Skip To Main Content

  • Accommodation
    • NEW Special Offers
    • Don't Miss
      • Dog Friendly Accommodation
      • Family Accommodation
      • Accommodation with a Swimming Pool
      • Accommodation with Gyms
      • Accommodation with Hot Tubs
      • Green Holidays
      • Group Accommodation
      • Luxury accommodation
      • Something a Bit Different
      • Spa Breaks
    • Accessible Accommodation
    • B&Bs & Guesthouses
    • Camping, Glamping & Caravanning
    • Holiday Homes for Sale
    • Holiday Parks
    • Hostels
    • Hotels
    • Lake District Cottages
    • Pubs with Rooms
    • Restaurants with Rooms
    • Self Catering Accommodation
    • Cottage Agencies
  • What's On
    • What's On in the Lake District
    • What's On in Cumbria
    • Challenge Events
      • 13 Valleys
      • Great North Swim
      • Tour of Britain
      • Windermere Marathon
      • Cross-Bay Walks
      • Traditional Sports
      • Gurning Festival (Egremont Crab Fair)
      • World’s Biggest Liar
    • Cultural Events
    • Festivals
      • Cumbria Dark Skies Festival
      • Hadrian's Wall 1900 Festival
      • Lake District Summer Music Festival
      • Marmalade Festival at Dalemain
      • Wild GOAT Festival
    • Food Events
    • Galleries & Exhibitions
    • Markets
    • Add your event
  • Things to Do
    • Bookable Experiences
    • Lake District Activities
    • Lake District Attractions
    • Adventure Activities
      • Adventure on the Water
      • Adventure Training
      • Extreme & Off Road
      • Rocks & Ropes
    • Arts and Culture
      • Culture in South Lakes
      • Deep Time
      • Famous Artists, Poets & Writers
      • Festivals
      • Galleries & Exhibitions
      • Independent Cinema
      • Museums
      • Theatre & Live Performance
      • TV & Film Locations
    • Experiences
      • Aerial Experiences
      • Animal Experiences
      • Bushcraft Experiences
      • Craft Demonstrations & Workshops
      • Food & Drink Masterclasses
      • Gift Experiences
    • Guided Tours
      • Blue Badge Guides
      • Coach & Minibus Tours
      • Guided Cycling
      • Guided Walks
      • Nature & Wildlife Tours
    • Health & Wellbeing
      • Forest Bathing
      • Gym & Swim
      • Wild Swimming
      • Yoga
    • History and Heritage
      • Cumbrian Castles
      • Cumbrian Churches
      • Historic Houses, Parks & Gardens
    • Outdoor Activities
      • In the Air
      • On the Land
      • On the Water
      • Cycling in the Lake District, Cumbria
      • Walking in the Lake District, Cumbria
      • Boat Hire
      • Horse Riding & Pony Trekking
      • Lake Cruises & Boat Trips
      • Sporting Activities
      • Hen & Stag Activities
      • Team Building activities
      • Free Wainwright Podcasts
    • Shopping
      • Cumbrian High Street Shopping
      • Local Produce
      • Shop Online
    • Accessible Activities
    • Family Days Out
    • Traditional Sports
    • Wildlife & Nature
    • Safety/Adventure Smart
  • Food and Drink
    • Dog-friendly places to eat
    • Family-friendly places to eat
    • Afternoon Tea
    • Breweries & Distilleries
    • Cafés
    • Fine dining
    • Foraging & Bushcraft
    • Local Produce
    • Pub Food & Gastro Pubs
    • Restaurants
    • Vegetarian & Vegan
    • Interviews with Cumbrian Food Producers
    • Recipes from The Lake District, Cumbria
  • Explore Cumbria
    • Areas of Cumbria
      • The Lake District
      • Carlisle & Hadrian’s Wall
      • Eden Valley & North Pennines
      • Morecambe Bay
      • Western Lakes & Coast
      • Where The Lakes Meets The Dales
      • Ambleside
      • Coniston
      • Keswick
      • Windermere & Bowness
    • Dark Sky Cumbria
    • Year of the Coast
    • World Heritage Cumbria
    • Lakes and Rivers
    • Mountains and Fells
    • Wainwrights
    • The National Trust in the Lake District
    • Historic Houses, Parks & Gardens
    • Cumbrian Castles
    • Cumbrian Churches
    • Harbours & Marinas
    • Access for all
    • Travel
      • Getting To Cumbria
      • Getting Around Cumbria
      • Sustainable Adventures
      • Buses
      • Trains
      • Airports
      • Car, Minibus & Campervan Hire
      • Cycle Hire in the Lake District Cumbria
      • Boat Hire
      • Guides & Tours
      • Taxis
      • Car Parking and Car Charging
      • Group Travel
      • Travel Inspiration – Itineraries
    • Tourist Information Centres
  • Ideas and Inspiration
    • Cumbrian Virtual Christmas Market
    • Rainy day ideas
    • Sunny day ideas
    • Selfie Guide
    • Suggested Itineraries
    • Spa Breaks
    • Romantic Breaks
    • Family Holidays
    • Dog Friendly Holidays
    • Bespoke Holidays
    • The Inn Collection Group in the Lake District
    • Green and Environmental Holidays
    • Caring for the environment
      • Lake District Foundation
      • Safety/Adventure Smart
  • Weddings
    • Wedding Venues
      • Exclusive Use Venues
      • Venues with Accommodation
    • Wedding Suppliers
    • Wedding Fairs & Events
    • Stag & Hen Parties
    • Honeymoon & Minimoon
    • Transport
    • Spa Treatments
  • Conferences & Event Spaces
    • Conference venues with rooms
    • Attraction Venues & Meeting Spaces
    • Functions, Banquets and Corporate Event Venues
    • Team Building
    • Event Organisers, Catering & Suppliers
  • Offers, Prizes & Guides
    • NEW Special Offers
    • Subscribe to our special offers Newsletters
    • Prize Draws
      • Win a 2-night stay at the Royal Oak Borrowdale
      • Win a 2-night stay at Farlam Hall and Tullie Tour
      • WIN a two-night stay at Another Place
      • Win a 2-night 'Walk Inn' package from the Angel In
      • Win an overnight stay for 2 at Low Wood Bay Resort
      • Win a luxury overnight stay for 2 at Low Wood Bay
    • Gift Vouchers
    • Free Downloads
      • Download Free Desktop Wallpaper
      • Download Free Mobile Wallpaper
      • Download Free Lake District Zoom Backgrounds
      • Download Free Wainwright Podcasts
    • Order a free holiday guide
    • Download Free Guides
  • Blog

