St Lawrence Church

(See also Appleby-in-Westmorland and Appleby Castle)

At the bottom of Boroughgate, a Gothic arcade leads to the 12^th century Church of St. Lawrence. The church is a hodgepodge of styles from its Perpendicular exterior to its Early English and Gothic Revival interior. Burned by the Scots in 1174, the church again suffered under the Scottish raid of 1388. It was altered in the 14^th century when the tower to the nave was opened.

The oldest part of the churchthe lower part of the tower (only one window is original)vies for attention with the early 14^th century porch with its dogtooth moulding. The aisles have irregularly laid out five bay arcades. The chancel has a two bay arcade dated from the 14^th century while the south aisle west window, chapel screens, clerestory and upper part of the tower are from the 15^th century.

In the 17^th century Lady Anne Clifford restored much that was burned in the Scottish raids. She added the north chapel and east end buttresses. The Clifford Chapel houses Lady Anne Cliffords altar tomb, constructed before her death in 1676. An alabaster effigy of her mother, Margaret, lies alongside and was erected in 1617. The church boasts the oldest (c.1542) working organ in Britain, brought from Carlisle Cathedral in 1683. The organ case woodwork dates from the 1540s, 1680s, and 1830s. Three volumes of Foxes Acts and Monuments of the Martyrs, chained to a box in the church date to 1631.

St Lawrence Church Appleby-in-Westmoreland is located on the A66, southwest of Penrith.

Tourist Information Centre
The Moot Hall
Appleby-in-Westmorland
Cumbria. CA16 6XE
Tel. 017683-51177
Fax. 017683-51090

Photos courtesy Barbara Ballard

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