Celebrating THE ENGLISH WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR…

Engaging Official Plaque P.11 Communities P.14 June 2017 July 2018 July 2019

Inscription P.4 We Are The Lakes P.5 Lakes Ignite P.9 New Brand P.12 ’s World World Heritage Heritage Story P.18 Day P.19 THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT INTRODUCTION WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR... 03

INTRODUCTION TO FOREWORD WORLD HERITAGE

2019 sees the second anniversary of the ‘The English Lake District’ is the most ‘The English Lake District’, as an evolving English Lake District’s inscription as a recent property of the cultural landscape, is a delicate property Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site of Great Britain and Northern Ireland which has our full attention to assist in (WHS). The Lake District National Park inscribed on the World Heritage List. overcoming long-term challenges such as Partnership (LDNPP) consider this an ideal It represents an exemplary showcase of climate change, development and tourism opportunity to reflect on those first years the combined work of human activity pressure, in order to preserve a sustainable and capture some of the WHS’ milestones. and nature. A harmonious landscape that interaction between an agro-pastoral But equally importantly this document has been a source of inspiration to land use system, and the cultural and provides inspiration to look forward, at generations of poets and writers, and natural habitat. Site managers as well as the opportunities that World Heritage which remains a popular destination for local communities play a crucial role in status could provide, and at the challenges national and international travelers. the protection of World Heritage, that World Heritage could help the Lake together with national authorities and District overcome. Nowadays, heritage sites from all around the international expert community. the world are faced with social, economic This review is an organic document that and environmental pressures. Therefore, The World Heritage Centre is working will be added to each year, as it sustaining a balance between their closely with all the stakeholders to ensure reflects upon and celebrates our World preservation and exploitation is a key the balance of environmental, cultural, Heritage status. aspect for maintaining and appreciating historical, and social values of the property their values. and is our utmost priority to preserve and transmit the World Heritage values to the future generations. UNESCO World Heritage Centre is happy to join the celebration of the second anniversary of ‘The English Lake District’ on the World Heritage List.

Isabelle Anatole-Gabriel Chief of Europe and North America Unit World Heritage Centre 2017

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SUCCESSFUL WORLD HERITAGE SITE INSCRIPTION

In the months leading up to the decision A public celebration took place on the by the World Heritage Committee, first weekend following inscription, under Lake District National Park Authority the banner ‘Picnic in the Park’. It was a (LDNPA) engaged with visitors and locals simple invitation to residents and visitors at Keswick Mountain Festival and Kendal to come and celebrate by picnicking or Calling, building awareness and advocacy enjoying tea and cake in the World Heritage through their BirdHIVE virtual reality Site. The National Trust provided visitors experience. Conversations around support free cupcakes across the Lake District, and anticipation appeared on social media, and local artist and sculptor Charlie and PR activity on behalf of LDNPP was Whinney unveiled ‘Mountains We Made’ at coordinated by the communications teams Brockhole, a public art co-commissioned from the LDNPA, Tourism and the by Lakes Culture, Lakes Alive and Forestry National Trust, with additional partners and Commission to celebrate inscription. businesses taking part in media interviews.

The successful outcome of World Heritage Site inscription on 9th July led to an amazingly high level of media interest, nationally and internationally. In the first week there were 95 media enquiries, and the inscription was covered by over 1,500 articles online and in print, and in about 1,400 news broadcasts, with 80% being positive. Inscription proved a social hit too. The top Facebook post reached ~112k, the top Tweet was liked nearly 5k times, and the # reached almost one million. THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT 2017 WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR... 05

