Cumbria - Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty
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The small, sleepy village of Arnside is in an idyllic setting on the river Kent estuary, in an area which has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village and beach offer exceptional views over Morecambe Bay, with the hills and mountains of the Lake District in the background, and a picturesque viaduct crossing over the water.
Arnside is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, historically part of Westmorland, near the border with Lancashire, England. The Lake District National Park is located a few miles North. Travelling by road, Arnside is 22 miles to the south of Kendal, 25.3 miles to the east of Ulverston, 35.2 miles to the east of Barrow-in-Furness, 15.7 miles to the west of Lancaster and 14.3 miles to the east of Grange-over-Sands. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 2,301, increasing at the 2011 census to 2,334.
The impressive remains of Furness Abbey founded by Stephen, later King of England, includies much of the east end and west tower of the church, the ornately decorated chapter house and the cloister buildings.
Founded almost 900 years ago, Furness Abbey was once the largest and wealthiest monastery in north-west England. A place of prayer, piety and pilgrimage, the abbey was also a major landowner, its abbot occupying an important place in the administration of the region.
English Heritage is carrying out emergency conservation work to stop the ruined Abbey church sinking into the soft ground. This follows earlier routine inspections which revealed serious cracks in the walls. Medieval masons used large pieces of oak in the foundations and after 500 years, this timber is now gradually giving way.
While excavating the grave of a prosperous medieval abbot, a hoard of medieval treasures was discovered at Furness Abbey. This discovery unearthed the first crozier (a staff with a crook on top) to be excavated in Britain in over 50 years and an impressive gemstone ring was also found.