National Recognition for Lake District Heritage Sites

Last year saw a wide range of heritage sites across the National Park receive national recognition by Historic England. In this blog, our Built Environment  Officer, Rose Lord explains the significance.

The sites have been added to the National statutory list of sites; known as The List.

The Lake District was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2017. This status recognises the truly exceptional qualities of the Lake District and helps to ensure it is looked after and enhances quality of life for this and future generations. So this recent national recognition from Heritage England demonstrates the fantastic work being done to ensure historic sites throughout the Lake District are being  protected.. These include:

A rare timber waiting room at Bootle Station

• This gem was awarded Grade II status after being nominated by David Faulkner, Chair of Bootle Parish Council.
• It was built in 1873 for the Furness Railway Company and designed by eminent architects Paley & Austin.
• The waiting room is the second site at Bootle Station to be granted listed status; the Furness Railway Signal Box of 1874 is also recognised as a rare piece of railway heritage, being one of only two surviving Furness Railway Type 1 signal boxes - and one of the earliest signal boxes in the country!

Coombe Gill Mill and the nearby packhorse bridge at Borrowdale

• Listed Grade II, following the serving of a Building Preservation Notice by the National Park Authority.
• This former corn mill has been a source of artistic inspiration for several centuries; painted by John Constable and William Green in the early 19th century, you might also recognise the lovely view from your Instagram feed, where it's a regular feature.

Beckside Farmhouse and two barns near Crook

• The site was listed Grade II in October 2022, following the serving of a Building Preservation Notice by the National Park Authority.
• The 17th century farmhouse and 18th century barns give us a rare glimpse of an unaltered farmstead, with a wealth of historic original interiors including extensive oak panelling in the farmhouse and intact slate and timber boskins inside the bank barn.

A 17th century farmstead near Bampton

• Already a Grade II listed building, Eastward Farm was put forward for an upgrade assessment in response to development proposals for the site.
• It's now listed Grade II*. Less that 6% of listed buildings are II*, illustrating the signifiance and important of the site.

The Howk Bobbin Mill

• The mill at Caldbeck was also added to the list as a Scheduled Monument in 2022.
• Enjoyed by the Wordsworths, the site has huge romantic appeal - it features a two-storey mill house, coppice barn, drying kiln, privy, office, stables and the remains of the water management system.
• The National Park Authority were involved with consolidation works here when the site was leased to us.

Scroll through for some photos of these unique sites.