WE ARE THE ROYAL MAIL LAKES MARKETING WORLD HERITAGE CAMPAIGN POSTMARK

To enable local businesses and stakeholders Millions of items of stamped mail that were join in with the international accolade, sent on 28th September had the greeting the WHS Marketing Group created the ‘Celebrating the Lake District World campaign We Are The Lakes. As part of the Heritage Site #WeAreTheLakes’ applied at campaign, a selection of people who live, Royal Mail’s distribution centres across the work and like to visit the area recorded country. A competition ran in parallel asking short stories about what the Lake District why people though the Lake District was means to them. Computer software was special to them with entrants coming from then used to turn the audio stories into all across the north of England. graphic storylines to give the campaign a fresh, contemporary feel. Content, logos, social media assets, pictures and more were made available for local businesses to incorporate within their own marketing and communications. 2017

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THE CULTURAL The Long View grew from two years spent The Long View exhibition showcased with seven remarkably ordinary trees, each the Lake District through the trees and LANDSCAPE one a different species, and each one the wider story they told: it launched at CONTINUES set many miles from the other. Dreamed Grizedale Forest, toured to Newcastle’s up by photographer Rob Fraser and writer Great North Museum: Hancock, to INSPIRING ARTISTS Harriet Fraser, the project began with a Oxford’s North Wall Art Centre and curiosity about trees and their place in the Brighton’s ONCA Gallery. Elements of context of the Lake District. The Long View were also shown at Nottingham’s Lakeside Arts Centre and Through a series of repeated walks to each Yorkshire Sculpture Park. As a legacy of of the trees, in all weathers, all seasons, The Long View, the Frasers created day and night, the Frasers captured the three permanent sculptures in Cumbria, character not just of the trees, but of one in Grizedale Forest Sculpture Park, the wider landscape and its living natural one on the shores of Ullswater, and one and cultural heritage. Through seven art in the eastern reaches of Cumbria, on installations and a book of prose, poetry Little Asby Common. These three ‘treefolds’ and photography, the Frasers reflected on are each built from local stones, and this unique place: using trees as a focal embrace newly planted trees. They are point, a draw for walking and pausing, carved with the words of a poem for taking in the beauty of the place, and composed to celebrate trees and the living considering both what makes it special, culture of this special part of England. and the care it needs going forwards. In their series of public walks they introduced more than 300 people, in small groups at a time, to the trees; and their field trips and creative workshops involved primary schools, higher education colleges, university and post-graduate students.

THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT 2018 WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR... 07

2018 2018

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ENGAGING AND Both LDNPA and the National Trust LAKES CULTURE’S Lakes Culture’s Lakes Ignite specially employed dedicated farm engagement commissioned six contemporary artworks SUPPORTING officers this spring, to drive better WORLD HERITAGE to celebrate the English Lake District’s FARMING understanding of the World Heritage INSTALLATIONS designation as a World Heritage Site. Site’s farming communities, and the From January to July, six artists brought COMMUNITIES challenges and opportunities they face, their creative vision to the Lakes in a and to use these insights to help shape unique collection of artworks that were both organisations’ plans and policies. free to visit and explore. The pieces included a huge inflatable suspended from Numerous projects have sprung up as Rheged’s roof, a shoal of steel Arctic Char a result of these roles being out on the outside the Salutation Hotel in Ambleside, ground listening to and talking with farmers. an interactive sculpture based upon map For example in an effort to improve symbols behind Wainwrights in Langdale, visitor behaviour in the countryside, a mirrored funnel that provided a different free lambing signs were distributed and view of the landscape, and interdisciplinary installed to encourage responsible dog art bringing virtual reality and geology control. The prospect of a shortage of together. The char can still be visited today. future farmers helped to drive forward a scheme to identify and support potential new farm entrants, linking them to upcoming tenancies, guiding these young farmers through business cases, farm subsidy availability and more. THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT 2018 WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR... 09

ATTRACTING Windermere Lake Cruises, along with In many meetings and presentations, the the China and Japan Forums, have been mere mention of World Heritage Site INTERNATIONAL marketing our businesses, members, and arms us with a ‘stamp of approval’. World VISITORS the destination as a whole internationally Heritage Sites around the world are for over 20 years. However since ‘must see’ places for many international World Heritage Site inscription, we visitors and now we are proud that the have seen an even bigger boost in both Lake District has been added to this list. interest and bookings. We have seen specific World Heritage Site tours being created and the inscription has We all fully supported the campaign most certainly exposed the Lake District ‘We are the Lakes’ prior to inscription, to new markets and has given gravitas to and used the branding and message in all the Lake District brand. of our international marketing. In meetings and presentations to press and overseas Going forward we will continue to use operators, even the possibility that the Lake World Heritage Site in all overseas District may get UNESCO World Heritage marketing as this is a vital marketing tool, Site status created excitement and interest. which we can now proudly use.

