Kendal is a main market town and a gateway into the Lake District. Its motto is 'Wool is my Bread' and so it was for several centuries. 'Kendal Cottons' (coarse woollen fabrics) were once famous since the 14th century. 'Kendal Green', a heavy woollen cloth, early became famous for its hard wearing quality, and Shakespeare immortalised it in his 'King Henry 1V.
Besides cotton, 'Kendal Bowmen' have of course also to be mentioned - skilled archers with longbows made of yew trees. The 'eagle eyed' will no doubt notice the pub of the same name. Kendal town is built largely of the limestone upon which it stands, and some of the older buildings are timber framed. Within and close to the main thoroughfare are to be found the oldest parts of the town consisting of a unique combination of 'yards' or 'courts' with narrow cobbled streets. These narrow yards were, according to one local tradition, built as a matter of necessity in order that the inhabitants could barricade themselves against the Scottish Border raiders. According to another tradition, they were built in order to provide easy access for purposes connected with the woollen industry. The 'New Shambles' for example is a case in point, running between the Market Place and Finkle Street, and was purpose built originally for the many butcher's shops. They moved from the Old Shambles (behind the Fleece Inn) because of complaints about insufficient slope for drainage purposes.
Much of the character of the houses still remains - long narrow windows, steps leading to quaint doorways, overhanging upper storeys, slated roofs, and chimney stacks at strange angles. Opposite the gates to the parish church is what is known as a 'Ginnel' (an old Westmorland name for a narrow entrance) and which leads up to Anchorite Well - so named because at one time a religious order of Anchorites lived in cells here - cells incidentally made of stone with small openings through which they would communicate with the outside world. They had three trees here in a grove here because, to those pagan druids, a trinity, or threesome, was sacred. When the Romans came (all their pagan gods were also triunes) they adopted the site as holy. When the Christians came later, they decided that "if you can't beat them, join them". Hence, for the first time, the Trinity doctrine (not originally a Christian dogma) became part of of Christian tradition. Local historian, John Marsh, will tell you many a fascinating tale of old Kirkland.
Just south of the town is Kendal's Roman fort of 'Alauna' located at Watercrook. The first Norman defensive tower here was a 'morte and bailey' which was a wooden structure on a man-made mound. The mound can still be seen to this day west of the town centre near the old Westmorland Hospital.
The River Kent runs southwards to the estuary at the northern end of Morecambe Bay and marks the dividing line between the old part of the town and Castle Hill, on which stands the remains of Kendal Castle - parts of which date back to the 12th century.
In the 16th century, the castle was in the ownership of Thomas Parr, and it was his daughter, Katherine, who was born at the castle. She became, as most people know, the last, and only surviving wife of the notorious Henry VIII. She married him in fact on the 12th July 1543, and in total lived with him for three years, six months and five days. She was a Queen in name only, for she was never actually crowned. Henry VIII was Katherine's third husband, and after his death she re-married for a fourth (and last) time.
At the end of the 11th century, Kendal was made a Barony by William Rufus, and later it was made into three, parts of which came under the control of Ive de Taillebois. The town has certainly seen many dark days, from the devastating Scots raids - the one in 1210 led by the Earl of Fife for example, being recorded as 'one of the bloodiest and most lamentable days ever known in Kendal' - to fire and floods. In 1598 and 1623 came the Black Death, too.
There are six bridges across the River Kent in Kendal, most of which will be discovered by nearly every motorist to the town due to the one-way system. The bridges consist of three fine examples of stone construction, together with a girder bridge and two footbridges.
The parish church of the Holy Trinity was rebuilt in 1768, though it actually dates back to the 13th century, with its claim to history being the fact that it is the second widest church in the country - complete with five aisles. By the church is the 'Ring of Bells', the only public house to be built on consecrated ground - in 1741 to be precise.
A story linked to the church is the one about Colonel Briggs, staunch Parliamentarian and Justice of the Peace in Kendal, who was held in considerable awe by many of the local inhabitants. In 1644, at the end of the Civil War, he apparently besieged the house of a Royalist - a Major Philipson of Holme House Windermere - for some eight days, until it was eventually relieved by a relative - Huddlestone Philipson. A short time later, so it is said, Major Philipson came into Kendal along with a small body of men, intent upon seeking his revenge upon Briggs, and upon hearing that he was in church, rode up and down the aisles of the building, seeking his adversary with his sword drawn! Unable to find him, he was about to leave the church when one of the congregation unseated him from his horse, which so angered the Major that he immediately slew the man. Nobody really knows if the story is true or false - but a helmet and sword still hang in the church to this day!
Another 'calamity' hit the church back in 1210 when townswomen and children were gathered in the church by marauding Scotsmen, and subsequently massacred.
