St Martin's Church, Martindale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Martin's Church |
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The church.
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| 54°33′28″N 2°52′34″W / 54.5577°N 2.8762°W | |
| OS grid reference | NY 434 184 |
| Location | Martindale, Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founded | 1220 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 1 |
St Martin's Church, Martindale is a very old and special church found in the beautiful valley of Martindale in Cumbria, England. People often call it the "Old Church" so they don't mix it up with another church nearby, St Peter's Church. This church is named after Saint Martin of Tours. It's not used for regular services anymore, but it's still a very important building. It's even protected as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a historic place.
A Look Back in Time
We don't know exactly when a church was first built on this spot. But we do know it was mentioned in a special paper from 1220. This paper, called a Charter, was from a person named William de Lancaster I. Other old records also say that a small chapel was already there by that time.
For many years, monks from the parish of Barton looked after St Martin's. This was until 1536, when many monasteries were closed down. On an old map from 1576 by Christopher Saxton, the church is shown as "Markendale Chap".
In 1633, Martindale became its own church area. Richard Birkett was the first priest who lived there. He worked at the church for almost 67 years until he passed away on Christmas Day in 1699.
The church building you see today was probably built around the late 1500s. It replaced the older chapel. In 1714, the church floor was covered with flat stones called flagstones. Before that, the floor was just damp earth! In 1839, a writer named William Ford described the church as a "chapel with low roof and simple bell-gable, and a picturesque yew-tree."
The church was fixed up several times, especially during the Victorian era. The last big repair was in 1882. During this time, the roof was replaced. The old box pews (which were like small, enclosed seating areas) were taken out. The wood from these pews was used to make the side benches you can see today. A special gallery where singers and musicians used to sit was also removed. New window frames were put in too.
Interesting Things to See
There are many cool things to discover at St Martin's Church:
- The Bell: The tiny church bell hangs in an open space at the west end of the church. It's more than 500 years old!
- The Pulpit: The pulpit, which is where the priest gives sermons, has the date 1634 carved on it. It also has the initials of John Dawes, who gave it to the church.
- The Font: The font, used for baptisms, is thought to be part of an old Roman altar. This altar might have been a shrine on a Roman road that crossed a nearby hill called High Street. It was brought down from the hill and first used for holy water, then later as the church's font.
The churchyard outside also has some amazing features:
- The Ancient Yew Tree: There's a very old Yew tree in the churchyard. Experts believe it's about 1300 years old! Old papers in the church say that men from Martindale, who were famous for being good archers, used this tree and others nearby to get wood for their bows.
- The Birkett Tomb: Also in the churchyard is the tomb of Richard Birkett. He was the first priest of St Martin's. His tombstone says he was 95 years old when he died. He also left £100 to help pay for a good and religious minister at Martindale Chapel.
Visiting Today
Today, St Martin's Church is usually open for Evensong only on the last Sunday of each month. This happens from May to August at 5:30 PM. The church building is never locked, so people who are hiking or just visiting the area often stop by to explore. The current priest, called the Vicar, is the Reverend David C. Wood. He lives in a house for the vicar in Pooley Bridge.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Westmorland and Furness
- Listed buildings in Martindale, Cumbria