Shortly following inscription, we adopted the new World Heritage Site branding. The English Lake District World Heritage Site status was the first message communicated when talking with overseas operators. It has most certainly elevated the region and businesses within it on an international basis and has made the destination more desirable.

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FUNDING FOR Becoming a World Heritage Site does not automatically come with funding. But it can CULTURE AND certainly act as lever to draw down funding. HERITAGE A great example is the World Heritage Lake District Project, led by Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, Lakeland Arts and Wordsworth Trust, which was successful in winning £3.29 million. The cash injection, from the Government’s Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund, was designed to showcase the north of England, build local audiences and attract first-time- visitors to the Lake District and its natural and cultural treasures.

The World Heritage Lake District Project provided funding going towards the major refurbishment of Abbot Hall Art Gallery in Kendal and enhancing the visitor experience at Windermere Jetty, Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories, both part of the Lakeland Arts family. The Wordsworth Trust is developing Reimagining Wordsworth, a project to bring Wordsworth’s story into the 21st century, highlight his relevance today and present a greater sense of intellectual, emotional and spiritual appreciation for his work than ever before. The project is due to be completed April 2020, to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the poet’s birth. THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT 2018 WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR... 11

UNVEILING OF THE UNESCO encourages World Heritage FARM LDNPA working with Natural England and Sites to have a focal point that hosts their Historic England has successfully secured OFFICIAL PLAQUE official inscription. Crow Park in Keswick INFRASTRUCTURE funds to pilot farm building restorations. was selected by the LDNPP as it provides RESTORATIONS Eleven farms have been selected and a the opportunity to see examples of why number of their traditional buildings will the Lakes is a World Heritage Site, is free be brought back to agricultural working and easy to access, and of course has an conditions over the coming two years. amazing view. And on a bright March day, These buildings are important tangible the English Lake District World Heritage elements of the cultural landscape including Site’s official plaque was unveiled by listed buildings and iconic bank barns. His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales. With an expected spend of £1m+, not only Greeted by cheering crowds including will this project help conserve the World more than 500 schoolchildren, the Prince Heritage Site’s vernacular built heritage, said he hoped UNESCO’s recognition a task that has been specifically asked of would help local businesses and draw more the Lake District by UNESCO, but will also investment to the region. He said it was help support local artisans and builders and entirely appropriate that the Lake District’s contribute to the local economy. inscription was in the Cultural Landscape category describing how the ‘incomparable beauty’ was a consequence of more than one thousand years of human activity. The Prince was joined by special guests including LDNPP Chair at the time Lord Clark of Windermere, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Michael Gove MP, the then Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, Michael Ellis MP and Chair for UNESCO UK, Beth Taylor. Needless to say the unveiling attracted significant media coverage including 12 nationals and 58 broadcast features. 2018

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OUR OWN WHS UNESCO doesn’t allow their brand to be used commercially. To help local businesses BRAND associate themselves with World Heritage, LDNPP commissioned the WHS Marketing Group to develop a new brand just for the English Lake District. Following consultations, competitive tendering and much discussion, the group launched the new brand at the County Show; it is a two-tiered design that communicates both People and Place and as such the essence of the Cultural Landscape story. It has the flexibility to reflect different valleys, different seasons and different business sectors and stakeholder groups within its various iterations. The brand has been translated into key languages and the Chinese and Japanese versions have already travelled to those overseas markets, and contributed to the successful securing of new business. Brand guidelines, logos and assets are available to download free from www.lakesworldheritage.co.uk/toolkit THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT 2018 WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR... 13

