PLANNING APPROVED! Well done everybody!

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£125,000 in grants awarded to the YTH redevelopment project!

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PLANNING APPROVED! Well done everybody! • £125,000 in grants awarded to the YTH redevelopment project! •

A rural street scene with a stone wall on the left, green fields, and white houses with black roofs. A stone building is on the right side of the street, and a large green hedge lines the right edge. A double rainbow arches across the cloudy sky over the landscape.

A space for community,

surrounded by the fells

At the heart of Lorton since the 1800s.

Welcome to Yew Tree Hall, nestled in the Vale of Lorton, with the fells rising all around. The hall is a place to gather, celebrate, learn, and share. From table tennis to wedding receptions, from history talks to birthday parties, it’s where the community comes together.

Yew Tree Hall Trustees are delighted to announce that they have been successful in both major grant applications that they made!

We have been awarded £95,000 from the FCC foundation and £30,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation. Our community target has also reached an incredible £311,000! To be awarded the grants is a huge achievement not to mention the tremendous generosity of the community. 

The overall project was sent out to tender and while the quotes received are in excess of our original costings prepared by a Quantity Surveyor, the core project of accessibility remains absolutely key for the Trustees. We’re now working through the quotes in a process known as 'value engineering'. Essentially a negotiation exercise. Yew Tree Hall Management Committee (the Trustees) are confident that this process will be concluded quickly and that the project can get underway early in the new year. 

We will shortly be in a position to advise patrons and hirees of the alternative arrangements that will be put in place while the work is underway. Watch this space for more news soon!

£311k raised so far

While that’s above the target we set out to reach, the cost of the project is likely to cost more than originally costed, so please keep the donations rolling in! Thank you, everyone.

Make a Donation

Hall Facilities

With space for 100, a premises and alcohol licence plus a music licence, the hall makes a great venue for parties, dances, coffee mornings and a regular home for clubs, societies and music events.

Extensive Main Hall

Seating for 100, either at tables or in rows, as well as audio equipment, including a hearing loop and a projector screen.

Secondary Reception Room

A smaller meeting room which comfortably seats 8-10 people for meetings or smaller gatherings.

Well-Equipped Kitchen

Equipped with a hot water geyser, two ovens, a hob, a microwave, a fridge, a double sink and crockery plus cutlery.

Book Yew Tree Hall

YTH News & Stories

Blog
YEW TREE HALL PLANS APPROVED!!
YEW TREE HALL PLANS APPROVED!!

We are delighted to report that both planning permission and Listed Building Consent were granted on 8th May 2026.

Read more →
Willow Weaving Workshop
Willow Weaving Workshop

A fabulous Sunday morning in Yew Tree Hall at the Willow Weaving workshop hosted by Peter Battrick of the Gardending Club.

Read more →
Our Planning Application is Now Live!
Our Planning Application is Now Live!

The final submitted plans are a combination of many months of community consultation, balanced with the potential availability of funding and the likelihood of achieving Planning consent.

Read more →
Scenic view of a lake surrounded by trees with colorful fall foliage, mountains in the distance, and a partly cloudy sky during sunrise or sunset.

Built by the Jennings family in 1828 and still closely linked to the beloved brewery in nearby Cockermouth, Yew Tree Hall carries with it the spirit of community and heritage that has long shaped village life in Lorton. Just outside the hall stands the yew tree made famous by William Wordsworth, a living landmark that has inspired generations. Today, the hall remains a place where history, nature, and community meet.

