Testimonials for Blencowe Hall

Can I just say how much we all enjoyed our stay at your amazing house. Hard to imagine a better venue for a large family gathering. There's already a suggestion of a return visit.

+ We were very impressed by the cleanliness of the place when we arrived.  Your team did a good job.

+ the dining room and two bedrooms above were spectacular, having the double glass doors.

+ all the other bedrooms were absolutely in keeping with a period building.

+ the lounge was very comfortable with all the leather sofas, and allowed for different activities within the one room.

The Americans in our party were awestruck, and could just not believe what they were seeing.

I should mention that we think there might be a ghost (unless someone was playing a trick).  The couple in the bedroom at the top of the south tower heard someone coming up the stone stairs to their room, but when no-one appeared they went to look.  There was no-one on the stairs and no-one in their bathroom either.  Spooky!

We had a fabulous time thank you. Everything about the castle is first class.  The beds, pillows and bedding - luxury. Everybody in the group commented.  The dining room was so welcoming although we spent a lot of time in the kitchen.  The welcome basket was great, especially the fudge and biscuits.  I honestly couldn't find anything negative to say we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would come back in a heartbeat

We had our perfect wedding day at Blencowe Hall back in September. From the minute we contacted The Rowley Estate we had a brilliant experience and Christine, Gillian, Joanna and Heather couldn’t have been more helpful. Heather on the day of our wedding was excellent and made sure we were in the right place at the right time. She visited us the day before our wedding to run through things with us which really helped us know how to set up for our ceremony and put us at ease. Blencowe Hall gave us the opportunity to host a weekend away for family and friends, with lovely rooms for everyone. There was enough space for 23 of us plus 2 babies and a 3 year old. We were lucky enough to have lovely weather which allowed us to have an outdoor wedding ceremony followed by drinks and canapés on the lawn, and archery with Michael Coates (who we would highly recommend) the following day followed by a BBQ is the beautiful garden. A special thanks goes to Lynn Hilditch who is recommended by The Rowley Estate and provided us with the most delicious food. We had a ‘drop-off’ meal on the Friday evening, a full English breakfast on Saturday morning, canapés on the lawn after our wedding ceremony, a 2-course wedding breakfast and then pizzas on Saturday evening. The food and service from Lynn and her staff was perfect. We would highly recommend Lynn when staying at Blencowe Hall (or any of the other Rowley Estate properties). We had many complements from guests about the food and Lynn was able to cater for the various dietary requirements that our guests had. Once again, thank you very much for helping us to have the most perfect day at Blencowe Hall. We just wish we could do it all again!!

My family and freinds has just spent a fabulous weekend at the castle celerbrating my 60th Birthday , we could not fault anything. Blencoew hall is well equipt with everything you could possibly need. The historic rooms have been sensitively restored, with amazing views from the windows, a weekend i will never forget, thank you Christine for all your help and advice.

What a beautiful, beautiful house - the perfect setting for my 'big birthday' country house weekend. All the rooms were sensitively decorated with timeless furniture that combined comfort and luxury, and I really felt that I was 'Lady of the Manor'. Great facilities (snooker room, roll top baths, comfy beds, huge well-stocked kitchen, wifi etc.) we were wanting for nothing. But it was the little touches that really made it special, such as the freezer being pre-stocked with bags and bags of ice to ensure that G&Ts were served at the right temperature throughout our entire stay. Fabulous!

WOW! From first contact, to seeing Jilly just before our departure, every contact with Rowley Estate was professional, helpful and friendly. Superb customer service! Blencowe Hall itself is a place of dreams, a place for dreams and a place where dreams come true! 5* accommodation in a beautiful setting, Blencowe Hall left us and our guests speechless - As we were exploring on Friday Afternoon, all you could hear were gasps of delight and excitement as people entered each new room! The thoughtful welcome hamper, the luxury complimentary toiletries, all the little extra touches - superb and much appreciated! Absolutely the perfect place to celebrate! We had catering from Iain McKey and his wonderful team at Bespoke Catering Cumbria - the food was excellent and the service was friendly and professional. A fantastic venue with so much more than the WOW factor! We would wholeheartedly recommend both Rowley Estates AND Bespoke Catering Cumbria to family, friends and strangers alike! If you get the chance to go and stay at Blencowe Hall - DO IT! You won't regret it!!

