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
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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 located in the village of Witherslack, Cumbria, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England and still holds services today. It's considered a very important building, listed as a Grade II* historic site on the National Heritage List for England. Experts who wrote the Buildings of England books say it's a wonderful example of a simple Gothic church from its time, looking honest and straightforward.

History of St Paul's Church

The church was built between 1668 and 1669. It was made possible by a gift from John Barwick. He was a very important church leader, the dean of St Paul's Cathedral in London. John Barwick, who passed away in 1664, wanted a burial place for people in his home village of Witherslack. Before this, people had to carry their dead across the river Kent's tidal waters to be buried at St Michael's Church in Beetham.

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 burial ground. The new St Paul's Church was a "chapel of ease." This meant it was a smaller church that helped the main church in Beetham. The land for the church was given by the 8th Earl of Derby. The church was officially opened and blessed in June 1671 by the Bishop of Chester.

Changes and Updates Over Time

In 1768, a person named John Hird made some changes to the church. He made the walls taller and added a small room called a vestry. This room is often used by the clergy to prepare for services. Hird also added a special screen at the east end of the church.

In 1881, St Paul's became its own independent parish church. This meant it no longer depended on the church in Beetham. The church was also repaired and improved in 1861 and again in 1880. In 1891, the parish of Witherslack joined with the parishes of Meathop and Ulpha. Later, in 1973, Witherslack joined with St Mary, Crosthwaite and St Anthony, Cartmel Fell, forming a larger group of churches.

Architecture of the Church Building

St Paul's Church is built from stone rubble (rough stones) with ashlar (finely cut stones) used for details. It has a slate roof. The church's layout includes a main hall called a nave and a chancel (the area near the altar) 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.

Outside the Church

The tower has three levels. The bottom level has a window with two rounded top sections. The middle level has two similar windows on the north and west sides. It also has a square clock face on the south side with only one hand. The top level has openings for bells, each with two rounded top sections and louvres (slats) to let the sound out. At the very top of the tower is a projecting embattled parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall.

Along both sides of the church, there are four windows. Each window has three sections with rounded tops and straight upper edges. The south porch has a pointed roof, called a gable, and a decorative ball at its peak, called a finial. This porch leads to a round-arched doorway into the church. There's another similar doorway between the first and second windows on the south side, with a carved plaque above it.

On the north side of the church, there's a small window between the second and third larger windows. To the east of these windows is a small gabled vestry. It has a pointed doorway on its west side and a three-section window on its east side. The main east window of the chancel has five sections that step up in height. Above this is a round-arched window and a ball finial at the top of the gable.

Inside the Church

The screen at the east end of the church has two Ionic columns and pilasters (flat columns attached to the wall). The pulpit, where sermons are given, was built in 1880. It uses parts from an older 17th-century "three-decker" pulpit, which had different levels for the clerk, reader, and preacher. The pulpit also has a sounding board above it, dated 1768, which helps project the speaker's voice.

The small baptismal font, used for baptisms, is shaped like a baluster (a decorative post). It dates back to 1666. The reredos, a decorative screen behind the altar, was designed in 1889 by the architects Paley, Austin and Paley.

Inside the church, you can also see Royal arms from 1710. These are symbols of the British monarchy. There are also hatchments, which are diamond-shaped boards displaying a family's coat of arms, including one for John Barwick. The stained glass in the east window includes John Barwick's coat of arms. This window's design is thought to be by Henry Gyles of York and likely dates from 1671.

The church also has several monuments. One is a tablet dedicated to John Barwick. Another monument is for a child who passed away at two years old. It features a white marble effigy (a sculpted image) of a baby. There is also a memorial for the 16th Earl of Derby, who passed away in 1908. The organ, which has a single manual (keyboard), was built in 1878 by Brindley & Foster.

Outside the Church Grounds

In the churchyard, there is a sundial from 1757. It has a plate on it dated 1671. The sundial is made of ashlar stone and stands on three square steps with a round column. This sundial is also listed as a Grade II historic structure.

Also listed as Grade II are the gate piers (strong posts) and the decorative overthrow (an archway) to the south of the church.

See also

• Grade II* listed buildings in Westmorland and Furness
• Listed buildings in Witherslack
• List of works by Paley, Austin and Paley