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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.
Raised in circa 3000BC, Castlerigg is perhaps the most atmospheric of all British stone circles…
The tranquility of St Andrew's church, set on the banks of the river Esk, belies the turbulence of…
St Peter’s, the oldest site of worship in the old county of Westmorland and the building we see…
In spite of the eclectic origins of its many parts, St Oswald's significance lies it its…
Situated in the quaint Lake District Village of Hawkshead, the boys Grammar School gives insight…
Circle has a diameter of 60' and stands on a flattened mound or platform. There are 20 uprights,…
Imposing and well-preserved turret with adjoining stretches of Hadrian's Wall.
Carlisle Brewing Co is a small, family-run brewery based in Cumbria's capital city. We make beer…
The house boasts 800 years of family history, and is still lived in by the Strickland family today.…
The 8th century, Anglo Saxon Bewcastle Cross, stands free in the churchyard where it has been for…
St Mary and St Michael's church is said to have very early origins, as 9th and 10th century richly…
This ‘hidden gem’ is the earliest known surviving example of a small English parish church designed…
A fine example of a Georgian church, which has been sympathetically modernised.
The church is situated centrally in Keswick and stands out by virtue of its tall spire. The site…
Step inside the charming world of Tabitha Twitchit's second-hand bookshop in Hawkshead, where every…
Windermere Jetty Museum is a vibrant, family-friendly visitor attraction dedicated to the boats,…
Cautley chapel was built in the early 1860s by the Upton family, when the London and North Western…
Penrith and Eden Museum is an Accredited Museum, which aims to collect, preserve and display…
Several stone circles and many small cairns are visible on the moor. The circles are distinguished…
Grade I listed, it is one of the finest examples of a late medieval, vernacular Lake District…
Crosthwaite Church has a long history and it is thought that Christians have worshipped on this…
St Lawrence's church is a grade I listed building, of late 12th century foundation, rebuilt late…
A stunning Elizabethan mansion with spectacular interiors and impressive collections of antiques. …
The stream which flows over Aira Force is Aira Beck, which rises on the upper slopes of Stybarrow…


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 81 to 100.
Ravenglass
Located in the grounds of Muncaster Castle, it is believed that worship on this site dates to pre Christian times.
Built on land used by the monks of Furness Abbey to graze their sheep. It seems likely that there was an earlier church, in the…
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…
Embleton
The 15 stones, of which the tallest is just under one metre, form an almost perfect circle some 40 metres in diameter. Only 15 stones of the original 30 remain.
Cockermouth
Step back in time to the 1770s and experience William and Dorothy Wordsworth’s childhood home. Whether you meet the maid-of-all-work or a knowledgeable 21st-century guide, you’re guaranteed a warm welcome.
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.
WHITEHAVEN
A fine example of a Georgian church, which has been sympathetically modernised.
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.
Brough
Come and walk up the aisle of our beautiful and peaceful church and learn about the lives of the inhabitants of Brough under Stainmore.
St Michael’s has not always had such a quiet time. Its close proximity to the castle 200yds away, meant it was…
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.
PENRITH
There has probably been a church in Great Salkeld since 880 AD, when the body of St Cuthbert was rested here after being brought from Holy Island. The Pele Tower was added in 1380, with an iron door for defence of the inhabitants against the Scots.
Brampton
Imposing and well-preserved turret with adjoining stretches of Hadrian's Wall.
Barrow-in-Furness
Now a ruin, Furness Abbey was once the second most powerful Cistercian monastery in Britain, after Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire.
Carlisle
Situated prominently in the heart of the village, in an area of outstanding natural beauty. St Mary’s is the only church actually on the course of Hadrian's Wall.
Sedbergh
Farfield Mill is a Victorian woollen mill in the Yorkshire Dales. Home to artists’ studios, art exhibitions, heritage looms and tea room.
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.
Keswick
Located in Keswick, the home of the first pencil, visitors enter this museum through a replica graphite mine which would have served as the source of the pencil industry over three centuries ago.
Carnforth
Circle has a diameter of 60' and stands on a flattened mound or platform. There are 20 uprights, none more than 2' high and suggesting perhaps the kerb of a destroyed cairn.
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.
KESWICK
Newlands church, set in the midst of the lovely Newlands Valley, is a haven of peace and tranquillity, it can be traced back to the mid 16th century, although it was substantially refurbished in the 1840s.
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.
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