tourist information kendal

Kendal is situated to the south of the Lake District, six miles from junction 36 of the  M6 motorway . It is just nine miles to Windermere lake and only a few miles from the sea. The market town is especially well placed to cater for everyone’s holiday needs.

The town boasts a population of some 28500 (2021) and is home to a fair selection of shopping arcades. It also boasts two castles, two museums and a host of historical buildings and bridges. There are fine restaurants, quality hotels and a multitude of public houses. The local schools are excellent, the crime rate low and the views would please the most demanding photographer.

Getting to Kendal

The town is fed by: The A65 from North Yorkshire to the South. The A591 from Barrow and Ulverston to the North. The A684 from Sedbergh to the East. The A685 from Appleby to the North East. The M6 motorway some 6 miles away to the South, providing easy access to Penrith and Carlisle and then onto Scotland.

Kendal railway station  is on the branch line from Oxenholme to Windermere. Nearby  Oxenholme railway station  is on the West Coast Main Line from London to Glasgow.

Railway passengers can alight in Kendal from the Kendal to Windermere service, and can travel to the town from further a field by the West Coast main line from London Euston to Glasgow, getting off at Oxenholme, about two miles outside of the town.

Kendal is often seen as the Southern gateway to the Lake District, being only around 9 miles from Windermere and around 30 miles from Keswick . The other lakes are all within an hour or two’s travelling by car from the town, as are locations for walks and rambles, both gentle and demanding.

Commercial history

Kendal was the largest town in the County of Westmorland (though not the capital which was  Appleby ), before it became part of Cumbria. It was a one of the country’s main manufacturing towns from the 14th Century until the 19th Century, with many mills on the River Kent. There are four  road bridges  in Kendal over the River Kent.

Kendal has, at various times in the past, been an important centre for trade and commerce. The town’s traditional trade was in wool, from which the town’s motto “Pannus mihi panis”, literally meaning “wool is my bread” was taken.

There is also a strong link with the footwear industry, Kendal being home to the famous K-Shoes brand up until the factories ceased to operate around 2003. The warehouse on the edge of town now houses one of Kendal’s excellent shopping arcades.

Kendal’s manufacturing industries all but vanished after the demise of the canal in the 1940’s, with the first few miles of the canal from Kendal onwards being filled in and turned into building land, footpaths and cycle ways.

Today the town is home to a thriving retail sector, with no less than five shopping arcades. Namely, K Village, the Westmorland Shopping Centre, Blackhall Yard Shopping arcade, the Elephant Yard and Wainwright’s Yard. The Town Centre has mostly been pedestrianised and offers a safe connection point for all these shopping areas.

Historical buildings in Kendal

Kendal is home to a multitude of historically exciting buildings. Including the parish church on the river side in Kirkland and a number of houses and office buildings designed and built by renowned local architects. Particularly notable are the 14th century Castle Dairy, Kendal Castle and Castle Howe, Abbot Hall Museum, Kendal Museum. There are also a host of churches and chapels and rows of houses built from the 1600’s right through to the present day.

The broadcaster, historian and famous son of Kendal, David Starkey, once stated that Kendal could have been like York, if only they hadn’t knocked down so many of the historical buildings. Such was the zealous attitude of the town’s councils towards moving with the times, that, at various times in the last hundred years, great swathes of Kendal’s architectural gems have been demolished to make way for roads and housing developments.

The Romans left us with the camp at Watercrook on the banks of the river Kent. The Normans left behind not one but two castles and a church that is only a few feet narrower than the mighty York Minster. The Elizabethans and the Victorians created a wealth of architecture that can only usually be found in larger towns and cities. All making Kendal a North Western gem that deserves a visit.

Walking around the town amongst the ‘mish-mash’ of building styles can be a delight, and tens of thousands of tourists and locals alike do so each year.

Kendal Mint Cake

The town’s most famous export must be Kendal Mint Cake. Joseph Wiper came up with the original recipe for the Everest conquering energy bars. By the time the company was sold to rival mint cake makers Romneys, there were a number of local firms producing their own brands.

Cultural Attractions in Kendal

Kendal castle.

Kendal Castle , probably late 12th Century, is now a ruin, but worth exploring. From here you can get brilliant views over the town. At Kendal Museum is an exhibition telling the story of the Castle, its people , and the life of the town. There is a reconstruction of the Castle.

