St Mungo's Church, Dearham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mungo's Church, Dearham
St Mungo's Church, Dearham, from the south
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OS grid reference	NY 072 363
Location	Dearham, Cumbria
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Dearham, St Mungo
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Saint Mungo
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	3 March 1967
Architect(s)	C. J. Ferguson (north aisle)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman, Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	Late 12th century
Completed	1882
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone, slate roofs
Administration
Parish	Dearham
Deanery	Solway
Archdeaconry	West Cumberland
Diocese	Carlisle
Province	York

St Mungo's Church is a very old church located in the village of Dearham, which is in Cumbria, England. This church is named after St Mungo, also known as Kentigern. He was a famous religious leader from a long time ago.

Today, St Mungo's is an active Anglican parish church. This means it is a Christian church that serves the local community. It is part of the diocese of Carlisle. The church is also very important because it is a Grade I listed building. This special status means it is a historic building that needs to be protected.

History of St Mungo's Church

St Mungo's Church was first built a very long time ago, in the late 1100s. Imagine, that's over 800 years ago! The main part of the church, called the chancel, was added in the 1200s.

How Old is the Church?

An expert in old buildings, Nikolaus Pevsner, believed that some parts of the church, like the south door and certain windows, were built around 1170 to 1190. These parts show a style called Norman architecture. The lowest part of the tower also has a special rounded ceiling, called a tunnel vault, from around the same time.

Later Additions to the Church

Much later, in 1882, a new section was added to the north side of the church. This part, called the north aisle, was designed by an architect named C. J. Ferguson.

What Does St Mungo's Church Look Like?

The church is built using sandstone, a type of rock, and its roofs are made of green slate. Some of the stones used in the church's foundations actually came from old Roman buildings!

Outside the Church

The church has a main area called the nave, with a section on the north side and a porch on the south. It also has a chancel, which is a bit lower. At the west end, there is a square tower with three levels. This tower has windows and openings for bells. Some people think it might have been a Peel tower, which was a type of small castle used for defense long ago. The roofs have decorative edges and cross shapes at the top. The windows in the nave and north aisle were added in the 1800s. However, the windows in the chancel are original from when the church was first built. There's also a special doorway for the priest in the chancel. You can even see old Medieval gravestones built into the wall of the north aisle!

Inside the Church

When you go inside, you'll see a very old font from the Norman period. It's carved with cool designs like dragons and other patterns. The roof, furniture, and other fittings inside the church were mostly added in the 1800s.

The only stained glass window is at the east end of the church. It was made by a company called Clayton and Bell and shows a picture of the Ascension, which is when Jesus went up to heaven.

Ancient Stone Carvings

Inside St Mungo's, there is a special collection of ancient carved stones. These are called "Anglo-Danish fragments" because they show a mix of English and Viking styles. Some of these amazing stones include:

• A wheel-head cross that stands over 5 feet tall.
• The "Adam stone," which has carvings of people holding hands, a bearded face, and the word "Adam."
• The "Kenneth Cross," which remembers Saint Cenydd. It shows pictures of a man on a horse and a bird looking at a man.

See also

• Grade I listed churches in Cumbria
• Listed buildings in Dearham