Kent valley

Today's the day ......................... for a room with a view

I was in a house in Kendal today that I've never been in before and this was the view from one of the upstairs bedroom windows.

It was in the part of the town that, back in the 16th century, was where the slums of Kendal were to be found.  It was the 'Ghetto of Kendal's poor' - where hundreds of families lived, many in unbelievably squalid conditions.  The area was a perfect wilderness of steps, terraces and lanes - a warren-like maze of ginnels.  One cottage after another was built wherever space could be found.  The streets were just narrow, cobbled passageways.  They could be treacherous in ice or snow and most of them were virtually open sewers. 

Nowadays, it's all quite different and it's a very desirable spot to live with quirky reminders of the past.  The view from this window has no doubt changed greatly - and today, it was a fascinating sight to see right across the valley of the River Kent to the Howgills ........................