Holy Trinity Parish Church

The Parish Church,  Holy Trinity , is mostly 18th Century, but has been a place of worship since the 13th Century. It is Cumbria’s largest parish church, having five aisles, two each side of the nave, and a fine western tower.

Abbot Hall Art Gallery

Beside the Church is the  Abbot Hall Art Gallery , set in an attractive Georgian House beside the River Kent. Major art exhibitions are held here.

The  Museum of Lakeland Life  is housed in what was the stable block of Abbot Hall. There are displays of traditional rural trades of the area, including farming machinery and tools, showing how Cumbrian people lived, worked and entertained themselves over the last 300 years.

Kendal Museum of Natural history and Archaeology

The  Museum of Natural History and Archaeology  is one of the oldest museums in the country, housing outstanding displays of natural history and archaeology, both local and global.

Quaker Tapestry

The  Quaker Tapestry , housed in the Kendal Quaker Meeting House, is an embroidery of community art, the creation of more than 4000 people in 15 countries. It shows 300 years of social history, beautifully illustrated.

Castle Howe  consists of the earthwork remains of a motte and bailey castle, built around 1092.

Parks in Kendal

Nobles Rest  is a public park at the end of Maude Street.

Sepulchre Lane  has a small park, where there was once a Quaker burial ground.

Serpentine Woods  were created on part of Kendal Fell, overlooking Kendal and the castle during the 1800s. The woods are home to a wide range of bird species, foxes and squirrels. The trees and shrubs grow over a bed of limestone pavement that shows through its layer of foliage in several places. There are a number of paths that can be taken through the woods, with walks totaling around 3 miles in all. The woods have a nature trail with ten stops, each demonstrating a different environment within the woods.

The Brewery Art’s Centre

Brewery Arts Centre  is a multi-purpose arts complex presenting a year round programme of theatre, music, films, lectures and exhibitions. There are also a range of amateur participatory activities including art and craft workshops, Cumbria Youth Theatre, and classes.

The ‘Yards’

The layout of the town is characterised by the narrow  yards and lanes  branching from the main street. It is less than a mile from the  National Park  boundary but is overlooked by the majority of people heading for Windermere and Grasmere.

There were once about 150  ‘yards’  in Kendal, often named after the owner of the main house which usually stood at the top of the yard. A good example is  Yard 83 – Dr Manning’s Yard , on the right hand side as you walk up Highgate. The yards on this side of Highgate used to run in parallel lines down to the river, where there were factories, weaving shops, dying works, and even a windmill (Yard 65 is called Windmill Yard).

Alfred Wainwright in Kendal

Alfred Wainwright , author of the famous guidebooks, was born in Blackburn, but lived in Kendal from 1941 until his death in 1991. The Town Hall used to be his office when he was Borough Treasurer from 1947 until 1967.

In 1977 AW published  Kendal in the Nineteenth Century , in which he copied and converted some 19th Century photographs which he had found in the collection of the Kendal Museum, where he was still Hon curator. Many are street scenes, full of people and activity.

In the  Kendal Museum  is the Wainwright Gallery, which contains a recreation of his office.

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• Matthew Emmott’s guide to the many interesting buildings of Kendal

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• Post author By The Lake District

Kendal, the southern gateway to the Lake District and the second-largest town in Cumbria, is a vibrant town with a population of around 28,000.

Its location, just 8 miles southeast of Windermere, makes it an ideal starting point for those seeking to experience the beauty of the Lake District while still enjoying the amenities of a modern British town.

Kendal is home to one of the oldest museums in the country and is widely recognized for its renowned Mint Cake – a lifesaver for hikers worldwide seeking nourishment.

