In the rolling hills surrounding the picturesque and charming Cumbrian town of Brampton stands a historic country hotel and spa called Gilsland Hall. The hotel is about to undergo an extensive refurbishment, which if I’m honest is needed. But it has deep historical roots and such a fabulous outlook. Without a doubt it has the potential to again become the premium hotel in the area. For one thing it is truly a ‘spa’ hotel. It has a spa spring within its 140-acre grounds, alongside a historic spa pool.
Gilsland Hall Hotel in Cumbria has been acquired by new owners. Following extensive refurbishment it will become the first property in a new country house hotel brand operated by Monday Hospitality Group. The 93-bedroom, formerly three-star hotel is set to open as a five-star hotel in spring 2022.
Arrival
We visited in late summer with our two teenagers and two dogs. We were accommodated in a large family room with en-suite bathroom. The room was comfortable, but as already mentioned in need of some TLC and modernisation. The beds were comfortable. Water hot. We had hot drink facilities in the room. But most special of all was a view right across the valley. The view is superb and the countryside is fabulous.
Exploring the grounds
Before dinner we did a bit of exploring. The dogs needed a good walk. At the side of the hotel are a number of woodland walks through the gorge and to the countryside beyond. It reminded me a lot of Devil’s Bridge in Aberystwyth, except in the case of the Gilsland-Irthing gorge there are a lot less people around! The gorge is a vigorous walk with steep sides but with good paths and places to rest.
At the bottom of the gorge there is a river and the first of two bridges to traverse it. Nearby there are two spa springs, which produce rather sulphurous and iron-rich water.
Staying on the same side of the river as the hotel you will come across the old swimming pool. This is not in a good state of repair. But what a setting to swim in … I hope it gets refurbished.
Further along is the infamous ‘Popping Stone’. This is connected to ancient fertility rites, and is where Walter Scott, a rather famous author in his day, is said to have asked his future wife to marry him. There are other walks in the gorge and one can walk all the way to Irthing itself. Or as my son liked to call it I-R Thing. From the hotel you can walk to Hadrian’s Wall in little over 30 minutes.
Dinner at the Orangery
The restaurant is in a lovely part of the hotel called the Orangery. It overlooks one of the lawns and the treatment rooms. This is attached to a rather inviting Conservatory.
The Conservatory leads out to a lovely outdoor seating area with one of my favourite things … a gin wagon! Alas it was too cold to sit out on the night we visited.
The menu provided a great choice. The staff were brilliant and nothing was too much trouble. Lovely surroundings and great food. My son even got his favourite dessert, ‘the cheese board’! For the rest of us, it was sticky toffee pudding, Eton mess and ice cream.
After dinner, we chatted to some other guests about the potential of the hotel in the new market of spas, weddings and conferences.
Potential
This is a fabulous old hotel that was first built in the 18th Century and although tired now will be something really special again. The period features are there – they just need to be revived by some tender loving care. High decorated ceilings, period panel doors, original fireplaces, a grand staircase … there’s a lot to work with!
There are some fabulous spaces that will really add to the desirability such as the ballroom, the mews, the lodge and also the beautiful little church that you pass as you head towards the hotel. This could be tailor made as a wedding venue. The Mary Magdalene episcopal church, a 93-room hotel with massive reception spaces such as the ballroom and Orangery, a separate lodge for the happy couple and romantic walks in the gorge which has connections to author Walter Scott (of Popping Stone fame) and Cumbrian poet Susanna Blamire. Set in such a fabulous area with views right over the valleys beyond Brampton I think this will become one of the Jewels in the English hotel industry. History, comfort, and a view that will be hard to beat.
A little history
The hotel has been a popular resort since the 18th Century. The original hotel was called The Shaws, from an Old English word meaning a small woodland. This was built in the 1760s, although the site and its surrounding farmland were known by this name since at least 1603. The original Shaws Hotel burned down in 1859, and was replaced on a grander scale with the current hotel.
The hotel was a popular resort during the Victorian era as it had a nearby railway station. Rose Hill railway station, opened in 1836 and was later renamed Gilsland. During its time the hotel has been a First World War military convalescent home and a Second World War maternity hospital. The future is looking really bright for the hotel’s next reincarnation that will bring it back to its former greatness. We’d love to revisit after the renovations!
