bex_06's Qype profile

The ancient borough of Cockermouth occupies a beautiful and advantageous situation in the heart of a most picturesque and highly-cultivated country, on the south side of the river Derwent, and at the mouth of the Cocker, whence is derived its name, 8 miles E. of Workington, 7 miles S.E. of Maryport, 14 miles N.E. of Whitehaven, 27 miles S.W. by W. of Carlisle, and about 305 miles N.W. of London. Camden, who visited Cockermouth in 1582, describes it as “a populous, well-trading market town, neatly built, but of a low situation, between two hills, upon one of which is the church, and upon the other, over against it, (which is evidently artificial) a very strong castle, on the gates whereof, are the arms of the Moltons, Umfravills, (Nevills) Lucies, and Percies.” Bishop Nicholson, who wrote in 1685, says, “the houses are built of stone, and slated mostly with blue slate; they comprise two streets, one above the river Cocker, in which is the Moot Hall, Market-house, Corn-market, and Shambles.” The old Moot Hall and the wooden Shambles, being a great nuisance to the place, were taken down in 1829, and in the same year the present convenient Court-house, or Town-hall, Bank, and News Room, were erected by subscription, at a cost of £1300 raised in shares of £26 each, exclusive of the materials of the old Moot Hall, which were given by the earl of Egremont. They form one handsome range of white freestone buildings, on the west side of Cocker bridge, which was built, in 1828, on the site of the old one, at a cost of £2600, including the expense of removing several houses, “for the purpose of widening the entrance on both sides of the river.” It is 160 feet long, and connects the eastern and south-western parts of the town. The Derwent bridge, which has two arches 270 feet in length, forms a continuation of the road from Maryport. Besides being intersected by the Derwent and Cocker rivers, the town is also refreshed by two smaller streams which rise a few miles east, and are a great convenience to the manufacturers of Cockermouth and neighbourhood. A new market-house was erected at the top of Market-street, in 1837, by subscription, towards which the late earl of Egremont gave £200

Fine red brick and stone Queen Anne house, begun in 1702. English and Continental furniture and porcelain, and renowned picture collection - particularly of sporting and equestrian subjects. Reputed model for Jane Austen’s ‘Mansfield Park’.

The industrial revolution and the subsequent development of the British economy relied on the presence of a number of basic raw materials, notably coal and iron ore.

The history of coal production in Britain is now widely recorded and recreated in a number of dedicated industrial museums located across England, Wales and Scotland, often located in the heartlands of the former coalfields.

Given that interest, it is therefore surprising that so little is recorded and that there are so few ways of investigating the story of the other great industrial mineral resource, iron ore.

The new steaming season has now commenced and we anticipate having an engine in steam on the last Sunday of the month and on Bank Holidays. However, if you are travelling any distance please check to ensure that you will not be disappointed.

Situated in Irchester Country Park, Northamptonshire, the Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum is home to a collection of working steam and diesel locomotives

Drawing on a rich heritage dating from the eighteenth century, here at Stamford Arts Centre we aim to provide the best in live arts for Stamford and the surrounding area developing an ever-widening programme consisting of a broad range of Drama, Cinema, Dance, Classical Music, Folk, Jazz, Comedy, Literature, Talks, Children’s Shows, and a variety of Workshops for both children and adults. We have 166 seats in our theatre which doubles up as a cinema and we have a multifunctional ballroom. We have two coffee shop eating areas, an ice cream kiosk, a bar in the cellar, an exhibition gallery, toilets with access for disabled and baby changing facilities, we have rooms to hire out for everything from small meetings to evening functions and we house the Stamford Tourist Information Centre. See our facilities pages to find out more.

Limestone grassland and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Old Roman quarry now supporting rare plants, including a number of orchid species

This former Northampton to Market Harborough Railway is now a car free ‘linear’ park surrounded by beautiful scenery and rich in natural and historical heritage. The Northampton and Lamport Railway Society also operate train rides along a short section of line at the former Pitsford and Brampton

The Brampton Valley Way can be accessed on mountain bike from Brixworth Country Park via the Merry Tom Bridleway.

The old Wansford station is a Grade 2 Listed Building which now needs urgent repairs.

It stands beside platform 3 of the Nene Valley Railway (NVR) but does not belong to the railway.

The Nene Valley Railway Heritage Centre Group was set up in 2003 to rescue the old Wansford station building and provide a home for the Nene Valley Railway’s growing collection of historic objects and information

Sacrewell has always had that special magic for young and old alike. With everything from a working watermill to farm animals and play areas, and the Three Little Ducks shop to browse for quality local produce, organic vegetables, gifts and farm toys there is something for all to explore and enjoy. In the Miller’s Country Cafe you will find delicious home-cooked meals and refreshments to tempt you, and a shop to browse for souvenirs or gifts.