Don't Miss

You are here: Home > Explore Cumbria > Cumbrian Churches > Churches of The Eastern Lakes & Dales

Churches of The Eastern Lakes and Dales

The places we live and visit are a record of our social, cultural and natural environment. Church buildings reflect beliefs, traditions and past events that have shaped our historic landscape.

This part of Cumbria is known as the birth place of Quakerism in the north. Brigflatts, near Sedbergh is one of the most famous Quaker meeting houses. Acknowledged for its simplicity, it is one of England’s vernacular gems. Small and plain the Methodist chapels of Cautley and Dentdale form part of a trail of chapels linked to the history of the railways and religion in the Western Dales. The Carlisle to Settle railway line built by ‘navvies’ between 1870-1876, was one of the most difficult railways to construct, its 73 miles include 20 viaducts and 14 tunnels are part of this countryside. Refurbished in 1900 the railway church of St Gregory’s, in the Vale of Lune, has a delightful and colourful series of stained-glass windows that depict river scenes, trees and plants; birds and animals found in the local area. Further depictions of the local landscape, historic buildings and the social background of the area cab be found in The Sedbergh Embroidery, which is on permanent display in St Andrew’s church, Sedbergh. Inspired by the natural landscape is the view from St Mary’s churchyard, Kirkby Lonsdale, painted by Turner in 1822, and praised by the art critic John Ruskin as ‘one of the loveliest views in England’ it is now known as ‘Ruskin’s View’.

Below, we have highlighted just a few of the churches in the Eastern Lakes & Dales 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:

Quaker Meeting House, Brigflatts

Brigflatts, near Sedbergh, Cumbria, is one of the most famous Quaker meeting houses, known and loved by Friends all over the world.
Dentdale Chapel, Dent

Situated in the beautiful valley of Dentdale, Cumbria yet within the boundary of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
St. Mary's Church, Kirkby Lonsdale

Right in the heart of Kirkby Lonsdale,the beautiful Norman church sits above the River Lune with commanding views from the churchyard.
St. Andrew's Church, Sedbergh

Set in the heart of Sedbergh in a beautifully maintained churchyard the church, which dates from 1130, is a haven of peace.
Cautley Chapel, Sedbergh

Striking in its symmetry with its central round headed doorway between by matching round headed windows, Cautley Wesleyan chapel is a good example of its type and date.
St. Gregory's Church, Vale of Lune

Cautley chapel was built in the early 1860s by the Upton family, when the London and North Western Railway was building its Ingleton branch.