St Paul's Church, Witherslack facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Church, Witherslack |
|
|---|---|
St Paul's Church, Witherslack, from the south
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | SD 432,842 |
| Location | Witherslack, Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Paul, Witherslack |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founder(s) | John Barwick |
| Consecrated | June 1671 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 12 February 1962 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1668 |
| Completed | 1768 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Paul Witherslack |
| Deanery | Kendal |
| Archdeaconry | Westmorland and Furness |
| Diocese | Carlisle |
| Province | York |
St Paul's Church is a beautiful old church in the small village of Witherslack, located in Cumbria, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. It serves as the main parish church for the area. Experts have called it a "perfect example" of a simple Gothic church from its time. It is also a special historic building, listed as Grade II*.
Contents
History of St Paul's Church
This church was built a long time ago, between 1668 and 1669. It was made possible by a gift from John Barwick, who was a very important church leader (a dean) at St Paul's Cathedral in London. He was born in Witherslack and wanted a burial place for people in his home village. Before this church, people had to carry their dead across a tricky tidal river to be buried at another church far away.
There used to be an older church in Witherslack dedicated to Saint Mary. However, it was destroyed during the English Civil War. John Barwick's brother, Peter Barwick, who was a doctor to King Charles II, asked the Bishop of Chester for permission to build a new church and a burial ground. The new St Paul's Church was built as a "chapel of ease." This meant it was a smaller church that helped people who lived far from the main parish church. The land for the church was given by the Earl of Derby. The church was officially opened and blessed (called consecrated) in June 1671.
Over the years, the church was changed and improved. In 1768, John Hird made the walls taller and added a small room called a vestry. He also put in a screen at the front of the church. In 1881, St Paul's became its own independent parish church. It was also repaired and updated in 1861 and 1880. Later, in 1891 and 1973, Witherslack parish joined with other nearby parishes to work together.
Architecture of the Church
Outside the Church
St Paul's Church is built from stone pieces (called rubble) with smooth stone details (called ashlar) and has a slate roof. The church has a main hall (the nave) and a special area for the altar (the chancel), all in one open space. It also has a porch on the south side, a vestry on the north side, and a tower at the west end.
The tower has three levels. The bottom level has a window with two rounded top sections. The middle level has similar windows and a square clock face with only one hand. At the top, there are openings for bells with rounded tops. The very top of the tower has a decorative, castle-like wall called an embattled parapet.
Along both sides of the church, there are four large windows. Each window has three sections with rounded tops. The south porch has a pointed roof (a gable) and a decorative ball on top. It leads to a round-arched doorway into the church. There's also another similar doorway on the south side with a special plaque above it. On the north side, there's a small window and a small gabled vestry with its own doorway and a three-part window. The main east window of the chancel has five stepped sections, with a round-headed window above it and another decorative ball on the roof's peak.
Inside the Church
Inside, the screen at the front of the church has two decorative columns and flat columns (called pilasters) in a style called Ionic. The pulpit, where the sermon is given, was built in 1880 using parts from an older 17th-century pulpit. It has a special canopy above it, dated 1768. The small font, used for baptisms, looks like a decorative pillar and is from 1666.
The decorative screen behind the altar (called a reredos) was designed in 1889 by a famous architectural firm. You can also see the Royal arms from 1710 and special painted panels (called hatchments), including one for John Barwick. The beautiful stained glass in the east window shows the arms of the Barwick family. It's thought to have been made around 1671.
The church also has several memorials. One is a tablet for John Barwick. Another is a touching memorial to a two-year-old child, featuring a white marble statue (an effigy) of a baby. There's also a memorial for the 16th Earl of Derby, who passed away in 1908. The organ, which has one keyboard (a single-manual organ), was built in 1878.
Outside the Church Grounds
In the churchyard, you can find a sundial from 1757, which also has a plate dated 1671. It's made of smooth stone and stands on three square steps with a round column. This sundial is also a listed historic item. The gate piers (posts) and the decorative archway (called an overthrow) at the south entrance of the churchyard are also listed as historic.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in South Lakeland
- Listed buildings in Witherslack
- List of works by Paley, Austin and Paley