Things to do:

• Visit Kendal Castle: Explore the ruins of this medieval castle, which dates back to the 12th century, for a glimpse into the region’s history.
• Take a stroll along the River Kent: Enjoy a leisurely walk along the River Kent and enjoy the stunning scenery.
• Visit the Kendal Museum: Learn about the history and heritage of the Lake District at this fascinating museum, which showcases the region’s natural beauty and cultural heritage.
• Explore the Brewery Arts Centre: Enjoy a show, take a workshop, or catch a film at this vibrant arts centre in the heart of Kendal.
• Visit the Abbot Hall Art Gallery: Browse the collections of this impressive art gallery, which features works by some of the most famous artists in British history.
• Take a walk in Lakeside Park: Enjoy a peaceful stroll through this lovely park, which features stunning views of Lake Windermere and the surrounding hills.
• Explore Kendal’s shops and markets: Kendal is home to various unique shops and markets, offering everything from local crafts and gifts to vintage items and antiques.
• Visit the Quaker Tapestry Museum: Admire the intricate designs and vibrant colours of this fascinating collection of Quaker tapestries, which depict the history and beliefs of the Quaker movement.
• Go rock climbing in the nearby fells: The Lake District is home to some of the best rock climbing in England, with plenty of opportunities for climbers of all abilities.

Where to eat:

• The Sun Inn: This historic pub serves delicious, locally-sourced food, including classic pub grub and contemporary dishes.
• The Warehouse Cafe: This charming cafe serves a range of freshly-prepared dishes, including soups, sandwiches, and baked goods.
• The Pepper Pot: This elegant restaurant offers a fine dining experience with a menu that features fresh local ingredients and innovative cooking techniques.

Where to stay:

Holiday cottages in kendal.

Fantastic selection of holiday cottages across Kendal in the Lake District.Available to book now.

• The Sun Inn: This historic pub offers comfortable guest rooms and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
• The Castle Green Hotel: This elegant hotel offers comfortable rooms, stunning views of the surrounding mountains, and a range of on-site facilities, including a restaurant and bar.
• The Riverside Hotel: This budget-friendly option offers comfortable rooms and a convenient location, just a short walk from the town centre.

Getting There

By Car: To reach Kendal, leave the M6 at Junction 36 and follow the signs for Kendal via the A590 and A591 .

Once you arrive in the town centre, multiple marked parking facilities will be available.

By Public Transport: In addition to being easily accessible by road, Kendal also has a railway station with regular services between Oxenholme and Windermere.

Oxenholme, located on the West Coast Main Line, offers convenient connections to major cities, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.

In conclusion, Kendal is a charming town that offers something for everyone.

From its rich cultural heritage to its stunning scenery and vibrant arts scene, it’s the perfect place to escape and explore.

So why not plan your trip today and discover all this beautiful town has to offer?

Home » Travel Guides » United Kingdom » England » 15 Best Things to Do in Kendal (Cumbria, England)

15 Best Things to Do in Kendal (Cumbria, England)

A market town and tourist getaway, Kendal lies in the Kent Valley under the eastern fells of the Lake District.

The town’s cottages, mansions and old traces of industry are built from rusticated limestone with a solemn grey tone, earning Kendal the nickname Auld Grey Town.

In the Lake District, walking trips have to be on your agenda, and you can test your mettle on the tough but awe-inspiring Kentmere Horseshoe.

To the east are the Howgill Fells, which roll into the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

To back up all that natural splendour, Kendal is also a cultural feast, with Medieval and Elizabethan mansions close by, as well as a prestigious art gallery and a thriving cultural centre.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Kendal :

1. Kendal Castle

In the east of Kendal, a few streets from the River Kent are the remnants of Kendal Castle, constructed on a hillock in the 12th century.

From the 14th century on, this was the seat of the Parr family, ancestors of Catherin Parr who was Henry VIII’s 6th and final wife.

By the time she was born more than five centuries ago, Kendal Castle was already a ruin, which makes it all the more remarkable that so much of the building is still standing.

A large chunk of the manor hall remains, along with its window openings and two vaults below.

The castle became property of the town at the end of the 19th century and since then has been a cherished picnic spot, blessed with far-ranging views west towards Lakeland’s peaks and east to the Howgill Fells.

2. Holy Trinity Church (Kendal Parish Church)

This capacious church dates from the 1200s, but is built over an Anglo-Saxon place of worship that made with recycled stone from a Roman fort.

The vastness of the church will hit you as soon as you enter, and this scale is created by two additional aisles on the north and south of the sides of the nave, making five in total and drenching the interior in light.

These extensions date to the 18th century, and when they were completed the Holy Trinity Church could hold 1,200 worshippers.

Allow a while to see all of the fittings and monuments inside, like the black marble font from the 1400s and the 16th-century effigy of the local nobleman Sir Walter Strickland, and the Parr Chapel, which contains the 15th-century tomb of Sir William Parr, grandfather of Catherine Parr.

