St Lawrence's Church, Appleby-in-Westmorland, lies at the bottom of the wide main street, close to the Moot Hall and separated from the town by cloisters (a covered walkway). The church itself, dating in part from about 1150, seemed quite long. I couldn't get the whole in one frame and I had to do a panorama photo. So it's not as wonky as it appears above!
Built of the local warm red sandstone, it is rather a lovely building, restored and partially rebuilt in 1655 by Lady Anne Clifford, a redoubtable noblewoman with links to Skipton and many other places in northern England, and who lived some of the time in nearby Appleby Castle. She died in 1676 (according to most records, though her tomb appears to say 1675) and is buried in the church, alongside her mother. Her tomb (below), which she herself had made before she died, has a reredos with family shields. The feisty Lady Anne Clifford is something of a heroine of mine. You can read a bit about her in an earlier post I wrote, HERE. You can even read some of her diaries (see HERE).
In the churchyard I was mildly amused, for some reason, by the line of cones. I feel sure there's a good caption in there somewhere, though I haven't quite found it yet.
That church is very similar to Parish Church in Skipton (where I grew Up) that it seems that Lady Anne had more than a hand in rebuilding both. Skipton's tower is taller with a large clock face. Keith, not Marjorie.
ReplyDeleteIt has character.
ReplyDeleteThe church has an unusual footprint, but is very lovely because it is so different then many others. Like yourself, I am not quite sure what sort of caption could apply to the cones.
ReplyDelete