St Michael and All Angels, Hawkshead

St Michael and All Angels Hawkshead

St Michael and All Angels, Hawkshead

Where is it – England, North West England

Who looks after it –  Church authorities 

What is it –  Church, Free access 

When is it from – Medieval

“I saw the snow-white church upon her hill
Sit like a throned lady sending out A gracious look all over her domain”

– from the Prelude, by William Wordsworth.

The church of St Michael and All Angels Hawkshead, built in c1300 on the site of an earlier Norse chapel, was painted white* when Wordsworth wrote those words. It must have looked astonishing.  Today, it is still a solid-looking church, beautifully located with lovely views, now largely dating from the 16th & 17th centuries with massive pillars and unusual arches. There’s some interesting 17th century decoration and the Sandys Chapel, constructed by Archbishop Sandys (1519-1588) contains the tomb of his parents. The churchyard is charming too.

*And/or rendered in lime plaster.

 


Address

Main Street, Hawkshead Cumbria, LA22 0PQ 

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