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Kendal
Historically, Kendal was one of the most important woollen textile centres in the country, producing ‘Kendal Green' and other ‘Kendal cottons' - its numerous yards were once filled with workshops processing cloth, leather and foodstuffs. Kendal was also a centre for shoe making, carpet and snuff manufacture, and synonymous with the production of Kendal Mint Cake; an essential prerequisite for today's explorers and mountaineers.
Today's bustling market town of Kendal can be traced back to the 8th century, when the settlement of Kirkland was established near a crossing point over the River Kent.
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There are a variety of events taking place in and around the Kendal area.
From performances at the Brewery Arts Centre to unique art exhibitions, check out what is on during your visit and browse the events of most interest to you.
No one blends the old and new as well as Kendal with its ancient buildings in which to buy exquisite handmade chocolates, or to enjoy an exquisite meal in a medieval dairy. There’s also a rapidly expanding, contemporary food scene here, with quirky bistros and cool cocktail bars offering charcuterie boards or a tasty craft gin.
Try one of the many cosy coffee shops – there’s one of the oldest coffee roasting and blending shops in the country here. Go shopping in one of the artisan bakeries, the farmers market or one of the nearby farm shops.
There are also superb delicatessens’ and a wealth of informal and friendly international restaurants to try, not to mention creative vegetarian food to tuck into, whilst overlooking the beautiful riverside. Or how about dining in an old brewery, complete with Vats bar and a Grain store restaurant? There are wonderful eclectic menus to choose from – and you also get to watch a show or gig before or after your meal. There are many gorgeous restaurants here, all in a relaxed setting offering the best seasonal and local ingredients. If fine dining is your thing, there’s a Two AA Rosette restaurant for a unique dining experience.
Some of the most exciting hand-brewed beers around, both in Kendal and the surrounding area, are to be tried here. From pubs set on a village green, to traditional pubs with a contemporary style, you’ll find the food is always wholesome and homecooked, try the salt marsh lamb with some locally grown veg, it’s delicious. Before you leave Kendal though, a slab of Kendal Mintcake packed in your suitcase is a must!
In the traditional Lakeland village of nearby Staveley, you’ll find the Mill Yard, which houses everything from a micro-brewery and a cookery school- to an artisan bakery and a family-friendly, riverside café, selling delicious snacks and homecooked lunches. Set within the heart of the village, you will find a traditional pub with roaring fires, offering a high-standard of food with a warm welcome. There’s also a riverside beer garden, to enjoy a pint on a warm summer day. You can’t leave Staveley without a visit to the nearby village of Ings, to sample a super friendly, little pub, with a vibrant atmosphere. The beer is brewed on site and the food is excellent.
Lyth Valley has to offer the best selection of high-quality pubs within a relatively small area. From the villages of Brigsteer, Crosthwaite and Underbarrow to Bowland Bridge and Winster, you will find delightful pubs all set either in the valley itself, or perched high above the valley, offering the most spectacular views. Lyth is a beautiful and peaceful walking area, set away from the crowds, so what better way to finish your hike, than finishing up in one of these gorgeous county pubs.
For more information on what Cumbria has to offer see Food and Drink
Great places to eat and drink in and around Kendal
Staveley
The bustling village of Staveley nestles at the foot of the secluded Kentmere Valley. Its history shaped by two rivers: the fast-flowing river Kent and the smaller river Gowan. An area of rolling countryside interspersed with valleys, woods, hedges and drystone walls.
Lyth Valley
This hidden corner of Cumbria is famed for its damsons. In early spring, frothy clouds of white blossom greet the onlooker at every turn - a snowy spectacle marked by Damson Day in mid-April. This hugely popular event brings together local producers, growers and various craftspeople in celebration of the humble damson.
Sizergh
Sizergh Castle contains some of the finest Elizabethan carved overmantels in the country, 14thC solar tower with original fireplaces, floors and windows. The 15thC great hall and other later additions contain English and French furniture, silver, china and Jacobite relics.
