Art and Literature of The Lake District

Welcome to The Lake District dot eu, the site dedicated to the stunning Lake District of northern England. Find local Lakeland inspired art and literature plus other info with our pages.

The ever-changing face and mood of the Lake district has been a constant source of inspiration to generations of artists, writers and photographers. The list of well known names with strong associations with Lakeland is long and various. Some have only a fleeting association, which still manages to makes an indelible impression, whilst others stay for years or even a lifetime. Mountains and Lakes work their own magic.

The Lake District has always been there, but not always known to us. In past centuries, much of it would have been seen as wild, untamed and inhospitable. As the 17th century turned, however, travel, for purposes other than trade, became more of an option and a few strayed into the area that we now know as the Lake District and recorded their impressions, although not always favourably, for posterity. Gradually, however, a greater appreciation of it's aesthetic qualities, grandeur and beauty, alongside its terrifying aspects, came to be appreciated and written of, and our love affair with this beautiful place had taken root.

Literature

One of the first writers, to discover and write about The Lakes, was Celia Fiennes who, remarkably for a woman, in the late 17th century travelled the length and breadth of the country, exploring and visiting every county. Her memoirs weren't originally written for publication, but for personal use, and it was the late 19th century before they were published in their entirety as, 'Through England on a Side Saddle in the Time of William and Mary'.

William Wordsworth is possibly the most well-known poet to have taken inspiration from the lakes; which child hasn't read the line, 'I wandered lonely as a cloud ............'? He, together with Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey, became known as 'The Lake Poets. Another poet to fall in love with the lakes and make frequent visits was Matthew Arnold, and the hugely influential writer John Ruskin made 'Brantwood', near Lake Coniston, his home for the latter part of his life. 'Brantwood' is now a small museum dedicated to Ruskin's memory and his enormous influence on art, architecture, travel and social reform. An all-time favourite with visitors to the Lakes is Beatrix Potter. Whose children haven't been captivated by the wonderful tales and drawings of Peter Rabbit and Squirrel Nutkin? Her first Lakeland home was Hill Top, near Sawrey, Ambleside, This property, now belonging to the National Trust, is preserved as it was when it was her home and is enjoyed by countless visitors every year. Notable writers of the 20th century who have experienced the Lake District's magic include the author Sir Hugh Walpole, the poet Norman Nicholson, author Arthur Ransome and, more recently, Melvyn Bragg.

Art

Wherever you wander in the Lakes, around the villages and more outlying locations, the visitor will find arts and crafts centres and galleries. In these you'll find numerous reproductions of famous artworks relating to the lakes, and original and limited editions of work by more local artists. Local crafts utilising local materials, wool and slate etc., are also to be found in many of the centres. Visit the Abbott Hall Art Gallery, in Kendal, and you will be able to see many of John Ruskin's beautiful watercolours of Lakeland scenes. Also in Kendal the visitor will have the opportunity to visit the old Quaker Friends' Meeting Place, dating from 1816, and see the Quaker tapestries celebrating the ideas and life of the Quakers since the mid 17th century.

Grizedale Forest is home to the once innovative Sculpture Trail, started in 1977. The commissioned scultures most frequently use natural materials, such as wood and stone. The sculptures are scattered throughout the forest and visiting ramblers and cyclists will 'discover' them for themselves. One of the most noteworthy artists to have been commissioned is Andy Goldsworthy, who is internationally acclaimed for his breathtaking works of art in the natural environment.