The Bridge House

Ambleside's Bridge House was built in the 17th century by a prominent local family surnamed Braithwaite. This tiny building consists of two small rooms in a one-up, one-down layout, with only an external stone staircase for access to the upper room.

Built on a stone arch over Stock Ghyll stream, the house provided easier passage to the Braithwaites' land on the other side of Stock Ghyll. It also functioned as storage for the apples picked from their orchards, and being built over water enabled the family to avoid paying hefty land taxes!

Over the years, the Bridge House has been used in many different capacities, including as a counting house for the mills of Rattle Ghyll, a tea-room, a weaving shop, a cobbler's, a chair maker's and, remarkably, as a home for a family of eight!

In 1926, after it had fallen into a state of disrepair, a group of residents that included Beatrix Potter's husband, the wife of the founder of the National Trust, and the grandson of the famous poet William Wordsworth, began fundraising in the hope of restoring the beloved village landmark.

Having successfully raised enough money to purchase the property, ownership was then entrusted to the National Trust, which eventually converted it into its first information and recruitment center.

Famed artists such as J.M.W. Turner, John Ruskin and Kurt Schwitters have all featured the Bridge House in their artwork. Now, close to 400 years after its construction, the Bridge House remains one of the Lake District's most recognizable buildings, and continues to intrigue and captivate visitors with its peculiar charm.