Mirehouse

Mirehouse

: Bassenthwaite Lake / Keswick

Mirehouse is 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.

image of the facade of Mirehouse at Bassenthwaite

Being a private house, opening times to the House are restricted (see below), 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, James Spedding’s collection of Francis Bacon’s works, as well as manuscripts of  Southey, Wordsworth, Tennyson, Thomas Carlyle and John Constable – all friends of the Speddings in the last century. Relax and enjoy live classical music in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

In the grounds are 4 adventure playgrounds, collections of Rhododendrons and Hydrangeas, a sheltered Bee Garden, traditional orchard, a heather path maze, the Canada garden, terraced lawns, and a rare wildflower meadow.  A circular walk of around a mile leads from the house, through the woods, along the lake shore and back to the entrance.

The poetry walk, housing a rose garden at the centre,  has recently been extended and shows poems associated with Mirehouse, including works by Tennyson, Wordsworth and Hartley Coleridge.

The Old Sawmill Tea Room is located beside the car park opposite the entrance to Mirehouse and specialises in traditional Cumbrian home cooking.  Open daily 10am to 5pm.

image of an aerial view of a country house on the shores of Bassenthwaite lake
Photo by Simon Ledingham.

The beautiful little church of St. Bega, is in the Mirehouse grounds.

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.

image of the open-air theatre by the lake at Mirehouse, near Keswick
The open-air theatre by the lake.

2024 opening times

  • The gardens, playgrounds, tearoom and lakeside walks are open daily from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm.
  • The house is open to visitors from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm (last entries 4:00 pm) on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday afternonns.

The gardens and the playhouse are open daily from the 29th of March until the 31st of October 2024, The house is open from the 10th of April – 31st of October 2024.

2024 admission fees
Payable at The Old Sawmill Tearoom beside the car-park.

  • Grounds only: Adult £5:00 – child £2.00
  • House and Grounds : Adult £10:50 – Child £4.00 – Family (2 adults and up to 4 children) £26.
  • Under 4s FREE

3 interesting random facts about Mirehouse & Gardens

  • There is a very interesting display of manuscripts. These include James Spedding’s collection of Francis Bacon’s works, Letters from Wordsworth, Tennyson, Southey, Thomas Carlyle and John Constable.
  • The Earl of Derby built the present house in 1666. It has only been sold once.
  • It was at first a much smaller building and has been enlarged over time, always with more emphasis on convenience than grandeur.

Keswick, Cumbria CA12 4QE. Tel: 017687 72287
Email : info@mirehouse.com

–  Grid Ref: NY 232282

(updated February 2024)

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