Don't Miss

  • Whinlatter Forest

    Whinlatter Forest

  • The Lake District, Cumbria Adventure Guide

    View the new digital Adventure Guide

  • Site Logo
  • Print Logo
Site Search Icon

My Planner

To build your own Itinerary, click Add to Excursion to add an item to your Itinerary basket.

Already saved an Itinerary?

List All My Saved Itineraries

Language
  • DE
  • EN
Menu
  1. Carlisle Cathedral
    Churches around Cumbria

You are here: Home > Explore Cumbria > Cumbrian Churches

Cumbrian Churches

Church buildings are a perennial feature of the Cumbrian landscape. Usually they’re the oldest building in the parish, for it was around them that most of the earliest villages and towns were built. As a result, they are some of the most architecturally, culturally and historically significant buildings in an area.
 
These 'living' buildings, many of which still function as a place worship, are cultural and heritage landmarks. Many are fine examples of local and national craftmanship, and nearly all of them tell the story of Cumbria’s communities.

Cumbria has a history of invasion and settlement; the Romans, Celts, Anglo Saxons, Vikings, Normans and Border Rievers, all have lived and worshipped here and left their story in our church buildings; a fusion reflected in stone. 

Characteristically small and simple, yet not without beauty and grace, they reflect the religious, social and economics of a rural landscape formed of lakes, mountains, coastline and border frontiers.

The Anglo-Scottish war (c1296 - c1513) curtailed the Decorated and Perpendicular styles, yet retained Norman influences as well as creating Cumbria's distinctive fortified churches.  18th century prosperity produced classical formality, Victorian growth and romanticism, contributed to the county known as the land of lakes and fells, Wordsworth, and Beatrix Potter.

The history of Cumbria and its people can be read in the stone of our churches, revealing the diversity of the county and the landscape in which they belong.

