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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.
This area is rich in prehistoric remains including a standing stone, stone circle and cairns. Moor…
Grade I listed, it is one of the finest examples of a late medieval, vernacular Lake District…
The house boasts 800 years of family history, and is still lived in by the Strickland family today.…
Caught in the Anglo Scottish wars of the 14th century, a good bit of luck followed the Dissolution…
Imagine leaving the heart of Whitehaven's historic port and being taken back in time to an exotic…
Striking in its symmetry with its central round headed doorway between by matching round headed…
With a history dating back over a thousand years, Holy Trinity is one of the largest parish…
Nenthead Mines is a historic place at Nenthead, near Alston. This remote valley is covered by…
Swarthmoor Hall is a 17th century, Grade II* listed country house. The Hall is regarded as the…
Cowgill church is a welcoming haven for walkers, cyclists and other visitors, sitting on the Dales…
A magical indoor attraction that brings to life all 23 Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit tales. Meet…
Come and join us at The Old Calf Shed for a behind-the-scenes look at our distillery, followed by a…
Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house is a rare architectural gem in the heart of the Lake District…
Hadrian's Wall is a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site, marching 73 miles from sea to sea…
Newlands church, set in the midst of the lovely Newlands Valley, is a haven of peace and…
St Peter’s, the oldest site of worship in the old county of Westmorland and the building we see…
The brewery is now open again, at the foot of Cockermouth Castle, surrounded by the River Derwent…
A local landowner, Sarah Losh (1785-1853), designed St Mary's in 1840, partly in memory of her…
A unique combination of interrelated stories and a fascinating visitor experience. Over 100 years…
In spite of the eclectic origins of its many parts, St Oswald's significance lies it its…
Museum, art gallery and reference library covering the history life and arts of the Lakes.…
Visit Carlisle Cathedral, centrally located in the heart of the city. Whether for worship, events,…
Said to be the resting place of the legendary King Arthur. The church of St Michael & All Angels is…
Situated on what was once the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith railway line, Bassenthwaite Lake…


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 21 to 40.
MILNTHORPE
St Peter’s, the oldest site of worship in the old county of Westmorland and the building we see today reflects its long and fascinating history.
Penrith
A tranquil haven with an almost-forgotten industrial past. Walled garden with outstanding medicinal and culinary herb collection and orchards, woodland walks to a restored watermill.
Kendal
With a history dating back over a thousand years, Holy Trinity is one of the largest parish churches in the country and one of England's Greater Churches.
Visitors are struck both by the lightness of the interior and by its five aisles. Although…
Penrith
Circle is 37' across, seven stones and the retaining kerb of a destroyed cairn. Nineteenth-century excavations produced a cremation.
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.
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…
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.
Penrith
Three stone circles and two smaller settings of boulders 12' across. Inside one of the circles was a series of cremations, one in a collared urn.
Cockermouth
Isel church is a beautiful Grade I listed building, which is located in an idyllic position in a carefully tended churchyard close to the River Derwent and the grounds of Isel Hall.
Alston
Set in the beautiful North Pennines, Alston is the highest market town in England and St Augustine's houses the unique single handed Derwentwater Clock.
Sedbergh
Farfield Mill is a Victorian woollen mill in the Yorkshire Dales. Home to artists’ studios, art exhibitions, heritage looms and tea room.
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.
Ulverston
Double Circle of stones surrounding cremations in urns (removed). 'Platform' cairn, small barrows, Romano-British farmsteads.
Bowness-on-Windermere
Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house is a rare architectural gem in the heart of the Lake District and offers a perfectly preserved snapshot of early 20th-century living.
APPLEBY-IN-WESTMORLAND
St Lawrence's church is a grade I listed building, of late 12th century foundation, rebuilt late 13th after a raid by the Scots, restored 16th by Lady Anne Clifford, followed by two rounds of 19th century internal remodelling.
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.
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.
Grasmere
Enjoy your perfect Lake District day out at Wordsworth Grasmere. Discover the home of William Wordsworth, one of England’s most famous poets. Step back 200 years and experience the sights, sounds and smells of family life at Dove Cottage.
Eskdale
Several stone circles and many small cairns are visible on the moor. The circles are distinguished by the occurance within them of small cairns. Construction date is thought to be around 2000BC.
Ulverston
St Mary and St Michael's church is said to have very early origins, as 9th and 10th century richly carved crosses were found on the site and are now on display in the church.
The building's history is palpable and its setting is peaceful. Clues to…
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