'Penrith - Lilliput Lane Visitor Centre'

Skirsgill, Penrith, CA11 0DP. Tel 01768 212700.
E-mail: enquiries@lilliputlane.co.uk

Location : Penrith
Map - Ordnance Survey - NY 510288

Lilliput Lane started producing their miniature cottages in 1982. David Tate, the founder, opened workshops at Skirsgill, near Penrith, and the company has remained in the area ever since. The majority of cottages are based on real cottages, with collections based not only on British Cottages, but also American, and in the past German, Dutch and French Cottages.

The cottages have attracted a worldwide audience and with regular retirements and new issues, and there is a lot of demand for earlier and rarer cottages.

The Lilliput Lane Visitor Centre is housed in Honeysuckle Cottage, an authentic life-sized thatched cottage, constructed using genuine materials. It is complemented by lush, colourful gardens. Inside you will find the entire Lilliput Lane collection, plus a display of retired cottages.

Special exclusive Visitor Centre Editions are available here, including Honeysuckle Cottage and Rose Cottage, Skirsgill, the cottage where the founder of Lilliput Lane, David Tate, and his family lived during the early years of Lilliput Lane. Mr. Tate, who founded the Company in 1982 and still lives locally, originally created a small range of just 12 models with the help of his wife, daughters and just a couple of other employees.

Also available is a special model of Dove Cottage, Wordsworth's home at Grasmere.

More than 70 production employees work at the Skirsgill site, with administration and promotions staff based at Carlisle.

Tours of the studio are available, which should be booked in advance. Here you will see the intricate processes involved in creating the models.

There is a tearoom offering light refreshments.

Open monday to friday, 9.00 am, - 4.30 pm. Shop and Museum open on bank holidays, but not tours or tearoom.

Lilliput Lane is a division of Enesco European Giftware.

Related Links:

• www.lilliputlane.co.uk.
• A Look at Lilliput Lane Cottages
• BBC Cumbria - Behind the scenes at Lilliput Lane