Home comforts by the Lake District in a historic stately pile

Johnby Hall is an Elizabethan manor house that started around 1350 as a fortified pele tower and has belonged to the Howard family since 1783. The present generation are Henry and Anna Howard who proudly welcome guests into their family home, providing a comfortable base from which to enjoy the Lake District, Eden Valley and beyond.

Located in a pretty 17th century cottage in the garden, the Studio is a luxury open-plan suite, stylishly fitted out with stripped-wood floors in an elegant, uncluttered style. Stairs lead up to an open-plan bedroom on the first floor with a king sized bed and a single bed, while a sofa-bed on the ground floor can also be folded out for families and there’s plenty of space to add toddler beds, cots or even dog baskets. There is also a separate kitchen – newly installed in 2020 – and a shower room. Although the Studio actually adjoins Johnby Hall it feels completely private – though with full access to the lovely gardens. These, along with the adjoining woodlands, are full of wildlife including red squirrels and deer, and the family also keep free range chickens and rare breed pigs.

Also check out Johnby Hall’s other self-catering property, the Garden Barn, and their B&B offer, Kelly’s Cottage.

Johnby Hall suggests

You can take the Studio for just a few nights, though prices are better for a week. There’s certainly no shortage of things to see and do. Penrith is five miles away and the Lake District on your doorstep. Or learn a new skill: just up the road from Johnby Hall the Quirky Workshop offers courses in stone carving, blacksmithing, wood carving and more.