We went for a drive up the Borrowdale Valley. We should have stopped by the Lake, explored all the churches, I should have gone for a walk, a quick burst of Sound of Music and a mountain to climb. We stopped at St Andrew’s church, Borrowdale – NY258140 – and discovered The Borrowdale Story. The benefice has a website and the project an excellent one – there are memories to listen to, photos to look at, hours of innocent fun! The leaflet “Faith in the Valley”, which I picked up in the church, was paid for by the story project. It advertises the church website, yourchurchwedding, and the superb website of the what looks to be a smashing school.
Borrowdale has a long history of Christianity. In the 7th century St Herbert came to live on the island in Derwentwater which now bears his name. I have to admit I have never heard of St Herbert – you might like to read the piece about him here. Apparently he died on the same day, and at the same time, as St Cuthbert – Wordsworth put it in a poem. In medieval times the whole area was under monastic influence – both Furness and Fountains owned land in the valley. They drained and cultivated much of the land – sheep, a woollen mill, barley, oats, rye, fish, minerals. The Crown took it all over at the dissolution in 1537.
St Andrew’s was built in 1687 as a Chapel of Ease to save people walking the five miles to Keswick. It is a lovely little church, with material telling the story, and asking us to add our stories.
Lionel Robert Wilberforce worked at the Cavendish Lab in Cambridge and was the inventor of the Wilberforce pendulum. I don’t understand it – you can read wikipedia. Here is a scientist who obviously enjoyed his faith and God’s creation.
A lovely font with a tap – I have never seen a font with a tap before.
There are war memorials from both wars – a large number from a small population.
Their last service had been a Harvest festival – this lot are bound for a foodbank (even in beautiful Cumbria foodbanks raise their heads).
I wonder how old this carved chair is.
The Borrowdale Batik made by the school in 2009, with the help of teacher Diane Cannon. The children drew places in the valley that were important to them, places they love to explore, landmarks and buildings. They used a traditional Indonesian method of wax relief and fabric dyes, building up the different layers. Finally they added pictures of their homes. Wonderful!
Outside we visited the loo, admired some of the headstones, and enjoyed the view. What a lovely place to “rest in peace”.
