Our country home in Cumbria
Although Digital Touch is based between the capital in London and the wonderful Cumbrian hills, Cumbria has a very special place amongst my heart. As a huge fan of branding and heritage I decided to look at some of the wonderful brands that England’s second largest county with the second smallest population has been home to some remarkable history and figures and some of the brands have been around for hundreds of years. Others are newly founded brands who have come to prominence in recent years.
Cumbria is known for its’ beauty. The Lake District which is spread across the old boundary of Westmorland in the South and Cumberland in the north. Bordered by Scotland to the north, Northumberland, Durham and North Yorkshire to the east, Lancashire to the south and the Irish sea to the west, the landscape has moulded the unique people and history to create what it is today.
Famous for it’s poetry sons and daughters, William Wordsworth and his sister, Dorothy were born in Cockermouth, the charming Georgian town nestled between Whitehaven and Keswick. Beatrix Potter made Hawkeshead her home and was inspired by the nature all around her. The great Scottish poet Sir Walter Scott was married in the fabulous Carlisle Cathedral, Alfred Wainwright mapped the Lakes mountains to create the Wainwright peaks, something that draws visitors from all over the world to the Lake District National Park which is also a UNESCO world heritage site.
Cumbria is home to more Michelin star establishments than any other county out of London. Food has always been at the heart of the Cumbrian fells and the spices brought into the county in the 17th and 18th centuries added the flavour that was mixed with the natural ingredients that are available around the county.
The Westmorland Family - Tebay Services & Rheged Centre
A family business, started in 1972 from their farm in Orton, Cumbria, which runs unique motorway service areas – Tebay, Gloucester and Cairn Lodge – based on no franchises but instead their own Farmshops and Kitchens. They also have Junction 38, a services dedicated to HGV drivers, Rheged, a meeting place, Cafe, Gallery and Cinema, and the Westmorland Hotel situated on the edge of the Lake District.
Rogan & Co - L’Enclume, Rogan & Co - A Cartmel Institution for over 20 years
Intertwined and deeply connected to the farm in the Cartmel Valley, L’Enclume is situated in a former 13th-century blacksmith workshop where their talented team share my long-standing passion for homegrown, seasonal produce and treat all guests to an ever-evolving dining experience.
It is also in Cartmel where they own and operate a neighbourhood restaurant Rogan & Co, Aulis Cartmel - a development kitchen and chef's table, 16 bespoke bedrooms and suites for those wishing to stay the night, and the Shop in the heart of the village square.
Sarah Nelsons Grasmere Gingerbread - The world famous Cumbrian sold Gingerbread
Grasmere Gingerbread was invented in 1854 by Victorian creator cook Sarah Nelson who mixed and baked her spicy-sweet chewy concoction inside her neat Church Cottage home – now The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop – and sold it to villagers and visitors from a table top on a tree stump outside her front door.
Within a few years its reputation had reached nearly every corner of the country and with the advent of the steam railways tourists flocked to Grasmere to buy her succulent invention. In later life she became part of the fixtures and fittings of the village, usually seen sitting on a chair outside Church Cottage dressed in a white apron and shawl.An iconic photograph of her is not dissimilar to the painting Whistler’s Mother.
When she finally passed away in 1904, at the grand old age of 88, it was almost impossible for the inhabitants of Grasmere to imagine life without her. Sarah’s funeral service was packed with mourners and her community laid her to rest in St Oswald’s Churchyard, just a few yards from her beloved Church Cottage home and near the grave of poet WilliamWordsworth.
One hundred and sixty-six years after the creation and launch of Grasmere Gingerbread, Sarah Nelson’s remarkable, unique legacy lives.
Her wonderful spicy-sweet cross between a biscuit and cake enjoys a worldwide following and it is still baked fresh every day to her original secret recipe inside her former home, now The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop.
The award winning Sticky Toffee Pudding remains number one with pudding lovers, They started baking Sticky Toffee puddings in the back kitchen of the Village Shop over 25 years ago. Word soon got out and it seemed like everyone wanted some, so they had to move to a bigger kitchen. But however busy they are, it’s still handmade, and there’s still nothing to match it.
