Penrith

	Penrith Castle

Penrith is a large town just outside the National Park, once the capital of  Cumbria and positioned at the hub of the Eden Valley the town is rich in history.

Burrowgate and Sandgate, Penrith’s two oldest streets date from the 13th Century and the ruins of Penrith Castle are a popular tourist destination. An important shopping centre with an eclectic mix of traditional shops and sophisticated arcades, Penrith was also the childhood home of William Wordsworth’s mother and both Wordsworth and his wife Mary attended the Dame Anne Birkett School, which overlooks the church of St Andrews. A beautiful church, St Andrews is believed to be the last resting place of a legendary giant ‘The King of Cumbria’ and the four hogback stones which surround the grave are said to represent the wild boar killed by the giant in nearby Inglewood forest.

The Penrith Museum and Tourist Information Centre are housed in the former Robinsons school and the recently refurbished museum covers the history, geology and archaeology of the Penrith area.

A great place for eating out, Penrith once had 5 working breweries and because of this still have a considerable number of pubs and hostelries.

Home to one of the last cinemas in the country to have ice creams served in the intervals of long films, Penrith is also famous for the Penrith Beacon which stands high above the town, on top of Beacon Hill. The monument was built in 1719 and on a clear day visitors who walk to the top of the hill can enjoy magnificent views across the Eden Valley to the hills of the Lakeland.

Penrith Town Clock, Penrith