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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.
Standing at the centre of the town of Bowness-on-Windermere, this Grade I listed church boasts…
The 8th century, Anglo Saxon Bewcastle Cross, stands free in the churchyard where it has been for…
Castle open to public at all times. Church open to public dawn to dusk. Bewcastle Cross Shaft Anglo…
A magical indoor attraction that brings to life all 23 Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit tales. Meet…
A spectacular Gothic ruin set in 130 acres of ancient and romantic Gardens, award-winning Lowther…
Built in 1833 by William Carus Wilson, Founder of the Clergy Daughters School, as school chapel and…
A lovely church in a remote setting. Known locally as Ninekirks, St Ninian's stands remote down a…
Mirehouse is a beautiful family home in a breathtaking setting, welcoming visitors of all ages.…
Come and join us at The Old Calf Shed for a behind-the-scenes look at our distillery, followed by a…
Come and visit our brewery to find out more about us and the beers we make. Only a 2 minute walk…
Egremont Castle Park in the town of Egremont, offers 2.8 acres of beautiful green space that is…
The church, dedicated to the Celtic Saint Bega, is situated in a picture perfect setting in fields…
Remnants of five stone circles and two possible stone avenues, circles range from 14' to 60', one…
Situated on the western coast in the rural village of Rowrah, our beer is brewed with quality and…
Set in a tranquil rural landscape, overlooked by Hadrian's Wall, Lanercost Priory forms a…
Windermere Jetty Museum is a vibrant, family-friendly visitor attraction dedicated to the boats,…
Situated in the beautiful valley of Dentdale, Cumbria yet within the boundary of the Yorkshire…
Said to be the resting place of the legendary King Arthur. The church of St Michael & All Angels is…
Imagine leaving the heart of Whitehaven's historic port and being taken back in time to an exotic…
Roman museum displaying the internationally significant collection of Romano-British altars,…
The mainly 15thC remains of a castle begun by Bishop Strickland of Carlisle and developed by the…
St Peter’s was built in 1874 designed by well known Lancashire firm of Paley and Austin and won an…
Originally know as Sunkenkirk, consists of 50 stones at the foot of Black Combe. Access is via a…
Grade I listed, it is one of the finest examples of a late medieval, vernacular Lake District…


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.
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…
CARLISLE
The 8th century, Anglo Saxon Bewcastle Cross, stands free in the churchyard where it has been for nearly 1500 years. The church is somewhat simpler and certainly younger, with some parts of it dating from 1277, although mostly it is from the…
Bewcastle, Carlisle
Castle open to public at all times. Church open to public dawn to dusk. Bewcastle Cross Shaft Anglo Saxon 7thC, beside church. Dates from 1361, east wall 12thC.
Sedbergh
Farfield Mill is a Victorian woollen mill in the Yorkshire Dales. Home to artists’ studios, art exhibitions, heritage looms and tea room.
Bowness-on-Windermere
A magical indoor attraction that brings to life all 23 Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit tales. Meet all your favourite characters and find out more about Beatrix Potter herself.
Penrith
A spectacular Gothic ruin set in 130 acres of ancient and romantic Gardens, award-winning Lowther Castle is one of the northwest's most spectacular visitor attractions. Its setting within the Lake District National Park is truly beautiful while the…
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.
Penrith
A lovely church in a remote setting.
Known locally as Ninekirks, St Ninian's stands remote down a long track, above a bend in the River Eamont and with views of the Pennines and the Lake District. It is worth finding both for its lovely setting and…
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.
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.
Millom
Remnants of five stone circles and two possible stone avenues, circles range from 14' to 60', one of them having contained a cremation.
Brampton
Set in a tranquil rural landscape, overlooked by Hadrian's Wall, Lanercost Priory forms a magnificent and fascinating complex of historic buildings. St Mary’s sits in the former nave of the Priory, an Augustinian monastery founded in 1169.
Windermere
Windermere Jetty Museum is a vibrant, family-friendly visitor attraction dedicated to the boats, people and the rich history of Windermere, England’s largest natural lake.
SEDBERGH
Situated in the beautiful valley of Dentdale, Cumbria yet within the boundary of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, this Grade II building was originally built as a meeting house by the Society of Friends in 1701.
Carlisle
Said to be the resting place of the legendary King Arthur. The church of St Michael & All Angels is situated on a hill in the ancient parish of Arthuret and overlooks the market town of Longtown with fine views of the surrounding countryside.
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.
The Promenade, Maryport
Roman museum displaying the internationally significant collection of Romano-British altars, inscriptions and sculptures from the adjacent Roman fort and civilian settlement.
Penrith
The mainly 15thC remains of a castle begun by Bishop Strickland of Carlisle and developed by the Nevilles and Richard lll. Set in a municipal park opposite the railway station.
Silloth
A museum/exhibition based on a collection of toy soldiers and related forts, guns etc. Battlefield models, Hadrian's Wall feature, historical information.
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