Villages by the Sea

A visit to Arnside in Cumbria

Archaeologist Ben Robinson pays a visit to the beautifully preserved village of Arnside, sitting just outside the Lake District on the banks of the River Kent. Once serving the port of Milnthorpe, the village expanded with the arrival of ship carpenter John Crossfield, leading to its expansion in the early 1800s as part of the boat-building industry. Ben talks to Victorian industry expert Dr Stephen Caunce and meets a descendant of the Crossfields family, talking about the village's tourist success and architectural history