Mirehouse is set in a spectacular location close to the eastern shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, on the northern edge of the Lake District.
The building in 1666 was a two-storeyed hunting lodge constructed by the 8th Earl of Derby. The Earl sold the estate 22 years later to his agent, from whom the property passed in descent to the Storey family.
In 1790 the Storeys added wings to the house. When Thomas Storey died in 1802 the property passed to William Spedding of Whitehaven.
Spedding, who had been at school with William Wordsworth, came from a family of former ship-owners and mining engineers. In 1830 he commissioned Joseph Cantwell to enlarge the house and further alterations were carried out in 1851.
Since that time there have been few major changes to the building.
Mirehouse has extraordinary literary and artistic connections. In the 19th century several members of the Spedding family had serious literary interests and Thomas Carlyle and Alfred Tennyson were frequent visitors to the house.
John Spedding's younger son James edited the works of Francis Bacon.
Today its literary associations, paintings, friendly atmosphere and stunning location are the main attractions of this charming house. Mirehouse is constructed from indigenous Cumbrian materials.
The walls are clad with white roughcast, the dressings and Tuscan porch are made from local red sandstone and the roofs are made of slate.
On display in the rooms are letters and manuscripts from writers connected with Mirehouse. The Dining Room, dating from 1790, has paintings by Vernet and Hondecoeter. The Library dates from the early 1830s and, in the dark polished wood bookcases, the books are still arranged in a system of classification devised by Francis Bacon. The main Drawing Room. added in 1851, contains several important paintings.
The varied gardens include a walk through the garden to the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, and to the restored 12th century church of St Bega.
2008: Mar-Nov: Gardens daily (not Wed in Nov) 10:00-17:30 Easter Sun-Oct: House is open Sun & Wed (also Fri in Aug) 14:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Tel: 017687 72287 Mirehouse Website
