St Mark's Church, Natland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mark's Church, Natland |
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St Mark's Church, Natland, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | SD 521,892 |
| Location | Natland, Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 1246 |
| Dedication | Saint Mark |
| Consecrated | 7 November 1910 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 19 July 1984 |
| Architect(s) | Austin and Paley |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1909 |
| Completed | 1910 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Natland |
| Deanery | Kendal |
| Archdeaconry | Westmorland and Furness |
| Diocese | Carlisle |
| Province | York |
St Mark's Church is a beautiful old church located in the village of Natland, Cumbria, England. It's an active Anglican church, which means it's part of the Church of England. This church is a very important building. It's listed as a Grade II* building on the National Heritage List for England. This special listing means it's a building of more than just local interest, and it's protected because of its history and design.
Contents
The History of St Mark's Church
How St Mark's Church Changed Over Time
The first church in Natland was built a very long time ago, in 1246. Over the years, as the village grew, new churches were needed. The first church was replaced in 1735, and then again in 1825. This 1825 church was designed by a local architect named George Webster from Kendal.
Building the Current Church
By 1908, the church built in 1825 was too small for everyone who wanted to attend. So, people decided to build an even bigger church. Famous architects from Lancaster, Austin and Paley, were chosen to design the new building.
The first stone for the new church was laid on June 29, 1909. Just over a year later, on November 7, 1910, the church was officially opened and blessed by the bishop of Carlisle. This new church could seat 259 people and cost about £5,000 to build at the time.
Exploring the Architecture of St Mark's Church
What St Mark's Church Looks Like from the Outside
St Mark's Church is built using strong, local stone called Lancaster sandstone and stone from Darley Dale. Its roofs are made of green slate, which is a type of rock that splits into thin sheets. The church is designed in a style called late Decorated Gothic and early Perpendicular Gothic. These are types of Gothic Revival architecture, which was popular when the church was built.
The church has several main parts:
- A long main hall called a nave.
- Side sections called aisles.
- A small entrance area on the south side called a porch.
- A special area near the front called a chancel, where the altar is.
- A room for the clergy (church leaders) called a vestry.
- A tall tower at the west end.
The tower has three levels and strong corner supports called buttresses. At the top, it has a battlemented parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall. There's also a small stair turret on one corner of the tower that goes even higher. The windows around the church are tall and narrow, with pointed tops.
Inside St Mark's Church
When you enter the church through the porch, you step into the base of the tower. Inside, you'll see large columns that support the arches. Some columns are round, and others are eight-sided. Their tops, called capitals, are decorated with carved square flowers.
Many important parts of the church's interior were designed by the same architects, Austin and Paley. These include the altar rails, the special seats for the choir (stalls), the pulpit (where sermons are given), the pews (benches for the congregation), and the font (a basin used for baptisms). The font is carved from one single piece of stone.
The beautiful stained glass window at the east end of the church was made to remember those who served in the Second World War. It was designed by Gerald E. R. Smith. Another window in the south wall was designed for the Millennium (the year 2000) by Sarah Sutton and shows a scene from the old carol Adam lay ybounden. The church also has a large pipe organ made by Conacher of Huddersfield, which was partly rebuilt in 1987.
Why St Mark's Church is Special
St Mark's Church was one of the last big village churches designed by Austin and Paley before one of the main architects, Hubert Austin, passed away. It was highly praised by a famous architectural historian named Nikolaus Pevsner. He said it was "as good as any of the churches by the best church architects of those years." This shows how important and well-designed St Mark's Church is.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in South Lakeland
- Listed buildings in Natland
- List of works by George Webster
- List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1895–1914)