A group of 16 friends have just spent an amazing weekend at this beautiful venue. Having stayed at a Rowley estates venue previously we knew the quality would be superb and we weren't disappointed! An amazing welcome hamper left for us, such a spacious accommodation with added luxuries such as Molton Brown toiletries in each room. Everything had been thought of and Jilly, the manager always at the end of a phone or 5 minutes away if needed. Excellent quality and customer service. Cant wait to return to another Rowley estates property booked for July next year! Can also highly recommend the Hse and Boot pub for drinks, food a and live band on Sunday afternoon. Located a mile and a half away in Greystoke. Thank you Jilly, Christine and team

Amazing is no exaggeration for Blencowe Hall. The accommodation is superb, full of historic character and associations, and yet very homely, welcoming and well appointed. We had wonderful catering over 3 days from the incredible Lynn Hilditch and her team for whom nothing was too much trouble. The whole experience was thoroughly enjoyed by all ages, with something for everyone. Happy times and many happy memories!

We had 24 people for a birthday 3 days . The castle is a wonderfully interesting building that feels like a 5 star hotel. Bedrooms fantastic. Lovely kitchen with big Aga. Very well equipped . good catering from Lynne Hilditch using many vegetables she grows herself. The beef she coooked for us was amazing. So much to do in the area. We had a great time.

Thank you so so much to everyone at blencowe hall for such an amazing wedding weekend you did myself, Paul and our guests proud. Also a huge thank you to Lynn Hilditch and team for their utterly fabulous catering!! The weekend went flawlessly and could not have been done with your help. Thanks again, Jordan

Every single thing about this booking was fantastic. The correspondance and support in having our wedding at blencow hall was amazing. A huge thank you to Christine and the team, they really are the best. The 3 cottages were impecable too... it was an absolute wedding of dreams for me and my now husband and we hope to return to stay at the hall sometime in the future. It was the perfect setting and made all of our wedding dreams come true. Thank you Rowley Estates xx

We have not long returned from our visit to Blencowe for our wedding..amazing!Christine, Gillian and Joanne were amazing from srart to finish! The stay was everything we wanted. Brilliant break away with everything on your door.

This place is amazing. Beds really comfy and whole place really clean. We loved the hen do we had here there was 24 of us who stayed and it was the best weekend ever... it's so peaceful set in beautiful surroundings.. defo be back xx

OUTSTANDING we went for my daughter in laws hen weekend from the moment we got there it was amazing beautiful bedrooms unbelievable comfort and the hens were great to thank you so much xx mother in law L

We were a large family party ranging from infants, right up to the age of 90, travelling from all over the UK to celebrate the 90th birthday of my father. Blencowe coped superbly, comfortable rooms, most en-suite and with four poster beds, spacious dining and sitting room areas, and a well equipped kitchen with two dishwashers. We had an excellent time, and in the garden the tree sparrows nesting in an old wall kept our birdwatchers entertained. Close to the Motorway and the mainline train station, but set in rolling pastures and fields criss crossed with footpaths, Blencowe exceeded expectations.

We booked Blencowe Hall to celebrate a 70th birthday and an amazing time was had by all. Age range from 2 - 70. The children couldn't get enough of the "castle" and it's spiral staircases, the whole place lends itself to hide and seek with a wonderfully creaky door off the upper sitting room area. The facilities are excellent and Christine and Jilly were quick to respond when we accidentally set of the fire alarm (window open and barbeque smoke drifted in - be warned!) The welcome hamper was lovely and thoroughly enjoyed by all. Comfy beds too. Outside was great for playing rounders and football games. If you are looking for that special "somewhere" with atmosphere and excellent heating (it was freezing cold outside) this is a place well worth considering.

This place is spectacular and perfect for large groups, with a proper sense of occasion (we held a great 50th birthday party there). There are many communal spaces nicely spread about the castle and the bedrooms are fantastic (very comfy beds), meaning everyone can escape to privacy if they need to. Penrith, Keswick and the best of the Lake District are all within easy reach - something for everyone. We had an amazing meal (including vegan options) cooked by Lynn Hilditch caterers. Lynn and her team were really lovely and the food was outstanding. Really couldn’t recommend this place highly enough!

We had a superb weekend, ostensibly celebrating my 90th birthday, but it turned out to be so much more than that – a very memorable festival of family and friends with strenuous expeditions on Saturday: one up Saddleback and one up High Pike, while the decrepit went to Howtown and walked around Hallin Fell, wildlife and views superb. 4 Generations for lunch on Sunday, thanks to Lynn. The Hall provides lots of delightful things to do for young and old. Huge thank you. Breathtaking house.

