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Dalemain Mansion & Historic Gardens

The name Dalemain means ‘manor in the valley’, and there has been a settlement in its position since the time of the Saxons.The first recorded mention of a building on this site, is of a fortified pele tower in the reign of Henry II; one of a line of towers built to protect the country against the marauding and barbaric ‘border reiver’ Scots to the North.In the 14th century a manor hall was added with a second tower, and during the 16th century two wings housing kitchen and living quarters were built, one on each side of the main building. These various building works provide a glorious confusion of winding passages, quaint stairways and unexpected rooms in the house that stands today; the Fretwork Room particularly has a magnificent sixteenth-century plaster ceiling and beautiful oak paneling.In 1679, Sir Edward Hasell bought Dalemain thanks to a legacy from his employer Lady Anne Clifford. Sir Edward acted as ‘Chiefe Officer’ to Lady Anne Clifford until her death in 1676. As thanks, he was given various gifts from Lady Anne, including her portrait by Bracken and her Diary of 1676 both of which are on show. Sir Edward Hasell bought Dalemain from the Layton family, and it has remained in his family ever since.Although he made minor changes to the building it was not until later when his son, Edward, built an impressive Georgian front in 1744. This enclosed a central courtyard between the new and the old parts of the house and the house became much grander with public rooms including the breath-taking Chinese Room with its original eighteenth-century, hand-painted wallpaper, riotously alive with birds, insects and flowers. The Georgian facade is the first view of Dalemain for most visitors, an impressive sight from the road, before the courtyard and medieval structures comes into view.Family home to the Hasells since 1679, Dalemain is a beautiful mixture of Medieval, Tudor & Georgian architecture situated in a landscape of rolling parkland, lakes and rugged Cumbrian hills. The Hasells have tended the award winning gardens for generations, with interesting plantings including the meconopsis blue poppies, Tudor Knot Garden, old fashioned roses and sleeping Giantess. Guests who visit find Dalemain to be a place of peace and tranquillity, and with Gardening Which? putting it in the Top Ten gardens of northern Britain, it’s a garden to be savoured. Tours of the Mansion provide fascinating insight into the history of Dalemain, which is home to the World's Original Marmalade Awards and sells a range of Award winning marmalade. The Mediaeval hall Tearoom, one of the oldest parts of the Mansion, sells a variety of delicious homemade cakes and opens onto the courtyard, with a glorious 16th-century Elizabethan barn.
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