THE OPPORTUNITY
Edenhall is a 1,500-acre estate on the edge of the Lake District: lakes, rivers, ancient woodland, a working tenanted dairy farm, a private family residence, and a growing collection of cottages, halls and cabins. After years of careful restoration, the estate is in the middle of a thoughtful renewal — opening up to wellness and corporate retreats, weddings, and the occasional film or television production — while keeping the privacy and rhythm of a working family home at its centre.
We are looking for two people to live here in a joint position, run things to a very high standard, and become part of what comes next. The work is varied and properly hands-on. The setting is uncommon. And the package includes a private cottage of your own in the village of Edenhall, a few miles from Penrith and twenty minutes from Ullswater.
THE SETTING
Edenhall sits in the Eden Valley, two miles outside Penrith — a market town with independent shops, restaurants, cafés, a leisure centre and a much-loved independent cinema. Twenty minutes west and you are on Ullswater; the wider Lakes, the Pennines and the Yorkshire Dales are all within easy reach.
The 1,500 acres include formal gardens, river meadows, woodland, the working farm and a series of outbuildings, halls and cottages. The owners divide their time between Edenhall, London and France; day-to-day operations are led by the Estate Manager and a small, dedicated team. You will work closely with both.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
A practical, experienced pair of applicants from a background in private service, country house management or high-end hospitality. One of you will run the main residence — cooking, domestic management, housekeeping and the everyday rhythms of a working private home including general support and care for the family and older children. The other will look after the gardens, grounds, dogs and the wider upkeep and maintenance of the estate.
You are both discreet, capable and confident running things to a high standard without needing direction. You are calm, measured, and able to deal with curveballs at all times with a flexible mindset. You take real pride in the detail of how a home looks and feels. You are comfortable in a quiet, considered house and equally at home during weeks when guests are in residence. And you genuinely like the outdoors — because you will be in it, often.
Housekeeper/Cook
The Main Residence
A role for someone who finds genuine satisfaction in the running of a beautiful house. You will cook three meals a day for the owners and their guests, plan menus around the seasons and what the kitchen garden is producing, and manage everything from the weekly shop to the wine and spirits.
Beyond the kitchen, you will take ownership of the presentation of the residence: cleaning to a meticulous standard; caring for fine linens , antique pieces, and silver; managing wardrobes through the seasons; organising flowers; and quietly running the inventories including shopping and stock maintenance. There is a personal-assistant dimension too — correspondence, travel bookings, subscription admin — handled in partnership with the estate office.
Day to day, you will:
— Prepare and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner for the owners and their guests, focused on fresh, seasonal cooking.
— Plan menus, write shopping lists, and manage the procurement of food, wine and household provisions.
— Keep the kitchen, pantry and food storage in impeccable order.
— Carry out or supervise daily, weekly and deep-cleaning routines across the residence. — Care for fine linens and delicate fabrics — laundry, pressing, ironing — and run seasonal wardrobe rotations for the owners and their guests, including outdoor kit.
— Manage household inventories: cleaning supplies, toiletries, linens, consumables.
— Look after antiques, fine art, silver, crystal and china with the care and attention they require.
— Prepare the house for guests — flowers, beds, welcome touches — and greet them on arrival. — Keep the property fully equipped between stays and flag any maintenance issues promptly.
— Support light personal admin: travel, correspondence, subscriptions, occasional finance tasks, working alongside the estate office.
— Help with wider family matters including caring for older children where appropriate.
What we are looking for:
— Demonstrable experience as a head housekeeper, house manager, private cook or similar in a private residence or luxury setting.
— Confident, intuitive cooking — fresh, seasonal, unfussy, done well.
— Exceptional attention to detail and a proactive, calm temperament.
— Working knowledge of the cleaning techniques, products and care expected for fine surfaces, fabrics and finishes.
— Total discretion and professionalism — non-negotiable.
— A clean, valid UK driving licence.
Grounds/Maintenance
The Estate Grounds & Properties
The outdoor counterpart. You will look after the gardens, lawns and grounds surrounding the main residence; keep the machinery running; oversee the small grounds team; and handle the practical maintenance of paths, fences, gates and outbuildings. Year-round work, weather-dependent, properly varied.
You will also be responsible for the family dogs and other estate animals — feeding, exercising, vet visits where needed — and pitch in with the occasional airport run or family member pick-up. External security falls to you too: gates, alarms, the perimeter and outbuildings.
Day to day, you will:
— Plan, plant and maintain the formal gardens, lawns, hedges, borders and beds — with seasonal planting and care schedules.
— Carry out professional-standard lawn care: mowing, edging, feeding, scarifying and weeding.
— Handle general estate maintenance — pathways, minor repairs, fencing, window cleaning, waste management.
— Operate, service and store all grounds machinery safely (tractors, mowers, chainsaws and the rest).
— Run external security checks: gates, alarms, perimeter, outbuildings.
— Handle basic external pest and disease management for plants and garden structures
— Drive — airport and station runs, occasional teenage child’s work pick-ups and drop-offs.
— Look after the estate dogs and animals: exercise, feeding, watering, welfare and vet visits. — Manage the wider grounds and maintenance team.
What we are looking for:
— Extensive, practical experience in professional groundskeeping, garden management or landscaping.
— Fluent with horticultural machinery — operation, maintenance, the lot.
— Strong working knowledge of plants, soils and seasonal requirements in a Cumbrian climate. — A clean, valid UK driving licence.
— Relevant machinery certifications (PA1/PA6, chainsaw, etc.) are a real plus.
WHAT YOU SHARE
— Discretion. The privacy of the family is paramount; you understand that without needing it spelled out.
— Flexibility around the rhythm of the house — evenings and weekends when the owners are in residence or hosting.
— A proactive work ethic. You see what needs doing and get on with it.
— Clear, calm, easy communication — with the owners, the Estate Manager and the wider team.
— Warmth. A friendly, approachable presence and the kind of attitude that makes a place run well.
THE PACKAGE
— Competitive joint salary commensurate with experience.
— Garthside — a private, fully furnished two-bedroom cottage with garden, garage and on-street parking. Utilities included.
— Pets considered on request.
— Statutory holiday entitlement and workplace pension.
THE PRACTICALS
Location Edenhall, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 8ST Household Two adults, four visiting children, occasional guests Working pattern Five days a week, some weekends and evenings Hours To be agreed Start date July / August 2026 (some flexibility)
HOW TO APPLY
Please send a joint CV with a covering letter that tells us, in your own words, why this role appeals and what each of you would bring. We are interested in your combined experience across housekeeping, cooking and grounds — and in what is drawing you to Edenhall in particular. References will be requested at second-stage interview; shortlisted candidates will be invited to visit the estate before any offer is made.
Pay: £60,000.00-£70,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company car
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Housing allowance
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
