Category:Road

"It (Kendal) consists of two main streets, in continuity, travelling from north to south, from which all other streets, lanes, alleys, crofts &c. branch off at right angles. The streets generally carry their explanation in their names." - Cornelius Nicholson, Annals of Kendal (1861)

Little changed in the layout of streets of Kendal between Speed's map of Kendal of 1610/12 and the construction of New Street (later Lowther Street) in 1782. However at the time of Speeed's map the road to the north was not Stricklandgate as appears to be the case now, it was down Finkle Street across Stramongate Bridge then through Wildman Street and via Longpool to Shap or via Grayrigg towards Stainmore and Penrith. The road which now goes to Windermere (which did not exist then) would have mainly been a difficult to pass drove road and Sandes Avenue was put through much later.

Some of the yards were enlarged, others curtailed and most encroached as property changed hands frequently but public improvements were slow. The town suffered frequently from incursions by the Scots and from bouts of plague such as that in 1598.

The next major change following the putting through of New Street was the removal of the New Biggin, considerably widening the main street.

However, it was not until the opening of the Lancaster and Kendal Canal that the public spirit of improvement gathered momentum and led to the development of the modern town and a new era. It opened up new channels of commerce as coal, necessary for developing industries, was now available at a considerably cheaper rate and local products could more quickly reach a much wider market. These two factors had been holding Kendal back for a long time. This generated an increase in wealth, an increase in working population and thereby an increase in commercial prosperity and public works.

Around this time the old Miller's Close Bridge, which had stood since 1743 and was very narrow and poorly adapted to traffic from the canal, was demolished and rebuilt on a much larger scale. The large warehouses and other buildings at the canal harbour ware also erected round this time.

Kent Lane (Kent Street), which had previously been very steep and so narrow two carts could hardly pass, was improved by widening it and reducing the slope. Long Pool was also widened and Gandy Street built and shortly afterwards Kent Terrace and Castle Crescent.

The Union Building Society started about this time resulting in the Blue Buildings and a general building boom. The new and imposing National School was built and along with other new institutions, in a very short time, the town had changed so much that a visitor who had been away for only a few years would have hardly recognised the town.

In 1822 the main entrances were widened - obstructions at Blindbeck Bridge and afterwards at Nether Bridge were removed and the streets in general were put into a good state of repair.

Kent Terrace, built in 1824 by the Websters on what was formerly called Thorney Hills (and is now again) from the abundance of thorn trees once growing there, had a good view over the town and Kendal Fell beyond. Castle Crescent was built shortly afterwards extending it north, less pretentious, uniform and neat.

Cliffside Terrace (Cliff Terrace) was built on the slopes of Kendal Fell between 1851-1853 again with excellent views this time to the north and east.

The yards continued to fill up and became part of the street network as properties were built in them - larger three story houses at the street frontage and (generally) two story cottages behind along the sides of the yard. They were built in limestone , smarter buildings faced with smooth hewn (ashlar) and others in random and coursed rubble roughcasted with lime and sand and limewashed every two or three years to keep them tidy and waterproof.

Later additions were [[ Aynam Road, Lound Road,Sandes Avenue and Blackhall Road