Kendal sits in the Kent valley at the gateway to the Lake District, catching rain-bearing weather systems as they sweep in from the west. Annual rainfall is around 1,300mm — significantly above the national average — and the town's position between higher ground on both sides creates wind tunnels that stress roof coverings, particularly on the older buildings in the town centre. Slate handles these conditions brilliantly when it's properly maintained, but neglected slate roofs deteriorate in ways that are expensive to reverse.
The older properties in Kendal — particularly those in the town centre conservation area, the yards, and the streets around the castle — are roofed predominantly with Westmorland green slate. This locally quarried stone has a distinctive rough texture and green-grey colour that's immediately recognisable. It's incredibly durable when properly laid, with some Kendal roofs carrying the same slates for 200 years or more. The challenge is that Westmorland slate was traditionally laid using techniques specific to the region — diminishing courses, random widths, and wooden pegs rather than nails on the oldest buildings — and generic roofers who don't understand these methods can cause more harm than good.
Kendal expanded rapidly during the Victorian and Edwardian periods, and the terraced housing built during this era — through Kirkland, Fellside, Castle Street, and along the Burneside Road — uses a mix of Welsh slate and Lakeland slate. These roofs are now 100 to 150 years old, and while the slate itself is often still serviceable, the fixings (nails or pegs), battens, and lead flashings are reaching the end of their working life. Slates slip when nails corrode, battens rot where ventilation is poor, and flashings fatigue after decades of thermal cycling. A skilled slate roofer can extend the life of these roofs by decades with targeted repairs using the right materials and methods.
New housing developments around Kendal — particularly within the Lake District National Park boundary — frequently require natural slate roofing to satisfy planning conditions. We work with architects and developers on new builds where the slate specification needs to meet both aesthetic requirements and modern building standards. Whether it's a self-build requiring Burlington blue-grey or a small development using Kirkstone green, we source, supply, and install to the quality these projects demand.
The right slate choice for a Kendal property depends entirely on what's already there and what the planning context requires. For repairs on older buildings in the town centre conservation area and within the national park boundary, we source reclaimed Westmorland green slate to match the existing roof as closely as possible. These locally quarried slates have a distinctive colour, texture, and surface character that's immediately recognisable — and using anything else on a visible repair would look wrong and potentially breach conservation requirements.
For full re-slates and new work, Burlington blue-grey and Kirkstone green are our most frequently specified slates for Kendal projects. Both are quarried in Cumbria, carry lifespans measured in centuries rather than decades, and satisfy the Lake District National Park Authority's requirements for natural stone roofing. Burlington slate has a smoother, more uniform appearance than Westmorland green — it's the premium choice for new builds and prestige renovations. Kirkstone green is slightly rougher in texture and carries a warmer colour tone that blends beautifully with older Lakeland stone buildings.
For properties outside the national park and conservation area — the newer estates around Oxenholme, parts of Burneside, and developments along the A6 corridor — Welsh slate offers an excellent natural alternative at a lower price point than Cumbrian stone. Penrhyn and Cwt-y-Bugail Welsh slates are dense, uniform, and available in consistent sizes that speed up installation. We also work with high-quality composite slates where natural stone isn't required and budget is the primary consideration.
All slate fixings are copper or stainless steel — never galvanised, which corrodes in Cumbria's wet climate within 15 to 20 years and is the primary cause of slate slip on older Kendal roofs. Battens are treated softwood to BS 5534, and we install breathable roofing membranes beneath to manage the moisture loads that Kendal's rainfall creates. On older properties with traditional construction, we select membranes with very high vapour permeability to allow the building to breathe properly.
We carry out slate roofing work on properties across Kendal and the surrounding area — from the medieval yards in the town centre to the Victorian terraces in Kirkland and Fellside, from the estates around Oxenholme and Burneside to the rural properties in Crook, Underbarrow, and the Lyth Valley. Whether your slate roof needs a few slipped slates re-fixing or a complete re-slate with new battens and membrane, we have the skills and the right materials for the job.
Our slate roofing service extends beyond Kendal to cover much of eastern Cumbria. Arnside and Carnforth, Sedbergh, Windermere and Bowness, Grange-over-Sands, and Penrith are all within our working area. Need other roofing services in Kendal? See our general roof repairs and flat roof repairs pages for what else we offer across the town.
Whether you've spotted slipped slates after a storm, noticed daylight through the roof from the loft, or you're planning a full re-slate as part of a renovation, the first step is a proper professional survey. We'll inspect the roof from the outside and the loft space, check the slate condition, fixings, battens, flashings, and ventilation, and give you a clear picture of what needs doing now versus what can wait.
Our surveys are free and without obligation. We'll provide a written report with photographs, a prioritised repair schedule if the roof needs staged work, and a detailed quote for whatever you decide to go ahead with. No pressure, no exaggeration, no recommending a full re-slate when a handful of repairs will do the job perfectly well. Just honest advice from a Kendal roofer who's worked on slate roofs across this town for years and understands what these buildings need.
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