Last updated 05:37, Friday, 29 August 2008

LADY Anne Clifford’s impact on the history of the Eden Valley is explored in a new guide due to be published next month.

A piece of our heritage: Ann Sandell with a copy of the new booklet

The Lady Anne Clifford Westmorland Heritage Trail will guide visitors from her former home at Appleby Castle to Kirkby Stephen.

Town Forum publicity officer Ann Sandell said: “The trail will be launched in time for Heritage Open Weekend.

“It will give the visitor an overview of the important places in Westmorland where Lady Anne spent the remaining years of her life after the end of the Civil War.”

The landscape as well as the history of the area have been shaped by Lady Anne, the only surviving child of George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, who lived from 1590 to 1676.

She did much to help repair the damage caused by long years of Border wars and raids, and the disturbances of the English Civil War. She built or restored many of the buildings along the trail – castles, churches, almshouses – places for the protection and the good of the local community.

The trail also indicates the site of mills, fairs, markets and trade routes she would have known and supported – many of which are still in existence today.

For those inspired to research further into Lady Anne’s story, the booklet suggests reading her diaries, available locally, and other biographies found in Cumbria libraries.

The trail has been produced jointly by Appleby Chamber of Trade and Community Association, Kirkby Stephen Town Forum, English Heritage, Eden District Council, Neighbourhood Forum, Julian Thurgood, Simon Ledingham and www.visitcumbria.com

Its launch coincides with this year’s Heritage Weekend from September 11-14.