Things to do at Townend

Guided tours

Please note there are no tours running in December during the special openings for Townend's Victorian Christmas – 6-7, 13-14, 20-21 December.

To find out more about the tales of Townend, book onto one of our guided tours led by one of the volunteers. Lasting approximately 45 minutes, the tours offer exclusive access in a small group and a chance to delve deeper into Townend's fascinating history. There is focus on food on a Thursday and the collection in the library on a Friday.

Tickets go on sales two weeks before for all tours.

• Townend General History Tour - Tuesday and Wednesday
• Taste of Townend Tour - Thursday
• Books and Library Tour - Friday

A taste of Townend

Every Thursday between 12–3pm, you can discover the delights of the Browne’s family recipe book, dating back to the 17th century. One of our volunteers in period costume will be on hand to chat about the recipes. The food created by our living history team is for display only and sadly can’t be tasted.

In a small but distinctive hand, Elizabeth Birkett filled this 57-page commonplace book with 80 medicinal and cookery recipes including meaty mince pies, bean cakes and macaroons, and a further 25 household recipes. The story the book tells us about life at the time is one of sophisticated tastes against a backdrop of rural tradition and superstition.

You can read a full transcription of the book here.

Examine the unusual furniture and wood carvings

George Browne was an enthusiastic woodcarver and the furniture at Townend tells the story of his fascination with local, traditional woodcarvings, and his more exotic inspirations. His more unusual designs stand out, for example the rather exotic-looking clock cases in the Firehouse and the mermaids supporting the fireplace in the State Bedroom.

He also had a sense of humour; can you spot the row of smiling faces in the fireplace in the main bedroom or the pair of feet sticking out of a long case clock?

Explore the library

Townend library is made up of around 1,500 books which cover many topics from novels and poetry to farming, religion, law, medicine and current affairs. The books have tell-tale physical signs of being well used by the family (and in many cases their neighbours too), and we can see evidence of oil from finger marks and corners turned over.

There are also 45 entirely unique books: ones that have not survived anywhere else in the world. Some of these are slightly bawdy chapbooks.

Look out for Townend Barn

Townend boasts one of the earliest bank barns in Cumbria. It's still used today by the farmer for lambing and keeping sheep. While it's not open to the public, you can see it from the garden, or on the approach from the car park.

Letters from London

Delve into the Townend archive collection in this display. Explore snippets of Ben Browne’s life in the 1700’s, following his relocation from the Lake District to London, captured in letters sent to his father ‘Old Ben’ over a 20-year period. The volume of letters has been beautifully conserved prior to going on display in the house.

This display will close from November 2024 and reopen with the house in March 2025.

Fun for families at Townend

We have a couple of illustrated guides to help children explore the stories of the Browne family as they look around the farmhouse, there’s one for young children and one for slightly older kids too. If you would like to borrow one for your visit just ask a member of the team when you arrive.

The cottage garden is great place to spend time as a family, just relaxing in the sunshine, doing some bird spotting or playing our traditional games in the courtyard.

Wildlife

The courtyard at Townend is a great place to spot garden birds. Take a seat overlooking the bird table to observe the comings and goings of nuthatches, blue tits and robins. Buzzards can be seen wheeling overhead riding air thermals on bright sunny days. You may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a little owl during the day or listen out for the haunting cry of a tawny owl in the winter twilight. On cooler days, the smell of woodsmoke on the air signals the change of season.

Make a full day of it

Combining a walk in the valley with a trip to Townend makes for a great Lakeland day out. Download our Townend and Troutbeck Valley walk to uncover classic Lakeland scenery, farmland and architecture on this beautiful circular walk from Brockhole, near Lake Windermere, up into the Troutbeck Valley and to the charming and unique 17th-century farmhouse, Townend. On the way you will be rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding fells and Lake Windermere, diverse wildlife and some charming local architecture.

Townend and Troutbeck Valley walk

Visit the Old Post Office Tea Room

We don’t have a café here at Townend, however The Old Post Office Tea Room (not NT) is just down the road and well worth a visit for delicious brews alongside freshly made paninis, sandwiches and home made soup, delicious cakes and ice-cream. They have free WiFi and are dog friendly.

The tea room is open daily 10am – 4pm, except on Tuesday and Wednesday.