Penrith conservation area
Date of designation of Penrith conservation area
The central area of Penrith town was designated as a conservation area in 1975 and revised on 27 May 1976, 16 April 1981 and 4 May 2010.
Description of Penrith
Penrith lies at an important junction where the main east-west and north-south routes in the north of England meet. The town lies on the edge of the Eden Valley between the River Eamont and the River Petteril, in an area of undulating countryside. The Eden Valley is made up of types of New Red Sandstone, and the majority of historic buildings in Penrith are constructed of this red sandstone along with Westmorland slate, a common traditional roofing material. These two elements define the historic character of the town. The buildings of Penrith vary in age and style but many of the medieval and post-medieval buildings of Penrith have been lost. A small number remain such as the Gloucester Arms, a Grade I listed building, and the Two Lions Public House in Great Dockray (Grade II*). In 1222 the Crown granted Penrith the right to hold a market and fair and by the 17th century it had become a thriving and prosperous settlement, having one of the most important market centres in Cumberland.