Broad Leys is a house located in Ghyll Head, near Bowness-on-Windermere, South Lakeland, Cumbria, England. It is in the northern part of the parish of Cartmel Fell.[1]

Broad Leys house, today headquarters of the Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club
View of the terrace (2013)

It was constructed in 1898 by Charles Voysey for Arthur Currer Briggs of Yorkshire, the first mine owner to employ a profit-sharing plan for his workers and later Mayor of Leeds.[2] It was later purchased by the owners of Kendal Milne, a department store in Manchester. It is now owned by Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club.[3] It was constructed in an Arts and Crafts style.

In 1951, it was acquired by the Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club and became the home of powerboat racing on Windermere, until the introduction of a 10 miles per hour (16 km/h) speed limit in 2005. Following discussions with the LDNPA exemption has been granted for racing on Windermere since 2013 and this allows the club to race from Broad Leys on specific days of the year.

The building is Grade I listed.[1]

It was used as the location for the conclusion of the film The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) and for the Agatha Christie's Poirot television episode "Dumb Witness" (1996).[4] Despite it being a private club, members of the public can sometimes stay in the house.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Historic England. "Broadleys (1224995)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  2. ^ "Arthur Currer Briggs (1855-1906)". friendsoflawnswoodcemetery.org.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  3. ^ "House & History : Broad Leys : CFA Voysey Country House". Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  4. ^ "On Location with Poirot - Dumb Witness (3)". Tvlocations.net. Retrieved 8 December 2013.


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54°19′54″N 2°56′05″W / 54.331785°N 2.934640°W / 54.331785; -2.934640