St Thomas' Church, Crosscrake Explained

St Thomas' Church, Crosscrake
Pushpin Map:Cumbria
Pushpin Mapsize:200
Pushpin Label Position:left
Map Caption:Location in Cumbria
Location:Crosscrake, Cumbria
Country:England
Coordinates:54.2764°N -2.733°W
Website:St Thomas, Crosscrake
Status:Parish church
Functional Status:Active
Architect:Paley and Austin
Architectural Type:Church
Style:Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking:1874
Completed Date:1875
Materials:Slate
Parish:St Thomas, Crosscrake
Deanery:Kendal
Archdeaconry:Westmorland and Furness
Diocese:Carlisle
Province:York
Vicar:Terry Wilcock

St Thomas' Church is in the village of Crosscrake, Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the Deanery of Kendal, the Archdeaconry of Westmorland and Furness, and the Diocese of Carlisle.

The church was built in 1874–75, and was designed by the Lancaster architects Paley and Austin. It has since been modified but retains its Gothic Revival style.

History

The Paley and Austin building replaced an earlier church of 1773, and cost about £3,000 (equivalent to £ in). The church was supported by the Wakefield family of Sedgwick House in the parish. In 1885, composer Mary Augusta Wakefield and her sister Agnes organized a music festival to raise money for St. Thomas'. The festival continues today as Mary Wakefield Westmorland Festival (but no longer supports St. Thomas').

The internal furnishings are also by Paley and Austin. The church was provided with an organ by Wilkinson of Kendal which was rebuilt in the 1980s by the East Anglian firm Holmes & Swift.[1] The stained glass in the east window dates from about 1890, and is by Clayton and Bell.

Modifications

Because of structural failure, the tower was reduced in 1944, and then removed completely in 1963. A shallow transept was made to disguise this, and a spirelet was added.

Administration

Its benefice was united with that of St Patrick, Preston Patrick, although the latter parish is now served by the Kirkby Lonsdale team ministry, whereas Crosscrake is in a group of parishes in the Kendal area (the Helm group).

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: St Thomas .