St Mary's Church — Attraction in Kirkby Lonsdale

Built in the 12th century, St Mary’s Church is one of the oldest buildings in Kirkby Lonsdale, its Norman arches and stone walls quietly telling stories of nearly nine hundred years of faith and community. Later Gothic additions in the 14th and 15th centuries give the church its distinctive mix of architectural styles, each age leaving its mark.

Inside, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. A corner has been transformed into a small café area, while another area overflows with toys for children—a true community space. Chairs are stacked in corners and although it looks cluttered, it also tells a story of the role it plays as an important family village hub.

The church itself remains modest but full of character. Just beyond the entrance stands a large stone font, its surface smooth from centuries of use. It dates from the 14th century, originally from the chapel at Killington, before finding its home here in the 1800s.

Other treasures reveal themselves as we wander slowly through the nave: the stained glass windows on the east wall, installed in 1863, casting soft coloured light across the stone floor; the pulpit from the 17th century, and a beautifully carved 13th-century piscina, once used for washing sacred vessels. Banners hang gracefully from the arches, each one representing a sister church in the surrounding

When we step back outside, a light drizzle has begun to fall. Umbrellas up, we wander through the pretty shops that line Kirkby Lonsdale’s Main Street—bookshops, galleries, and gift stores filled with small treasures. After a comforting lunch in a cosy café, we can’t resist one last stop at the old-fashioned sweet shop, a place that always seems to belong to another time.

With bags of treats in hand and the sound of church bells faintly echoing across the valley, we head back to the car—content, refreshed, and quietly grateful for the simple...

A beautiful church in a picturesque corner of the town. It took me about five minutes to walk here from the market square, along the main shopping street. It's well worth taking a look inside. There's a wonderful atmosphere of tranquility and much of interest to see from different periods of history. Three of the massive pillars have intricate patterns and date back to the early 12th century. Look out for the Green Man carved on the one nearest the entrance. There's also some lovely Victorian stained glass. The extensive and well kept churchyard has some interesting memorials and a peaceful little garden with colourful floral displays. Unfortunately the path leading to Ruskin's View was closed when I visited but there were still wonderful views to be enjoyed from the churchyard and the Radical Steps leading down...

Take a few minutes at least to appreciate this building, it's surroundings and setting.

This is the beautiful parish church of Kirby Lonsdale with early Norman architectural origins. The churchyard contains a number of interesting monuments, plus a memorial garden divided into 12 months with shrubs and plants flowering in their representative month. It is very common to see streams of people cutting through the churchyard with their destination the exquisite Ruskin's Viewpoint, seldom do they pause to take in their immediate surroundings. I am sure John Ruskin would have paused at the very least to appreciate the...