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Kendal and Around | Kendal | Kendal Museum | Abbot Hall | Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry |  Abbot Hall and the Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry Kendal The town of Kendal is located to the east of Lake Windermere and, although it is technically outside the boundaries of the Lake District National Park, it still serves as a popular base for exploring the region. At one time the town was famous all over England for its cloth, known as Kendal Green, which was worn by English Archers. However, today the town is more famous for its Kendal Mint Cake, a sugery confection that is carried by climbers all over the world as an emergency source of energy. Everyone should try some, but be warned, it is very sickly sweet so is not to everyone's taste! top of page Kendal Museum Located on Station Road in Kendal, the Kendal Museum is a good place to head for to find out more about the history of Cumbria. It also contains an excellent section devoted to the work of local man Alfred Wainwright who lived in the Lake District until his death in 1991. Wainwright loved the countryside that he lived in, but found conventional maps lacking. As a result he embarked on a personal quest to write maps about the area, in particular describing his favourite walks. Lovingly hand written and illustrated, the resulting 47 maps are an absolute delight, containing such helpful information as "beware of the hole to the left of the path"! The Kendal Museum is open daily but opening hours vary according to the time of year so do check in advance. Admission costs around £2.80 for adults. top of page Abbot Hall This 18th century town house situated next to the parish church in Kendal, is now home to an excellent Art Gallery and the Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry. The Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry re-creates everyday life in the Lake District from the 17th century to the 19th century, with such delights as traditional interiors and demonstrations of rural crafts. There is also an interesting section on local author Arthur Ransome who is best remembered for his children's story Swallows and Amazons. The Abbot Hall Art Gallery is home to some excellent works by English painters such as Constable and Turner, as well as pieces by local artists. And particularly interesting is the section devoted to the furniture making of local firm Gillows of Lancaster whose beautiful furniture graced the ocean liners the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth. Both the Museum of Lakeland Life and the Abbot Hall Art Gallery are open daily from 10.30am to 5pm. Admission costs around £2.80 for adults. top of page Copyright © 1995 to 2016 Smooth Hound Systems Smooth Hound Systems accepts no liability with regards to the accuracy of the information on this site. Users are advised to double check information such as dates, times, prices etc. | |||||