Blown away by this magnificent place. Precious memories made with our amazing families. Definitely recommend.

Officially the best birthday ever! Blencowe Hall has been just perfect and had the best time with my amazing fabulous family. Thank you.

An excellent weekend, fabulous food and the hosts were brilliant. Thank you.

Fabulous Christmas with the family. Amazing house. Thanks for everything. We will definitely be back.

Fantastic house for a 70th Birthday. Recreating the 40’s and 50’s. Perfect setting. Caterers brilliant. Thank you so much, we’ll be back for a summer weekend!

We had the most wonderful time here with our family celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. There were 16 adults, 8 children, 1 infant and 1 dog and everybody has had a fabulous time, magnificent house for the occasion and Lynn Hilditch was brilliant.

Fabulous venue for an intimate wedding with 19 in total! Everyone so helpful and superb for photos – even had sunshine and blue skies on the day of the wedding. Thank you.

We have had the most amazing time here at Blencowe. We are celebrating a 50th birthday and a 20th wedding anniversary and it has been the perfect location. We have not travelled out and about as wanted to enjoy our time here together. We will be returning. Thank you.

Fantastic place to hold a birthday party. Every room in this castle is beautiful and well thought out. This will always hold a very special place in all our memories! Thank you.

As big birthdays and other celebrations come round, it's inevitable that you want to find a good location to share a great experience with your friends. About a decade ago, one of our friends booked Blencowe Hall for their birthday and invited us to come and stay - and we just and the best weekend ever with 20-30 friends spending the time together in this spectacular, well appointed venue. My own birthday followed a couple of years later and looked hard to find somewhere similar but nothing even came remotely close. Blencowe Hall has a lot of good things going for it - not least of which is the building and furnishings itself, but also the peaceful location and being so convenient for the Lake District. I think the only negative - if we could think any - was that sadly the local pub in Blencow closed a few years ago - although there is another great pub in the neighbouring village of Greystoke a short walk away, and let's be honest, when you've got a great place like this - why would you want to spend time in the pub?! So, ten years on, we keep looking for different venues to try and improve upon Blencowe Hall - but have so far all of us have failed to find anywhere better. For some of us, this is now the ninth or tenth visit. Top tip - if you're staying for a weekend or longer, make one night a fancy dress party - it's the one chance you get to dress up like a fool without having to travel far wearing you mad costume and having strangers give you funny looks! Next time, think we'll try adding the hot tub option they offer too.

Blencowe Hall is beautiful. The property has been brilliantly refurbished and made for a brilliant and special Christmas for our family. There is ample space and the bedrooms are all a good size - most are en-suite. The South Tower bedrooms in particular are really nice. We would definitely stay at Blencowe Hall again, and would 100% recommend it for parties, events, family vacations etc. It would be particularly nice in the summer to be able to open the external doors in the South Tower out into the gardens. Blencowe Hall is only 10 minutes from the M6 but in a really peaceful and quiet location. There are some nice walks to be had and plenty of wildlife. There is a nice local pub around a 20 minute walk away in Greystoke. A special thank you to Christine who was really helpful during the booking process, the run up to our stay and during our stay. Even over the Christmas period she was always on hand to answer any questions or help in any way.

Took me a while to write this review - apologies! But I just had to find the time to rate our stay over the middle of October! There were quite a few of us for a product launch and the property is beautiful. Everything is faultless and just stunning - and Christine is a pleasure to deal with and goes above and beyond, assisting in the set up. I cannot thank her and her staff enough - this event would not have been a success without it. Upon arrival we received perfect little gift hampers and everything was just spotless. I would recommend this place to anyone - we even have our clients asking how they can get to use the space again. All guests were in awe of how beautiful it all is. totally unique with a completely seamless service! Thank you again

