Hawkshead is a small town with a market charter dating from 1608, and is situated near the head of Esthwaite Water, lying roughly halfway between the lakes of Coniston Water and Windermere.
Hawkshead today is certainly picturesque and its quaint houses, many now colour-washed, grey roofs of local slate, square arches, pillars and flights of stone steps, make it unique in Lakeland. A stream which flows down Vicarage Lane, on the north side, disappears under the village and joins the Poole Beck and enters the lake. At one time this stream, at the Flag Street end was uncovered and local people drew water from it. The village today still appears to the same as it did hundreds of years ago.
One of the oldest buildings hereabouts is The Red Lion Inn...an original 15th century coaching house. Look for the two figures on the outside wall, below the eaves...one showing a farmer taking a pig to market, the other a man with a whistle. Ann Street, or Wordsworth Street, leads from the main road to Vicarage Lane and Grandy Nook, and is yet another cobbled street. At one time it was (and sometimes still is) called 'Rag, Putty and Leather Street' for two tailors, two cobblers, and two painters, all of whom had their business premises there.
Hawkshead's most famous 'monument' has to be the original Hawkshead Grammar School...attended by one William Wordsworth during the period 1778-1783. The school was founded in 1585 and eventually closed in 1909, and is now a museum containing an important antiquarian library, with Wordsworth's name cut into a desk by the great man himself....and today can still be clearly seen. For most of his schooldays he lived with Ann Tyson, at Green End Cottage, another building which still exists and can be seen. Today it is a very pleasant guest house, known as Ann Tyson's Cottage. Also not to be missed in town is the Beatrix Potter Gallery, an exhibition telling the story of her life, with displays of original drawings and watercolours. The exhibition is housed in the former solicitor's office of her husband.
From 1608 until the 19th century, Hawkshead was a centre of the rural woollen industry. Today though, its old woodland industries have all but disappeared, and the thousands of acres of deer forest are maintained by modern forestry methods.
The Parish church too should not be missed. Built of local stone in a traditional style, Hawkshead's church dates from the late 15th century...the oldest part probably being the tower. In the north-west of the church will be found a 'Burial in Wool' certificate displayed, which was a requirement in 1666 following a Parliamentary decree requiring that all corpses should be shrouded in wool to help the wool trade.
Hawkshead Courthouse dates back to the 15th century too. About a mile out of town on the Ambleside Road, this little courthouse is the only surviving part of the large Manor House owned by the monks of Furness Abbey. Today a single room of the Manor House survives... the pre-Reformation Courthouse.
Hawkshead has a wide range of cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops to suit all tastes.
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