Riverside living that won't break the bank, in the shape of a charming Cumbrian cottage for just £210,000
Your eyes do not deceive you — this really is a charming (fully-functioning) property on the banks of the River Derwent at a price we thought only possible in our dreams.


About a 10-minute walk from the town centre of Cockermouth, the Old Pumphouse stands on a peaceful stretch where the River Derwent bends at Papcastle.
Five properties enjoy this idyllic location and no 4 is beautifully appointed with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Both the dual-aspect sitting room and private lawned garden overlook the water which meanders in front of the property.
Situated within the historic Old Pump house building, the agents handling the sale of the property describe it as 'a characterful and immaculately presented.'
It is well-equipped with 'high quality' finishes and conveniently located from the town centre.
4 Old Pump House is currently on the market via PFK for £210,000 — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Cockermouth: What you need to know
Location: In the borough of Allerdale in Cumbria, just on the edge of the Lake District National Park. Carlisle is approximately 25 miles to the north. Keswick is approximately 14 miles to the east and there is a train station in Penrith (approximately 30 miles) which runs West Coast Main Line services.
Atmosphere: The small yet bustling Georgian market town is home to a good selection of shops including a butchers, fishmongers, bakers, greengrocers, plus numerous pubs, restaurants and independent antique and gift shops. It receives visitors year round thanks to its idyllic setting and proximity to the Lakes.
Things to do: The town is ideally situated near the Lake District and is therefore perfect for keen walkers. The town itself is home to a good number of shops and restaurants which are spread over its three main streets — Market Place, Station Street and Main Street.
Schools: Bridekirk Dovenby C of E Primary School is rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted, as is Eaglesfield Paddle C of E Primary Academy. For secondary there is Cockermouth School which received a 'good' rating.
See more property for sale in the area.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Annunciata grew up in the wilds of Lancashire and now lives in Hampshire with a husband, two daughters and an awful pug called Parsley. She’s been floating round the Country Life office for more than a decade, her work winning the Property Magazine of the Year Award in 2022 (Property Press Awards). Before that, she had a two-year stint writing ‘all kinds of fiction’ for The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, worked in internal comms for Country Life’s publisher (which has had many names in recent years but was then called IPC Media), and spent another year researching for a historical biographer, whose then primary focus was Graham Greene and John Henry Newman and whose filing system was a collection of wardrobes and chests of drawers filled with torn scraps of paper. During this time, she regularly gave tours of 17th-century Milton Manor, Oxfordshire, which may or may not have been designed by Inigo Jones, and co-founded a literary, art and music festival, at which Johnny Flynn headlined. When not writing and editing for Country Life, Annunciata is also a director of TIN MAN ART, a contemporary art gallery founded in 2021 by her husband, James Elwes.
-
West London's spent the last two decades as the laughing stock of the style set — here's how it got its groove back
The style set is returning to the very West London neighbourhoods it once made a habit of spurning, finds Will Hosie.
By Will Hosie Published
-
The new property hotspots where you can have it all: Beautiful houses, great schools and idyllic lifestyle
Across the country people are selling up and heading to the towns where there's no compromise on dream homes, outstanding schooling and the good life, according to analysis from two of Britain's top estate agents. Anna White explains.
By Anna White Published
-
The new property hotspots where you can have it all: Beautiful houses, great schools and idyllic lifestyle
Across the country people are selling up and heading to the towns where there's no compromise on dream homes, outstanding schooling and the good life, according to analysis from two of Britain's top estate agents. Anna White explains.
By Anna White Published
-
Where Venice once ruled: The roving Venetians left handsome imprints across the Greek world, from its religion to its rambling villas
Matthew Dennison explores the lingering traces of Venice's vanished empire — and the best places to buy where it once stood.
By Matthew Dennison Last updated
-
A delightful 16th century home with some of Kent's most beautiful gardens has come on to the market
The Grange puts the 'garden' into the Garden of England.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A pristine Scottish island for sale at the price of a garage in Fulham
A dot on the map of the west coast of Scotland has come on to the market, where you'll be surrounded by sea, living off grid and be neighbours with the local seal colony.
By Toby Keel Published
-
18 beautiful homes, from charming cottages to a Highland mansion with unbeatable views, as seen in Country Life
Our look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in the past week includes Georgian manor houses, charming commutable homes and the grandest home in Newcastle.
By Toby Keel Published
-
The gorgeous Somerset home of the designer behind one of Glastonbury's chicest spots
The Manor in Hinton Blewitt is a glorious Georgian home that ticks every box.
By Toby Keel Published
-
A 600-year-old National Trust property that you can call home
This blooming property in Kent showcases the original garden of England. Penny Churchill takes a look.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A wisteria-clad delight with lawns running down to the Thames is the prettiest riverside home for sale in London today
Deodar Road, near Putney High Street, offers unrivalled views of the Thames and is characterful in excess.
By James Fisher Published