Church

St Mary, Beaumont

St Mary, Beaumont

St Mary's is a Grade II* parish church in Beaumont, Cumbria, in the Diocese of Carlisle. It stands on the site of a turret of Hadrian's Wall and is built in part from Wall stone.

Location
Beaumont, Cumbria
Country
England
County
Cumbria
City / town
Beaumont
Address
Beaumont, Cumbria, CA5 6EA
Postcode
CA5 6EA
Built
Late 12th century; restored 1784, 1872 and 1888
Denomination
Church of England
Dedication
Mary
Diocese
Carlisle
Parish
Kirkandrews-on-Eden with Beaumont and Grinsdale
Grade
II*
Style
Norman with later restorations
Materials
Squared and coursed red and calciferous sandstone from the Roman Wall, on a chamfered plinth; graduated greenslate roof
Grid reference
NY 348 592
Opening hours
Open daily throughout normal daytime hours.
Access
Ramp or level access available on request. Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby

Overview

Historic England lists a late twelfth-century church restored in 1784, 1872 and 1888. The fabric is squared and coursed red and calciferous sandstone from the nearby Roman Wall, on a chamfered plinth, under a graduated greenslate roof with coped gables and a cross finial. The plan is a five-bay nave and chancel with a west open bellcote, south porch and north vestry. The timbered nineteenth-century porch reuses a Norman entrance arch of two orders with waterleaf capitals. Pointed lancets of 1888 sit beside a small original trefoil-headed window, sometimes called a leper's squint. The three-light east window is twelfth-century; the two-light west window is nineteenth-century.

Inside, Historic England records a fifteenth-century king-post open timber roof, a piscina dated 1872, a possible aumbry, and a late twelfth-century arcade continued on the north wall of the east end. Two medieval grave slabs stand against the west wall. Furnishings are late nineteenth-century. The Church Heritage Record notes an Arts and Crafts oak porch understood to date from 1888, and structural strengthening in 2006. The church is open daily in daytime hours.

Further Information