We booked Blencowe Hall and one of the cottages to celebrate a big birthday and it couldn’t have gone better. Christine is incredibly responsive and even with a couple of hiccups (heating wasn’t working) she responded immediately and had it fixed within the hour. The beds were very comfortable and the bed linen top notch; each and every one of our guests said how well they’d slept. Each room is individual and of course the South Tower Master is stunning! Most rooms have baths which the ladies loved. The kitchen is very well equipped and I soon got used to the Aga. With 30 people in the kitchen it certainly got cosy but we obviously had our guests from the cottage in for breakfast as well. I actually took kettles to put in each bedroom because some rooms, as you’d expect, are a long way from the kitchen. We had Lynn Hilditch Catering for all lunches and dinners and she was exceptional! The food was locally sourced and utterly delicious. Lynn went over and above to provide perfect meals and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her. It was a squeeze to get 30 people in the dining room and we had to use one of the garden tables along with the two existing tables, but it did work, it was just a little difficult serving food. Obviously if you only had 24 people it’s fine, but with a bigger dining room I think the Hall would also appeal to those who wanted an event for bigger numbers. The sitting room is a fantastic size easily accommodating 30 people and with the fire lit, was beautifully cosy. We also had Salsa dancing in the room one night which was brilliant; the best activity we did all weekend. The Hall is completely different to any other venue and of course has the ‘Wow’ factor surrounded by outstanding beauty. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this property along with Christine and her team - fantastic!

This is the second time I have stayed in this fabulous place and was so glad to return with my family to celebrate my 50th birthday and my sisters 20th Wedding Anniversary. The whole family loved every minute of our time here and also ordered a hot tub from Leigh at Cumbria Hot tub Hire which was such a treat. We received excellent service from Christine and her team, nothing was too much trouble and every query or question was responded too extremely quickly. The hall is fantastic, everything You could possibly need is available for you, as well as receiving a fabulous welcome hamper when we arrived. Can't recommend this place enough and is perfect for a family gathering. We are already looking to see when we can return.

'We have just celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary at Blencowe Hall with 3 generations of our family present. It was a truly amazing and memorable weekend. The children had a wonderful time playing outside in the grounds and also inside at " Hide and Seek ". The hall is very well equipped if you choose to do all of your own catering. Lynn Hilditch cooked dinner for us for two nights and 3 breakfasts and we were delighted with her cooking. She was very obliging, efficient and accommodating. Our daughter's dog adored her! Most of us went to Brockhole, near Windermere, on Sunday and adults and children alike had great fun at Treetop Nets and on the Tree Top Mini Trek. Our family all loved Blencowe Hall and the children didn't want to go home. For us, special memories are to be treasured and our stay at Blencowe Hall will be with us for ever.'

We were a family party, 3 generations, celebrating my 90th birthday. Blencowe Hall must be unique; what had been a derelict fortified pele tower has come to life again without loss of character, and furnishings and fittings are all sympathetic to the building and fully meet the exacting 5* standard. We did a mixture of self-catering - the big kitchen is admirably equipped - and indulged in Lynn Hilditch's delicious food for two important meals. Any celebration in my family has to involve a mountain ascent: Saddleback and High Pike are close at hand, and the less energetic enjoyed lower hills and ancient woodland at Howtown on Ullswater. We had fine weather, but there is indeed plenty to do, rain or shine. We had the great advantage that I had been able to visit some months ago to work out how we would fit in, and ensure that I was physically able to get round the Hall, which has lots of internal and sometimes uneven steps. Disabled visitors would need assistants, especially as the main sitting room is on the 1st floor, and some stairs have no handrail. I would love to think we might come again.

My daughter's wedding took place on Saturday 8th October, and we hired Blencowe Hall from Friday through to Monday so we could enjoy a full weekend with family and friends.  We had an intimate gathering of just 19 people, including the bride and groom, and the weekend was planned to be fun but also relaxing.  The Hall was absolutely perfect for the occasion !!!

There were enough different rooms for us to set up Virtual Reality games in one, the computer game Rock Band in another, the billiards room was well used, and anyone that wanted to chill out and chat could use the Solar.  The kitchen is so warm and comfortable there were always people chatting in there.  The bedrooms were amazing, particularly the master suite in the South Tower where my daughters and I got ready on the morning of the wedding - we got some stunning photographs.

The attention to detail by the owners/managers of the hall is outstanding.  The antique furniture adds to the historic feel of the Hall but every bathroom is modern and fully equipped.  There was nothing we needed - everything was provided for us.  We contacted Christine about a few blown lightbulbs and she was there straight away, changing every dead lightbulb in every room !!!

We had a fabulous weekend at Blencowe Hall - the only bad thing about it was having to leave !!!!!

We held our wedding at Blencowe Hall on 1 September 18 and it was the most magical weekend we could have ever wished for. We booked the Hall itself and one of the accompanying cottages to accommodate 30 guests for a long weekend. (including our family dog!) The hall is licensed for weddings and so we were able to get married within Blencowe. I can't thank everyone enough for all they did to make our stay a pleasant one. Nothing was too much trouble for them.