3. Abbot Hall Art Gallery

A cultural journey through the Lake District, the Abbot Hall Art Gallery is in a glorious Georgian mansion from 1759. This took the place of the earlier Abbot’s Hall, a Medieval residence for abbots visiting Kendal from St Mary’s Abbey in York.

The house was in a state of disrepair in the 20th century until it was fixed up to house this gallery.

There are works by the 18th-century portraitists George Romney and Daniel Gardner, depictions of Windermere by the landscape painter Philip James de Loutherbourg and a variety of watercolours by J. M. W. Turner, Edward Lear, John Robert Cozens and John Sell Cotman.

John Ruskin, the prominent Victorian art critic, resided in the Lake District, and the gallery has a trove of his sketches and watercolours.

In the modern collection are sculptures by Elisabeth Frink and Barbara Hepworth and paintings by Hockney, David Bomberg and Ben Nicholson.

4. Kentmere Horseshoe

At the hamlet of Kentmere not far north of Kendal you can set off on one of the Lake District’s longest and most isolated walks.

The Kentmere Horseshoe is hardly a cakewalk, with a total ascent of more than 1,000 metres and a distance of 12.8 miles, which will take around six hours to complete.

But your effort will be more than repaid with spellbinding panoramas from all of the fells curving around the Kentmere Valley.

Once you’re up on the ridge the path is like a rollercoaster between the peaks, until you reach the 784-metre summit of Thornthwaite Crag.

There you’ll have to stop for a picnic, and can see for miles across the Lake Districts valleys and fells.

5. Museum of Lakeland Life & Industry

In the Georgian stable block of Abbot Hall is a highly-rated local history museum dedicated to the Lakeland region in from the 1700s onwards.

You can step into an old-fashioned street scene, visiting a reconstructed toy shop, pharmacy and tailor’s shop, while there are also reproductions of domestic interiors from different periods, as well as workshops for weaving and woodworking.

One absorbing piece of equipment is the Williamson Brothers vortex turbine from 1856, an efficient waterwheel used to power farm equipment.

The museum goes into depth on the 20th-century author Arthur Ransome, a Lake District resident who set his popular Swallows and Amazons series in these landscapes.

6. Sizergh Castle

This late-Medieval fortified manor house has been in the same family, the Stricklands, for 750 years and is operated as a visitor attraction by the National Trust.

Sizergh Castle has been transformed over the centuries, but retains a lot of Medieval architecture, most memorably in the 14th-century four-storey solar tower.

In the 16th century Catherine Parr is believed to have lived at Sizergh Castle for a time.

The interiors are clad with oak panelling, which are exquisite in the Inlaid Chamber, where they have floral and geometric inlays made with bog oak and pale poplar.

The Stricklands had connections to the Jacobite court in exile (expelled after the Glorious Revolution in 1688), and there are contemporary portraits of the Catholic Royal Stuart family.

You’ll be free to explore the estate, hiking in the fells and touring the seven-hectare gardens, which have a beautiful limestone rockery.

7. Levens Hall

A bit further on from Sizergh Castle, Levens Hall is an Elizabethan house in stunning formal gardens.

The 16th-century mansion was built around a 14th-century Peel Tower, a fortified house common in the Borders.

You can go in to view the sumptuous oak panelling and stuccowork in the great hall, dining room, drawing room, library and bedrooms.

Much of this dates back to the time of the Bellingham family, who expanded Levens Hall and lived here until the end of the 17th century.

There’s Jacobean furniture, a collection of historic portraits and above the fireplace in the great hall is the coat of arms of Elizabeth I. The gardens are out of this world, and follow a plan set out in 1694 and have more than 100 outlandish topiaries, many of which go back to the garden’s foundation.

8. Kendal Museum

The story of this museum begins in 1796, putting it among the oldest in the country.

Kendal Museum is most definitely old school, as you’ll guess from the mounted animal heads, the dioramas of taxidermies in glass cases and a full-sized polar bear.

There are some riveting items in the archaeological displays, like swords from the Iron Age and Viking period, as well as a Viking bowl mount, a Medieval annular brooch and a pair of steel dies used to make tokens for Kendal’s Mercers’ Company.

