St Catherine's Church, Boot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Catherine's Church, Boot |
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St Catherine's Church, Boot, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | NY 176,003 |
| Location | Boot, Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Catherine, Boot |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Catherine |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 8 September 1967 |
| Architect(s) | Paley and Austin (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Eskdale |
| Deanery | Calder |
| Archdeaconry | West Cumberland |
| Diocese | Carlisle |
| Province | York |
St Catherine's Church is a historic church located in the small village of Boot in Cumbria, England. It serves as the local Anglican parish church for the area of Eskdale. The church is part of the diocese of Carlisle and is a very old and important building. It stands right next to the River Esk, a short distance south of the village center. This church is officially recognized as a Grade II listed building, meaning it's a special building that needs to be protected.
Contents
A Look at St Catherine's Church History
A church has stood on this spot for a very long time, possibly since the 6th century! Local stories say that a holy person, called a hermit, lived near the church in the 7th century. This hermit is said to have created a special holy well on Arment Hill. Amazingly, water from this same well is still used today for baptisms. The church building you see now was first started around the year 1125 by a person named William de Meschines.
The church has been changed and added to over the centuries. In 1881, it was carefully restored (meaning repaired and updated) by architects named Paley and Austin. They added more seating for people and built a new room called a vestry.
In the churchyard, you can find a special gravestone for Thomas Dobson, who passed away in 1910. He was famous for leading the Eskdale and Ennerdale Foxhounds for 53 years! This gravestone is known as the "Huntsman's Grave." It has carvings of Dobson's hunting horn and two heads, one of a fox and one of a hunting dog.
Exploring the Church's Design
Outside the Church
St Catherine's Church is built from rough, natural stones and has a roof made of slate. It has a simple shape with a main section and a porch on the south side. At the west end, there's a double bellcote (a small structure holding bells) with a pointed top. The windows on the sides of the church were mostly replaced in the 1800s. The window at the east end has three sections and beautiful stone patterns called tracery.
Inside the Church
Inside, you'll see an eight-sided baptismal font (a basin for baptisms). Its bowl has carvings that stick out slightly. On the south wall, there's a board from 1798 that lists people who gave money to the church. All the colorful stained glass windows in the church were made between 1889 and 1896. The glass in the east and west windows was made by Gibbs and Company. The windows on the north and south sides were made by A. Savell and Company.
The east window shows pictures of Saint Catherine, the Good Shepherd, and Saint Cecilia. Windows on the south side show the Annunciation (when an angel told Mary she would have Jesus). On the north side, a window shows the Last Supper (Jesus's last meal with his disciples). One of the bells in the bellcote is very old, cast all the way back in 1445!
Images for kids
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St Catherine's Church, Boot, Cumbria, UK
See also
- Listed buildings in Eskdale, Cumbria
- List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
