By Anne Pickles

Last updated at 14:38, Friday, 17 August 2012

Crosby Lodge, one of north Cumbria’s best known country house hotels, has gone on the market with a price tag of £825,000.

Crosby Lodge

Run as an independent family business for 41 years – offering hospitality to prime ministers, actors, pop stars and locals who love it – the High Crosby hotel, once a fine Georgian private house, has also been home to Patricia and Michael Sedgwick for much of their married life.

The decision to sell has been a hard one for the couple. Pat, in particular, is emotional about the parting but at 75, she has chosen to join Michael,79, in retirement.

“What a terrible struggle this decision has been,” she said. “Crosby Lodge still does very good business and to be honest, were I five years younger, I’d continue running it. I have always loved what I do and I dearly love this place.

“But the hours are long and Michael isn’t in the best of health. I know the time has come to draw a line. I can’t work forever. My dearest wish is that Crosby Lodge will be bought as a going concern and run with as much love as we have given it.”

The impressive sandstone Georgian property was a private home when the Sedgwicks bought it in 1970 and Carlisle agents Smiths Gore say that, with appropriate planning permission, it could be converted back to a fine residence.

“There’d be no problem with that,” said Pat. “Crosby Lodge was built in 1807 as a private residence.

“When we renovated the house as a hotel all those years ago, we were always sensitive to keeping a sense of the Georgian family dwelling in the house.”

A large driveway leads to the main entrance of Crosby Lodge, which has expansive, romantic rural views and a walled garden, created originally by Georgina Kennedy, daughter of David Kennedy who was made Cumberland’s Deputy Lieutenant by the Earl of Lonsdale in 1810.

There are nine guest bedrooms on the first floor, another two in the converted stable block and the Sedgwicks’ living accommodation has six-bedrooms.

The house, its grounds and lush surrounds are steeped in the local history of a period of pride and grace. For Pat Sedgwick the parting will be a painful wrench. Crosby Lodge Country House Hotel is regarded as something of an institution in and around Carlisle. Pat is well-known as its hospitable mistress.

“Since I came to the inescapable decision to retire, people have stopped me in the street, incredulous that I could bear to leave,” she said. “It is, of course, extremely hard. But there comes a time when everyone knows that to do the difficult thing is to do the right thing. And that time has come for me.”

First published at 14:09, Friday, 17 August 2012
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk