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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.
Originally know as Sunkenkirk, consists of 50 stones at the foot of Black Combe. Access is via a…
The smallest church near the deepest lake and the highest mountain in England.
Steam trains running a seasonal daily service from Haverthwaite to Lakeside via the Leven valley.…
Mount Zion Chapel was opened in 1876, the same year in which the Midland Railway Company opened the…
Visit Carlisle Cathedral, centrally located in the heart of the city. Whether for worship, events,…
The 15 stones, of which the tallest is just under one metre, form an almost perfect circle some 40…
The beautiful Grade I church we see today, situated by the River Bela, is the result of additions…
St Peter’s was built in 1874 designed by well known Lancashire firm of Paley and Austin and won an…
Stone circle is now incomplete and has a modern wall cutting through it, incorporating one stone.…
Nestling in the hills of the Troutbeck Valley, a place for walkers and pilgrims to pause, reflect…
Brougham Hall is a creative haven where you can enjoy the perfect blend of crafts, coffee and…
St Lawrence's church is a grade I listed building, of late 12th century foundation, rebuilt late…
Brantwood, the former home of eminent Victorian John Ruskin and a treasure house of art and…
Mirehouse is a beautiful family home in a breathtaking setting, welcoming visitors of all ages.…
The mainly 15thC remains of a castle begun by Bishop Strickland of Carlisle and developed by the…
St Mary's has been an important religious site since the 8th century.
Imposing and well-preserved turret with adjoining stretches of Hadrian's Wall.
Museum, art gallery and reference library covering the history life and arts of the Lakes.…
Crooked River Brewing Co is a craft beer brewery based in West Cumbria with a taproom based in…
The priory is one of the architectural jewels in Cumbria and well worth a visit. This beautiful and…
Said to be the resting place of the legendary King Arthur. The church of St Michael & All Angels is…
Morland church has the only Anglo Saxon tower in Cumbria which is a remarkable survival and…
Described by Nicholas Pevsner as “one of the architectural sensations of Cumberland.” The present…
Lamplugh church, designed by William Butterfield, is located in a dramatic landscape on an elevated…


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.
Ulverston
Steam trains running a seasonal daily service from Haverthwaite to Lakeside via the Leven valley. Licensed tea room, gift shop, engine shed, picnic area & playground.
Bowness-on-Windermere
Standing at the centre of the town of Bowness-on-Windermere, this Grade I listed church boasts medieval architecture, awe-inspiring stained glass windows, and a long and varied history spanning over 800 years. The earliest records of a church at…
Penrith
One mile east of Orton is the ancient Gamelands stone circle. One of the largest in Cumbria, all of its stones have fallen over so none are higher than one yard but they are 100 yards in circumference.
Silloth
A museum/exhibition based on a collection of toy soldiers and related forts, guns etc. Battlefield models, Hadrian's Wall feature, historical information.
Sedbergh
Cowgill church is a welcoming haven for walkers, cyclists and other visitors, sitting on the Dales Way in the the Yorkshire Dales National Park just a mile from the Settle Carlisle Railway and Dent Station.
PENRITH
A beautiful Norman church on site of 7th century monastery in peaceful Lakeland location and home of the Dacre Bears, four unique medieval stone statues.
Barrow-in-Furness
Now a ruin, Furness Abbey was once the second most powerful Cistercian monastery in Britain, after Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire.
Kendal
A stunning Elizabethan mansion with spectacular interiors and impressive collections of antiques. Also home to the world's oldest topiary gardens, designed by Guillaume Beaumont, retain many original features. Cafe, Gift Shop and Plant Centre.
WHITEHAVEN
A fine example of a Georgian church, which has been sympathetically modernised.
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.
GRANGE-OVER-SANDS
Founded in 1504 and Grade I listed this peaceful church is tucked away on the Fell, surrounded by a graveyard rich with wildflowers, the interior contains unusual box pews, a triple decker pulpit and stained glass both ancient and modern.
SEDBERGH
Striking in its symmetry with its central round headed doorway between by matching round headed windows, Cautley Wesleyan chapel is a good example of its type and date.
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.
Hexham
Hadrian's Wall is a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site, marching 73 miles from sea to sea across some of the wildest and most dramatic country in England.
Penrith
Brougham Hall is a creative haven where you can enjoy the perfect blend of crafts, coffee and restoration.
Millom
Remnants of five stone circles and two possible stone avenues, circles range from 14' to 60', one of them having contained a cremation.
CARLISLE
12th century Norman church, built with stones from Hadrian’s Wall and where King Edward I (Longshanks) lay in state in the church for ten days in 1307.
Burgh by Sands is a very interesting church with layers of history.From the 12th century and on…
Penrith
Morland church has the only Anglo Saxon tower in Cumbria which is a remarkable survival and outstanding example of its type.
The top storey of the tower was added in the 17th century but the massive Saxon structure retains its original masonry,…
Ulverston
Step through a 12th century doorway into an oasis of calm where worship, history, wood and stones have tales to tell of the Mariners, merchants and a faithful community are celebrated in memorials and stained glass.
Cockermouth
Situated on what was once the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith railway line, Bassenthwaite Lake Station offers a unique place to enjoy breakfast, brunch and lunch aboard the replica Orient Express train, right here in the Lake District.
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