Farrer’s Coffee & Tea - The oldest Coffee Roasters in the UK founded in 1819 in Kendal.
In 1819 when Mr John Farrer purchased the business here at 13 Stricklandgate dealing in tea, coffee, cocoa and refined sugar. It is believed he was placed in business by William Farrer, a relative from Liverpool who was a rich merchant and importer of tea and coffee. John & Ann Farrer from Grayrigg, married in 1809 and had two sons, one being John Farrer II in 1812.
The Farrer family, like many Lakeland business people at the time were devout Quakers. John Farrer II grew up to work in the family business. In 1839 John married Tamar Crossfield with whom he had four daughters. Traditionally in those days businesses were not handed down to women, so in 1886 when John Farrer II retired he transferred the business to his nephews, Joseph & Edward Farrer, sons of his younger brother Isaac.
Over the following years it is believed to have been transferred to the Watson side of the family, through several generations until it was sold on to independent owners in the 1900’s.
Kendal Mint Cake - Made famous by being carried on the first successful summit of Mount Everest in 1953.
George Romney Ltd is a fourth-generation confectionery business that you’ll find located on the edge of the Lake District National Park in the market town of Kendal. Mr Sam. T. Clarke, the great grandfather of the present Managing Director, Mr John Barron, started production of Romney’s Kendal Mint Cake in 1918 after being medically discharged during the First World War.
Unable to obtain supplies of Kendal Mint Cake, he sought out and purchased an old recipe and started a confectionery manufacturing business. The company name ‘George Romney Ltd.’ was chosen as a result of Kendal’s association with the famous portrait painter, as well as the fact that the family home was on Romney Road.
Romney's Kendal Mint Cake was immortalised in history on May 29th 1953 when it was carried on the first successful summit of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
Redmayne Tailors - Founded in Wigton in 1860 and one time tailors to HM The King
The heritage and authority of Savile Row tailoring has been at the core of Redmayne since 1860. Wigton has a long tradition in the textile industry and one prestigious High Street company is ensuring it remains on the global map.
Behind an unassuming shop front on Wigton’s High Street lies a business with international reach. It counts some of the most influential people in the world among its customers, and it is keeping the traditions and craftsmanship of its trade alive.
Redmayne 1860 is rooted firmly in this town, even while the skills of its team are known across the world. The company has been the home of Savile Row tailoring for more than 160 years, creating beautiful clothing for men and women, and selling them the accessories to go with it. The team works under the careful supervision of Head Cutter Tom. He’s a Carlisle-born tailor who has created suits for everyone from the Prince of Wales to the chief executives of the hugest international companies.
Jeffersons Rum - Oldest Rum brand in the UK established in 1785.
The Rum Story Shop has held an important place at the heart of Whitehaven for over 200 years.
Travel back in time to the bustling seaport of Whitehaven – home of the Jefferson’s family business. Founded by Robert Jefferson in 1785 the Jeffersons traded in wines from Spain and Portugal and rum, sugar and molasses from the West Indies. The Jefferson family first began selling wines, spirits and – most importantly – rum in the 18th century from the very premises on Lowther Street where our shop still stands today.
Most of the sugar imported into Whitehaven was from the Jefferson-owned estate in Antigua and it was from there they also imported their famous Jefferson’s Rum, with all the imports being carried by their own ships.
Back then Whitehaven was a booming trading port and the Jefferson’s imported wine from Spain and Portugal and rum from the West Indies and sold it all over England. But the Jeffersons weren’t just merchants, they were involved in every aspect of life in the area; working in local government, banking, railways, shipping and the courts. Today we take our place in the community just as seriously, but we tend to find our products a little closer to home. Aged in oak casks to release its full complexity of flavour, this deliciously well-balanced rum is a faithful recreation of the original spirit first sold in the very premises where our shop still stands today. Today you can visit the shop and the original warehouses and offices and explore the Rum Story.
R. B. Woodall - Royal Warrant Holders to HM The King and the inventor of the world famous, Cumberland Sausage
Nestling between the western edge of the Lakeland fells and the Irish Sea lies the sleepy backwater village of Waberthwaite. This is home to R B Woodall, one of the oldest family businesses still in existence. The company, currently run by 7th, 8th and 9th generation family members, is renowned for its much acclaimed traditionally cured hams, bacon and sausages.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries Whitehaven in Cumberland was one of the busiest ports in England. Many new and exotic spices first found their way to our shores via the port, and some became established ingredients in local products such as the traditional Cumberland sausage.
