St Mary's Church Ambleside Cumbria
N 54° 25.856 W 002° 57.983
30U E 502180 N 6031469
St Mary's Church Ambleside was built between 1850 and 1854 in the Early Gothic style. The architect was Sir George Gilbert Scott. Unusually, it has a spire, and is built of sandstone, more easily worked than local slate.
Waymark Code: WMY1K
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/08/2006
Views: 39
There are many interesting stained glass windows, including two 'Children's Windows' by Henry Holiday.
The choir stalls are carved with the figures of 14 Northern saints: Ethelberga, Benedict Biscop, Cuthbert, Caedmon, Hilda, Bede, Aidan, Edwin, Wilfred, Oswald, Paulinus, Finan, Columba, and Kentigern. The reredos of alabaster is carved with the figures of four Celtic saints.
Probably the oldest feature of the Church is the ancient sandstone font near the entrance to the Wordsworth Chapel, which may date from pre-Reformation times, and which was found in the belfry of the old St Annes' Church in 1899. (nearby waymark)
There is a mural (waymark), created in 1944, depicting the Rushbearing ceremony, by Gordon Ransom, lecturer at The Royal College of Art. It is 26 feet long, and contains 62 figures in four scenes, representing inhabitants of Ambleside at that period.
Every year on the first Saturday in July, Ambleside celebrates its Rushbearing Festival. This custom dates back to the days when the earthen floor of the church was strewn with rushes for warmth and cleanliness.
A comprehensive Church booklet gives details of the history and the content of the Church.
source. (
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At the time of construction, Ambleside was wealthy from the sale of sheep wool. Consecrated 14 June 1854.
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