Kendal Parish church - old post cards

Kendal Parish church
Kendal
Old post cards

I think if anything, old post cards enable us to glimpse a little bit of the past, the evolution of a building or a place. This small collection of cards portraying Kendal Parish church are no different, and over the years it's easy to see the changing face of our fantastic, Grade I listed medieval church.

Above. Undated photo of the West front of the Parish church. 

This undated photo of the church, shows a yard that is both well manicured and yet, at the same time, strangely overgrown. The small bushes between the box tombs and the church are squarely cut, whilst the grass is quite long. It's nice to see photos of the church with tombs in the yard.

 Above. Photo of the East end of the church.

Photo of the church showing the East end and the South wall without the vestry. The building to the right with the large round headed windows, could be the old vicarage.

Above. View of the West end of the church. 

Again, the yard is presented in a different fashion, with gravel paths leading to the West porch on the right, and the smaller door to the Outer North aisle on the left.

Above. View of the West end of the church. 

Above. The West end of the church. 

Another great view of the West end of the church, showing how busy the yard was with tombs and headstones. When these stones were moved, they were mostly placed on the ground on the North side of the church. The tops and sides of many of the table tombs, were used to top the wall that runs down the South side of the church and can still be seen today.

Above. A nice elevated view of the West end of the church.

Above. Old floorplan of the Parish Church.

As I come by more old photos and post cards of the Parish church I'll post them here.

Breaking News - Last window from All Hallows (Kendal) to be relocated.

Breaking News - the final window from the de-consecrated church of All Hallows on Low Fell Side in Kendal, is being re-housed in Holy Trinity in Kendal.

The remaining three windows depicting the parable of the Good Samaritan have found a new home at last, and will be viewable in Kendal Parish Church when they're complete.

The full story can be found here.

When I'm sure that the window is finally in-situ, I'll visit and take some photos.

Melling, St Wilfrid, stained glass

Stained glass at St Wilfrid
Melling
Lancashire

Above. Window depicting St Mary Magdalene (left) St Peter (centre) and St John (right)

Above. Window dedicated to Sandford Tatham and his wife.

The above is a two light window dedicated to Sandford Tatham and his wife. The dedication reads "In memory of Admiral Sandford Tatham Lord of the honor of Hornby & manor of Tatham, who died 24th January 1810 aged 84 yrs. And of Ann his wife, who died 3 April 1812. They are interred in the Chancel of Hornby chapel within the Parish of Melling."

Sandford Tatham was the son of Sandford Tatham (yes! the same name) who was a member of the clergy in Cumberland. Sandford served in the Royal Navy eventually being promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1813. He served in the Navy from June 1746 until June 1846. From 1791 until 1792 Sandford served aboard the Argo, a 44 gun battleship of the Royal Navy, as Commander. From 1793 until 1794, he served aboard the Dromedary, another 44 gun battleship of the Royal Navy, as Commander.

Above. Window depicting St Catherine, Virgin and Martyr and St Wilfrid, Archbishop.

Above. Window depicting St David (left) and Isaiah (right)

Garstang, St Thomas-new photos

St Thomas
Garstang
Lancashire

I recently realised that I had some more more photos of St Thomas in Garstang , a church that has a huge connection with my family, the Boys-Stones, that I'd neglected to include on this web site. My Great Great Grandfather George Boys-Stones was the first vicar of St Thomas from 1878 until his death in 1914.

Above. The Rev. George Boys-Stones, my Great Great Grandfather.

Previous visits were more concerned with the family link to the church, but I managed to photograph the interior of the church a while back, a place where George would have ministered probably daily, for almost 36 years.

Above. Looking down the Nave into the Chancel. 

Above. The West window above the altar in the Chancel. 

Above. Looking into the Nave with the only surviving 19th century gallery. 

Above. The organ in the Chancel. 

The organ, shown above, was dedicated by my Great Great Great Grandmother Martha Stones (Boys-Stones) in 1895, only a few years before she passed away in 1897. She lived at Catterall Cottage in Catterall, and shared the dedication with Albert Simpson of Elmhurst.

Above. The pulpit from which my Great Great Grandfather would have ministered from. 

Above. Another view of the pulpit. 

Above. Looking into the Chancel towards the West window.

Above. View of the church from the church yard. 

Above. View of the church from the older part of the church yard. 

Above. The South side of the church.

I also realised that I had a couple of photos of the Boys-Stones family plot that I've not posted here before.

Above. The Boys-Stones family plot at St Thomas. 

Above. The Boys-Stones family plot at St Thomas.

Breaking News! Cumbrian churches win roof repair cash

Breaking News! 
Cumbrian churches win roof repair cash.

In a story carried by the Westmorland Gazette today, it's announced that a number of churches in the South Lakeland and Eden areas are to benefit from a £150,000 fund. These churches, namely, St Cuthberts at Kentmere, St John the Evangelist at Levens and St Patrick at Patterdale, will each receive funds that will be used to repair roofs and otherwise waterproof walls and roof structures and make them more readily available to the communities that they serve. 

Above. St Cuthbert at Kentmere.

Above. St John the Evangelist at Levens.

These three churches are only three of a total of 372 parish churches across the country that will benefit from a total overall fund of around £19million, further protecting these buildings for future generations to use and enjoy.