St Oswald's Church, Grasmere facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Oswald's Church, Grasmere |
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St Oswald's Church, Grasmere, from the south.
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| OS grid reference | NY 337 074 |
| Location | Grasmere, Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Oswald's Church, Grasmere |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Oswald |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 21 January 1967 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Roughcast stone, slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Grasmere |
| Deanery | Windermere |
| Archdeaconry | Westmorland and Furness |
| Diocese | Carlisle |
| Province | York |
St Oswald's Church is a special old church located in the beautiful village of Grasmere, right in the heart of the Lake District in Cumbria, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's still used for services today. This church is very important, so it's officially recognized as a Grade I listed building in England. This means it's a building of exceptional historical and architectural interest.
Besides its cool architecture, the church is famous for its connection to the poet William Wordsworth and his family. It's also known for its yearly rushbearing ceremony, which is a unique local tradition.
Contents
Church History
The church is named after Saint Oswald, a king from the 7th century. People say the church was built on a spot where King Oswald once preached.
The building you see today was first built in the 1300s. It was made much bigger between 1490 and 1500 by adding another main section, called a nave, next to the first one. The roof was rebuilt around 1562. This change added a second row of arches inside the church. In 1840, the windows and doors were repaired and updated by an architect named George Webster.
What the Church Looks Like
St Oswald's is built from stone that has been covered with a rough coating, and its roofs are made of slate. It has two main sections side-by-side, a porch on the south side, and a tower at the southeast. The tower's walls lean inwards as they go up. It has tall, narrow windows and simple pointed decorations at the corners.
Inside the church, there are two rows of arches. The bottom row has five arches that start from the floor. Above them, there are four more arches. These arches don't go all the way to the top of the roof. Instead, they connect to the strong wooden beams of the open roof.
You can find some interesting things inside, like a poor box from 1648, which was used to collect money for people in need. There's also a fancy altar rail from 1725. The pulpit, where sermons are given, is carved with fruits and flowers in a style called Arts and Craft. The font, used for baptisms, is from the Middle Ages. It has an eight-sided bowl on a stepped base.
The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. One on the north side is from around 1926. Two others on the south side were made in the 1890s. There are even some older, medieval glass pieces in the windows on the south side of the chancel (the area near the altar).
Famous People and Memorials
The famous poet William Wordsworth lived in Grasmere starting in 1799. He was buried in the churchyard of St Oswald's.
Inside the church, there's a special monument to Wordsworth. It was made by Thomas Woolner, and it includes a poem written by John Keble. You can also see a stone tablet in the chancel dedicated to Daniel Fleming, a historian who passed away in 1701.
The church also has a sculpture of the Madonna and child. This piece was created by Ophelia Gordon Bell, an artist who lived and worked in Grasmere.
The Church Organ
In the 1870s, St Oswald's got an organ built by Wilkinson of Kendal. Later, in 1923, a new organ was installed. This newer organ was made by Binns of Leeds. The older Wilkinson organ was then moved to another church.
The Binns organ was bought to remember nurse Nellie Taylor. She sadly died in France during the First World War. There are plans to fix up this organ for its 100th birthday.
Churchyard and Wordsworth Graves
In the southeast part of the churchyard, there's a special area with twelve graves surrounded by railings. These are the graves of members of the Wordsworth family and the Quillinan family. This burial plot is also a very important historical site, listed as Grade II*.
See also
- Grade I listed churches in Cumbria
- Listed buildings in Lakes, Cumbria
