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Village: Penrith
OS grid ref: NY504296
Coordinates: 54° 39′ 34″ N, 2° 46′ 12″ W
Nearest lake/tarn: Ullswater
Penrith
Cumbric for red hill, lies on the eastern fringes of the Lake District. On a hill overlooking the town is Penrith Beacon, from here you can appreciate the west views across the plain to the Lakeland Fells.
William Wordsworth wrote of the town’s famous Beacon, which once was a link in a communication chain and ran the length of the country. This was used as an early warning system, when the Scots were on the rampage again. Unfortunately, this prosperous staging post town use to attract many attacks from the marauding Scots.
Penrith’s main landmarks include St Andrew’s church built from 1720 to 1722, the ruins of Penrith Castle (this can be viewed from the adjacent railway station), the ruins of Brougham Castle as well as the henge sites of Mayburgh Henge and King Arthur’s Round Table. A house, dated 1663, which is south west of the church was the school attended by William and Dorothy Wordsworth and William’s future wife, Mary Hutchinson.
Today Penrith makes a good base for a Lakeland or Eden Valley holiday with most towns within easy driving distance. It also has a railway station.
Accommodation near Penrith
New Ing Lodge | Lake District Cottages
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