A wonderful welcome hamper through to a preference of bedding for our guests, and not to mention the wonderful Heather who came to the Hall for the wedding to look after the registrars on the big day and organise where i needed to be! The hall is steeped in history and our guests were fascinated by the documents within the hall detailing all the renovations that had taken place. It has the most amazing atmosphere and we had so much fun exploring. It is well equipped, with a huge kitchen area, lots of facilities and space for storage. Every one of us had a fabulous weekend, we've made so many memories that will last a lifetime and i even had a few tears when we had to leave. We will be back! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this magical place and the amazing staff that support it.

My daughter's wedding took place on Saturday 6th October, and we hired Blencowe Hall from Friday through to Monday so we could enjoy a full weekend with family and friends. We had an intimate gathering of just 19 people, including the bride and groom, and the weekend was planned to be fun but also relaxing. The Hall was absolutely perfect for the occasion !!!

There were enough different rooms for us to set up Virtual Reality games in one, the computer game Rock Band in another, the billiards room was well used, and anyone that wanted to chill out and chat could use the Solar. The kitchen is so warm and comfortable there were always people chatting in there. The bedrooms were amazing, particularly the master suite in the South Tower where my daughters and I got ready on the morning of the wedding - we got some stunning photographs.

The attention to detail by the owners/managers of the hall is outstanding. The antique furniture adds to the historic feel of the Hall but every bathroom is modern and fully equipped. There was nothing we needed - everything was provided for us. We contacted Christine about a few blown lightbulbs and she was there straight away, changing every dead lightbulb in every room

We had a fabulous weekend at Blencowe Hall - the only bad thing about it was having to leave !!!!!

The property itself is utterly beautifull, in a great location and easily accessible (for us anyway!) for a weekend break There is literally NOTHING that the owners haven’t thought of to make your stay (& even your dogs, assuming you take one) run smoothly. I would happily give more stars. Return visit already planned

From the moment we contacted Rowley Estates to make our booking they went above and beyond to ensure our stay was amazing. The second you arrive at Blencowe Hall it really is a dream come true, the entire family were literally blown away by the magical presence of the castle. The rooms are just beautiful and the views stunning. Celebrating my birthday is something the whole family will always remember and we have the most special memories of 3 generations at Blencowe. We thank the team and highly recommend the Hall for any event or stay.

Booked a three night stay for my husband's 70th. Although we live locally, we could not accommodate everyone at home, so twenty one of us stayed at Blencowe Hall. Everyone was very impressed with the hall itself, the splendour of the rooms, the comfort of the beds and the fact that everything you needed to prepare meals for a large group was provided. There is plenty of fridge/freezer space and two dish washers. We were delighted with the generous hamper and food we found on arrival as well as all the basics needed for day to day living. One of the recommended caterers, Lynn Hilditch, provided a superb three course meal the first night and returned to cook amazing wood fired pizzas for lunch on the Sunday. We cooked our own breakfasts, but as we had a full itinary during the day, had a lady recommended by Rowley Estates to clear up for us- she would have done babysitting too if required. The management was helpful and accomodating, even allowing us to look round a couple of times before the visit. All in all a very enjoyable weekend that friends and relatives are still raving about!

Can't say enough how much we have enjoyed our stay in this fabulous place! Booked as a 30th birthday surprise for us and has been amazing! Thank you so much!!

Lovely comfortable cottage, very well equipped kitchen which was very welcome. Thank you for letting us visit our ancestral home.

Fantastic time again! Weather amazing . Love this place making great memories and videos.

Superb place for a family party!! Adults and children and the former behaved like the latter. Magical time. Thank you Jilly

A Magical place to celebrate my 60th, will be back!

It's been a fun few days. Lovely place. Thank you.

Fantastic family get together in a beautiful setting. Great setting, great party, not even Cromwell could have spoilt it!

Not enough superlatives. It provided everything we could have asked for to celebrate this milestone. Thank you.

I would like to thank you for providing the assistance aids for my Mum. Thank you.

Beautiful venue, stunning setting & location. Excellent catering (Lynn Hilditch). Memories to cherish always & forever, thank you.

My family and I had a magical time in the "castle" for my 60th, with warmest thanks

Absolutely a fabulous place and setting. A great time had by all, not a dry old do!