Cumbria Historic Houses

Brantwood

The former home of John Ruskin, is the most beautifully situated house in the Lake District. Explore Brantwood’s estate and gardens or experience contemporary art in the Severn Studio. Brantwood’s bookshop, the Jumping Jenny restaurant and Coach House Gallery.

Coniston  LA21 8ADTel: 015394 41396   Email

Dalemain House

A fine mixture of mediaeval, Tudor and early Georgian architecture. The present owner’s family have lived here since 1679 and have collected china, furniture, and family portraits.The Gardens are 5 acres set against the picturesque splendour of the lakeland Fells and Parkland. Richly planted herbaceous borders, a rose walk with over 100 old-fashioned roses 

Dalemain, Penrith, CA11 0HB Tel: 017684 86450  Email

Holker Hall

Home of Lord & LadyCavendish, built in the Victorian style. A new wing was added during 1871-74 and visitors are free to wander freely through this wing. There is a copy of the famous triple portrait of Charles II by Van Dyck. The gardens cover 25 acres and include a lime stone cascade, fountain, a sunken garden and a newly created labyrinth, designed in conjuction with Jim Buchanan.

Cark-in-Cartmel, Grange-over-Sands, LA11 7PL Tel: 01539 558328 Email

Hutton in the Forest

Home of Lord inglewood and family, this home was built around a medieval prel tower, with additions in 17th, 18th, & 19th centuries. There are collections of furniture, paintings, ceramics and tapestries. The gardens have terraces, topiary, walled garden, dovecote and a woodland walk.

Penrith, CA11 9TH Tel: 01768 484449 Email

Levens Hall

An Elizabethan mansion built around a 13th century pele tower and home to the Basgot family. There is fine panelling and plasterwork, period furniture, cordova leather wall coverings and paintings by Rubens, Lely and Cuyp. There are well known Topiary gardens, laid out by M.Beaumont in 1694 and remain largely unchanged since then.

Kendall, LA8 0PD  Tel: 01539 560321 Email

Mirehouse

Has strong links with poets Tennyson, Wordsworth and Southey.  It is a living family home, which has been sold only once, in 1688 ands the largest woodland adventure playgrounds in the area and in 1999 it won the award as ’Best Heritage Property for Families in the UK’

Keswick, CA12 4QE Tel: 017687 72287 Email

Rydal Mount

This is the "most beloved home" of William Wordsworth (1813 - 1850) one of England’s greatest and well known poets. Little has changed since his day. It has been said that every round chimney-pot in the locality is a memorial to William Wordsworth. He believed that a garden should be informal, that it should harmonise with the countryside, and should consist of "lawn, and trees carefully planted so as not to obscure the view."

Rydal, Nr Ableside, LA22 9LU   Tel: 01539 433002  Email