Why is Troutbeck special?
Troutbeck is a village in a picturesque setting on the west side of the Troutbeck valley between Troutbeck Bridge and the Kirkstone Pass. Special qualities include:
- Rural location between the low-lying pastoral landscape around Windermere lake and the rugged upland scenery of the Central Lake District
- Views northward to the peaks of Yoke (706 metres) and Ill Bell (757 metres) and, to the south, a glimpse of Windermere lake
- An example of a linear settlement, of medieval origin, along a series of springs, comprised of scattered clusters of farmhouses and barns separated by tracts of open countryside
- Haphazard layout of buildings in relation to the village's access roads and lanes
- Architectural and historic interest of the area's buildings, including 26 listed buildings dating from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries
- Almost every building in the conservation area was constructed before 1900 and is either statutorily listed or considered to be a “significant unlisted building”
- Townend is a prime example of a Lake District statesman farmer’s dwelling of the 17th century, listed grade I. The adjacent 17th century barn is listed grade II*
- Numerous well-preserved examples of local Cumbrian vernacular architecture, both domestic and agricultural
- A wealth of external vernacular building details including graded slate roofs, cylindrical chimney stacks, crow-steps, wrestler slate ridges and ‘spinning galleries’
- Notable examples of different types of ‘bank barns’, a peculiarly regional style of barn construction of the upland Lake District in which a two-level building is built on sloping land and has direct access from the ground to both levels
- A small number of mid/late-19th century buildings, most notably The Mortal Man, The Institute and two large bank barns with penticed canopies
- The braided interconnecting network of lanes, tracks, bridleway and public footpaths that link the village to Jesus Church and the east side of the Troutbeck valley
- Numerous trees and small copses that enhance the setting of historic buildings and soften the streetscene, giving the village a sylvan atmosphere in places
- Almost exclusive use of local stone as a building material, reflecting the underlying geology of the area, and used for walling, roof slates and boundary walls
- Surrounding countryside presses right up the side of the area’s spine road and to the rear of roadside plots
- Historic associations with local statesmen, notably the Browne and Birkett families
- Small items that add to Troutbeck's local identity, such as ER VII letter boxes, roadside wells, folds, stone boundary walls, grass verges, wall plaques and datestones
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