DEDICATED ROLES The WHS is managed through the LDNPP. LAKE DISTRICT The English Lake District is now part of a As of this summer there are two dedicated special family of nearly 1100 WHSs around FOR THE WHS staff. Mairi Lock is the WHS Coordinator, WORLD HERITAGE the planet. And being one of the newest bringing her many years’ experience as SITE GOES GLOBAL sites, many of our peers are interested a planner for LDNPA. Alex McCoskrie to learn and hear from us, both here at is the WHS Engagement Officer and has home but also abroad. At the annual World worked in and around the Lake District for Heritage UK conference in October, the nearly two decades. Mairi’s role is primarily UK’s 31 WHSs came together to share around technical aspects and governance, successes, challenges and experiences. and she is the liaison between the Lake Mairi our WHS Coordinator gave her first District, the State Party (the government speech to the conference on how the and its agencies like Historic England) and Lake District doesn’t have a buffer zone UNESCO. Alex’s role is to grow awareness and how that’s working out. In November and understanding of, and interaction Jamie Lund, deputy chair of the WHS’ with the WHS, amongst local businesses, Technical Advisor Group and the National residents and stakeholders. You can get in Trust’s Archaeologist & Cultural Heritage touch via: Advisor, recently represented the WHS at [email protected] and two conferences in San Francisco. The first [email protected] was the US ICOMOS Symposium which took place under the banner of ‘Forward Together: A Culture-Nature Journey Towards a More Effective Conservation in a Changing World’. The second was the conference of the US National Trust for Historic Preservation entitled ‘PastForward’. This event had a wide compass of themes which included further discussion on the ‘Culture-Nature Journey’. World Heritage status continues to help put the Lake District on the international map. 2017 - 2019

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ENGAGING LDNPP were keen to learn what the representatives, sparking lively discussion resident communities of the Lake District on topics including increased tourism COMMUNITIES thought of its World Heritage status. and traffic, farming sustainably and land-use They commissioned partner ACT Cumbria, and a range of planning and development the community development charity for queries. This was complemented by an the county, to reach out to communities online survey that captured over 250 and ask them. A series of three evening responses. Needless to say, continuous events with presentations from a variety speaking to and hearing from residents of sectors outlining how World Heritage of the Lakes and Cumbria is a crucial was working for them (or not), were aspect of having a WHS. held across the Lakes. This included opportunities for community members to In August LDNPA celebrated the National ask questions and highlight those issues that Park’s 67th birthday and marked one year as were important to them. Conversations a World Heritage Site with the unveiling of that may have started on the attributes a specially commissioned poem and video by of the WHS often lead to wider discussions acclaimed northern poet Tony Walsh. To date around jobs, housing, congestion, parking it has had over 400,000 views. and much more.

ACT Cumbria tried a different format in the new year, hosting at Theatre by the Lake a Question Time-like Q&A. Expert panellists representing land management, conservation, tourism, farming and communities took questions from an audience of over 40 community THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT 2018 WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR... 15

FOCUS FOR With WH status comes interest in the Jennifer Dodsworth, PhD student at the Lake District hosting academic debate and School of Geography & the Environment, ACADEMIC research around topics associated with University of Oxford is working on THINKING WHS management. Universities here and “Locating Communities in Digital Natures: abroad are using the Lakes for studies Exploring the Politics of National Parks, ranging from art in nature, to social media Identity and Visual Social Media in the and WHSs, renewable energy, planning LDNP”. Jennifer’s broad research looks regulations in WHSs and place branding. at the politics of rural geography and cultural connections to place. The Lake Faye Shortland (University of Birmingham) District’s successful WH bid highlighted PhD is titled “‘Living Heritage’ and living that a number of important claims and heritage: The ontology and experience differing considerations exist with of cultural landscapes in the English Lake regards to what makes the Lake District District”. Faye, funded by the Arts & a naturally and culturally significant Humanities Research Council, is exploring landscape for both local populations and stakeholders’ embodied experiences of the general public. The research explores directly engaging with the living cultural how digital media influences perceptions landscape, specifically exploring how of place in particular the way visual the 25 LDNPP members engage with social media such as Instagram is utilised the landscape, and to understand their to share particular representations and representations and interpretations understandings of the Lake District. of heritage. Alongside this, Faye is undertaking ethnographic work within farming communities to understand their engagement with the landscape, heritage, and the future of agricultural and environmental policy. Ultimately, Faye hopes to make policy recommendations that incorporate these differing interpretations/representations and suggest governance structures which will help with the running of the WHS.

