Churches of The Western Lakes & Coast

The coastline of the western lake district, with its maritime history, has brought a variety of people and faiths to Cumbria’s shores.  Many of whom settled, integrated and made the region their home. 

St Mary’s, Gosforth, is rich in history and artefacts of the Scandinavian Vikings.  The Norse ‘Gosforth Cross' dating from around 940AD, depicts a fusion of Viking and Christian stories which reveal the transition from pagan to Christian beliefs.  One of the smallest churches near the deepest lake and the highest mountain in England; St Olaf’s, at Wasdale Head, honours the early Viking settlers to these dales as well as those lost on the surrounding peaks.  St Bees Priory, is partly dedicated to St Bega.  Bega was an Irish princess who sailed single handed across the Irish sea to escape a forced marriage to a Viking chief.  Stained glass in the Priory depicts her landing.  The Cistercian monastery of Holme Cultran Abbey was founded in 1150 by David I of Scotland, the order itself was established near Dijon, France.  Buddhist symbols, in honour of a Sri Lankan vicar, are engraved into the glass doors of St James, Whitehaven.  Step inside and you will find an impressive 18^th Century interior.   Once home to Benedictine Monks, spiritual descendants of early medieval Italy and Gaul, the now Roman Catholic church of Our Lady Star of the Sea & St Michael, Workington is also home to several mice; the carved symbol of the furniture maker Robert ‘Mouseman' Thompson of Kilburn.

Below, we have highlighted just a few of the churches in the Western Lakes & Coast area for you to explore. As well as this area, you can also find out more about churches in the following areas of the county:

• Churches of Carlisle and Hadrian's Wall
• Churches of Eden Valley & North Pennines
• Churches of The Lake District
• Churches of Morecambe Bay
• Churches of The Eastern Lakes and Yorkshire Dales