Eddie Stobart - A transport giant
Our journey started in 1960 as an agricultural subcontractor in the small Cumbrian Village of Hesket Newmarket and then really took off in 1970 with advent of Eddie Stobart. They have come a long way to become one of the UK’s most well-known companies in the supply chain sector.
Now operating the UKs largest shared-user pay as you go transport network, Stobart delivers exceptional levels of service using both road and rail for the UK’s largest brands. The business operates over 2,700 vehicles, c3,500 trailers, 43 operating centres throughout the UK, and employs c5,000 people.
Holker Estate -
The original House was built in the early 17th Century. After it was almost destroyed by a disastrous fire in 1871, William Cavendish and his daughter, Louisa, recruited the most eminent architects and designers of their time, to rebuild Holker in the very latest style. Neo-Elizabethan in its architecture, with the imposing tower and soaring cupola, Holker was constructed from the finest materials, many from the Estate itself, by church Architects Paley & Austin of Lancaster. Louisa’s impeccable eye and good taste are responsible for the interiors you see today. The majority of the paintings and much of the furniture was brought to Holker from Chatsworth House, the family residence in Derbyshire. The decoration was considered modern for its time, but elements pay tribute to the interiors lost in the fire.
Against the backdrop of the beautiful English Lake District, it is possible to sample national hunt racing in its most original format.
With its party crowds and funfair, Cartmel rekindles the social gathering tradition of the original steeple to steeple chases.
Cartmel only stages National Hunt (jump) racing. There are nine fixtures in the Cartmel racing calendar, commencing on the Whit Holiday weekend in May** and running through the August Bank Holiday weekend. Cartmel’s most valuable race, the Cumbria Crystal Cup is staged during the July meeting.
The course itself is a sharp and narrow left handed oval. The big difference from other courses is Cartmel’s home straight which unusually veers off and dissects the main oval. The main circuit measures just over one mile and one furlong with the run-in (the distance from the last fence to the finish line) known to be the longest in the country at just over 4 furlongs.
The Lakes Distillery, Gin & Whiskey Distillers at Bassenthwaite Lake
The distillery is repurposing an old Victorian farmstead that is standing on the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake in the Lake District National Park. The eponymously named distillery was founded by Paul Currie, ex-Arran Distillery, Alan Rutherford, Nigel Mills, and master distiller Chris Anderson. The Heriot-Watt graduate Dhavall Gandhi was appointed master blender in 2016, his previous position was at The Macallan.
The distillery opened on 15 December 2014, a few days after they put the 5,500 litre McMillan stills into production. It wasn't until 22 July 2015 that Princess Anne opened the distillery officially. In 2019 the distillery announced an expansion plan that would nearly double their production capacity.
Initially the company release a blended whisky The One before they released their first self-produced The Lakes Genesis on 29 June 2018. In May 2018 an annual release, Quatrefoil, was introduced (Faith, Hope, Luck, Love). A restyling of the brand was done in September 2019 with the release of The Whiskymaker's Reserve No.1.
Cranstons Food Halls - Food Halls & Cafes across Cumbria founded in 1914
Just like Stanley Cranston back in 1914, the skilled butchers buy only the best cattle, sheep and pigs from farmers they know and trust, expertly hanging and cutting the meat. They have full control from field to counter. Working in their Cumbrian Food Hall kitchens, the experienced team make sausages and pies, cure bacon, roast meats, and prepare fresh salads each day.
Lowther Estate - Home of the Earls of Lonsdale
Eight hundred and fifty years ago, the earliest known member of the Lowther family established himself in the corner of Cumbria that is now known as the Lowther Estate. Three principal dwellings have come and gone since that first settlement and today, the Estate is presided over by the ruined Lowther Castle – a Gothic building completed in 1812, deroofed in 1957 and today, a thriving and prize-winning visitor attraction.
