Riverside living that won't break the bank, in the shape of a charming Cumbrian cottage for just £210,000
Your eyes do not deceive you — this really is a charming (fully-functioning) property on the banks of the River Derwent at a price we thought only possible in our dreams.


About a 10-minute walk from the town centre of Cockermouth, the Old Pumphouse stands on a peaceful stretch where the River Derwent bends at Papcastle.
Five properties enjoy this idyllic location and no 4 is beautifully appointed with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Both the dual-aspect sitting room and private lawned garden overlook the water which meanders in front of the property.
Situated within the historic Old Pump house building, the agents handling the sale of the property describe it as 'a characterful and immaculately presented.'
It is well-equipped with 'high quality' finishes and conveniently located from the town centre.
4 Old Pump House is currently on the market via PFK for £210,000 — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Cockermouth: What you need to know
Location: In the borough of Allerdale in Cumbria, just on the edge of the Lake District National Park. Carlisle is approximately 25 miles to the north. Keswick is approximately 14 miles to the east and there is a train station in Penrith (approximately 30 miles) which runs West Coast Main Line services.
Atmosphere: The small yet bustling Georgian market town is home to a good selection of shops including a butchers, fishmongers, bakers, greengrocers, plus numerous pubs, restaurants and independent antique and gift shops. It receives visitors year round thanks to its idyllic setting and proximity to the Lakes.
Things to do: The town is ideally situated near the Lake District and is therefore perfect for keen walkers. The town itself is home to a good number of shops and restaurants which are spread over its three main streets — Market Place, Station Street and Main Street.
Schools: Bridekirk Dovenby C of E Primary School is rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted, as is Eaglesfield Paddle C of E Primary Academy. For secondary there is Cockermouth School which received a 'good' rating.
See more property for sale in the area.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Annunciata grew up in the wilds of Lancashire and now lives in Hampshire with a husband, two daughters and an awful pug called Parsley. She’s been floating round the Country Life office for more than a decade, her work winning the Property Magazine of the Year Award in 2022 (Property Press Awards). Before that, she had a two-year stint writing ‘all kinds of fiction’ for The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, worked in internal comms for Country Life’s publisher (which has had many names in recent years but was then called IPC Media), and spent another year researching for a historical biographer, whose then primary focus was Graham Greene and John Henry Newman and whose filing system was a collection of wardrobes and chests of drawers filled with torn scraps of paper. During this time, she regularly gave tours of 17th-century Milton Manor, Oxfordshire, which may or may not have been designed by Inigo Jones, and co-founded a literary, art and music festival, at which Johnny Flynn headlined. When not writing and editing for Country Life, Annunciata is also a director of TIN MAN ART, a contemporary art gallery founded in 2021 by her husband, James Elwes.
-
Designer's Room: A solid oak French kitchen that's been cleverly engineered to last
Kitchen and joinery specialist Artichoke had several clever tricks to deal with the fact that natural wood expands and contracts.
By Amelia Thorpe Published
-
Chocolate eggs, bunnies and the Resurrection: Country Life Quiz of the Day, April 18, 2025
Friday's quiz is an Easter special.
By James Fisher Published
-
Hidden excellence in a £7.5 million north London home
Behind the traditional façades of Provost Road, you will find something very special.
By James Fisher Published
-
Sip tea and laugh at your neighbours in this seaside Norfolk home with a watchtower
On Cliff Hill in Gorleston, one home is taller than all the others. It could be yours.
By James Fisher Published
-
A Grecian masterpiece that might be one of the nation's finest homes comes up for sale in Kent
Grade I-listed Holwood House sits in 40 acres of private parkland just 15 miles from central London. It is spectacular.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Some of the finest landscapes in the North of England with a 12-bedroom home attached
Upper House in Derbyshire shows why the Kinder landscape was worth fighting for.
By James Fisher Published
-
Could Gruber's Antiques from Paddington 2 be your new Notting Hill home?
It was the home of Mr Gruber and his antiques in the film, but in the real world, Alice's Antiques could be yours.
By James Fisher Published
-
What should 1.5 million new homes look like?
The King's recent visit to Nansledan with the Prime Minister gives us a clue as to Labour's plans, but what are the benefits of traditional architecture? And can they solve a housing crisis?
By Lucy Denton Published
-
Welcome to the modern party barn, where disco balls are 'non-negotiable'
A party barn is the ultimate good-time utopia, devoid of the toil of a home gym or the practicalities of a home office. Modern efforts are a world away from the draughty, hay-bales-and-a-hi-fi set-up of yesteryear.
By Madeleine Silver Published
-
Five beautiful homes, from a barn conversion to an island treasure, as seen in Country Life
Our pick of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in recent days include a wonderful thatched home in Devon and a charming red-brick house with gardens that run down to the water's edge.
By Toby Keel Published