Queens Hotel Ambleside - The Lake District - 01539432206

26 bedroom hotel, Freehouse, and hub in the centre of Ambleside, in The Lake District, Cumbria

Established as The Black Cock Inn, We are one of the oldest Coach Houses in the Lake District.

Traditional Real Ale bar with 7 Cask Ales selected from Award-winning local microbreweries; Restaurant open from 12noon-9.30pm; Cellar Bar with Sky Sports HD multiscreen venue & projector screen; Beer Garden; Cask Marque accredited, CAMRA Affiliated, Great Food diligently prepared by our talented Chefs. 5 Stars Food Hygiene.

The Queens’ Hotel is one of the oldest Lakeland Inns. Originally called ‘The Black Cock’ or ‘The Cock’, the inn was an important halfway house for coaches and merchants travelling between thriving industrial centres.

In the late 1700’s the hotel was purchased by Dr. Richard Watson, Regius professor and prebendary of Trinity College Cambridge, and later Bishop of Llandaff in Wales. Consequently the name of the hotel was changed, without great surprise, to ‘The Bishop’. Dr. Watson spent very little time in his diocese in Wales - in fact, most of his time was spent in the Lake District.

One of the oldest Lakeland Inns, The Queens’ has had its fair share of esteemed patrons. It is hard to not imagine the footsteps of the lakes poets, of Coleridge, Wordsworth or Southey, having shared the space quaffing ales on a jolt through Ambleside before returning home up the road.

Since Dr. Watson’s Death in 1816 the hotel became known as ‘The Commercial Hotel’ and then ‘The Queens’ Hotel’ in the early 1900’s. For a short time during the wars she was used as a hostelry, before returning back to ‘The Queens’’.

Sitting atop a brow overlooking Ambleside on all sides, The Queens’ is the most prominent feature of Market Place, Ambleside’s centre.