The Churches Trust for Cumbria exists to provide support to church buildings across Cumbria and aims to encourage the sustainable use of these unique heritage buildings and keep their communities alive. Delve further into the history of Cumbrian Churches, area by area and find out more about individual churches within Cumbria on the Cumbria page of the Explore Churches website.

Explore churches by area and church trails

  1. Churches of Carlisle & Hadrian's Wall
    Carlisle & Hadrian's Wall
    Explore the Churches around the Carlisle & Hadrian's Wall area of Cumbria.
  2. Churches of the Eden Valley & North Pennines
    Eden Valley & North Pennines
    Explore the churches of the Eden Valley and North Pennines area of Cumbria.
  3. Churches of the Lake District
    The Lake District
    Explore the Churches of the Lake District, Cumbria
  4. Churches of Morecambe Bay
    Morecambe Bay
    Explore the churches around the Morecambe Bay area
  5. Churches of the Western Lakes & Coast
    Western Lakes & Coast
    Explore the churches of the Western Lakes and Cumbrian coast.
  6. Churches of The Eastern Lakes & Dales
    Where The Lakes Meets The Dales
    Explore the churches around the area where the Lakes meets the Dales
  7. Churches Trust for Cumbria Secret Solway Trail
    Secret Solway Trail
    Discover a cluster of unique churches, built from the stones of Hadrian’s Wall in the years following the Norman Conquest
  8. Churches Trust for Cumbria - 'Railways & Religion in the Western Dales' trail
    Railways & Religion Trail
    A trail of a dozen small, simple and serene chapels, churches and meeting houses in the Western Dales.
  9. Churches Trust for Cumbria - 'Furness Land, Sea, Spirit' trail
    Furness 'Land, Sea & Spirit' Trail
    Visit this fascinating corner of South Cumbria, where the historic monastery and other places of worship were founded to serve the spiritual needs of its settlers wherever they came from.
  10. Churches Trust for Cumbria 'Over The Wall' trail - discover churches around the Hadrian's Wall area of Cumbria.
    Over The Wall Trail
    Venture north beyond Hadrian's wall on a short tour of churches which encapsulate the development of the communities who have lived here since the Romans departed.

Some of the most architecturally, culturally and historically significant buildings in Cumbria

Search
  • Accommodation
  • Things to Do
  • What's On
  • Food & Drink
Accommodation
Check Availability
Arrival Date
Add Room
Type
Area
Location
Within miles
Keyword
Refine By
Site Features
Leisure Facilities
Property Facilities
Room/Unit Facilities
Parking
Other
Things to Do
Type
Refine By
Beyonk Online Booking
Area
Location
Within miles
Keyword
What's On
Dates
Type
Area
Location
Within miles
Keyword
Food & Drink
Type
Area
Location
Within miles
Keyword
Accommodation
Check Availability
Arrival Date
Add Room
Type
Area
Location
Within miles
Keyword
Refine By
Site Features
Leisure Facilities
Property Facilities
Room/Unit Facilities
Parking
Other
Things to Do
Type
Refine By
Beyonk Online Booking
Area
Location
Within miles
Keyword
What's On
Dates
Type
Area
Location
Within miles
Keyword
Food & Drink
Type
Area
Location
Within miles
Keyword

You may also like

  • Bookable Experiences

  • Download Guide

  • Gift Vouchers

  • Itineraries

  • E-newsletter Sign Up

  • Blog

Stay in Touch

Follow The Lake District, Cumbria on Social Media

Sign up for E-newsletter

Receive all the latest news, special offers and information from the Lake District, Cumbria

Sign Up
  • Cumbria Tourism Website
  • Advertise on VisitLakeDistrict
  • Press & Media
  • Cumbria Tourism Business Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs in the Lake District, Cumbria
  • Site Map
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe to our special offers Newsletters
  • Sustainable Adventures
  • World Heritage Cumbria
  • Wainwrights
  • Romantic Breaks
  • Selfie Guide
  • Accommodation
  • What's On
  • Things to Do
  • Food and Drink
  • Lake District Weddings
  • Access for all
Contact Us

Cumbria Tourism, Windermere Road, Staveley, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 9PL

Made by Simpleview Logo
Beyonk Logo
Experience Booking Powered by Beyonk

Ratings Powered By

tripadvisor

Cumbria Tourism

© Cumbria Tourism