Belle Isle

Belle Isle lies in Windermere, England’s largest natural lake, and is the biggest of the lake’s eighteen islands. It has been home to people for centuries, starting with a possible Roman villa linked to the fort at Ambleside. By the 13th century it served as the seat of the local Lord of the Manor. During the English Civil War it became a Royalist stronghold. The island was long known as Longholm or Long Holme before its present name was adopted. The island’s most striking feature is Island House, built in 1774 to designs by John Plaw. This circular brick house rises three storeys high and has a four-column portico modelled on Rome’s Pantheon. The Curwen family bought the island and renamed it after their daughter Isabella. In 1781 she inherited it for £1,720 and the name Belle Isle became permanent. Her descendants lived there until 1993. Today the house stands restored after a serious fire in 1996. Visitors find a circular mansion with classical proportions and sweeping lake views. The surrounding island is quiet, with gentle paths and mature trees. From the water the house’s portico and domed outline are clearly visible.