The geology of the Lake District is also fascinating, and there’s a large array of minerals collected in the 20th century from disused mines around the Lake District, along with crystals gathered from as far afield as Myanmar and Brazil.

9. Brewery Arts Centre

In a converted Victorian brewery, Kendal’s cultural centre has a diversity of entertainment on offer, appealing to as broad an audience as possible.

The Brewery Arts Centre has live music by upcoming artists, established names and tribute acts, representing a whole spectrum of genres, from jazz to soul and heavy metal.

You can also come for theatre and dance, comedy shows, talks and seminars.

The cinema at the centre screens both Hollywood blockbusters and indie flicks, while there are always two concurrent art exhibitions, and the bustling Grainstore restaurant keeps the centre at the heart of daily life in Kendal.

10. Scout Scar

One of the easternmost fells of the Lake District, the 235-metre Scout Scar is three miles west of Kendal.

There’s a car park near the foot of the hill, and a circular walking trail to the summit and back.

The eastern slope is smooth and light, but to the west this limestone peak has a steep scarp slope, acting as a kind of ledge from which you can contemplate the Lake District’s Central Fells.

There are two summits, and the lower of these has a shelter known as the mushroom.

This was raised in 1912 to commemorate the coronation of King George V and has a toposcope denoting the Central Fells.

11. Hawkshead Brewery

This small craft brewery produces 140 barrels a week, distributed around the North of England.

Hawkshead was founded in 2002, and since 2006 has been based at this converted wood turning mill in Staveley.

Looking onto the brewery floor there’s a beer hall, open seven days a week, where you can sample the Hawkshead’s range of beers (lager, bitter stout, pale ale and more) from the bottle, cask or keg.

If you’re interested in the finer details of how these beers get made, there are 45-minute brewery tours every day at 13:00 to find out about processes like mashing and fermenting.

12. Lakeland Maze Farm Park

Believe it or not but there’s such a thing as a Maize Maze Association, and the Lakeland Maze Farm Park has won the award of “Maize Maze of the Year” a couple of times in the last five years.

Away from Kendal’s galleries and hill walks, here’s an attraction just for children.

The Lakeland Maze Farm Park is open during spring and summer, and has alpacas, sheep, pygmy goats, pigs, ponies, donkeys and guinea pigs that kids can feed and touch, both outside and in the pet barn.

The maize maze is open from July to September, while there’s also a mini-maze for younger children to solve, along with tractor rides, go-karts and spacious indoor zones like a soft play area and a sand pit in case of bad weather.

13. Howgill Fells

Across the River Lune, this scenic range is about ten miles east of Kendal.

The Howgills offer a degree of seclusion that is rare in the much more popular Lake District.

The lower Howgill Fells are inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park, but curiously still count as the county of Cumbria.

Park up in the picturesque town of Sedbergh and you can take on the Winder Fell, 473 metres high and with far-off vistas of the Yorkshire Dales, the fells of the Lake District and much of the Lune Valley.

Within hiking distance to the north of Sedbergh is Cautley Spout, the highest waterfall in England, cascading down a drop of almost 200 metres.

14. Quaker Tapestry Museum

The Georgian Friends Meeting House (name for a Quaker place of worship), displays a work of art recording the 350-year history of Quakerism.

The Quaker Tapestry is an embroidery inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry and using similar techniques, with 77 panels stitched by 4,000 men, women and children from 15 different countries over 15 years between 1981 and 1996. Each panel is 64 cm by 21 cm an in the mid-90s the whole set was transported to America for a tour.

The tapestry celebrates important Quakers like the 19th-century chemist John Dalton, and also recounts the Quakers’ historic commitment to peace and the abolition of slavery.

15. Castle Howe

There’s a compelling scrap of Kendal’s history in open space next to the Brewery Arts Centre.

At Castle Howe you can see the well-defined earthworks of a Norman motte and bailey castle.

This would have been put up at the end of the 11th century, not long after the Norman Conquest.

Castle Howe wasn’t in use for long before being abandoned little more than a century after.

Some 800 years later, the motte stands at 11 metres high and measures almost 20 metres across.

In 1788 an obelisk was placed here for the centenary of the Glorious Revolution, when William III, the Dutch Prince of Orange, invaded England and ascended the throne.

