Hartsop Hall

Hartsop Hall, is a Grade I listed building and a working farm with a flock of 800 Swaledale Sheep and a herd of 30 Aberdeen Angus suckler cows, set against 3000 acres of land. It is located on the southwestern side of Brothers water in the Patterdale valley, a short distance from the village of Hartsop, situated to the northeast. The farm Access is via the A592 Kirkstone Pass and the Sykeside Camping Park. It is in the care of the National Trust, whose heritage records state:

"Hartsop Hall is undoubtedly one of the oldest buildings in Patterdale, and in previous years one of the most important. The tales surrounding it include smuggling, murder, ghosts and of course the monks who reputedly gave their name to Brothers Water. None of the architectural details at the hall can be ascribed a particular date, but they are generally through to be 16th century additions and improvements made to an earlier bastle house, of perhaps fourteenth century. Unusual features include a king-post roof, a garderobe, an extremely ornate beamed ceiling to the first-floor hall, the arched headed windows, 17th century staircase, and what can only be described as a priest's hole."

The hall was listed as on 12 January, 1967. The official entry on Historic England states:

Typical larger Lakeland farmhouse in typically magnificent setting. Original C16 house faced north to Brothers Water, a west wing added C17, and a south wing in C18. All stone and slate rubble with flag roof, 2 storeys. Entrance front faces south and farmyard, and has 16-paned sashes, and an entrance under a catslide roof extending from the barn which is open and rests on 2 round piers, forming a porch/cartshed. The south end of the south wing is on a lower level but has same roof, 4 sashes. The rear of the older wing has a large stepped chimney, and a 3-light window on each floor - each light round-headed with stone mullions, and the walls are of cearser rubble with more mortar. The north front is white-washed and partly cemented, with steep roof, stone doorway with moulded lintel, 3 windows on ground floor and 4 above, of one, two and three lights, all lights round-headed. Interior said to have C16 moulded beams and part of king-post roof, and C17 staircase.

This humble hall had once been the home of the de Lancasters. Sir John Lowther, a member of the family that later became Earls of Lonsdale, became its owner in the 17th century, after which it was used as an ordinary farmhouse. Today, the working farm has two traditional holiday cottages: Dovedale Self-Catering Cottage, which is situated in a wing of the original hall building, and Caudale Beck Holiday Cottage.