Lingholm, Grade II listed building in Portinscale, England
Lingholm is an estate near the western shore of Derwentwater lake in the Lake District with a Victorian main house and separate cottages. The property now offers self-catering apartments, a café open throughout the day, and direct paths to walking trails around the lake.
Built in the 1870s by architect Alfred Waterhouse, the estate later served as a recovery home for officers during World War One. It then housed evacuee children in World War Two, shifting its purpose through both conflicts to support people in need.
Beatrix Potter spent ten summers here and wrote The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin while drawing ideas from the kitchen garden for The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Her time here connects this place to the world of beloved children's stories that readers still treasure today.
The grounds are accessible year-round with smooth paths around the property and along the lakeside. Visitors should wear sturdy walking shoes since paths vary by season and the proximity to the lake means weather can change quickly.
The walled garden here follows Victorian style and supplies the café with fresh produce using traditional growing methods. It offers a glimpse into historical gardening techniques and shows how food was grown here for more than a century.
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