Pictures of Dent

About Dent

Chance upon the village of Dent and you chance upon some of the finest countryside in the Cumbrian Dales. Dent lies above the River Dee and is overlooked by towering hills and fells.

Here you will find no pavements to amble along, cobbled streets are a dominant feature of Dent, so too are the old stone cottages grafted together beneath thick slabbed roofs as if in a show of strength against the gales that in winter frequently lash these upland regions The local inn is a pretty black and white timbered building and although many of the cottages and houses are of natural stone, some have been enhanced with colour-wash and have brightly painted window frames and doorways. The centre of the village is adorned by a fountain commemorating Adam Sedgwick. He was a famous son of Dent B.1785-D.1873) he was professor of geology at Cambridge University and went on to become one of the greatest geologists of his time. He was the son of the local Parson and never forgot his roots. There is a memorial to him in the parish church.

A path behind the fountain leads to St.Andrew's Church. Historically, the church was built in 1417 but is said to stand on 11th-century foundations. The church is cool and beautiful and contains several memorials to the Sedgwick family. In the churchyards stands the Old Grammer School where Adam Sedgwick was first taught by his father along with other pupils from the village.

Dent was noted for it's cottage industry of 'knitting' during the 18th-century and, often the income gleaned from this was the only
money to support some families. Dent is an atmospheric place, you tramp the cobbles and it is a though pictures of 18th-century
knitters, huddled in doorways, flash before your eyes. Step beyond the streets, and the views in every direction are simply magical, it is surrounded by Calf Top, Craghill and a little more distant is Whernside which rises to over 2,000ft and is the highest point in the Dales National Park.

The towns of Kirkby Lonsdale and Kendal are equi-distance from Dent, both mirror the enchantment of the Dales and offer much to the visitor. At Sedbergh you will find the Dales Visitors Centre.