Day: May 4, 2020

Also known as Kirkby Lonsdale Parish Church, the Church of St Mary the Virgin is a must see when you are visiting the town. The church is Norman, probably built between 1093 and 1130 with a range of architectural styles.  The north aisle has three impressive Norman columns, similar to Durham Cathedral, with a diamond pattern on the stone. The tower houses six bells, the oldest dating from...

The Market Square, with its distinctive monument, is perhaps the heart of Kirkby Lonsdale.  Every Thursday you will find the Charter Market, selling fresh produce and goods since 1227. The Square is lined with little shops, cafes and the beautiful Royal Hotel. At Christmas you will find a magnificent Christmas Tree and the chalet market. Other times you might stumble across a brass band...

Our Charter Market runs every Thursday in the Market Square and has done for centuries.We also have a farmers’ market in Lunesdale Hall running 10am-12pm the same day.You can buy lots of local produce including fruit and veg, plants, jewellery, handicrafts and a selection of hot food to keep you going until dinner time.

We have an exciting line up of festivals and events this year, Covid 19 restrictions permitting.  These include a Spoken Word and Poetry Festival on 26th and 27th September, and our Christmas Fair and Market weekend on 4th– 6th December. We’ll bring you more news as we have it.

Salt Pie Lane is a highlight on any Kirkby Lonsdale walking tour. For a start it’s seriously cute. But it has a great story too. Pre-1911 the lane was known as ‘Cattle Market Yard,’ as cattle used to be sold in the adjoining Horse Market. A local entrepreneur living on Cattle Market Yard made hot salted mutton pies for sale to the traders. After eating the pies people felt it ...

Ruskin’s View is Kirkby Lonsdale’s most famous landmark and you simply can’t visit without seeing it. Follow the path through the churchyard of St Mary’s in the centre of town and you will find yourself at Church Brow, a walkway and viewpoint looking down onto the River Lune. Every day the view looks different yet for centuries it has been the same; a breathtaking panorama of the Lune...

The characterful and aptly named Radical Steps provide a steep and sometimes slippery descent to a delightful walk by the river. If you aren’t feeling energetic, we suggest you walk down them and follow a different route back to town, as we don’t use the word ‘steep’ lightly in Cumbria! You can walk to Devil's Bridge on the river path. 

Unlock the Vault today and discover Kirkby Lonsdale’s hidden stories!Enter through the iron door at the Information & Gift Shop and discover the interactive cinema called the Vault...Step back in time and meet the historical characters with their stories of Kirkby Lonsdale, concealed amongst the old safety deposit boxes at the back of The Old Bank building. You will be in the company...

With free parking, picnic tables and a butty van that serves great food, Devil’s Bridge is used to catering for the families who flock to it in the summer months, along with divers who train under its depths and the motorcyclists on a day out. Spanning the River Lune to the south and east of Kirkby Lonsdale this three-arched bridge is thought to date back to the 12th or 13th century, and is a...