Conservation & Heritage Issue 52 Summer/Autumn 2026 - Flipbook - Page 72
Keeping history alive: The
Kendal architects saving the
barns that helped create the
Lake District landscape
Some of the Lake District’s most distinctive historic barns are at risk of being lost altogether
as decades of deterioration leave many in poor and unsafe condition.
Crosby Granger Architects is helping safeguard 21
agricultural buildings across the National Park through a
major conservation initiative backed by the Lake District
National Park Authority.
“We’re looking at their condition but also assessing how
important they are in terms of their significance within the
landscape, within the farmstead, or some of them are listed,”
she said.
The project aims to preserve barns that have played a
significant role in shaping the landscape recognised by
UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Some of the barns are Grade II and Grade II* listed, making
them nationally recognised, while others without listed
status still have special character.
The Kendal-based practice was appointed following a tender
process restricted to Cumbrian architects with specialist
knowledge of the region’s vernacular architecture.
The project has taken Crosby Granger Architects’ team across
Cumbria, examining barns built from sandstone, limestone
and slate, each reflecting the traditions and materials of its
local vernacular.
Architect Amy Redman explained that the work goes far
beyond basic building surveys.
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Below, Barn At Dog Lumb, Bretherdale © Crosby Granger
Conservation & Heritage Journal
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