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Cockermouth

This lovely old market town hit the national headlines in November 2009 when, after the haviest rainfall ever recorded in England, the rivers Cocker and Derwent, which join in Cockermouth, rose to a level that flooded much of the centre of the town causing huge destruction. Most of the shops, restaurants and pubs in the town centre were completely wrecked. At its peak, the water was about eight feet deep in places and more than 750 properties were flooded in Cockermouth alone. Two bridges collapsed completely and several others were deemed unsafe and closed to traffic. Currently, a vigorous programme of reparation is under way and the town council insists that "Cockermouth is open for business as usual".

Quick to recover from the flooding was the town's broad main street, lined with trees and handsome Georgian houses, and dominated by a statue to the Earl of Mayo. The earl was Cockermouth's MP for 10 years from 1858 before being appointed Viceroy of India. His brilliant career was brutally cut short when he was stabbed to death by a convict at a prison settlement he was inspecting on the Andaman Islands.

But Cockermouth boasts two far more famous sons. Did they ever meet, one wonders, those two young lads growing up in Cockermouth in the 1770s, both of them destined to become celebrated for very different reasons? The elder boy was Fletcher Christian, who would later lead the mutiny on the Bounty; the younger lad was William Wordsworth, born in 1770 at Lowther House on Main Street, an imposing Georgian house now maintained by the National Trust. Now known as Wordsworth House, it was built in 1745 for the Sheriff of Cumberland and then purchased by the Earl of Lowther; he let it to his land agent, John Wordsworth, William's father. All five Wordsworth children were born here, William on 7 April 1770. Many of the building's original features survive, among them the staircase, fireplace and fin plaster ceilings. A few of the poet's personal effects still remain; costumed actors provide insights into what life was like then. The delightful walled garden by the River Cocker has been returned to its Georgian splendour. The garden is referred to in The Prelude.

Built in 1134 by the Earl of Dunbar, Cockermouth Castle saw plenty of action against Scottish raiders (Robert the Bruce himself gave it a mauling in 1315), and again during the Wars of the Roses; in the course of the Civil War it was occupied by both sides in turn. Mary, Queen of Scots, took refuge at the castle in 1568 after her defeat at the Battle of Langside. Her fortunes ere so low that she was grateful for the gift of 16 ells (about 20 yards) of rich crimson velvet from a wealthy merchant. Part of the castle is still lived in by the Egremont family; the remainder is usually only open to the public during the Cockermouth Festival in July.

Opposite the castle entrance, Castlegate House is a fine Georgian house, built in 1739, which hosts a changing programme of monthly exhibitions of the work of mostly Northern and Scottish artists - paintings, sculptures, ceramics and glass. To the rear of the house is a charming walled garden, which is open from time to time during the summer.

Almost next door, Jenning Brewery was one of the many businesses that had to close temporarily after being inundated by the floods of November 2009. However, the last independent brewery in Cumbria re-opened within two months to once again offer visitors a 90-minute tour that ends with the option of sampling some of their ales - Cumberlad Ale, Cocker Hoop or the intriguingly named Sneck Lifter. Jennings have been brewing traditional beers since the 1820s and today there are more than 100 Jennings pubs across the north of England.

A short walk from the Brewery brings you to the Kirkgate Centre, which is housed in a converted Victorian primary school. Run by volunteers, the Centre offers a wide range of events and activities including live music, amateur and professional drama, films, dance, workshops and exhibitions of art and
local history.

The Printing House Museum occupies a building dating back to the 16th centuy and follows the progress of printing from its invention by Johann Gutenberg in 1430 to the end of the letterpress era in the 1960s, when computers took over. On display is a wide range of historical presses and printing equipment, the earliest being a Cogger Press datd 1820. Visitors are offered the opportunity to gain hands-on experience by using some of the presses to produce cards or keepsakes.

Another ancient building is Percy House in the Market Place. It was built in 1598 for Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland. Many of the original features still remain, including the flagged stone floor, oak beams and fireplaces. The house is now home to the Percy House Gallery, another victim of the 2009 floods. It is currently closed but is scheduled to re-open in mid-2010. It has an interesting collection of arts and crafts, including jewellery, textiles, glassware, ceramics, metalware, paintings
and photographs.

Located just south of the town, the Lakeland Sheep and Wool Centre provides anintroduction to life in the Cumbrian countryside with the help of a spectacular visual show, 19 different breeds of live sheep and a wide variety of exhibits. The Centre also hosts indoor sheepdog trials and sheep-shearing displays for which there is a small charge. The Centre has a large gift shopselling sheepskins and various 'sheepy' gifts, and a café.