While the Estate has grown and fluctuated, Lowther has been guided over the past centuries by an abiding will to stay ahead of the times. The benefits of forestry were foreseen during the reign of Edward I. Vegetarianism was embraced by Viscount Lonsdale in the late 17th century. Lowther Castle may have been partly demolished in the 1950s but in the long-term, the removal of its roof ensured the future security of the Estate at large.
Today the Castle’s success as a visitor attraction is based around its virtues as a ruin. It has not been restored but conserved, with layers of new history added to those already in place.
Dalemain Marmalade - World Marmalade Awards
A historic mansion surrounded by beautiful gardens within a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the home of The Dalemain World Marmalade Awards, stop for a morning coffee, light lunch or afternoon tea. Shop, explore and experience our Lake District paradise. From a small Lake District community to octogenarian marmalade makers in Hiroshima and Australian marmalade for the King this is a shimmering citrus community of people that spans the globe. The Dalemain World Marmalade Awards with a hundred volunteers running a competition to find the best marmalade in the world. It began in 2005 with an idea to celebrate community and educate through cooking, champion marmalade makers and raise money for charity. Over the years we have been joined by marmalade makers, spanning generations, from Taiwan to Brazil, Norway to Northern Ireland, India to Argentina.
With generous support from Fortnum & Mason, they have raised over a quarter of a million pounds for charity and had thousands upon thousands of entries posted to us here in Cumbria. Paddington is a patron, naturally, and the winner is cobranded with and sold at Fortnum & Mason. Every April they stage the Festival at Dalemain Mansion in Cumbria, a family home and farming estate. This is the culmination of the annual Awards with the competition opening for entries in January each year, marmalade jars spill out of every part of the house while on display. The new years winner is announced, we have a range of talks and Marmalade panels and tasting of marmalades from around the world.
James Baxter & Son - Seafood to the Royal Household
The Baxter family arrived in the district in the 1600′s, and in the early days combined farming with fishing, a way of life that is still found on the north side of the bay. But the fishing side of the business grew with Morecambe, and the farming has long since stopped.
Founded in 1799 by James Baxter & Son, Baxters have been potting shrimps for over 200 years and can be regarded as true masters of the trade. Baxters original slogan “If its a fish course, its Baxters of course” still resonates throughout the firm today.
Herdy - Immortalising the Herdwick Sheep
Herdy was founded in Kendal, September 2007, by designers and married couple Spencer and Diane Hannah. The pair recognised a gap in the Lake District market for responsibly produced, high quality, design-led giftware. Further inspired by a holiday in Helsinki, Finland, and seeing the quality and design of local gifts being sold to tourists, they were keen to find something that embodied the essence of the Lake District.
Whilst ruminating on this idea during a hike in Little Langdale, Spencer and Diane came across a Herdwick ewe grazing on the fellside. It popped its head up to stare at the incomers and almost seemed to be smiling. Spencer quickly snapped a photo of the smiling sheep, and thus the inspiration of the brand was created. Subsequently discovering that this cute breed of sheep is responsible for creating the Lakeland landscape, by grazing the high fells, they knew they had found the face of the brand.
The Toffee Shop - Confectioner to the Royal Family
Way back in 1910, Mrs Annie Furnass decided to open a small confectionery store just two doors up the lane from her husband’s butcher’s shop, on King Street, Penrith.
The original Toffee Shop was an Aladdin’s cave; bursting with antiques, brass and copper wares alongside the sweets. Mrs Furnass quickly built up a substantial trade, both in the shop itself and by shipping boxes of toffee across the UK and even overseas. Mrs Furnass had a number of distinguished patrons, and it was a source of intense pride to her that among them was The Duke of Kent. His Royal Highness would call on her personally when motoring through Penrith and would have packages of his favourite toffee sent to him when serving in Germany. This stamp of approval from the Crown proved the start of a long-standing relationship with the Royal Family. In March, after 40 years at the helm, Neil Boustead decided it was time for a well-deserved retirement, handing over ownership of The Toffee Shop to fellow Penrithian Kathryn Graves.
