Branthwaite Brow

The road or lane extending from the eastern corner of the Market Place Branthwaite Brow joins Stramongate, Kent Street and Finkle Street.

The cast iron plate faced shops on the west side were designed as a way to save space. William Wilkinson and Joseph Winder were injured while they were being built as one of the plates fell on them. Cast iron plates had previously been used in the construction of Crystal Palace and after that burned down it is possible that those remaining in Kendal are the only ones in Britain. Hogarth’s jewellers have occupied one of the shops since 1879. The cost of the renovation and widening of the lane was covered mostly by the market place properties, but also general rates.

50 Branthwaite Brow was last used as Branthwaite Wools. The shop is on a sloping site and dates to the late C17/early C18 with later additions and alterations. It still features a large stone chimney stack with rounded corners and cast iron guttering. It is built with coursed squared rubble with the ground floor rendered.

Yard 52 features C17th wooden panelling in the narrow passageway. Yard 52 has been much reduced over the years now with just enough space to access the three surrounding buildings in cluding the Tailors Workshop.

Branthwaite Brow was called Branthwaite Lane until 1853, with brant meaning “steep” and thwaite “clearing”. The lane was cobbled to give better access and grip for horses when pulling a large loads up the hill to the Market Place.

The Famous 1657 Chocolate Shop (54 Branthwaite Brow has the date 1657 on it's sign as a reference to the date chocolate was introduced into the country but the building is thought to be medieval.

The George and Dragon Inn has been in Branthwaite Brow since at least 1767.

Curwen, 1900

This lane was formerly very narrow, but it was almost doubled in width by order of the Board of Health in the year 1851. This improvement neccesitated the pulling down of some rickety old houses which stood on the west side. The new shops which were built fronting on to this widened street, were erected with iron-plate fronts to ecomomise on space, and bear date 1853. The lowest shop, Edmondson's, on the east side, was set back and rounded off soon after 1851.