The Churches of Britain and Ireland
Ambleside, Cumbria
Cumbria County History - Ambleside provided many of the dates.
The first modern Catholic church in Ambleside was a tin tabernacle, erected in the late 1880's, roughly on the site of the later church. In 1891 a Premonstratensian Monastery was established on Wansfell Road. It failed in 1898, and there are references to it later becoming a hotel, and this building (as seen on a 2018 Streetview) seems to fit the bill. Circa NY 3765 0407. The tin tabernacle was succeeded by Mater Amabilis a short distance from the tin chapel. This image was previously in the "Unknown" section, from Judy Flynn's Collection, and was identified by the indefatigable Phil Draper, who advises that the church was built in 1934. However, it suffered from structural problems, and was re-built after the war, opening again in 1952. At least some of the older church survives - compare the main window and the panels below it with the present building here. This page has an interesting history. NY 3759 0405. Link. The former Friends' Meeting House on Rydal Road, now a dental practise, as seen in a 2018 Streetview. This had previously been a police station, which the Friends took over in 1962, closing in about 2008. NY 3762 0466. Grade II listed. After the closure, the Friends moved to premises in Windermere, for which see here. The Methodist Church on Millans Park (1898-2005). Since Paul took his photo, the church has been closed and converted into flats. NY 3753 0457. © Paul Brown. Another view, and a plaque with a short history, both © Steve Bulman (2022). Link. It was preceded by a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel on Rydal Road, dated to no later than 1860. Here's a Streetview from 2018. Link dates it to 1841, though it wasn't Methodist until 1847. NY 3735 0483. The local Methodist congregation now meet in a room in Ambleside Parish Centre on Vicarage Road, close to St. Mary. A 2014 Streetview. NY 3738 0439. Link. St. Anne dates from 1812, on an earlier site. This well-travelled engraving entitled Church Near Ambleside now resides in a Christchurch (New Zealand) Art Gallery. Judy Flynn has advised that it is the former church of St. Anne, later re-built, and offers this in support - link (scroll down to the photo of a window in the present church). Although evidently the same building as in the engraving, either the window or the engraving has been reflected side-to-side - note the windows in the engraving has the extra lower window at the left, and the church window has the extra lower window at the right. The re-built church (1812) was made redundant in 1940, and is now in residential use. St. Mary Community Church (CoE and Methodist, 1853-4). NY 3739 0436. © Paul Brown. An interior view, the East Window, and all © Dave Westrap. Another view, © Charles R. Thirlwell (1959), and another, © Karel Kuča (2019). A mural (by Gordon Ransom in 1944) depicting the rush bearing ceremony, is still held once a year at the church, can be seen here. Link1. Link2. Link3. Link4. Grade II* listed.
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28 December 2023
© Steve Bulman