New owner Kathryn is looking forward to finally unwrapping the secret recipe to the famous confectionery that she has relished since childhood. As she says, ‘To be honest, The Toffee Shop was an integral part of my childhood. It was the best fudge and toffee I’d ever tasted and in truth, still is! It gives me great pride to join such a long standing local business, with a talented and committed team. To be part of the local community, providing employment for others in town and indirectly to local suppliers and vendors is a real privilege.’
JJ Graham’s of Penrith - A beacon of the market place
Established in 1793 by the Graham brothers, James & John, they are located at the gateway to the Lake District. Graham's traditional shop is situated in Penrith's Market Square, the current building dates back to 1880 and it is here J&J Graham's hampers are prepared to order. Graham's has an artisan bakery within where the chef, Alan Potter and his team bake bread, scones, pies, soup, quiches & honey glazed ham every day. Fortunately, here in Penrith, Graham's has on its doorstep some of the finest speciality food & drink producers in the Eden Valley & Cumbria who contribute to their unique gift hampers.
Ciel Hotels - The Askham Collection
As they say themselves -
“Our ancestral connections to the ancient stone circle on” Charles Lowther has fabulously created a collection of the finest hospitality establishments the county has to offer and in one that offers so much, thats no mean feat!
Askham Fell can be traced back to the Viking Age. Our roots have long been embedded in this landscape, this nature, this community. Our ancestors are buried here, we grow our food here, our connection to this place is ancient and deep.
“Today our lives continue to revolve around this stone circle and CIEL HOTELS, our family of very special places to stay and eat in Cumbria, centres around it too. Each one of our places is nestled within ten miles of this precious place and this is where we grow and rear our produce. Each one of our places is unique and offers a different experience. All offer pleasure through our passion for food, wine and the landscape. All have a story to tell.”
Carrs Biscuits - Biscuit suppliers to HM The King and factory in Carlisle, founded in 1831
In 1831, Carr formed a small bakery and biscuit factory in the English city of Carlisle in Cumberland; he received a royal warrant in 1841. Within 15 years of being founded, it had become Britain's largest baking business.
Carr's business was both a mill and a bakery, an early example of vertical integration, and produced bread by night and biscuits by day. The biscuits were loosely based on dry biscuits used on long voyages by sailors. They could be kept crisp and fresh in tins, and despite their fragility could easily be transported to other parts of the country by canal and railway. The business came under the ownership of McVities in 1971, part of United Biscuits group and in 2016 became part of the pladis group, but is still known locally as Carr's.
Bath House - Artisan Fragrance and Skincare in the Westmorland Dales
The team first met at art college and became friends sharing a love of the art, design and the British landscape and later settled in the Lake District. Finding as many do, this an inspiring place to live and work. Here the landscape, unspoiled and wild led them through a creative journey, and in 1997 they came together to create the Bath House, making fragrance and natural skincare.
Established in the book town of Sedbergh by 2017, they needed more space and so moved a short distance to the village of Dent, Cumbria, where the larger making rooms are now located. Around this time, they also began to recognise a responsibility to bring the packaging more in line with the sustainably sourced ingredients, Carefully redesigning, and embracing a more minimalistic, durable and functional style, using recyclable materials, primarily to be refilled and reused time and time again.
Since the first store opened in Kirkby Lonsdale in 2003, they have enjoyed the opportunity to connect with our customers, sharing our knowledge of fragrance and natural skincare. This has been such a success and Bath House have opened five more stores – each is a unique space for customers to experience our full collection of products. As they say “We hope when you choose a Bath House perfume, skincare product or home fragrance, you enjoy using them as much as we enjoy making them.”
Hawkeshead Relish - Relish of distinction
Established in 1999 when the family had a busy café in the Lake District Town of Hawkshead and made a small range of Chutney, Relish and Preserves to go with the meals served to their customers. People enjoyed the preserves so much they would ask to buy a jar to take home with them. Gradually they found they were producing more and more jars of preserves to sell.
In 2001, a foot-and-mouth outbreak swept the country. People were told not to visit the countryside which caused a devastating impact on hospitality and tourism in Cumbria including the café. The team decided that if people couldn’t come to the countryside, they would bring the countryside to them! Seeing the opportunity to sell their preserves further afield, they took samples of the products to Garden Centres, Shops and Restaurants who all agreed to stock the Chutneys, Relishes and Preserves and sell them to their own customers. The Hawkshead Relish Company was born!
