7 amazing reasons to visit Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house in the Lake District

This Arts and Crafts Movement gem on the shores of Lake Windermere is not to be missed

Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house. Image: Robin Zahler

Where can you find Blackwell – the Arts & Crafts house?

The house is situated in a tranquil setting by Lake Windermere in Cumbria. There are local buses from Bowness-on-Windermere, while the nearest mainline rail station is Oxenholme (with a transfer to Windermere station, three miles from the house). There are ample bike racks available on site for any keen cyclists.

The Main Hall. Image: Lakeland Arts

Why should you visit?

This astonishing building was designed by a noted architect of the day, Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott (1865–1945). It was originally created as a rural retreat for Manchester brewery owner and sometime mayor of Manchester Sir Edward Holt. The house is remarkable in that today it holds many of its original features, which include experiments in light, texture and space. Grade I listed, it is considered one of the greatest surviving examples of the Arts and Crafts Movement in the country.

The blue-tiled fireplace in the White Drawing Room. Image: Robin Zahler

Which spaces are a must-see?

The White Drawing Room is surely the star of the show at Blackwell yet is still described as its ‘best-kept secret’. This anteroom does away with the darker, natural materials favoured by the Arts and Crafts aesthetic; instead, it is flooded with natural light thanks to large windows and a whitewashing that feels entirely modern. The dazzling interiors include floral stained glass, bespoke seating and a gorgeous, blue-tiled fireplace. Its views across the lake are unparalleled.

Pause to take in the views from the White Drawing Room. Image: Robin Zahler

What’s on this month?

Join a tour of Blackwell and nearby Broad Leys, another landmark lakeside Arts and Crafts house that is privately owned and therefore not usually open to the public. It was the work of architect CFA Voysey. A guide will take guests around both properties and the experience will finish with cream tea served on the terrace of Blackwell, with panoramic views of Lake Windermere. In addition, at Blackwell, don’t miss the special exhibition Sublime Symmetry: William De Morgan. Featuring the lustrous work of the great Victorian ceramic designer, it features beautiful pots, tiles and vases. The show continues until 6 October.

An example of the beautiful stained-glass windows at Blackwell – all original to the building. Image: Lakeland Arts

Does Blackwell have any special artistic connections?

It’s all about craft at Blackwell, and Sir Edward Holt and Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott commissioned the greatest craftspeople of the day. Metalwork came from designer William Arthur Smith Benson, ceramics by Pilkington and Ruskin Pottery, and furniture by Stanley Webb Davies, Ernest Gimson, Morris & Co and Baillie Scott himself.

Blackwell’s terrace. Image: Lakeland Arts

Make a day of it!

Be sure to take a stroll around the terraced gardens, which include flower and herb beds. Stop off at the craft shop, too, which features items that hold the Arts and Crafts ethos, including jewellery, textiles, books and more. For those wishing to travel further afield, don’t miss the Windermere Jetty Museum, which celebrates the rich boating history of the area.

Gables and pitches. Image: Robin Zahler

Here’s a fun fact…

Blackwell has a notably complicated roof profile with unusually high pitches. This experimental architecture is thanks to an asymmetric design and innovative gables, which Baillie Scott was permitted to experiment with, as this was a holiday residence, as opposed to a principal home.

Find out more

See lakelandarts.org.uk/blackwell

Going local

Do you live close by – then why not join the local Arts Society?

The Arts Society Appleby-in-Westmorland – taswestmorland.org.uk

The Arts Society Cumbria – theartssocietycumbria.org.uk

Upcoming lectures include The Divine Sunflower in Art and Culture with Twigs Way on 8 May, organised by The Arts Society Appleby-in-Westmorland, and Very Bad for Art: The Impact of the Great War on Three Artists with Alan Reed on 21 May, organised by The Arts Society Cumbria.