Acorn Bank CA10 1SP
Free for NT Members
Open: Seasonal - See website
Reviews: 0
About:
Best known for its comprehensive herb collection and traditional fruit orchards, Acorn Bank is a tranquil haven with a fascinating industrial past. Today the walled gardens shelter a medicinal herb garden, herbaceous borders, lily-filled pond and traditional orchards carpeted with Edwardian daffodils in spring.
Wander along the Crowdundle Beck to the partially restored watermill, enjoying wildlife in the woods on the way, and discover more about the history of gypsum mining on the estate. Enjoy the views across the Eden Valley to the Lake District from the magnificent backdrop of the sandstone house.
History:
Acorn Bank has a long history, which dates back to the 13th century.
The first owners were the Knights Templar in 1228, from whom the nearby village of Temple Sowerby got its name. After the suppression of the Templars, the manor passed to the Knights of the Hospital of St John, who held it from 1323 until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII.
In 1543 Acorn Bank was acquired by Thomas Dalston, a local landowner from Dalston, just outside Carlisle, and remained in the hands of his descendants right up until the 1930s.
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries it passed through the female line three times, eventually passing to the Boazman family from Newton Aycliffe in County Durham.
The Boazmans started to mine gypsum at Acorn Bank from the 1880s onwards. It was not their main residence and so had little investment, which means that very few Victorian alterations were made to the house.
Parts of the house date from the 16th century, but the main block was rebuilt in the mid-17th century. They then gave the whole house a new façade in the 1690s and added Georgian sash windows in the 1740s.
Dog Friendly:
Assistance dogs only in the gardens. Dogs allowed in the courtyard and on the estate.
Entry Charge:
See website
Parking:
Parking: Car parking on location
Facilities:
Toilets
Plant Shop
Book Shop
Cafe
Picnic Area
Electric vehicle charging point
Notes:
Drop-off point at garden entrance. Separate mobility parking, 50 yards. Adapted toilet in garden courtyard. Tramper available to hire free of charge. Hearing loop available at welcome point. Some accessible paths in garden but mainly rough. Woodland pathways are uneven and undulating.
Contact:
Temple Sowerby, near Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 1SP
Tel: 01768361893
Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Email:
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