The Knells Country House
At a Glance
The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.
Residential homes
Staff warmth score
of reviewers answered yes
Good to know
- Registered beds24
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Dementia
- Last inspected2023-06-13
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
Visitors regularly comment on the friendly, welcoming nature of the staff. There's a consistent warmth that families notice, with carers taking time to be genuinely caring in their approach.
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth72
- Compassion & dignity72
- Cleanliness70
- Activities & engagement60
- Food quality60
- Healthcare68
- Management & leadership74
- Resident happiness68
What inspectors found
Inspected 2023-06-13
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
The home received a Good rating for effectiveness at the April 2023 inspection. This domain covers how well staff know each resident's care needs, the quality of care planning, access to GP and healthcare services, dementia-specific training, and food and nutrition. The home is registered as a dementia specialist, so the effectiveness of care planning and staff training is particularly significant. No specific examples, quotes, or observations relating to effectiveness appear in the published text.Is this home caring?
The home received a Good rating for caring at the April 2023 inspection. This domain reflects how staff interact with residents: whether they are kind, respectful, unhurried, and whether they protect residents' dignity and promote independence where possible. For a dementia specialist home, this domain also reflects how well staff communicate with people who may have limited verbal ability. No direct quotes from residents, relatives, or inspector observations about staff kindness or dignity appear in the published text.Is the home responsive?
The home received a Good rating for responsiveness at the April 2023 inspection. This domain covers whether the home meets individual residents' needs, whether activities are meaningful and varied, how complaints are handled, and whether end-of-life care is planned appropriately. No specific information about the activity programme, individual engagement, complaint handling, or end-of-life planning appears in the published text. The Good rating indicates inspectors were satisfied across these areas.Is the home well-led?
The home received a Good rating for well-led at the April 2023 inspection. The registered manager is named as Mr Gary Phillip Jones, with Mr Jamil Mohammed listed as the nominated individual representing the provider, Horizon Residential Homes Limited. A Good Well-led rating indicates inspectors found adequate governance, accountability structures, and a positive culture. The improvement from Requires Improvement to Good across all domains suggests the current leadership has driven meaningful change. No specific examples of governance practices, staff feedback mechanisms, or quality monitoring appear in the published text.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
Knells Country House provides residential care for people over 65, including those living with dementia. The team here has experience supporting residents with dementia, creating an environment where people at different stages of their journey can feel settled and secure. All areas worth probing directly during a visit.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Knells Country House has improved from Requires Improvement to Good across all five inspection domains, which is a meaningful step forward. However, the published inspection text contains very limited specific detail, so most scores reflect the positive rating rather than direct observed evidence.
Homes in North West typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Visitors regularly comment on the friendly, welcoming nature of the staff. There's a consistent warmth that families notice, with carers taking time to be genuinely caring in their approach.
What inspectors have recorded
How it sits against good practice
If you're looking for care near Carlisle, visiting Knells could help you get a feel for whether it's the right place for your family.
Worth a visit
Knells Country House, on The Knells in Carlisle, was rated Good at its inspection in April 2023, with Good ratings across all five domains: safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. This represents a significant improvement from a previous rating of Requires Improvement, and across all five inspection areas simultaneously, which is an encouraging sign of meaningful change under the current registered manager. The home specialises in dementia care and residential support for adults over 65, and operates 24 beds. The main uncertainty here is that the published inspection report contains very limited specific detail, making it difficult to assess the quality of day-to-day life for your mum or dad from the published findings alone. On a visit, ask to see the actual staffing rota for a recent week (counting permanent versus agency names, and checking night shifts specifically), ask what dementia training staff have completed and when, and observe how staff interact with residents in corridors and communal spaces without prompting. These are the details the published report cannot tell you.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how The Knells Country House measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How The Knells Country House describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Peaceful Cumbrian setting where residents feel genuinely content
Dedicated residential home Support in Carlisle
When families visit Knells Country House in Carlisle, they often mention how settled their relatives seem in this well-maintained home. The grounds are particularly lovely, giving residents pleasant views and outdoor spaces to enjoy. It's clear the team here understands what makes people feel comfortable and cared for.
Who they care for
Knells Country House provides residential care for people over 65, including those living with dementia.
The team here has experience supporting residents with dementia, creating an environment where people at different stages of their journey can feel settled and secure.
“If you're looking for care near Carlisle, visiting Knells could help you get a feel for whether it's the right place for your family.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Knells Country House has improved from Requires Improvement to Good across all five inspection domains, which is a meaningful step forward. However, the published inspection text contains very limited specific detail, so most scores reflect the positive rating rather than direct observed evidence.
Homes in North West typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Visitors regularly comment on the friendly, welcoming nature of the staff. There's a consistent warmth that families notice, with carers taking time to be genuinely caring in their approach.
What inspectors have recorded
How it sits against good practice
If you're looking for care near Carlisle, visiting Knells could help you get a feel for whether it's the right place for your family.
Worth a visit
Knells Country House, on The Knells in Carlisle, was rated Good at its inspection in April 2023, with Good ratings across all five domains: safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. This represents a significant improvement from a previous rating of Requires Improvement, and across all five inspection areas simultaneously, which is an encouraging sign of meaningful change under the current registered manager. The home specialises in dementia care and residential support for adults over 65, and operates 24 beds. The main uncertainty here is that the published inspection report contains very limited specific detail, making it difficult to assess the quality of day-to-day life for your mum or dad from the published findings alone. On a visit, ask to see the actual staffing rota for a recent week (counting permanent versus agency names, and checking night shifts specifically), ask what dementia training staff have completed and when, and observe how staff interact with residents in corridors and communal spaces without prompting. These are the details the published report cannot tell you.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how The Knells Country House measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How The Knells Country House describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Peaceful Cumbrian setting where residents feel genuinely content
Dedicated residential home Support in Carlisle
When families visit Knells Country House in Carlisle, they often mention how settled their relatives seem in this well-maintained home. The grounds are particularly lovely, giving residents pleasant views and outdoor spaces to enjoy. It's clear the team here understands what makes people feel comfortable and cared for.
Who they care for
Knells Country House provides residential care for people over 65, including those living with dementia.
The team here has experience supporting residents with dementia, creating an environment where people at different stages of their journey can feel settled and secure.
The home & environment
The home is notably clean and tidy throughout, something relatives appreciate when they visit. The gardens and grounds receive particular care, creating pleasant outdoor spaces that residents can enjoy when weather permits.
“If you're looking for care near Carlisle, visiting Knells could help you get a feel for whether it's the right place for your family.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
