Country_Homes_and_Interiors_-_November_2019

Kirkby Lonsdale

FEATURE

SOPHIE GALE

PHOTOGRAPHS

SJR PHOTOGRAPHY, DAVIS & BOWRING, HACKNEY & LEIGH

H

avingonefamousbeauty

spotonyourdoorstepis

impressiveenough,but

KirkbyLonsdale,ontheRiverLune

inCumbria,enjoysthree.TheLake

DistrictandtheYorkshireDalessit

alongsideit,whiletothesouthlies

theatmosphericForestofBowland.

LocallandmarkDevil’sBridge,once

theonlybridgeovertheriverfor

miles,is nowclosedtotrafficand

hasbecomea popularrecreational

spot.Thereare 163 listedbuildings

inthetown,manyofwhichare

occupiedbyindependentshops,

andcommunityspiritis in

abundance.‘Frompostmasterto

fireman,youknowthemall,’says

localtouristofficerJanetNuttall.

INTHEESTATEAGENT’SWINDOW

TakeyourpickofelegantGeorgian

townhousesandterracedstone

cottages,oftensetoncobbled

courtyards.Expectslateroofs

andcharminglynamedstreets,

suchasSaltPieLane.Parkingis

moredifficulttocomeby.Most

buyerscomeforqualityoflife– to

raisea family,orredresswork-life

balance.Thesecondhomesmarket

isalsostrong.‘Highdemandmeans

satellitevillages– HighandLow

Biggins,Barbon,Castertonand

Arkholme– areallsoughtafter,’

saysJoBond,estateagent at

Davis& Bowring.

BUTCHERS,BAKERS&COFFEE

MAKERSThereis individuality

inspadesonthehighstreet.

Old-fashionedsweetshopsinclude

onewiththeEnchantedChocolate

Mine– alwaysa hitwiththekids.

ParmaViolet,aneclecticgiftshop,

sellsdungarees,linenlampshades

andTintinparaphernalia,and

welcomespassers-bywithmuddy

bootsanddogsintowtotakea look

around.TheMilkingParlour,an

ice-cream shop with the tag line

THEPICTURESQUEFORMERMILLTOWN

SURROUNDED BY NATIONAL PARKS

LET’S MOVE TO...

‘cowtocone’is a newcomeron

thescene.Forsecond-handbooks

aswellascoffeeandcake,seek

outTheBookLounge,orfora

beer,headtoTheBrewery.

COUNTRYLIFE&CULTURELocals

describeKirkby’scultureas‘a gentle

andtraditionalwayoflife,withmany

eventsfillingthecalendar’.The

churchesareactive,holdingregular

concerts,withpreparationsnow

gearingupforDecember’sthree-

dayChristmasFair.Plus,thebrewery

holdsregularmovienights,and

Dream homes in Kirkby Lonsdale

RIPEFORRENOVATION

Thisdelightfulthree-storey

periodterraceandformer

craftshopat 25 MainStreet

soldthisyearfor£210,000.

It’sGradeII-listed,andwould

make a great holiday let.

HISTORICHOUSE

AgrandGeorgianhome,

somepartsofFountain

Housedateto1715.It was

oncethetown’sprincipal

innandstillhasitswalled

garden. All for £885,000.

SPACIOUSCHOICE

Gretaside,anarchitect-

designeddetachedhouse

ina nearbyhamlet,has

morethan415sqmof

livingspaceand4.5acres

of land for £950,000.

motorbikeenthusiastscongregate

atDevil’sBridgeonSundays.Locals

alsolovetoclimbtheRadicalSteps

ona sunnydaytosoakup the

famedRuskin’sView.

SCHOOLSIt’sgoodreportsall

round.Thelocalprimarywasrated

‘excellent’byOfsted,whilethe

secondaryachieved‘outstanding’.

GETAROUNDOnlysevenmiles

fromtheM6,Kirkbyis well-

connecteddespiteitsbucolic

setting.LancasterandOxenholme

railwaystationsarenearby.

INTHEAREAFromfellwalkingto

mountainbiking,outdoorpursuits

area given.Therearewaterfallsat

Ingleton,andcavesatWhiteScar.

Plus, grand houses and castles, too.

Old-fashioned

streetsandflower-

filledchurchyards

areallpartofKirkby

Lonsdale’s charm

RURAL HOTSPOT

COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS 71