Location : Bassenthwaite / Keswick
Map - Ordnance Survey - NY 232282
Keswick, Cumbria CA12 4QE. Tel: 017687 72287
Email : info@mirehouse.com
A remarkable historic house and gardens facing Bassenthwaite Lake, with Dodd Wood and Skiddaw at the rear. The gardens contain four wooded adventure playgrounds, varied sheltered gardens to amble around, and lakeside walks through woods and parks.
Being a private house, opening times to the House are restricted to Sunday and Wednesday afternoon 2pm - 4.30pm only, the grounds and tea-room being open daily. The House has been in the Spedding family for over 300 years, and contains a wide range of literary and artistic connections, including portraits and manuscripts of three poet laureates - Southey, Wordsworth and Tennyson - all friends of the Speddings in the last century. Relax and enjoy live classical music in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
The back of the house from Poetry Walk.
Visitors may sit on any of the chairs that are safe.
 |
 |
Mirehouse grounds, with Ullock Pike behind. |
Lord Alfred Tennyson stayed at Mirehouse in 1835 while he was writing his poem 'Morte D'Arthur'
and St Bega's Church inspired the opening lines:
|
'..to a chapel nigh the field, A broken chancel with a broken cross, That stood on a dark straight of barren land,'. |
A small distance along the shore from the church you will find a simple open-air theatre erected by the Tennyson Society at the place where it is thought he composed much of the poem.
The open-air theatre by the lake.
Aerial photo by Simon Ledingham.
Related Links :
Go to Menu :