Having started with a small range of 2-3 products, we found out Mark had the knack for coming up with great new recipe ideas. He would come up with recipes that work well but were not run of the mill. As our range was growing, we found we had 20, 30, 50… 100 products. Mark’s imaginative and great tasting products lead to Hawkshead Relish also winning over 60 Great Taste Awards.
The Crewel Work Company - Tapestry fit for the finest homes
The Crewel Work Company is a family business launched over 25 years ago by embroidery specialist Phillipa Turnbull. Phillipa and her daughter Laura run the business together and share a passion for historic embroidery and for keeping the designs and techniques from the past alive and thriving. Supported by a small team based in Appleby-in-Westmorland, their range of historically-accurate kits and life-changing Needlework Retreats in the UK are hailed as among the best needlework experiences available.
Phillipa's ongoing research in to historic embroidery allows the team to bring you textile information from the historic source. Their range of crewel work kits bring to life the designs, colours and techniques of the 17th to the 20th centuries, while honouring the integrity of genuine crewel work.
English Lakes Ice Cream - Ice cream maker in South Lakes
Based in Kendal, the team has been producing luxurious ice creams for over 25 years.They have a simple and unwavering focus at the heart of everything they do: To create products of unquestionably high quality and flavour. They have high expectations, and with our discerning taste buds, we have created and developed a range of ice creams and sorbets.
John Watt & Sons - Coffee and Tea makers from Carlisle.
John Watt & Son, an independent coffee roasters and tea blenders, established in 1865 and based in the heart of Carlisle. Founded upon closely guarded recipes that have been handed down over the past 150 years, they strive to produce the highest quality, fresh and delicious coffee and tea in Cumbria.
John Watt & Son is a business built on a rich history that has grown to develop strong local reputation and is known as the source of one of Carlisle’s ‘famous’ smells; the distinctive scent of traditionally, freshly roasted coffee across the streets of the border city!
James Cropper - Paper Manufacturer in South Lakes
Global market leaders in advanced materials and paper products. Led by the Cropper family for six generations, we have an international workforce and an operational reach in over 50 countries. Established in 1845, they manufacture paper, packaging and advanced materials incorporating pioneering non-wovens and electrochemical coatings. Specialist provider of niche solutions tailored to a unique customer specification, ranging from substrates and components in hydrogen electrolysis and fuel cells to bespoke colours and textures in paper and moulded fibre packaging designed to replace single use plastics. Operating across multiple markets from luxury retail to renewable energy. Renowned globally for service, capability, pioneering and multi award-winning commitment to the highest standards of sustainability.
Gawith Hoggarth - Tobacco Makers dating to 1792
Gawith Hoggarth & Co Ltd was set up back in 1887 as a rival company to the already existing Samuel Gawith company. The Gawith family connection to the tobacco trade goes back to 1792, with the first company under the Gawith name being established in around 1841 but in 1878 the two Gawith brothers decided to terminate their partnership and run separate tobacco businesses, both in Kendal. The two companies briefly merged again in 1885, only for family members to part ways and set up a separate business 2 years later. From 1962 Samuel Gawith's no longer had any member of the Gawith family involved in the ownership or running of the company. But in 2015 Gawith Hoggarth & Co bought back Samuel Gawith's and both brands are now back under one roof and ownership with the Gawith family privately owning the company.
Cumbria Crystal - Handmade Crystal glassware
Cumbria Crystal was founded in 1976 by Lord and Lady Cavendish and a small group of local business people to produce exceptional, handmade full lead crystal tableware. The artisan workforce was initially recruited from Stourbridge, historically the heart of the English crystal industry, and a team of craftspeople re-located to Ulverston at the southern edge of the English Lake District.
The Company has remained small and true to its artisan roots. We believe it is important customers can watch crystal being made using historic techniques, so visitors are invited to watch our artisans at work. Today, the Company produces crystal for all the British Embassies and Residencies across the world to grace formal dinners and state occasions.
