William Anelay Refurbishes Grade II Listed Stricklandgate House

Stricklandgate House, in the heart of Kendal is a grade II listed building, built in 1776 by local merchant Joseph Maude. It is now home to 18 separate charities and community groups and has recently undergone a £360,000 building refurbishment, funded predominantly by the Heritage Lottery Fund and carried out by restoration and conservation specialist firm William Anelay Ltd in close consultation with John Coward Architects Ltd.

The works, which involved the comprehensive repair of the front and rear elevations along with the roofs, commenced in June 2009 and were completed last winter.

At the time of its construction it was considered the largest and best house in Kendal and is testament to the influence of Maude, who moved to the town from Sunderland in 1773 and set up as a merchant, bill broker and moneylender. In 1815 it became home to the Kendal Bank of Savings. Almost forty years later the house became a museum with the Kendal Literary and Science Society taking ownership. In 1870 the former servant’s quarters at the rear of the house became home to the Kendal Volunteer Fire Brigade and it remains today. A link to the main house was constructed in the 60s and thoroughly renovated by Anelays as part of the recent works.

It was comprehensively refurbished in 1895 after being purchased by Gilbert Gilkes but remained as home to the museum until 1913 when it became home to a prominent local medical practitioner, Dr Samuel Noble. Noble passed away in 1926 but his wife remained until her death in 1945. She bequeathed a piece of land, known as Maude’s Meadow, behind the house to the town in memory of her husband and it remains as Noble’s Rest to this day.