|
Sheltered several miles inland from Morecambe Bay, CARTMEL grew up around its twelfth-century Augustinian priory and is still dominated by the proud Church of St Mary and St Michael (daily: June-Sept 9am-5.30pm; Oct-May 9am-3.30pm; tours Easter-Oct Wed 11am & 2pm; free), the only substantial remnant to survive the Dissolution. A diagonally crowned tower is the most distinctive feature outside, while the light and spacious Norman-transitional interior climaxes at a splendid chancel, illuminated by the 45-foot-high East Window . You can spend a good half-hour scanning the immaculate misericords and numerous tombs, chief among them the Harrington Tomb in the Town Choir, to the south of the chancel - the weathered figure is that of John Harrington, who rebuilt this section in 1340. Everything else in the village is modest in scale, centred on the attractive market square , beyond the church, with its Elizabethan cobbles, water pump and fish slabs. Trains stop at Cark-in-Cartmel, two miles southwest of the village proper; the #530/#532 bus from there or from Grange train station (originating in Kendal) runs to the village. On Market Square, Market Cross Cottage (tel 015395/36143; no credit cards; GBP50-60) is a cosy, seventeenth-century B&B . Up a notch, the celebrated Cavendish Arms on Cavendish Street (tel 015395/36240, ; GBP50-60, GBP60-70 at weekends), just off the square, is a sixteenth-century inn which retains many of its original features. This is also the best of the pubs , offering good (if pricey) food.
Your Tip for Cartmel
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Cartmel - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Cartmel - visit the main Cartmel forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Cartmel webguide section below! Thanks.
|
