Belle Isle is the largest of 18 islands on Windermere

Windermere

Windermere is the largest natural lake of England. It is also a name used in a number of places, including:-Australia:* Lake Windermere , a reservoir, Australian Capital Territory * Lake Windermere...

, a lake in the English Lake District

Lake District

The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...

, and the only one ever to have been inhabited. It is 1 km in length. Belle Isle House was built in 1774 to designs by John Plaw

John Plaw (architect)

John Plaw was an architect who was born in London but later emigrated to Prince Edward Island in Canada. He is known for favouring circular designs in the classical style.There are two known surviving examples of his work in the UK...

. It is unusual in that it is circular in plan, built of brick, three floors high with a four column portico

Portico

A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...

.

The Roman governor at Ambleside

Ambleside

Ambleside is a town in Cumbria, in North West England.Historically within the county of Westmorland, it is situated at the head of Windermere, England's largest lake...

 built a villa on the island. In 1250 it was the seat of the district's Lord of the Manor

Lord of the Manor

The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...

. It was also a Royalist stronghold during the English Civil War

English Civil War

The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...

.

In 1774 an unusual circular Belle Isle House was erected on the island, which was sold along with the island to the wealthy Curwen family who renamed the island after their daughter, Isabella. it was then sold on to Isabella Curwen by her family in 1781 for £1,720 and was permanently renamed after her. The descendants of Isabella and her husband John Christian Curwen lived on the island until 1993.

Stranglely it is called 'Bell Island' not 'Isabella Island' because of use of the shortened form of Isabella- Bella, which lost the 'a' to become 'Bell', spelt 'Belle' by the Ordnance Survey

Ordnance Survey

Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...

map of 1925 over the years. It was known locally as the Great Island or Long Holme and formerly known as Longholm, before its renaming in 1774.

In 1996, Belle Isle House suffered serious damage following a large fire. However, it was repaired and is once again a place of residence.

Belle Island is currently owned by Harold and Janet Lefton.