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NATURE & CULTURE In these early days of World Heritage STAKEHOLDER To embed the awareness and understanding status, one of the most prominent of World Heritage locally, and to grow challenges that the Lake District faces is ENGAGEMENT interaction with it across all sectors in the how external forces impact on this evolved Lake District, LDNPP have put in place and continuing landscape, and how these a stakeholder engagement strategy and influences may impact upon the WHS’s tasked their Engagement Officer in delivery. attributes. An example is the seeking of From early conversations across numerous a sustainable future for our traditional sectors, what is coming to light is that upland farming, coupled with the urgent many sectors outside of tourism are eager need to address the natural health of to explore how World Heritage status can our landscapes. These challenges cannot benefit them, and equally how they in turn be considered or addressed separately can support the sustainable management of and WHS status helps to bring partners the Site. The tourism sector has embraced together to seek balanced solutions. World Heritage and seen it as a means of achieving their goals. WHS status allows the Lake District to play host to key government decision makers World Heritage does offer opportunities whose future policies around farm subsidies beyond attracting visitors for a number and climate change will likely shape the of stakeholders. The likes of the LEP, Lakes’ future. This extra spotlight upon the Sellafield and BAE see the accolade as Lakes contributes to national thinking and a tool for communicating the quality of actions, as well as keeping our own unique life available to those relocating to the challenges within the debates and answers. Lakes and Cumbria, and a way of retaining young residents through pride of place. Transport providers like Stagecoach and Northern see World Heritage as a means of driving passengers and providing enhanced experiences on their journey. The education sector is exploring how WH can support their curriculum as well as supporting student self-development and citizenship. Plenty more conversations and discussions to be had. THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT 2019 WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR... 17

2019 SO FAR... 2019

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ENGLAND’S WORLD Last autumn, local tourist board Cumbria audience. These products were promoted Tourism (CT) was charged by national to buyers on- and offline and via key travel HERITAGE STORY: tourism body VisitBritain to deliver a trade shows in those overseas markets. THE NORTH campaign to celebrate the six WHSs across In addition the project developed useful the north of England. The aim was to create assets including imagery, video and B2B bookable World Heritage experiences toolkits for all six sites. Though the project and to market them to travel agents and has finished, its legacy continues through tour operators in Ireland and the US. on-going marketing by CT and fulfilment by This project was part of the Discover Mountain Goat. England Fund family and was provided funds of £250k. The project had to hit the ground running as it needed to be completed by April this year. Itineraries incorporating the WHSs at Saltaire, Hadrian’s Wall, Durham Castle & Cathedral, Liverpool - Maritime Mercantile City, Studley Royal Park & Fountains Abbey, as well as the English Lake District, were developed by Mountain Goat, readymade for those international mature experience seekers who are the target THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT 2019 WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR... 19