15 Best Things to Do in Kendal (Cumbria, England):

• Kendal Castle
• Holy Trinity Church (Kendal Parish Church)
• Abbot Hall Art Gallery
• Kentmere Horseshoe
• Museum of Lakeland Life & Industry
• Sizergh Castle
• Levens Hall
• Kendal Museum
• Brewery Arts Centre
• Hawkshead Brewery
• Lakeland Maze Farm Park
• Howgill Fells
• Quaker Tapestry Museum
• Castle Howe

Kendal Tourist Information Centre

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Kendal Tourist Information Centre - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Cumbria and the Lake District

The kendal guide, places to visit in cumbria and the lake district. towns, lakes, shops, fells, castles, museums, restaurants - more, kendal links:, accommodation.

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Kendal - the Lake District.

History Location Accommodation

Welcome to the EDGE Guide to Kendal. Kendal is the bustling and charming southern gateway to the Lake District.

Kendal is also an attractive town built largely of grey stone, which has given rise to its nickname of "the auld grey town" .

Kendal has developed in such a way as to supply all the needs of the surrounding farming community as well as its own population and caters for the many visitors it receives throughout the year.

This means great shopping, good restaurants, and plenty to keep you occupied if you want to stroll around the town visiting the museums, art galleries, craft shops and other attractions.

A great many of the streets are pedestrianised to make shopping even more pleasurable.

As you wonder around the streets exploring the town you will find many quaint and attractive alleyways and passages leading off the more ordered main streets. These alleys give some clue as to the look of the town in older times.

Many delights can be found amongst these quaint lanes (such as the New Shambles) both for those out shopping and also for those looking for refreshment. You may want to visit the Westmorland Shopping Centre which provides a covered shopping mall.

Alternatively you could sit on the banks of the River Kent and enjoy the peace and tranquillity to be found in the shade of the trees outside the Abbot Hall Museum.

You may wish to take a picnic up to Kendal castle on the hill overlooking the town. A very pleasant way to lunch.

There are a great many attractions to visit in and around Kendal:

Abbot Hall Museum - The Old Brewery Arts Centre - Kendal Castle - The Lakeland Climbing Centre - Sizergh Castle - Levens Hall - Whitbarrow Nature Reserve - Lake Windermere - golf - walking - K Village Heritage Centre - a plethora of attractive villages within easy reach - and a great deal more.

Kendal: a short history: top

Kendal did not suffer the ravages the towns in the north of the county did at the hands of the raiding Scots. As a result it was able to develop its trades, mainly in wool.

A material called Kendal Green was produced in sizable quantities: a kind of denim of its time, rough but hard wearing.

Henry VIII after disposing of five wives in various ways married one Katherine Parr, from Kendal.

At one time Kendal had the benefit of two castles, one was more or less lost to mother nature along the way, but the remains of the other survive on a hill above the town, it is not far to walk and gives good views and makes a restful place for a picnic.

Kendal was at one time the capital of Westmorland, (Westmorland and Cumberland were joined in 1972 to form Cumbria), this as in the first part of the C19 at the expense of Appleby.

Appleby is a much older town and had the title for many years despite the difference in size, Kendal is much bigger. Eventually the increased importance of Kendal as time went on meant that it gained an Member of Parliament.

Kendal: OS ref SD 515920 Sheet 97. Get the map.

Kendal has good links to the rest of Cumbria and is not far either the neighbouring counties of Lancashire and North Yorkshire.

The M6 motorway is only 4mls/17km to the east. On the outskirts of the town is Oxenholme, the mainline West Coast Rail line stops here giving easy access to London, (Euston Station), and Scotland, (Glasgow).

• Information

Kendal is a busy market town and key administrative centre in the county of Cumbria. Located on the edge of the Lake District National Park, it is an excellent centre for touring the southern lakes and surrounding country.

Beautifully situated in the Kent Valley, Kendal's grey limestone buildings and cottages are surrounded by rolling hills and limestone fells. The town is famous for its Mint Cake, a hard mint-flavoured candy bar, traditionally used as an energy snack for trekking and expeditions around the world.

