Kendal, Cumbria

Town of Kendal, Cumbria

Kendal in Cumbria is a lovely old market town situated in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK, the English Lake District.  Kendal is also within 30 minutes drive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, making it a perfect base for walkers and sightseers alike. The town’s unique blend of history, culture and shopping make it a very popular destination for visitors.

There are attractions for all ages, fascinating museums, modern and historic art and a variety of leisure facilities. The shopping is diverse with many High Street names but the town is known particularly for specialist shops – quality independent traders offering a range of goods unrivalled anywhere in the Lake District.

For many years Kendal was one of the most important wool towns in the country, even more important than West Yorkshire. The town was also a stopping off point for cattle drives from Scotland as well as a very important market (which still continues today).

The Town’s coat-of-arms, which first saw the light of day on a Speed map printed in 1610, reflects these historical influences. It has a gold background depicting a cowhide whilst the teasel (a prickly plant which dries like a sharp hairbrush) and bail hooks found in each of the sections of the shield represent the wool trade. The motto, pannus mihi panis, is often interpreted as ‘wool is my bread’ which would underline the importance of the industry which, for centuries, supported the people of this busy town.

Official Town of Kendal, Cumbria website: www.kendaltowncouncil.gov.uk