Oxenholme
This railway station is the gateway to the South Lakes. Kendal Town is only a short 10 minute walk from the station, whilst Trans-Penine trains also run services to Burneside, Staveley and Windermere. Placed on the West coast mainline, the station is serviced well from Glasgow and London.
This 13th-century castle, built on a drumlin, or glacial hill, was the seat of power and administration for the barons of Kendal for over 200 years but on the death of the last baron in 1483 it gradually fell into a ruinous state.
During the medieval period, the market town of Kendal developed to the north of monastic Kirkland , separated by the ancient boundary of the Black Beck. The barons laid out the town with long burgage plots behind the street frontages, accessed through archways.
Over time, these became ‘yards' of industrial activity with numerous workshops for weaving, dyeing, shearing, dry-salting and tanning. Kendal rapidly developed as a trade centre for all manner of local goods, but it was the woollen industry that brought fame and wealth to the town and sustained its economy for over 600 years.
In 1695, over half of Kendal's principal householders were actively involved in textile occupations such as wool combing, weaving, cropping, dyeing and tailoring, with carding, spinning and knitting undertaken by women and children. Evidence of the importance of the wool trade is reflected in Kendal's motto of ‘Pannus mihi panis', ‘Cloth is my bread' and its coat-of-arms featuring teasels for raising the fabric's nap and hooks for securing bales of wool and cloth to packhorses.
To enhance trade, a canal link to Lancaster was opened in 1819, which terminated at a canal basin in Kendal. Trade flourished and brought much needed income to the town, but the arrival of the railway in 1846 heralded its decline. Commercial traffic ceased in 1947 and the canal was closed to navigation in 1955.
kendal mint cake
Is known for its high-energy giving qualities and is much in demand by outdoor explorers. The ‘cake' is essentially made of sugar, with peppermint flavouring and other ‘secret' ingredients. Kendal Mint Cake was taken to the Antarctic by Sir Ernest Shackleton on his expedition of 1914 and to the summit of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953.
Kendal Museum
One of the oldest museums in the UK with fascinating displays on the natural history, geology and archaeology of the Kendal area. Follow a nature trail through wildlife dioramas of the Lake District, marvel at the huge range of minerals that can be found in the Lake District and northern England, and discover what life was like in medieval Kendal Castle.
Kendal Castle
Built around 1200, the castle was a home and administrative centre for the barons of Kendal. The Parr family held the barony in the mid-15th century but after 1483 it slowly fell into ruins. Today, only parts of the castle wall and a tower survive above ground, with two vaulted cellars under the Hall Block. An interactive display on the castle and its occupants can be seen at Kendal Museum.
George Romney (1734–1802)
Well-known English portrait painter of the 18th century, who was born at Dalton-in-Furness but served his apprenticeship in Kendal. He lived at what is now called Romney House on Milnthorpe Road before moving to London in 1762. Romney’s great skill was in his ability to ‘capture a likeness’ – a much sought-after quality by the merchant classes of the time. One of his favourite models was Emma Hart – later Nelson’s mistress, Lady Hamilton.
Postman Pat
The Postman Pat series of children’s books were created by John Cunliffe who lived in Kendal. Postman Pat’s adventures were based in nearby Kentmere and Longsleddale with the post office modelled on the one at Greenside in Kendal.
Kendal Green
Many different woollen cloths were made in Kendal but the most famous is ‘Kendal Green', a hardwearing cloth said to have been worn by the Kendal Bowmen who fought at the battles of Crecy in 1346 and Poitiers in 1356. Shakespeare refers to ‘Kendal green' in Henry IV (Part I), so it was already well-known by 1597. The green colour was achieved by first steeping the cloth in a yellow dye from dyer’s greenweed (Genista tinctoria) and overdyeing it in blue from woad (Isatis tinctoria) or indigo.
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