Kendal was granted a market charter in 1189, and during the 13th century became a thriving wool centre. In 1331 Edward III granted protection to John Kempe of Flanders, following which a number Flemish weavers came to settle here. These skilled artisans brought much prosperity to the town and the locally made 'Kendal Green' cloth became famous throughout the land. Much of the industrial and social history of the area is told in the Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry , which is housed in part of the Abbot Hall (1759). Echoes of the wool trade can also be seen several old pub names in the town such as the Fleece and Woolpack.

One of the town's delightful features are the 'yards', accessed through arches on either side of the main streets, and the walled paths called 'ginnels'. The Market Place holds regular street markets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The old Victorian entrance to the Market Hall has been repurposed as the entrance to the Westmorland Shopping Centre.

The Normans built a 12th-c. castle on a hill to the east of the town. It was once the seat of the Parr family, and of Katherine Parr (1512) who became Henry Vlll's sixth and surviving wife. A public park now surrounds the castle ruins. The stone built Castle Dairy, in Wildman Street, served the castle during Katherine Parr's time. It is the oldest habitable house in the town and has many interesting period features, including carved oak beams and panelling.

The Brewery Arts Centre building (which brewed beer up until 1968) has been repurposed as a community hub. Open all year round, it provides entertainment with a small gallery, theatre, exhibitions and seasonal events.

The Town Hall began as Assembly Rooms in 1825. Included in its many civic treasures are the relics of the cloth trade and Katherine Parr's Book of Devotions.

Kendal's impressive parish church of Holy Trinity was built on the proceeds of the 13th-c wool trade. It is a large rectangular building, over 100ft (30m) across. One of the widest churches in the country. Within the nave are a number of family chapels, including that of the Parr family. Next to the church is the Abbot Hall Art Gallery and museum, located in a fine Georgian house with period furnishings.

A number historic trails can be traced around the town. You can also walk straight out of the town onto the nearby hills where you will find some of the most pleasant countryside. One excellent trail is the northern pathway along the River Kent, leading to Burneside and beyond to Staveley. Also a few miles southwest of Kendal sits a high limestone ridge known as Scout Scar, which provides spectacular views over the fells.

Several festivals are held annually in the town, including varied entertainments of the 'Kendal Gathering', in late August.

Visitor Attractions in Kendal

This fine 18th-century mansion, located in a quiet park beside the River Kent, has been restored to its former elegance. It houses an art gallery and cultural centre. On display are works by Romney, Gardner, Turner and Ruskin. Plus a permanent collection of 18th and 19th-century watercolours of local scenes and 20th-c British art.

Opening times: see website for details Location: Kirkland, Kendal LA9 5AL Tel: 01539 722464 Website: lakelandarts.org.uk

Kendal Museum

Founded in 1796, the museum covers the archaeology and natural history of Cumbria. There is also an exhibition devoted to the author Alfred Wainwright, who was once an honorary clerk to the museum.

Opening times: Thur, Fri, Sat from 9:30 to 4:30pm - Admission Charge Location: Station Rd, Kendal LA9 6BT Tel: 01539 815597 Website: kendalmuseum.org.uk

Kendal Castle

The ruins of two castles sit high on opposite banks of the River Kent. Built to defend against border raiders, who regularly swept down from the north. Later raided as a quarry for local building materials, very little remains of these two fortresses today. Castle Howe is just an earthworks and the 13th-c Kendal Castle is now just a few shattered walls. Free Access.

Website: visit-kendal.co.uk

Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry

Housed in Abbot Hall's stable block, the museum covers the social and industrial history of the Lake District. There is a variety of exhibits, including period rooms, a Victorian Cumbrian street scene, a farming display, and several arts and crafts exhibits.

Opening times: see website for details. Location: Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kirkland, Kendal LA9 5AL Website: lakelandarts.org.uk

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Kendal Tourist Information Centre

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KENDAL TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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  A brief history of Cumbria

In 1974, Cumberland, Westmorland and part of Lancashire were amalgamated in the face of bitter controversy, to become Cumbria.  Outsiders tend to think of Cumbria only as the Lake District, but those 866 square miles of outstandingly impressive scenery are by no means the only parts worth exploring. There are an enormous variety of landscapes and seascapes throughout the whole county.  It is a land of lakes and tarns, peaks and fells, vales and rich pastures, a land veined with rivers, streams and waterfalls; a land whose mood changes as often as there is a change in the weather.

