St Mary's Church, Gosforth Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Gosforth
West end of St Mary's Church, Gosforth, with the Gosforth Cross standing to the right of the porch
St Mary's Church, Gosforth Location in Cumbria
54°25′09″N 3°25′53″W / 54.4192°N 3.4314°W / 54.4192; -3.4314
OS grid reference	NY 072 036
Location	Gosforth, Cumbria
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	9 March 1967
Architect(s)	C. J. Ferguson
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman, Gothic Revival
Completed	1899 (1899)
Specifications
Materials	Stone, slate roofs
Administration
Parish	Gosforth
Deanery	Calder
Archdeaconry	West Cumberland
Diocese	Carlisle
Province	York

Gosforth Cross

St Mary's Church is a special old church in the village of Gosforth, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning people still go there for services. This church is very important because it's a Grade I listed building. This means it's a historic place that needs to be protected. St Mary's is famous for its amazing Viking-age carved stones.

History of the Church
Church Design and Features
- Outside the Church
- Inside the Church
Churchyard Features
- The Gosforth Cross
- Other Crosses and Structures
Gallery
See also

History of the Church

This church site has been used by Christians since the 8th century. That's a very long time ago! The oldest parts of the church you see today were built in the 12th century.

The church was rebuilt in 1789. However, most of what you see now was built much later. A famous architect named C. J. Ferguson rebuilt almost the entire church between 1896 and 1899.

Church Design and Features

St Mary's Church is built from stone and has a slate roof. It has a main area called a nave, a side area called a north aisle, and a south porch. It also has a chancel (the area around the altar) and north vestries (rooms for clergy).

Outside the Church

The church was mostly rebuilt in the late 1800s in a style called Decorated Gothic. At the west end, there's a small bell tower. The porch has a gabled roof and leads to the south door. To the right of this door, you can see a blocked-up Norman doorway. This doorway used to be on the north side of the church.

Inside the Church

Inside, there's a row of four arches called an arcade on the north side. These arches are pointed and rest on columns with eight-sided tops. The arch leading to the chancel is from the 14th century. It sits on beautifully carved Norman stone tops.

Ancient Viking Stones

In a special spot at the east end of the aisle, you can see two carved Viking hogback stones. These are very rare tomb markers from before the Norman times. They were found under the church's walls during a restoration project in 1896–97. These stones are shaped like houses. The larger one shows humans riding smaller snakes and fighting bigger snakes. The smaller stone shows two armies that might be making a peace agreement.

You can also find other pieces of medieval stones inside the church and in the porch. The small, eight-sided font is from the 19th century.

The Chinese Bell

The church also has a unique Chinese bell from 1839. This bell was taken from a fort in China during a battle in 1841. It was given to the church in 1844.

The Gosforth Fishing Stone

Outside the church, there's a stone slab called the Gosforth fishing stone. Many believe the same artist who carved the famous Gosforth Cross made this stone. It shows the Norse god Thor and the giant Hymir fishing for Jörmungandr, the giant serpent that wraps around the world. Below this scene, a deer is struggling with a serpent. This stone might be a piece of another old cross.

Stained Glass and Organ

Most of the beautiful stained glass windows were made by Ward and Hughes in the late 1800s. The church also has a large pipe organ with two keyboards. It was built by Conacher and Company and later updated in 1984.

Churchyard Features

The Gosforth Cross

Gosforth Cross from the NW

The most important thing in the churchyard is the Gosforth Cross. This is a tall stone cross from the Viking times, made in the early 900s. It's made of sandstone and stands about 4.42 meters (14.5 feet) tall. It's covered with detailed carvings of people and animals, mostly showing stories from Norse mythology. This is the tallest Viking cross in England! It's also a scheduled monument, meaning it's a very important historical site.

Other Crosses and Structures

Another old cross, from around the same time, has been cut down and now serves as a sundial. In the northeast corner of the churchyard, there's a small hut or shed. It was built using leftover stones, including grave covers from the 1200s and pieces of stone with zigzag patterns. This hut is also a listed building. You can also find three old tombstones in the churchyard from the early 1700s, which are also listed as historic.

Gallery

Interior view of St Mary's church, Gosforth, Cumbria.
Hogback tombs in the church
Gosforth cross from the NW
Norman capital with three faces
The "fishing stone" in the church; possibly remnant of a second cross, showing Thor fishing.
Tombs in the porch
View of the Viking Cross and church, from the SW
The stump of the second cross
Memorial to Humphrey Senhouse, Gosforth, Cumbria
The grave of local antiquarian and historian, Charles Arundel Parker.