Coniston Hall
Coniston Hall is the oldest building in Coniston. It stands on the shore of Coniston Water. The current building stands on the site of the Old Hall which was improved and adapted in the early 1800s.
It has unusually tall cylindrical chimneys, round and tapering sitting on square bases, typical of this time.
It was once the home of the Flemings, the largest local landowners, and was built in the 16th-century by Squire William Fleming who was described as a “gentleman of great pomp and expense by which he injured an opulent fortune” by Thomas West.
Squire Fleming’s scend wife was Agnes, sister of Sir Robert Bindloss of Borwick. His son, John, married Dorothy Strickland of Sizergh Castle.
His grandson was the famous Daniel Fleming who finally deserted Coniston Hall for Rydal in the seventeenth century.
After this time, it was used as a Dower House and then a farm.
The farmhouse today is in the east wing of the Hall, and the farm estate 542 acres of land, gives access to one mile of the west shore of Coniston Water. The long-distance Cumbria Way route passes by Coniston Hall.
It is now in the care of the National Trust which bought the hall in 1971.
The Steam Yacht Gondola was originally assembled at Coniston Hall. The original engines were groundbreaking for their time. The configuration involved two cylinders, one on each side of the locomotive-style boiler, each driving a common crank through connecting rods.
The Gondola that sails today on Coniston is a replica of the original and is a fine imposing craft with beautifully furnished and traditional saloons.
The area around here has been occupied since at least the Bronze Age, with archaeological remains of farming settlements being uncovered in the area.
If you’re looking for a Grange-over-Sands Holiday Cottage within easy reach of Coniston, find out more about our luxurious accommodation today. Or don’t hesitate to contact us here for more information.
