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St Mary, Ambleside
St Mary's Church
Ambleside Church
locality:-   Ambleside
civil parish:-   Lakes (formerly Westmorland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   church
coordinates:-   NY37400436
1Km square:-   NY3704
10Km square:-   NY30
references:-   : 2005: Diocese of Carlisle, Directory 2004/5

MN photo:-  
Design by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, 1850.

photograph
BJT02.jpg  The church is surrounded by trees!
(taken 17.8.2005)  
photograph
BUO68.jpg (taken 19.5.2011)  

evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Wmd 26 10) 
placename:-  St Mary's Church
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.
"St Mary's Church (Per Curacy) / Grave Yard"

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
GAR2NY30.jpg
notice two crosses, the old and new churches 
item:-  JandMN : 82.1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old text:- Martineau 1855
source data:-   Guide book, A Complete Guide to the English Lakes, by Harriet Martineau, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, and by Whittaker and Co, London, 1855; published 1855-76.
image MNU1P041, button  goto source
Page 41:-  "... near the centre of the valley is the new church,- more of a blemish than an adornment, unhappily, from its size and clumsiness, and the bad taste of its architecture. Though placed in a valley, it has a spire,- the appropriate form of churches in a level country; and the spire is of a different color (sic) from the rest of the building; and the east window is remarkably ugly. There have been various reductions of the beauty of the valley within twenty years or so; and this latest is the worst, because the most conspicuous. ..."

evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
source data:-   Photograph, black and white, Ambleside, by Herbert Bell, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s.
image  click to enlarge
HB0189.jpg
stamped at rev:-  "HERBERT BELL / Photographer / AMBLESIDE"
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS1
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
source data:-   Photograph, black and white, St Mary's Church, Ambleside, by Herbert Bell, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s.
image  click to enlarge
HB0204.jpg
stamped at rev:-  "HERBERT BELL / Photographer / AMBLESIDE"
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS24
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
source data:-   Photograph, black and white, St Mary's Church and Rothay Road, Ambleside, by Herbert Bell, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s.
image  click to enlarge
HB0215.jpg
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS624
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old photograph:- Bell 1880s-1940s
source data:-   Photograph, black and white, St Mary's Church and a school, Ambleside, by Herbert Bell, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s.
image  click to enlarge
HB0220.jpg
item:-  Armitt Library : ALPS724
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
NUR1NY30.jpg
"AMBLESIDE"
item:-  JandMN : 27
Image © see bottom of page

 stained glass

evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
placename:-  Church of St Mary
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"CHURCH OF ST MARY / / / LAKES / SOUTH LAKELAND / CUMBRIA / B / 450572 / NY3739604360"
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"1850-54 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in Early Decorated style. Built of local coursed slate rubble with sandstone dressings. Large south-east square tower with stepped angle buttresses, Decorated windows, and prominent octagonal spire with aedile windows. A 5-light east window. Low north-east vestry. South porch up 6 steps. North and south aisles. North porch. Interior has wide proportions, and open timber roofs. Modern mural painting. Mural monument to Jane Harden, 1829. Marble and gold mosaic reredos."

evidence:-   old photograph:- 
source data:-   Stereo photo, St Mary's Church, Ambleside, issued by R J Sproat, photographer, Ambleside, Westmorland, 1890s?
image  click to enlarge
PH0062.jpg
item:-  Armitt Library : no id no 3
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old print:- Matthew 1866
source data:-   Print, engraving, Ambleside from Loughrigg Fell, Westmorland, drawn by R Howe, engraved by J Saddler, published by J Richardson, Highgate, Kendal, Westmorland, 1866.
image  click to enlarge
MW1E08.jpg
Tipped in opposite p.62 of The English Lakes, Peaks and Passes, from Kendal to Keswick, by George King Matthew. 
printed at lower left, right, centre:-  "R. Howe. / J. Saddler. / Published by J. Richardson, Kendal. / Ambleside from Lough-rigg Fell"
item:-  Armitt Library : A1168.8
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old print:- Garnett 1850s-60s F
source data:-   Print, uncoloured engraving, St Mary's Church and Schools, Ambleside, Westmorland, from a photo by J Garnett, engraved by Banks and Co, Edinburgh, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, 1850s-60s?
image  click to enlarge
GAR722.jpg
Found with Views of the English Lakes. 
printed at bottom:-  "Banks & Co. Edinr. / ST. MARY'S CHURCH &SCHOOLS, AMBLESIDE. / From a Photo. by J. Garnett."
item:-  JandMN : 165.22
Image © see bottom of page

 ring of bells

incumbents:-  
Bell, John ?  1585 -  
Mayson, Thomas  1629 -  
Turner, Henry  1647 -  
Pearson, John  1669 -  
Thwaites, Mr  1680 -  
Wright, Richard  1682 -  
Fleming, Roger  1686 -  
Knott, Thomas  1694 -  
Jackson, Robert ? 
Harrison, Mr ? 
Myles, Jonathan  1744 -  
Knipe, Isaac  1753 -  
Roberts, Christopher ?  1785 -  
Wilson, John  1786 -  
Knipe, John  1792 -  
Dawes, William ? 
Crakelt, Isaac  1795 -  
Dawes, John  1811 -  
Fell, Samuel Irton  1846 -  
Marlen, Henry J  1860 -  
Bell, Charles Dent  1861 -  
Campbell, Colin  1872 -  
Herbert, Charles  1875 -  
Aston, John W  1878 -  
Chase, Charles H  1882 -  
Bayley, Charles H  1892 -  
Lafone, H P  1896 -  
Hawkesworth, John  1902 -  

 Rushbearing 1890s

 Rushbearing 1900s

 Rushbearing 1910s

hearsay:-  
The organ was originally built by the Hope-Jones Organ C, London, 1898. It was controlled by electricity, a novelty when it was built, and demonstrated the knowledge of its builder who was a telephone engineer and organist from the Wirrel, Lancashire. Some of the wiring and electromagnets have been kept.
The organ was extended by Hill, Norman and Beard, 1965. It was restored by Victor L Saville and Co, Cumbria, 1999.


photograph
BSA49.jpg  Organ, Hope-Jones Organ Co, London, 1898.
(taken 29.1.2010)  
photograph
BUO67.jpg  Organ:-
"The Hope-Jones Organ Co. Ltd. - London / 1898" (taken 29.1.2010)  
photograph
BSB32.jpg  Organ:-
"The Hope-Jones Organ Co. Ltd. - London / 1898" (taken 29.1.2010)  
photograph
BUO66.jpg  Mothers Union banner
(taken 19.5.2011)  
photograph
BSA48.jpg (taken 29.1.2010)  
photograph
CDZ76.jpg (taken 22.9.2015)  
photograph
BSA51.jpg  Grave of Charlotte Mason.
(taken 29.1.2010)  
photograph
BSA52.jpg  Grave of Charlotte Mason.
(taken 29.1.2010)  


photograph
BJT03.jpg  The mural of the Ambleside rushbearing, at the west end, was painted by Gordon Ransom, lecturer at the Royal College of Art, evacuated to Ambleside during World War II, 1944.
(taken 17.8.2005)  
photograph
BSA45.jpg  Rushbearing mural, detail.
(taken 29.1.2010)  
photograph
BSA46.jpg  Rushbearing mural, detail.
(taken 29.1.2010)  
photograph
BSA47.jpg  Rushbearing mural, detail.
(taken 29.1.2010)  
The rushbearing ceremony still takes place here on the first or second Saturday in July. Once a year the old rushes, junk, from the Latin name juncus, were thrown out, and new rushes strewn on the church floor.
The ceremony used to take place at St Anne's Church on the Saturday nearest St Anne's Day, 26 July.


photograph
BML77.jpg  Two cast iron 'grave stones' made by Haden of Warmintser, Wiltshire, 1872. On the left is:-
"IN MEMORY OF JOHN DYER DIED JAN 16 1872" On the back is:-
"HADEN [WARMINSTER]" (taken 3.8.2006)  
photograph
BML78.jpg  And on the right:-
"IN MEMORY OF SARAH DYER DIED JAN 17 1872" (taken 3.8.2006)  

notes:-  
The church was built 1850-54 to replace St Anne's Church which was too small to cope with a growing population. The architect was Sir George Gilbert Scott, and the design includes ideas from the Oxford Movement, the Catholic Revival. The position of the tower at a corner takes advantage of the underlying rocks, and its height was reduced from planned. Even so, the combined weight of tower and bells continues to cause problems.
The choir vestry added at the north east corner is by Paley and Austin, Lancaster, 1889.

: : church leaflet

personal
person:-    : Mason, Charlotte M
place:-   burial place

dedication
person:-    : St Mary the Virgin
place:-   Ambleside / Carlisle Diocese

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