Allithwaite is a village in Cumbria, England, located roughly 1.2 miles (1.9 km) west of Grange-over-Sands. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, Allithwaite, and the village of Cartmel situated to the north, are part of the civil parish of Lower Allithwaite. At the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 1,758, increasing to 1,831 at the 2011 Census.[1]
The Anglican parish church is St. Mary's Church, built in 1864–65 and designed by the Lancaster architect Edward Graham Paley. There is a small primary school, Allithwaite Primary C of E School located next to the church. Both church and school were built by a legacy left to the village by Mary Lambert of Boarbank Hall.[4] The village also has a pub, a post office, a children's playground and a reasonably sized playing field with a tennis court, a pump track and a bowling green.[citation needed]
Wraysholme Tower
Wraysholme Tower
A mile to the south, Wraysholme Tower is a 15th-century pele tower, now in agricultural use, which abuts a farmhouse dating from the 19th century.[5] The tower was built by the Harrington family of Aldingham. A Michael Harrington acquired a grant of free warren in Aldingham in 1315. The tower, 40 feet (12 m) by 28 feet (8.5 m) and with walls 4 feet (1.2 m) thick at their base, is constructed from limestonerubble. There was originally an entrance at the north-west corner.[6] The roof is of slate.[7][8]
Boarbank Hall
Boarbank Hall
Boarbank Hall, to the west of the village, is a convent, nursing home and guest house, with a community of twelve Augustinian sisters and two Benedictine sisters.[9] There has been a house on the site since at least 1592, but the present house, in an Italian style, was built in 1870 after a fire had destroyed the previous frontage. The Augustinian Cannonesses acquired the house in 1921.[10][11][12] The Oratory, built in 1986, was the subject of an episode of BBC television's Building Sights, featuring architect Richard MacCormac, in 1991.[13]
