The Boathouse by the lake at Belton House. From the 18th century it was not unusual for large country houses to have boathouses by their lakes, but this one is a rare survivor. It was designed by Anthony Salvin at the request of John Cust (1779-1853), the first Earl Brownlow. By the middle of the 20th century the building had fallen into disrepair, but has since been restored by the National Trust(not an easy task because of the basket-weave plasterwork and the stone fish scale roof). The original design has left something to be desired as the main section was built as a 'fishing chamber', leaving the boatmen to wade out into the lake with their boats.

Buildings and Structures