# Skinburness Hotel, Cumbria - Sept 10



## JEP27 (Sep 24, 2010)

Firstly thanks to Fuzzypiggy for pointing this out.

Some history:
The building was designed in 1878 by architect Charles John Ferguson, 
and was built (costing £22,000), in the 1880s, for Edwin Hodge Banks, whose family owned a small cotton mill and also Highmoor House in Wigton. He enjoyed the lifestyle of a wealthy country gentlemen, keeping his 30-foot steam yacht, The Neptune, moored nearby. In 1889 he was declared bankrupt and vanished from the area. 

In 1898 all Bankses goods were transferred to George F Brown, who took over ownership of the house. The hotel has since passed through many hands. It was run by the government, as part of the Carlisle State Management Scheme between 1916 and 1971. After this period, it never really regained its original glory.













The hotel seemed to be going to be part of a channel 4 series, but I can't find any info on it apart from what it says here:-

http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk/all_change_at_skinburness_hotel_1_367009?referrerPath=/2.1887

In 2006 the hotel was closed and plans were submitted for the total demolition of the building together with the construction of a large new holiday complex. English Heritage refused to recommend that the building be listed, citing amongst other reasons that the presence of a stair tower made the hotel differ from the vernacular style. Allerdale Council refused the planning permission. 

In 2007 the hotel was stripped and the fixtures and fittings sold at auction, including the staircase comprising cast iron decorative spindles and oak rail pillars which raised £1,600. A photo of the stairs and decription of some of the auctioned articles can be found here:- http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/even...otel-auction-1.66491?referrerPath=home/2.3307

In 2008 the couple who last owned the hotel were declared bankrupt:- http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/1.63069

The hotel has had a large quantity of its contents auctioned or taken. Water is beginning to come through in a few of the upstairs rooms. It was a nice relaxed explore. I had great hopes after seeing the outside of the hotel, but I felt it was distinctly characterless inside and I was rather disappointed. 

Anyway, on to some pics:-

Entrance:-





Main Stairs:-









Pool Area:-













The ballroom (This is in the new part of the building and I was thotoughly disappointed with this - I think I must have built it up in my mind after reading the reports in the papers)









One of the bars:-









Another Bar Area:-









Some Rooms:-

























And Finally a Word of Warning:-





More photos can be found here:- http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157625025134426/

Aerials and more info about the area can be found here:-

http://www.visitcumbria.com/wc/skinburness.htm

Thanks for looking


----------



## Fuzzypiggy (Sep 25, 2010)

Oh you superstar! Thank you very, very much indeed! Ever since I had to leave the place I kept wondering what was inside. Shame it was not quite as interesting as I had hoped but still it's really nice to see it and a terrible shame if it simply falls to pieces an gets flattened.

Fanatstic shoot I especially loved the last picture, at least someone cares about us!

Many, many thanks for sharing!


----------



## JEP27 (Sep 25, 2010)

Forgot to mention that there was quite an extensive cellar system that seems to run under most of the hotel and has a number of different rooms including a so-called "dressing room" and various wine storage rooms. Also it was sold for £450k in 2008 to System Cycle Ltd, a holding company for Team Valley-based development company, NorthStar Capital Projects, who I assume are still the owners of the property. http://www.sillothlocal.co.uk/450-000-for-hotel-1.177704?referrerPath=home

Also forgot to put externals up, so here is a couple:


----------



## shatters (Sep 25, 2010)

Nice pics Jane, did you go into the last room ?

Phil


----------



## JEP27 (Sep 25, 2010)

shatters said:


> Nice pics Jane, did you go into the last room ?
> 
> Phil



Yes but not for long, it was the door for the kitchen of the owners part of the building. Believe it or not I didn't see that great big sign on the door until it was pointed out to me, then I decided to get out of the room rather quickly. I didn't fancy checking whether the warning was true or not.


----------



## its my destiny (Sep 25, 2010)

great reading and loved the pics


----------



## Foxylady (Sep 25, 2010)

Very nice work, JEP. Interesting links and info, even, as you said, it was pretty boring inside. Mind, I suspect it was probably a lot more interesting before all the lovely fixtures & fittings were auctioned off. 
Cheers.


----------



## JEP27 (Sep 26, 2010)

This is the link to the program about the couple starting a new life running the Skinburness Hotel if anyone is inferested:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/life-begins-again/4od#3068555

I haven't watched it yet, I've just checked it is the right people and the right hotel, so I can't comment on the quality of the programme, but I am looking forward to seeing what the hotel looked like before it was taken over and then left.


----------

