Wythburn Church, Thirlmere Cumbria
N 54° 30.770 W 003° 02.710
30U E 497075 N 6040583
Wythburn church is the original parish church for the valley, which was flooded by Thirlmere Reservoir in 1894. Hartley Coleridge, the Romantic Poet, described this little church as Wythburn's 'humble house of prayer'.
Waymark Code: WM1J2J
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/16/2007
Views: 60
Wythburn church was built in 1640 and restored in 1872. In the apse one of the stained glass windows is by Henry Holiday. At the west end are two simple windows depicting Celtic saints, St Cuthbert, and St Herbert, who both lived in the 7th Century. St Herbert was the Lakeland saint who brought Christianity to the region, and lived on an island on Derwentwater.
In 1280 Wythburn was known as Wythbottune, but its name, which means "the valley where willow trees grow", was changed in the 17th century.
The interior of Wythburn Church has thick walls and fine oak beams in the roof.
A booklet on "Wythburn Church and the Valley of Thirlmere" has been published (costing £3.75 incl p&p) and can be ordered from Revd C. G. Darrall, Piper House, Naddle, Keswick CA12 4TF. All proceeds are for the church.
Services held on the last Sunday of the month from June to September at 3.00pm.
Ample parking behind church is popular starting point for walkers ascending Helvellyn.
Links
Interior photos (
visit link)
Diocese info (
visit link)
Book info (
visit link)