Discover Kendal: Art, History and Culture

Explore Kendal through its art, architectural history and cultural venues. The town offers several ways to do so, without any one focus replacing the others.

Art, Architecture and History

Abbot Hall is located in Kendal on the banks of the River Kent. The Grade I listed building is a Georgian art gallery. The venue therefore combines a specific artistic function with a building whose architecture and listing are part of its significance.

Brewery Arts serves several cultural purposes: it is a cinema, a live arts venue and a centre for creative learning. Its live music programme includes contemporary, indie, folk, world, blues, jazz and electronica. If you are interested in music, this range showcases different genres represented at the same cultural venue; specific event dates should be checked separately.

The ruins of Kendal Castle offer a different way to explore the town’s history. The castle was built around 1200 on a drumlin, a hill formed during the Ice Age. Visitors can explore the ruins on foot and listen to the Audio Trail as they walk around. This lets you combine your time at the castle with an on-site commentary, rather than limiting your visit to the building’s history.

Kendal Parish Church also brings together different historical layers. The present church dates from the early 13th century and has five aisles; it is also one of the United Kingdom’s “Great Churches”. Inside is a fragment of an Anglo-Saxon cross dating to around 850 AD. It is believed that a church has stood on this site since Saxon times.

Museum and Historic Yards

Founded in 1796, Kendal Museum is one of the oldest museums in the United Kingdom. Its collections cover natural history, archaeology and geology, as well as a herbarium. It also has Europe’s largest collection of taxidermied animals. This variety of subjects gives the museum a distinct way to explore nature and the past, setting a visit apart from viewing individual historic buildings.

Kendal’s historic yards offer another glimpse into the town’s history. The 18th-century yards supported the growth of local trades: they included homes, industry and workshops, particularly those associated with the wool trade. Visitors can explore the yards away from the High Street. Collin Croft is considered Kendal’s best-preserved historic yard; a covered staircase leads from there back to the High Street.

Markets, Park and Trails

Kendal’s markets hold a market charter dating from 1189 and still take place weekly. Kendal Farmers’ Market is held on the last Friday of each month. Local farmers sell their own organic vegetables and meat there. As the market takes place regularly but its date may matter for your particular trip, check the market dates in advance.

Abbot Hall Park has a children’s playground, an open lawn and a Crown bowling green. These three facilities offer different ways to enjoy the park: as a play area, an open green space or for Crown bowling. The Kendal to Lancaster Canal Towpath Trail is suitable for paddling, walking and picnicking, complementing the cultural venues with outdoor activities.

Arriving by Train

Kendal station and Oxenholme – The Lake District station are useful reference points when planning a rail journey. Kendal station is on the Lakes Line and just a short walk from the town centre. Oxenholme is Kendal’s nearest mainline station and is connected to Kendal by the Lakes Line. The two reference points therefore differ in their roles: Kendal is on the Lakes Line, while Oxenholme is the nearest mainline station.

Discover more destinations: Stanwix, Patterdale, Ainstable, Backbarrow, Cleator, Threlkeld, Crosby Ravensworth, Mungrisdale.

For the broader travel overview: Cumbria.