More information : (NY 25604828) Church (NAT) (1)
14/67 HIGH STREET
Church of St Mary
1/4/67 (East side) Wigton
G.V. II*
Parish Church on medieval site. Dated and inscribed in porch 1788, PATTINSON AND HOLMES JOINERS, NIXONS AND PARKIN MASONS, built to the same design as St Michael's, Workington, 1770 and St Cuthbert's, Carlisle, 1778; restoration 1881 (dated in porch) by C.J. Ferguson; vestry dated 1912. Red sandstone from Shawk Quarry, with V-jointed quoins, on chamfered plinth; string courses, eaves cornice and parapet. Graduated greenslate roof. 2-storey, 8-bay nave; 3-storey west tower/porch; north vestry; lower single-bay chancel. Tower: panelled west door under intersecting-glazing bar fanlight in
quoined surround. Similar treatment to casement window above. Round window above with patterned glazing bars. Large painted clock face with modillioned surround. Round-headed bell openings with louvred vents. Modillioned battlemented parapet with pinnacles. Nave: south panelled doors in round-headed quoined surrounds flank round-headed leaded-paned windows, some with stained glass. Similar gallery windows above. Venetian east window in chancel. Interior: Tuscan and Doric columned gallery, upper columns with individual entablature. Ceiling with decorative oval and circular-moulded plaster panels. Early C20 baptistery with carved oak screen. Numerous white marble wall plaques. Late C19 and early C20 stained glass. Side chapel has reredos made of re-used Flemish carved oak panels. 3-decker pulpit. OS bench mark on quoin stone left of entrance. (2)
Documentary sources indicate that part of the medieval church was crenellated without licence in 1375. It was demolished in 1788 and sources suggest that battering rams had to be used to bring down the walls. (3)
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