Cumbria and Lake District Historic Landscape Characterisation
Client: Lake District National Park

As part of a wider programme to create Historic Landscape Characterisation for the Lake District National Park, Archaeo-Environment researched the present day landscape character of Derwentwater with that of the 18th century landscape, when the area was popular with followers of the picturesque movement including William Gilpin and Thomas West. The study found that perceptions of landscape had shifted over the past 200 years, but that most of the viewing stations created by West were still intact. To read one of the case studies 'The Lakes through a glass darkly' click on the items below:

Part one Part two Part three

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'And when the last beams of the sun rest on the purple summit of Skiddaw...the effect is amazingly great'