Sandes Hospital in Highgate (near the Town Hall) was built in 1659 and houses today, as always, elderly persons. Within the gateway is an old iron collecting box beneath which is the words 'Remember the Poor".
The Town Hall is a comparatively modern building, but nevertheless full of interest. The tall clock tower has a magnificent carillon which automatically plays English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish airs, six times daily. In front of the Town Hall will be seen the old 'Call Stone', which is in fact the original base of the one time Market Cross from which, from time immemorial, successive monarchs of England have been proclaimed to the villagers.
The foundation stone of the Town Hall (originally built as White Hall Buildings) was laid in 1824. Under the foundation stone will one day be discovered a copy of each of the Kendal newspapers of that day, together with a facsimile of the Corporation Seal enclosed in glass. The Mayor's Parlour at the Town Hall contains a valuable collection of relics of George Romney, including many of his paintings...along with Katherine Parr's original Prayer Book. This little book measuring just two and a half inches by one and a half inches, and bound in silver, was discovered in an antiques dealer in London, and purchased by a Kendal resident who recognised it for what it was, for just £500.
Near the Post Office will be found the YWCA - but the building does have a far more interesting background. Back in 1745 the Young Pretender stayed the weekend in the building whilst on his way south to try and gain the crown of England. Retreating from Derby shortly afterwards he again stayed with Justice Thomas Shepherd, the owner of the building. By coincidence, just two nights later the Duke of Cumberland in hot pursuit also occupied the same house. History does not record whether he stayed in the same bed or not!
A few other facts of interest about the town - in 1830 twenty ale-houses opened in Kendal - possibly linked to the fact that at that time ale was 4 pence (two new pence) a quart!
The Working Mens' Institute, at the corner of Market Place, was a one time theatre. In fact it was the first theatre to be built in Kendal back in 1758. Also look out for the building in Stricklandgate (now an estate agents office) with the beady-eyed bristly hog protruding from the wall. The building dates from the 17th century, and was known originally as Blackhall. It's the last surviving relic of Kendal's brush industry.
Castle Dairy, near the Railway Station, is one of Kendal's (if not the north of England's) oldest buildings and well worth a visit - especially on a Wednesday afternoon which is the only time of the week that it is open to the public. It is still occupied, and the present incumbents will be happy to show visitors around this delightful building. It is an interesting example of Tudor domestic architecture, being re-built in 1654. Some parts of it however are much older, the doorways for example date from the fourteenth century. The Castle Dairy incidentally was originally the milk farm for Kendal Castle, and is particularly noteworthy for two carved inscriptions...the letters A.G and the date 1564 on a massive carved oak bedstead, denoting one Anthony Garnett, the proprietor. The name 'Garnett' means a garner or keeper of the grain stores...so no doubt the Garnetts of old were responsible for the farm produce of the dairy which supplied the owners of Kendal Castle in Henry VIII's time. The dairy was certainly in use when Katherine Parr lived at the castle.
No feature on Kendal would be complete without mention of George Romney, the famous artist. Romney was born at Dalton-in-Furness, over 230 years ago and was first apprenticed to a cabinet maker. At odd moments he would be found sketching visitors to the workshop, and subsequently his skills were eventually discovered by the Cumberland artist Edward Steele. During an illness he was nursed by a compassionate young girl whom he eventually married.
Unfortunately he then promptly neglected her by travelling all over the north of England sketching and doing portraits for small fees. Following this he returned home for two years during which time his bride bore him two children, and thence immediately moved to London where he eventually achieved great fame as a portrait painter. It is on record that in twenty years he only paid two visits to his wife and children. When however at the end of the century his health broke down and he became little more than a hypochondriac, he suddenly remembered his wife in Kendal, and returned North again!. His wife, for reasons which only a woman can answer, received him with open arms, and for the last three years of his life she was a tender and unwearying nurse to him. He apparently literally exhausted himself with his output of work. Scores of his pictures were left unfinished. In his hey-day his highest fee for a portrait was 120 guineas...though later one of his portraits sold for 60,000 guineas.
On the southern side of town, next door to the church, will be found Abbot Hall, built on the site of an Abbot's house, which stood here in the Middle Ages. The present house built in the middle of the 18th century by George Wilson was planned by John Carr of York whose portrait hangs in the house. Bought by the Corporation in 1896 it remained uninhabited for 50 years until a trust restored the building to its 18th century elegance as a fine example of Georgian architecture incorporating art gallery and cultural centre, displaying permanent and changing exhibitions of work by artists and craftsmen. On the walls today are paintings by Sir Thomas Lawrence, Peter de Wint, Romney, and Kendal born Daniel Gardnar... and 18th century painter notable for his small portraits in pastels and oils.
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