Gosforth: St Mary

Name:
Gosforth: St Mary
Record Type:
Church
Church code:
607286
Diocese:
Carlisle
Archdeaconry:
West cumberland
Parish:
Gosforth and Wasdale

Statutory Designation Information

Listed Building?
This is a Grade I Listed Building
View more information about this Listed Building on the National Heritage List for England web site
Scheduled Monument?
There is a Scheduled Monument within the curtilage or precinct

National Park

The church is in the following National Park: Lake District

Conservation Area

The church is not in a Conservation Area

Heritage At Risk Status

On Heritage At Risk Register?
This church is not on the Heritage at Risk Register
 

Approximate Date

Approximate Date:
Medieval

Exterior Image

Work in progress - can you help?

Summary Description

The site of St Mary’s has been important, in religious terms, since the 8th century. The oldest parts of the church we see today are 12th century although in 1789, as the guide book says, St Mary’s “underwent a very extensive repair by which nearly all its marks of antiquity were effaced”. The nave was rebuilt and the north aisle and vestry added in a very competent manner by C.J Ferguson in 1897; these successful alterations continued over one hundred years later, in 1995, with the highly successful addition of meeting rooms, kitchen and WC. The main significance here, though, are the artefacts for as Pevsner says the “church has richest haul in the country of Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Danish work, culminating in the Gosforth Cross”. The cross is in the churchyard and is noted for its slenderness but there are many other medieval items inside the church including carvings and tombstones. It is a fine space that wears the many marks of alteration well; although loss of historic fabric is to be regretted it is felt that the alterations and additions this building over the years have now achieved there own significance.

Visiting and Facilities

The church is open for worship.
Work in progress - can you help?
 

Church Website

Church Website:
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Sources and Further Information

Karl and Ali (of geograph.org.uk) (2016, October 21) Interior image of 607286 St Mary, Gosforth [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
Interior image of 607286 St Mary, Gosforth
CWGC (2016) Commonwealth War Graves Commission CWGC Unique File Reference Number: 2025 [Bibliography/Data]
Number of War Graves: 3
Church of England (2021) A Church Near You https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/12451/ [Digital Archive/Index]
View information on worship and access at this church
Church Buildings Council (2019) Church Bells 4 Bells [Archive/Index]
4 Bells