Kirkby Stephen Parish Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Parish Church, Kirkby Stephen |
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The Parish Church, Kirkby Stephen
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| 54°28′26.28″N 2°20′54.79″W / 54.4739667°N 2.3485528°W | |
| OS grid reference | NY 77517 08821 |
| Location | Kirkby Stephen |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church / Central |
| History | |
| Dedication | None St Stephen or St John] possible former dedications. |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 8 in F |
| Tenor bell weight | 15 Cwt |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Kirkby Stephen with Mallerstang and Crosby Garrett with Soulby |
| Deanery | Appleby |
| Archdeaconry | Carlisle |
| Diocese | Diocese of Carlisle |
| Province | Province of York |
Kirkby Stephen Parish Church is a historic church located in the town of Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria, England. It belongs to the Church of England. Sometimes people call it "St Stephen's Church," but it doesn't have an official dedication to Saint Stephen. This beautiful building is considered a very important historical site, listed as Grade II* listed.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's Story
The church is a bit hidden from the main market square in Kirkby Stephen. You'll find it behind some old covered walkways called cloisters, which were built in 1810. This church is so big and grand that some people call it the "Cathedral of the Dales." In Cumbria, only Kendal Parish Church is larger!
How the Church Grew Over Time
This spot has been home to three different churches over many, many years. The very first church was built here during the Anglo-Saxon period. From that time, a special piece of a cross still exists. It shows a carving of Loki, a god from Norse mythology, who is shown tied up with chains.
Around the year 1170, a new church was built by the Normans. You can still see parts of the walls from this Norman church in the west wall of the north aisle today.
Most of the church you see now was rebuilt around 1230. However, it has been changed a lot since then! Some parts that are still from the 13th century include the nave arcades (the arches that separate the main part of the church from the side aisles), the north transept (a part of the church that sticks out like an arm), and the piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels) and sedilia (seats for the clergy) in the chancel (the area around the altar).
In the 15th century, the windows and a door on the south side were replaced. The tall tower was added in the 16th century. Later, in 1847, the chancel and the chapels next to it were rebuilt. More changes happened in 1871, when the north wall of the north aisle and the south porch were rebuilt.
During the 19th century, the clerestory (the upper part of the nave wall with windows) and other windows were updated. Many of the stone parts inside the church were also repaired or reshaped.
What's in a Name?
The church doesn't have an official dedication to a saint. Even though it's sometimes called "St Stephen's Church" because of the town's name, there's no real proof it was ever dedicated to Saint Stephen or St John.
The Church Community
This church is part of a larger group of churches. It shares a parish with St Andrew's Church in Crosby Garrett and St Mary's Church in Mallerstang.
Since 1990, the church also welcomes the Roman Catholic community. They have an official agreement to share the building for their services.
Special Memorials
Inside the church, you can find some interesting old tombs.
The Wharton Chapel
The north chapel is also known as the Wharton Chapel. Here, you'll see a tomb from the late 1500s. It has statues, called effigies, of Thomas Wharton, 1st Baron Wharton (who lived from 1495 to 1568) and his two wives.
The Hartley Chapel
The south chapel is called the Hartley Chapel. It has two tombs from the 1400s. One tomb has an effigy of Sir Richard Musgrave, who passed away in 1409. The other tomb is for another Sir Richard Musgrave, who died in 1464. This chapel is dedicated to St Paul.
Music and Bells
The Organ
The church has a large pipe organ that was built in 1888. It has three keyboards, called manuals, and makes beautiful music for services. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
The Bells
The church has a set of 8 bells that can be rung. The largest bell, called the tenor, weighs about 15 hundredweight (which is about 762 kilograms) and is tuned to the note F. Most of the bells were made by John Warner & Sons in London in 1877. However, the 7th bell was made earlier, in 1849, by Edward Seller.
Gallery
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The "Loki Stone", part of an Anglo-Saxon cross shaft
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An old drawing of the "Loki Stone" by Julius Magnus Petersen
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Eden District
- Listed buildings in Kirkby Stephen
