button to main menu  Old Cumbria Gazetteer
Matterdale Church, Matterdale
Matterdale Church
locality:-   Thornythwaite
civil parish:-   Matterdale (formerly Cumberland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   church
coordinates:-   NY39442244
1Km square:-   NY3922
10Km square:-   NY32
references:-   : 2005: Diocese of Carlisle, Directory 2004/5

photograph
BPD20.jpg (taken 7.5.2008)  
photograph
BNY81.jpg (taken 15.8.2007)  
evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Cmd 65 7) 
source data:-   Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.
"Church (Per Curacy) / Grave Yard"
evidence:-   old map:- Donald 1774 (Cmd) 
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, 3x2 sheets, The County of Cumberland, scale about 1 inch to 1 mile, by Thomas Donald, engraved and published by Joseph Hodskinson, 29 Arundel Street, Strand, London, 1774.
image
D4NY32SE.jpg
"Church"
church and buildings 
item:-  Carlisle Library : Map 2
Image © Carlisle Library
evidence:-   old map:- Garnett 1850s-60s H
source data:-   Map of the English Lakes, in Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, 1850s-60s.
image
GAR2NY32.jpg
cross, a church 
item:-  JandMN : 82.1
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Nurse 1918
source data:-   Map, The Diocese of Carlisle, Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire North of the Sands, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Rev Euston J Nurse, published by Charles Thurnam and Sons, 11 English Street, Carlisle, Cumberland, 2nd edn 1939.
image
NUR1NY32.jpg
"MATTERDALE"
item:-  JandMN : 27
Image © see bottom of page
 stained glass
evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
placename:-  Matterdale Church
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"MATTERDALE CHURCH / / A5091 / MATTERDALE / EDEN / CUMBRIA / II[star] / 74556 / NY3944122440"
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"Church. Date: 1573, on tie beam, tower, 1848. Stone rubble with slobbered mortar and slate roof. Single-vessel nave and chancel and west tower. North elevation of 5 bays; windows have wooden cross-mullions and small-paned glazing with opening lights; roof light. South elevation similar; gabled porch between 1st and 2nd bays has pointed entrance with fanlight. Datestone between 4th and 5th bays, possible from gateway, inscribed: "IW CHURCHWARDEN/1686/CS MASON", inserted in 1848. Tower has diagonal buttresses and saddleback roof with crow-stepped gables; triangular-headed bell openings with slate louvres. East elevation has gable cross and straight-headed window; memorial attached to wall has swan-necked pediment and slate panel recording Margaret Dawson, wife of a local bone setter, (died 1728). Interior massive fish-bone trusses with diagonal struts, that to east end inscribed: "MDXXXX/XXIII LPIALWPI/W" (LP 0 Lancelot Pattinson). Pews probably 1750, but one dated 1686. Font in form of baluster, probably late C17; font to west end is octagonal, brought from Greystoke church, date uncertain. 2-decker pulpit with tester and reading desk, formed from 3-decker pulpit. Sanctuary has 1881 choir pew facing late C17 altar and 3-sided altar rail with turned balusters and moulded top rail. East window has stained glass by Kempe, 1881, Adoration of the Shepherds. A good example of a traditional Lakeland church retaining many features of interest."

photograph
BJW83.jpg  Pulpit
(taken 30.9.2005)  
photograph
CAM31.jpg  Pulpit
(taken 29.4.2014)  
photograph
BJW82.jpg  Organ made by Wilkinson and Son, Kendal.
(taken 30.9.2005)  
photograph
BNY83.jpg  Organ, wood pipes.
(taken 15.8.2007)  
photograph
BPD21.jpg  Candles light the church.
(taken 15.8.2007)  
photograph
CAM32.jpg  War memorial.
(taken 29.4.2014)  
photograph
BJW81.jpg  Beam with data:-
"MdXXxxxxviLPIAL WPI/W" ie 1566 when a new church was petitioned.
(taken 30.9.2005)  
photograph
BJW80.jpg  Stone on the church wall (perhaps earlier on the west end of the church):-
"IW CHURCHWARDEN / 1686 / CS MASON" (taken 30.9.2005)  
notes:-  
 An early record, 1566, states:-
"The inhabitants of Matterdale did petition for having a church at ye said Matterdale which was granted in Bishop Best his time ..."
The date on a beam at the east end, 1573, may be when the church was built. The church has no dedication: the bishop, 1580, said it needed none as it had been hallowed by years of prayer by the faithful. There were extensions in 1750, when the floor was flagged; the tower was rebuilt in 1848, and the thatch roof replaced by slates.

: : church leaflet
button to lakes menu  Lakes Guides menu.