed by well known Lancashire firm of Paley and Austin and won an…
Situated prominently in the heart of the village, in an area of outstanding natural beauty. St…
This ‘hidden gem’ is the earliest known surviving example of a small English parish church designed…
Entered from the Market Square through handsome cloisters built in 1810, the parish church stands…
Step inside the charming world of Tabitha Twitchit's second-hand bookshop in Hawkshead, where every…
Visible from miles around that spire of St Mary’s nestles into the beautiful landscape of the Heart…
St Peter’s, the oldest site of worship in the old county of Westmorland and the building we see…
Egremont Castle Park in the town of Egremont, offers 2.8 acres of beautiful green space that is…
The 'Old Church' of St Martin was built in the 1660's on the site of a probable earlier chapel…
Hadrian's Wall is a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site, marching 73 miles from sea to sea…
Cowgill church is a welcoming haven for walkers, cyclists and other visitors, sitting on the Dales…
A beautiful Norman church on site of 7th century monastery in peaceful Lakeland location and home…
A unique combination of interrelated stories and a fascinating visitor experience. Over 100 years…
A fascinating historic house where the elegance and loveliness of the Victorian era combine with…
A spectacular Gothic ruin set in 130 acres of ancient and romantic Gardens, award-winning Lowther…
Eskdale Mill is a unique experience, nestled in one of the Lake District's most beautiful locations…
Beatrix Potter's iconic house, full of her personal possessions, with traditional cottage garden.…


Wherever you are in Cumbria the history of the Vikings, the Angles and the Saxons is read in the names they left behind

Number of results: 144
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Penrith
Circle is 37' across, seven stones and the retaining kerb of a destroyed cairn. Nineteenth-century excavations produced a cremation.
Brewery Lane, Keswick
Come and visit our brewery to find out more about us and the beers we make. Only a 2 minute walk from Keswick town centre, enjoy a beer where it’s brewed. Explore on a tour, visit our Brewery Shop, and relax in our Flying Fox Bar.
Keswick
The church, dedicated to the Celtic Saint Bega, is situated in a picture perfect setting in fields on the east shore of Bassenthwaite Lake.
Ambleside
Parkland and Gothic Revival castle sitting on the west shore of Windermere providing an impressive backdrop of turrets, towers, informal grounds and miles of lakeshore paths.
Silloth
A museum/exhibition based on a collection of toy soldiers and related forts, guns etc. Battlefield models, Hadrian's Wall feature, historical information.
Millom
Originally know as Sunkenkirk, consists of 50 stones at the foot of Black Combe. Access is via a long farm track from a minor road branching off the A595. Well worth the walk!
Workington
In spite of the eclectic origins of its many parts, St Oswald's significance lies it its alterations and accumulation of features over time including Norman font and walls, 13th century windows, 15th century chancel and furniture by Thompson (the…
Ulverston
Aldingham church hugs the Cumbrian side of Morecambe Bay and is open to the wild beauty of the Bay, an area of designated county landscape importance and scenic beauty.
Kendal
Lakeland Arts' much-loved art collection includes paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture ranging from the 1700's to the present. In our refreshed collection galleries discover the stories of our extraordinary collection pieces and the people…
Kendal
Kendal Castle is situated on a mound-like hill, known as a drumlin, to the east of the town of Kendal, Cumbria, in northern England.
Ulverston
The Laurel and Hardy Museum celebrates the life and career of Stan Laurel, born in Ulverston.
Barrow-in-Furness
Now a ruin, Furness Abbey was once the second most powerful Cistercian monastery in Britain, after Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire.
Ulverston
Come and join us at The Old Calf Shed for a behind-the-scenes look at our distillery, followed by a relaxed spirits tasting in our stylish visitor bar.
Nr Kendal
The house boasts 800 years of family history, and is still lived in by the Strickland family today. Filled with thousands of items collected by 26 generations of the family the house certainly feels lived in, with centuries-old portraits and fine…
Whitehaven
Imagine leaving the heart of Whitehaven's historic port and being taken back in time to an exotic tropical island's rainforest in the Caribbean, that is just the start of your great adventure in The Rum Story.
BRAMPTON
A 'very remarkable building with windows glowing with gemstone colours', according to architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner and the only church designed by preRaphaelite architect Philip Webb.
Boot, Holmrook
Eskdale Mill is a unique experience, nestled in one of the Lake District's most beautiful locations. This charming site embodies the Lake District’s heritage. It is the last remaining working water-powered corn mill in the Lake District.
Workington
Stone circle is now incomplete and has a modern wall cutting through it, incorporating one stone. Eleven others survive, some only a few inches high.
SEDBERGH
Set in the heart of Sedbergh in a beautifully maintained churchyard the church, which dates from 1130, is a haven of peace.
Carnforth
Built in 1833 by William Carus Wilson, Founder of the Clergy Daughters School, as school chapel and parish church with a strong connection with local heritage and Bronte sisters.
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