By the time George Webster built Eller How in 1827 – an eight-bedroom home in Lindale, Cumbria, a few miles south of Lake Windermere, for sale at £1.4 million – he was already established as one of the finest architects in the north of England. He built dozens of great homes across the region as well as a number of churches, and also remodelled many old buildings. Among the latter is Broughton Hall, the family home of Annie Tempest, whose cartoons appear in Country Life each week.
Webster was going through quite a year: he turned 30, got married and suffered the death of his father, the latter a double blow since Francis Webster was, by then, also George's business partner.
The house that the younger Webster created for his family is a spectacularly pretty home in a delightful spot, with the location made all the more convenient for modern buyers by the fact that it's just 15 minutes from the M6.
While it was originally one dwelling, Eller How is now split in two. The larger part – the East Wing – is a five-bedroom house spread over two floors and full of grandeur thanks to innumerable touches in the architecture. The columns around the entrance porch strike quite a note from the start, while the enormously tall hallway is flooded with natural light thanks to a skylight in the ceiling upstairs.
The huge main reception room – over 27' across – is at the heart of the house while there's also a large kitchen-diner, separate utility room and cellars below.
The West Wing of the house is a self-contained dwelling, even to the extent of having its own gardens, and is currently used as a very successful holiday let, with highlights including the three bedrooms and an upstairs sitting room which makes the most of the views.
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