Our Lorton Story

Explore our History

What We’ve Been Up To

Four women standing behind a table with various homemade cakes and baked goods, in a room with wooden walls and a window.
Black and white photo of an old stone building with a large tree in front, a stream flowing nearby, and a stone wall in the foreground. Text at the bottom left reads "Old Yew Tree, Lorton."
Smiling elderly woman wearing glasses and a beige hat decorated with colorful flowers, sitting at a table with a checkered tablecloth amidst a group of elderly people at a social gathering.
Group of people in a room with table tennis paddles, smiling for a photo, some children and adults, indoor setting with white walls and ceiling.
Person dressed as a witch with green face paint, wearing a large pointed black hat, black hoodie, and jewelry, making a claw gesture and showing a fierce expression.
An entryway into a large room with neatly arranged tables and chairs, likely a community hall or event space, with a banner that says 'PARTY' hanging overhead.
Empty room decorated for Christmas with a Christmas tree and holiday garlands.
Group of people celebrating Christmas with a decorated Christmas tree, some dressed in Santa hats, and playing table tennis.
Festive holiday gathering in a community hall with decorations, Christmas tree, and people socializing at tables.
Older man wearing sunglasses, a black jacket, and a gray scarf, sitting indoors in front of a wooden door with white paneling. He is wearing a colorful hat decorated with a rubber duck, feathers, small chicks, and other decorative items.
A rainy day scene in a small village with a rainbow arching over the houses and rolling hills in the background. Wet road, stone wall, and lush green hedges are visible.
A decorated indoor space for a Christmas celebration featuring a Christmas tree with lights, tables with red and white checkered tablecloths, and holiday decorations on the wall including green garlands.
A peaceful river flows through a natural landscape with leafless trees on the banks, under a clear blue sky, with sunlight illuminating the scene.
Poster for Yew Tree Hall Grand Auction on November 22 at 6:30 pm, featuring images of a bag of logs, a whiskey glass with 'Jennings', a framed landscape painting, a plate of green tomatoes, a vintage car, two bottles of wine, a log cabin, a wine cell
Group of people bundled in jackets and gloves inside a tunnel, smiling, giving thumbs up, construction tools like a shovel leaning against a wall, some people wearing hats.
A black-and-white photo showing a rural scene with a woman washing clothes by a water stream on the left, three girls walking along the stream on the right, and two buildings with trees in the background.
Three people in formal attire at a social event, two men and one woman, with the man in front speaking and wearing a headset, and the other man and woman holding drinks and listening.
An elderly woman with glasses and earrings talking to a bald man with a checkered shirt at a gathering with bunting banners.
A man in formal attire, wearing glasses and a bow tie, is smiling and holding a wooden gavel or stick in his right hand. There is a woman in the background holding a clipboard, also smiling. They appear to be at an event or presentation.
People enjoying a meal at a lively table during a gathering or celebration, with drinks, food, and a cheerful atmosphere.
A group of women are gathered close together, engaged in conversation, with two people dancing in the background at what appears to be a social gathering or party.
A man with a beard and mustache in a dark sweater holding a glass bottle, pouring or about to pour a drink, with another person partially visible in the background.
People gathered at a social event, sitting at tables and socializing, some standing and holding drinks.
Three people standing together indoors, smiling for the camera. The person on the left is a young man in a suit jacket, the middle person is an elderly man with glasses, and the person on the right is a woman wearing a white lace blouse.
Art gallery display with framed landscape paintings on a wall shelf, a easel with a painting, and a table with various items including bottles, glasses, and artwork, covered with colorful cloths.
Two people, man and woman, standing indoors at an event decorated with banners, with other attendees in the background. The woman is holding papers.
A man and a woman standing side by side at an event. The man is wearing glasses, a tuxedo with a bow tie, and a headset microphone. The woman is wearing glasses and a sleeveless dress, holding a clipboard. Bunting decorations are hanging in the backg
Three women wearing Easter-themed hats at a decorated table with wine bottles, flower baskets, and Easter-themed decorations against a wall with a banner saying 'Happy Easter' and bunny decorations.
A woman wearing a hat decorated with flowers and bunny ears, and an apron, standing behind a table with a red checkered tablecloth filled with various desserts including cakes and cupcakes. Decorations for Easter are visible, including a banner that
Easter-themed decorative display with felt bunnies, carrots, chick, sunflower, and sheep figures on a grassy platform, alongside a Easter cake decorated with bunny and carrot toppers, on a kitchen countertop.

