Explore the art-soaked history of Abbot Hall

Abbot Hall Art Gallery, situated in Church Walk, Kendal, is a must-visit. The building's history dates back to 1759, when Colonel George Wilson built it on the site of an old Abbot's Hall. Originally, the Abbot or his representative stayed here when visiting from St Mary’s Abbey, York. Despite the unknown architect, the building eventually fell into disrepair in the early 20th century and was later restored as an art gallery.

Today, Abbot Hall is home to one of Britain's most significant collections of George Romney’s paintings, as well as works from the 18th century including pair of views of Windermere by Philip James de Loutherbourg, an important group of work by local artist Daniel Gardner, and numerous watercolours from the second half of the 18th and the first half of the 19th centuries. Highlights include paintings by John Sell Cotman, John Varley, Edward Lear, and J. M. W. Turner's watercolours, The Passage of Mount St. Gotthard and Windermere (1821).

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons