The last day of our break in Lakeland and we had in mind a very Old Church to visit. So it was off to the North East of the lakes and Ullswater one of the regions largest lakes. Carving its way into the mountains Ullswater is an attractive tourist spot offering boundless walks, and even grand cruises along the Lake….
Ullswater
But it was onwards up another narrow hairpin pass and into Martindale to find a very old church. Tucked away in Howegrain Valley you find a stone built church hiding behind it stone built enclosure…….
It is named as ‘The Old Church of St. Martin’ not just because it is very old but due to the building of a newer church, further down the valley that was more accessible for the parishioners. But make no mistake this is an old church, the first written record dates to 1220 but it is apparent that the church was well established by then. It is also thought that an earlier chapel existed on this site……..
The Church has a single tiny bell in an exposed ‘open Cote mounted directly above the covered oak doorway.
The interior is much like many other old small country parish churches…very simple and plain. Open upright benches for the congregation. The stone flagged floor is relatively modern being installed in 1714 as a result of complaints from parishioners not wishing to meet in a church that had on occasions a muddy wet floor…….
On the left of the wood alter is a very special stone used as a Font. It was recovered from a Roman wayside Shrine that was beside a Roman Road that still runs along the mountain ridge just beyond the valley…….
Like all old churches there is a Yew Tree in the church yard. Planted by tradition to ward of evil spirits and ghosts! This Yew is reputed to be over 1300 years old.
The charm of this isolated church of St. Martin nestling below the hills, surrounded by stone enclosures, cattle and innumerable sheep has to be experienced to be believed…..so if you have the chance to visit, please do, it will be well worth the journey…..and some real time to pause and contemplate (or mediated if you wish)……
The Old Church of St. Martin, Cumbria
19 September
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 
Incredible beauty! Hard to fathom something this old.
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Thank you….it is very hard to stand in the church and understand just how old it is, trying to imagine a farming community coming to worship in all weathers
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A fine church. I like the simple clean lines of the interior and can imagine Puritans standing there at prayer. there only appears to be a few graves in the church yard,has the “new” church the larger one?
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There is a very large tomb behind the church and under the Yew Tree. It is more in keeping with say a major church or cathedral than a humble country church. It is the Tomb of the Rev. Richard Birkett the first minister to be appointed to the church after the Dissolution of the Monastaries. He dies Christmas Day 1699 and had been minister for 67 years. There are quite a few graves, not many are marked with headstones or crosses and of course some crosses have broken as a result of age and weather. But most are un-marked graves and in these shots hidden by the long grass. Yep, there is a graveyard at the ‘new’ church
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Wow! Old is right, that’s amazing. Great photos too!
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It is so hard to imagine! It has really endured and the Yew tree! Just incredible!
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Wow, that is really old. I’m glad old structures like this are preserved. It looks well maintained.
The first photo is breathtaking! The scenery seems to go on forever.
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