Meet the 2026 Scarecrows of Lorton

A large, smiling puppet figure with googly eyes, a big nose, wearing a light green vest, white shirt, red tie, and brown pants, is seated on a white outdoor chair. Beside it, a large paper-mâché dog puppet with floppy ears, googly eyes, a big black n
A wacky, homemade clown doll with a bottle body, striped limbs, a red nose, and a top hat, sitting on a stone wall with green bushes in the background.
A scarecrow-like figure with a smiley face, wearing a red checkered shirt, beige pants, and a red hat, seated on a chair in a garden with colorful flowers and a stone wall in the background.
Decorative scarecrows resembling an older couple sitting on a blue plastic chair outside on grass, with gardening tools, in front of bushes and a stone wall.
A large group of people sitting at tables with checkered tablecloths in a well-lit room, engaging in conversations and enjoying a meal.
A rural scene with a blue sky, white clouds, green trees, and a hill in the background. There are sheep lying on the grass and one person working near a wooden fence.
A scarecrow dressed in historical clothing, with outstretched arms, standing behind a wooden fence in a grassy field with trees in the background. In front of the scarecrow, there are hay bales, a sheep costume, and some small decorative items includ
A tandem bicycle with two riders wearing wetsuits, helmets, and goggles, parked near a stone curb and a black metal fence with potted plants.
A scarecrow with a white face and drawn smile, dressed in a pink dress with puffy pink sleeves, pink socks, and pink shoes, leaning against a stone wall in a rural outdoor setting.
A person with a mask and hat standing next to a yellow bicycle with a rear basket, on a gravel driveway in front of a white house. Items on the ground include a blue container, a small metal box, and a rectangular object. The house has a wooden door,
A person wearing a Halloween mask, yellow gloves, black pants, a gray jacket, and neon yellow shoelaces, standing in a small white porch with a triangular roof, surrounded by green plants and flowers. The porch has a wooden sign with the number 12 le
A green grass lawn with a stone wall in the background. On the grass, there are various stuffed and fabric items, including a pillow with a pink print, a stuffed animal, and several colorful fabric pieces, some of which are tied or scrunched.
A rural landscape with green rolling hills, trees, and a cloudy sky, viewed behind a stone fence. In the foreground, there is a red and white tractor with a person sitting on it, wearing a hat. To the left, there is a black stuffed animal and a small
An outdoor scene featuring a scarecrow with a painted face, a white beard, a hat, gloves, and waterproof boots. The scarecrow is seated in a green plastic chair amid grass, plants, and flowers. There are trees, a stone wall, and old tombstones in the
A scarecrow decorated with a clown mask, plaid shirt, and blue jeans, standing among sunflowers. Nearby are two smaller scarecrows and a large pot of colorful flowers, with a white house and cloudy sky in the background.
Residential backyard with a wooden fence, green plants, and a small tree. A scarecrow dressed in a beige suit and a wide-brimmed hat is placed near the fence. Two yellow safety vests are hanging on the fence. The background features white and beige h
A mannequin dressed in red climbing gear, including a helmet and harness, is climbing a lamppost on a sidewalk in a park. The lamppost is surrounded by green foliage, and several pedestrians are walking nearby.
Two scarecrows dressed as burglars standing on opposite sides of a driveway, with a house in the background and cars parked outside. One scarecrow is wearing a striped shirt and a hat, and the other is in a police uniform. The scene appears to be a d
A garden display featuring a scarecrow fishing from a boat, with a blue cloth decorated with drawings of fish, shells, and rocks. A sign reads 'Sailor Sam.' There are potted plants and flowers, shells, and seashell-themed decorations around the displ
Two scarecrows in a yard, holding hands. One is dressed in pink polka-dot dress with a straw hat, and the other in plaid shirt and blue overalls with a black hat. The scarecrows have straw hair and expressive faces, with a tire, barrels, and a stone
Decorative outdoor scene featuring a straw figure with cartoonish eyes, horns, and exaggerated facial features, surrounded by colorful banners, painted rocks with labels, and gardening tools, set against a background of a stone wall and trees.
Outdoor scene with trees, bunting flags, scarecrow figures, and decorative items on the ground, possibly in a garden or park area.
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Where To Find Us

 

Location
Yew Tree Hall
High Lorton,
Cockermouth CA13 9UJ,
United Kingdom

Email
ythlorton@gmail.com

Phone
01900 876 454 or 07956 500 927