Please note: This house does not offer free entry to Historic House members.
For alternative options please see other opening options.
Overview
Halecat House is beautifully placed at the head of an ancient wooded valley with wonderful views over Arnside and Morecambe Bay.
As part of the Witherslack Estate at the southern end of the Lake District it's a very popular area for walkers and wildlife enthusiasts with glorious natural mixed broadleaf woodlands with many Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
The 750 acres of the 2000 acre estate are wooded, firewood has been cut and processed hereabouts since the Iron Age. The woodlands have now been brought back into profitable coppice production and they feed a biomass boiler which heats the house and surrounding buildings.
The house was designed by Webster in the 1830s and the Stanley family have mostly resided there since that time. It was the home of Frederick Stanley, Governor General of Canada and 17th Earl of Derby. The beech lined driveway leads to the front of the grand house with its limestone porch facade. There is a grand wooden floored hallway with a magnificent staircase and bright glass atrium above.
The formal gardens with their splendid terraces were meticulously designed by the late Fortune Stanley, who was heavily influenced by the garden of her girlhood at Ardtornish in Argyll. The gazebo, a listed building, is especially peaceful with beautiful stained glass detail and gleaming weather vane.
Opening
2020
Gardens only: every day from Easter to the end of October, 9am to 5pm.
Please ensure you call Halecat before making your journey. Although the gardens are free to visit most of the year the grounds may be and are often closed at short notice.
Appointment
Visits to the house are sometimes possible, please contact.
Find us
Halecat House is a late Georgian country home, beautifully placed at the head of a 2000 acre ancient wooded valley with wonderful views over Arnside and Morecambe Bay.
10 minutes from the M6 and 15 minutes from the West Coast Main Line.
Admission
Historic Houses members visit the gardens for free.
Please check the website for further information, admission times and details for our special events
Visit websiteUpcoming Stays
Invitation to Stay
We look forward to welcoming you to Halecat; our very special holiday house that will make you feel at home.
Halecat has been in the Stanley family since it was built in the early 1800's; all our furnishings are original, and give the house its unique personality. We promise you won't find a holiday home anywhere else like this.
Our generously sized house sleeps eleven in four very spacious bedrooms. (Although please talk to us if you need to squeeze in some little ones!) The original bathrooms have been retained and are part of the charm of staying, and you can't beat our loo for a view!
Halecat is a house made to be lived in; we know this because we spent our childhoods here. We don't mind you bringing muddy boots or happy dogs and we believe that your children were born to play outside.
But if the weather is bad and you want to stay in, you'll find squishy sofas, a library of books, a piano for family songs, board games and of course a warm hearth with a real fire.
Bedrooms
You can see for miles from our bedrooms over Arnside and Morecambe Bay and the one thing we can promise is a good night's sleep. There are three doubles and one roomy single bedroom. Our bedrooms are large, with high ceilings and plenty of room for extra beds if you want to turn a double into a family room. Two of the bedrooms have en suite bathrooms with cast iron baths and original WC.
A third bathroom, across the landing, is an ideal family bathroom. Large towels are provided, but don't forget to bring your own rubber duck!
The plumbing is original, so can be a little quirky at times, but it is powered sustainably by a brand new biomass boiler, (with as much hot water as you can handle) and there is central heating throughout.
Dining Room
We are very proud of our dining room and have had many a happy celebration here ourselves. There's room for fifteen around the table if you want to create a formal atmosphere and dress up and dine in style. You'll also find that the room gets plenty of sunlight, so you can look like the perfect family over your cornflakes in the morning.
Sitting Room
Our sitting room is probably the main place you will relax as a guest at Halecat; when you aren't out enjoying the fresh air. It is comfortable and light in summer, with doors that open out onto the terrace and lovely views of the garden. Meanwhile on those dark winter evenings you can close the shutters, get a real fire going, put on a CD, the TV, or a DVD. Or you can keep them turned off and enjoy each others company. The old fashioned way.
The Kitchen
Our kitchen is fitted out with everything you need for self catering including electric 6 hob, double oven and microwave. And you'll never be short of a teapot at Halecat!
You just need to provide the food, the drink and the good company. We encourage you to recycle wherever possible and provide the facilities to do this. A separate utility room upstairs houses a washing machine and dryer.
Our kitchen is airy and light and there is plenty of room to prepare a meal while you catch up on what's happened since you last saw each other. Halecat still has its quirky style, with original plumbing, heated by a brand new biomass boiler.
The Entrance
The entrance is through double doors into a bright lobby with mosaic floor, leading to a magnificent open double height hall with grand staircase.
The Garden
The gardens were meticulously designed by the late Fortune Stanley, who was heavily influenced by the garden of her girlhood at Ardtornish in Argyll
They are particularly renowned for their rare varieties of roses and are open to the public during the day. The Summer House is especially peaceful. And we insist you have a game of croquet or football on the lawn when the sun is out.
Further information
Halecat has 4 bedrooms (2 kingsize rooms 1 double room and 1 large twin) We also have 3 extra z beds and a travel cot available. The larger bedrooms are suitable for extra beds to be set up. So we can sleep 11 guests all together.
The accommodation is self-contained and consists of the entire house.
As it is self catering there are no meals available
There is a small step going into the house through the main front door but the doors are double doors and can fit a wheelchair through.
There is a ground floor loo in the front porch.
We are pet friendly and accept 2 well behaved dogs as long as they are kept in a crate. Please note pets aren’t allowed upstairs and cannot be left in the house when nobody is in.
Bookings are taken for either Monday-Friday short break, Friday – Monday Weekend or Friday – Friday 7 nights and the prices vary:
Short Break Monday – Friday - £400 - £730 depending on time of year
Weekend Fri – Mon - £730 - £1450 depending on time of year
7 Nights Fri – Fri £795 - £2020 depending on time of year
Weddings
Our house is ideal for a significant birthday or family celebration. We can also offer a self catering venue for your wedding. Our listed gazebo provides a lovely backdrop, our lawn can hold a marquee and quite a few brides have used the master bedroom as a dressing room on the big day.
Whatever your celebration, we can can help you with contacts for marquee, catering and entertainment.
Opening
2020
Gardens only: every day from Easter to the end of October, 9am to 5pm.
Please ensure you call Halecat before making your journey. Although the gardens are free to visit most of the year the grounds may be and are often closed at short notice.
Appointment
Visits to the house are sometimes possible, please contact.
Find us
Halecat House is a late Georgian country home, beautifully placed at the head of a 2000 acre ancient wooded valley with wonderful views over Arnside and Morecambe Bay.
10 minutes from the M6 and 15 minutes from the West Coast Main Line.
Admission
Historic Houses members visit the gardens for free.
Other opening
Camping
Any extra guests are welcome to camp in the gardens of Halecat House or in our orchard. This is a popular option for those using the House for large parties, events or weddings.
Local camp site, Moss Howe Farm, offers a variety of camping options including bell tents, yurts and pods. This delightful little campsite offers spectacular views, heated shower rooms and an onsite farm shop. Situated approx 2 miles from the House it is ideal for extra guests.
Witherslack Hall Equestrian Centre, approx 2 miles from the House offers B&B from their 17th Century Farmhouse or Bunk Barn accommodation from their newly converted granary store.