Long, narrow valleys radiate from a central dome of mountains like irregular spokes of a wheel, separated by high, craggy ridges.  These valleys open onto a fringe of lowland, falling away to the Solway Firth, the west coast, the sand flats of Morecambe Bay and wide vale of Eden. Remote villages nestle among fells and bleak crags; narrow lanes wind between dry-stone walls and moorland dotted with sheep.  Gardens display a riot of colour: rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas, clematis and roses, overhung by great copper beeches and ancient oaks.  Visitors to Cumbria will always remember the sound of water: flowing over stony beds, cascading and thundering over rocks and precipices, dripping from trees after rain.  They will remember the belling of stags, heard across the lakes in the rutting season, the bugling of swans, the haunting of geese in a winter sky and the pruck of the raven, rarer now than when he gave his name to so many local places. Cumbria's history can be traced back as far as the Mesolithic settlements of 4500 B.C. (If there was any human activity before that, it was obliterated by glacial erosion in the Ice Age). 

Cumbria's history can be traced back as far as the Mesolithic settlements of 4500 B.C. (If there was any human activity before that, it was obliterated by glacial erosion in the Ice Age).  Later, Neolithic settlers left evidence of their advanced technical progress: the floor of a stone axe factory was discovered at Stake Pass in Langdale in 1947 and another below Pike o' Stickle.  These stone axes would have been used to clear large areas of the natural forest for cultivation.  The later Iron Age tribes, led by powerful chiefs, were constantly at war and some hill forts date from this time. Roman domination, from A.D. 47 until the fifth century left many marks on the countryside: as well as Hadrian's Wall, with its chain of forts and mile-stations, there is High Street - a high fell ridge between Ullswater and Haweswater with a Roman road along the top - and traces of several other Roman routes.  Numerous Roman artifacts have come to light over the years, some of which are now in museums and a great many of which are incorporated into churches and houses built by succeeding settlers.

Bounded to the north by the hostile Scots, to the west by the ocean and to the east and south by mountains, Cumbria was isolated.  The people looked on themselves as a separate race and mistrusted strangers.  Wool, mining, iron and wood industries, particularly the manufacture of charcoal, have all contributed to Cumbria's development. Most of the trees from the original natural forests were used to feed the greedy iron furnaces that were an essential part of the mining and were an essential part of the mining and iron industries and almost all the present trees have been planted since.  Some of the most beautiful woods, such as those by Derwent water and on the shores of Windermere, were planted for effect rather than for timber.  The chain of towns in the west sprang up from the prosperous mining industry that flourished in the last century.  Towns and villages that are now holiday resorts were once busy ports crammed with ships, their docks and wharves live with the bustle of maritime trade.  After the slump of the 1930s, some of these almost became ghost towns, but new industries are now bringing them back to life. Tourism plays an increasingly important part in the economy today.

The Lake District, in the heart of Cumbria, has attracted poets and writers over the ages.  Some are almost household names now; others, less well known, have also contributed a great deal to English literature.  Wordsworth was perhaps the best known of the Lake Poets, an abstemious, good man who immortalised so much of Cumbria in his vast collection of simple, romantic poetry.  He was appointed Poet Laureate for the last seven years of his life.  Coleridge lived in the Lake District for a while, struggling with opium addiction and marriage problems.  His sad, failed son Hartley, who died there, was befriended by Wordsworth. Southey, Coleridge's brother-in-law and Poet Laureate before Wordsworth; Ruskin, the art critic and passionate social reformer; De Quincey, another opium addict; the children's books author Beatrix Potter; Hugh Walpole, whose  Herries Chronicle was set in Cumbria; Arthur Ransome, whose swallows and Amazons played out their adventures on Coniston Water: all these and many more were inspired by the Lake District.  Others were frequent visitors: Walter Scott, whose works are peppered with Cumbrian scenes and references, Keats, George Eliot, Shelley, Charlotte Bronte, Emerson, Matthew Arnold and Tennyson, to name but a few.

Cumbria has everything to offer-from hill-climbing, walking, pony-trekking to all the different water sports, as well as sight-seeing.  The coast is ideal for family seaside holidays, with rocky cliffs and sheltered harbours, sand dunes and good beaches.  The rich tidal flats of the Solway Firth and Morecambe Bay - famous for its shrimps - attract a large number of sea birds.

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Kendal Castle

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