Cumbria Crystal supplied the majority of the crystal for the internationally acclaimed TV drama Downton Abbey, the Georgian inspired Grasmere pattern, designed by Lady Cavendish, suits the formal Edwardian tables to perfection. Cumbria Crystal collections sell in renowned London retailers Linley, Harrods, Thomas Goode, Fortnum and Mason.
The company designs and manufactures bespoke collections for a small selection of luxury retailers such as Thomas Goode, David Linley, Hamilton & Inches, Glyndebourne, John Walker and Sons and others. Cumbria Crystal Collections are frequently favoured by royalty and a number of commemorative gifts celebrating significant Royal occasions such the Diamond & Platinum Jubilees, the Royal Wedding and Royal Christenings have also been produced.
Burlington Stone - Iconic stone seen around the UK
Since the second Earl of Burlington (later the 7th Duke of Devonshire) laid the foundations in 1843 of what has today become Burlington Stone, his descendants have all been actively involved in promoting the beautiful stone that occurs naturally in the fells near the family home, Holker Hall in Cumbria.
With a vision to blend of the traditions that the Cavendish family have upheld for more than a century and a half together with a clear plan to create a sustainable business that will serve future generations as well as the wider community. This will come through investment in new technology and skills and will lead to the kind of dynamic business that can react and adapt to ever-changing economic conditions.
Whether residential or commercial; whether traditional or contemporary, the versatility of Burlington’s range of natural stone products and the inherited values that pervade Burlington Stone’s approach to business make it possible to bring unique style and distinction to any development.
Interior designers, architects, developers and discerning home-owners throughout the world continue to be inspired by the intrinsic aesthetic and technical properties of Burlington’s natural stone. Therefore at the heart of all the policies that are developed under my stewardship, will be a single-minded approach to preserving the hard-won standards of exceptional British craftsmanship and commitment to customer service.
Muncaster Castle - One of the oldest and most historic buildings in the county
The Castle, nestled in Cumbria, believed to be standing on Roman remains, is a key part of the region’s history. Whilst the Pennington family have recorded evidence of this historic house as being their home since 1208 when lands were granted to Alan de Penitone, some records go back further suggesting that the family have been here since at least 1026.
A castle was built in the later 13th century and enlarged in the 14th when a pele tower was erected on Roman foundations (which would date back to 79AD), part of its fabric being incorporated in the south-west tower. A coin from the time of Emperor Theodosius (AD380) has been found, and there is also a Victor ring.
It was the fifth Baronet, created first Baron Muncaster who carried out far-reaching renovations inside and out including planting most of the large hardwood trees and founding the library, and his great-nephew Gamel Augustus, fourth Lord Muncaster who shortly before his death in 1862 instructed Anthony Salvin, whose main interest was military architecture and who was very fashionable, to update the house.
Salvin covered the courtyard, built by first Lord Muncaster, converting it into the present Drawing Room, with its much-admired barrel ceiling which was the work of two Italian plasterers. It was redecorated in 1958 by Lady Pennington-Ramsden.
The fifth and last Lord Muncaster, Gamel’s brother, died in 1917 and the Muncaster estate passed to his mother’s family, the Ramsdens, who carried out extensive works in the gardens and brought many of their possessions, including the Ramsden family portraits, to Muncaster. In those days the estate still extended to 23,000 acres.
Muncaster Castle is a fine example of one of the Lake District and Cumbria’s favourite historic houses – go and see for yourself just how impressive the building and historic gardens are.
Appleby Creamery - Award winning cheeses
Nestled in the Eden Valley in Cumbria, Appleby Creamery produces a wide range of distinctive and characterful cheeses ranging from soft cheeses, such as blue, brie and smoked brie to hard varieties, including cheddar and caerphilly-style cheeses.
Product innovation is at the heart of Appleby Creamery and they are constantly evolving and developing new products, for example they are very proud to be launching one of the UK’s first Halloumi style cheeses.
Appleby Creamery was established in 2007. The current team is run by Maurice and supported by a team of dedicated cheese makers. The team have mostly been with the business since their teens and were trained by former founders of the business. This expertise and experience combined with the highest quality ingredients makes the Appleby Creamery cheese an amazing range of products which the whole town are hugely proud of and they know you will enjoy.