Photo: Mirehouse by Ian Cunliffe, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About this place
Mirehouse has stood on the eastern shore of Bassenthwaite Lake in Cumbria since the seventeenth century.
The house passed to the Spedding family in 1802 and has remained in their hands ever since.
It is particularly associated with Alfred Lord Tennyson, who visited in 1835 and is said to have written 'Morte d'Arthur' here, inspired by the landscape and the nearby St Bega's Church.
That poem was later incorporated into 'Idylls of the King'.
The house and gardens are open to visitors, and more information is available at mirehouse.com.
Plan your visit
Open April to October; grounds open daily, house open on selected afternoons only; check official website for current dates.