The Parish Church of St Andrew is in the Diocese of Carlisle, and is located on Hawkshead Road in Coniston.
The Grade II Listed building was designed by J. Matson and was built in 1819. It is constructed of slate with ashlar dressings and slate roof. The building features a west tower with embattled parapet, clock and paired stone-louvred bell openings. (
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In 1907 an organ loft was erected and an organ installed. The organ was given as a gift to the church by Margaret Barratt of Holywath in loving memory of her mother Emily Petherick.
A plaque on the organ is inscribed as follows;
'TO THE GLORY OF GOD
THIS ORGAN IS THE GIFT OF MARGARET BARRATT OF HOLYWATH
IN LOVING MEMORY OF HER MOTHER EMILY PETHERICK
NOVEMBER 1908'
The organ was manufactured by organ makers Harrison & Harrison of Durham & London.
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History about the firm can be seen at the following link: (
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The organ is listed in the Harrison & Harrison Catalogue of Organs as the following;
'Coniston, St Andrew’s Church Date of installation - 1908 Size - II/9' (
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"The present church replaced an earlier church of 1586 built by William Le Fleming. The chancel and the low bays were added in 1891. The Baptistry West window of St Andrew has stained glass by Charles Kempe.
Many of the features in the Church worthy of mention refer back to the patrons and benefactors of Coniston – the Le Fleming family, who built Coniston Hall in 1270, and who have remained there until recent times, and the Barratt family who established themselves in Coniston in the 1820’s to develop the copper mines.
In the churchyard is the grave of John Ruskin, who died at Brantwood of influenza on 20 Jan 1900. His grave is marked with a large carved cross made from green slate from the local quarry at Tilberthwaite.
It was carved by H.T. Miles, to a design by W.G. Collingwood, who was an expert on Anglo-Saxon crosses, with symbols depicting important aspects of Ruskin’s work and life.
W.G. Collingwood, who is buried nearby with his family, also designed the war memorial, a Celtic Cross, near the South porch."
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