BRINGING THE Having been brought together through the England’s World Heritage Story campaign, NORTH’S WORLD there was general consensus across the six HERITAGE SITES north England WHSs that there should be closer working. So the English Lake District TOGETHER hosted the inaugural meeting of the six on the shores of Ullswater. The morning was spent sharing and updating, and hearing from Prof. Peter Stone, UNESCO Chair in Cultural Property Protection & Peace at Newcastle University. Prof. Stone provided an insight to and reminder of the core values of UNESCO and World Heritage (international peace and cooperation) and how these goals must be incorporated within a WHS’ activities, which the six sites pledged to implement as one of their first actions. The afternoon included site visits within Ullswater, to learn more about the challenges the Lake District faces in the field – managing high visitor numbers whilst communicating the cultural landscape story at Aira Force; balancing flood resilience with conserving the farmed landscapes at Hartsop. 2019

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WORLD Each year 18 April is World Heritage Day, To provide a dive deeper into the English across the world. This celebratory day Lake District’s World Heritage story, HERITAGE DAY provides the chance to raise awareness a podcast was commissioned from about the diversity of cultural heritage Countrystride. Available from all major and the efforts that are required to podcast platforms, episode # 12 focuses protect and conserve it. This year the on Great Langdale and its attributes of English Lake District wanted to be part World Heritage. Host Mark Richards of this celebration. is helped by Jamie Lund the National Trust’s archaeologist in the Lake District, For 2019 the Lakes rolled out a few ideas. to walk through and read the valley’s As WH Day fell in the Easter holidays, a cultural landscape. Neolithic axe factories, pop-up information centre was set up at traditional upland farming, drystone walls Brockhole, helping visitors to discover and early conservationists are some of more about the World Heritage Site. aspects featured. www.countrystride.co.uk A new leaflet introducing World Heritage and providing a simple to understand explanation of the Lake District’s World Heritage story was also launched. Local bus company Stagecoach ran one of their open top vehicles from Brockhole to Grasmere free for visitors, with live on- board commentary highlighting aspects of the cultural landscape seen en route. THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT 2019 WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR... 21

KESWICK MUSEUM’S Already in the planning stage is Keswick Museum’s autumn exhibition. Opening WORLD HERITAGE in October, the exhibition will focus on EXHIBITION introducing UNESCO (who are they, what do they do etc) and the concept of World Heritage, rather than concentrating on the Lake District.

This wider picture will include examples of recognisable WHSs from across the world and across the categories of WH – Natural, Cultural, Mixed and Cultural Landscape. The exhibition will run at Keswick till the end of the year, before possibly going on tour. It will be offered to local schools to host themselves and use to build awareness and understanding of World Heritage. 2019

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SECURING THRIVING The English Lake District is a complex, The National Trust manages a fifth of multi-designated cultural landscape of the Lake District through its 92 tenant FARMS FOR international significance. Its World Heritage farms, and sees the Lakes’ future as CULTURAL AND status recognises how its traditional hill people rich and wildlife rich, with farming has shaped its natural beauty. sustainable culture and healthy nature NATURAL HERITAGE But its biodiversity is in decline and its delivered through farming. However the agro-pastoral systems are under threat. sector faces much uncertainty. The Trust is developing a Future Farming Programme, This spring the Lake District hosted a vital which aims to make farms financially summit seeking ways to overcome these resilient, secure the next generation of challenges, by helping farm businesses farmers, and use traditional upland farming and communities create enhanced habitats skills to deliver good environmental and and networks for nature. The event economic land management. was attended by key local and national stakeholders who all acknowledged the challenges, and committed to work together and to share good practice. THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE STORY SO FAR... 23

LOOKING TO THE As the English Lake District World Heritage Site continues to sustainably develop, new FUTURE examples of WH being part of communities, businesses and stakeholders’ thinking and actions will materialise. These will be added to this review as it evolves each year.

Share your WHS story via: [email protected] @EnglishLakesWHS #lakesworldheritage

Image credits © Andrew Locking, National Trust Images/John Malley, Rob Fraser/somewhere-nowhere.com, Jennifer Dodsworth, Lakes Culture, Lake District China Forum, Wordsworth Trust, Lakeland Arts, LDNPA, English Lake District WHS, ACT Cumbria, Faye Shortland, Cumbria Tourism, Keswick Museum Celebrating