Note: As the postcode is used to identify the general area of the property, it may not always reflect its precise location, therefore please only use this map as a guide.
Penrith is a large market town in the beautiful Eden Valley, a short distance from the north edge of the Lake District. With its ease of access to the nearby countryside and wealth of activities and amenities in the town itself, Penrith is the perfect place to base yourself in one of our holiday properties if you’re keen to experience every possible facet of Cumbrian life.
The history of Penrith
The historic capital of Cumbria, Penrith has been crucial to the endeavours of every set of invaders and inhabitants from the Romans to the Vikings and beyond. In 1295, when Cumbria was part of Scotland, the town was seized by Edward I of England and for the next 15 years was subject to numerous border skirmishes which devastated the town.
King Richard III spent much of his time at Penrith Castle during his previous guise as the Duke of Gloucester and Lord of Penrith. Following the tumultuous Middle Ages, Penrith and its lands were owned by families such as the Musgraves, and the area became an important centre for industry and commerce, filled with coopers, saddlers, wainwrights and blacksmiths, and the workers of the wool industry.
Things to do in Penrith
Penrith Castle is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area. Originally built between 1399 and 1470, the castle fell into disrepair following the departure from Penrith of the now-King Richard, and after brief use during the Civil War in 1648 as the headquarters for the Parliamentarian general John Lambert, it was further dismantled. It passed into the ownership of Penrith Council in the 1920s who converted the grounds into the public park within which the ruins sit today.
About two miles outside of the town lies another ruined castle, Brougham. Dating from the early 13th century, the castle sits in a picturesque setting beside the crossing of the River Eamont, and many features survive intact including the unusual double gatehouse and impressive 'Tower of League'.
Penrith and Eden Museum provides plenty of interesting details on the history of the town and its surroundings. Here you can find various galleries and exhibitions including a fossil dinosaur footprint from the sandstone of the Eden Valley, objects from the Stone Age and the Roman period, the medieval seal of Penrith and the old market toll measures. Artwork is displayed from local artists such as Lorna Graves, William S Cowper and Edward Hobley.
Similarly arty is the Eden Arts organisation. Eden Arts promotes all sorts of creative projects from art commissions to gigs and cinema screenings, and they have a full calendar of events taking place in Penrith all year round.
Food and drink in Penrith
As you’d expect in a town this size, Penrith has plenty of dining options and excellent drinking establishments. Among them is the George and Dragon, a relaxing and very well-reviewed country inn in the Clifton area of Penrith, and the Four & Twenty restaurant in the centre of town, offering glorious British meals in welcoming surroundings.