Commemorative plaque 30240

This green commemorative plaque records: Elephant Yard. This land was once the property of the cloth merchant Thomas Sandes who also owned Grandy Nook on Low Fellside and built the Sandes Almshouses in Highgate. After his death in 1681 his house on Stricklandgate became the Elephant Inn. It was rebuilt c1820 with a dining room seating 100 and with stabling for 25 horses. In the 1800's around 60 peoples lived in the yard behind the inn, which closed in 1909. Recorded plaque organisation: Kendal Civic Society.

Thomas Sandes was a prominent cloth merchant who owned significant properties including Elephant Yard and Grandy Nook; his legacy is further marked by the construction of the Sandes Almshouses in Highgate. The Elephant Inn, formerly his house, became a notable establishment with accommodations for both people and horses, reflecting its importance as a social and commercial hub in the 19th century.