---
title: "St Mary, Wreay"
description: "Located in Wreay, Cumbria. Built 1840–42, on or near the site of a demolished medieval church. Diocese of Carlisle. Grade II*. Lombard / Romanesque revival style."
category: "Church"
tags: ["Church","Church of England","Cumbria","Wreay","Grade II*","Romanesque Revival","Sarah Losh"]
canonical: "https://thebritishgazette.com/post/st-mary-wreay"
pubDate: "2026-09-06T03:08:48.715Z"
dateModified: "2026-09-08T16:00:15.810Z"
location: "Wreay, Cumbria"
country: "England"
county: "Cumbria"
town: "Wreay"
address: "Wreay, Cumbria, CA4 0RL"
postcode: "CA4 0RL"
built: "1840–42, on or near the site of a demolished medieval church"
consecrated: "1 December 1842"
architect: "Sarah Losh; sculptural stonework by William Hindson"
denomination: "Church of England"
dedications: ["Mary"]
diocese: "Carlisle"
grade: "II*"
style: "Lombard / Romanesque revival"
materials: "Dressed sandstone walls and stone-slate roof"
website: "http://www.stmaryswreay.org/"
openingHours: "Open each day, we welcome visitors from around the country and abroad, offering a place of peace and inspiration. Suitable for all ages, the exhibition is open from 10am to 4pm each day, free of charge."
parish: "Wreay"
listEntryUrl: "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1087758"
gridReference: "NY 435 489"
accessNotes: "Accessible toilets nearby"
---

# St Mary, Wreay

St Mary’s is a Grade II* parish church at Wreay, Cumbria, in the Diocese of Carlisle: a highly personal Lombard-revival church designed and paid for by Sarah Losh.

## Overview

Historic England records a church of 1840–42 by Sarah Losh, with sculptural stonework by William Hindson, built by estate workers at her own expense. Walls are dressed sandstone under a stone-slate roof. The plan is a four-bay nave with a semicircular apse, in a Romanesque style showing French and Italian influence. Nave windows are round-headed with triple clerestory lights above; reptile gargoyles project from each side. The west doorway has a roll-moulding of formalised water-lilies and pine-cone motifs, with a stone bellcote surmounted by a carved eagle.

The interior is on three levels, with a sunken nave and steps up to an apse surrounded by an arcade of fourteen columns with carved capitals. Seating is oak and Spanish chestnut; pulpit and lecterns are of carved bog oak, ebony and chestnut. The alabaster font is by Sarah Losh and W. S. Losh; the altar is green Italian marble on brass eagles. Wikipedia calls it the earliest known British revival of Lombard architecture and dates consecration to 1 December 1842. A medieval church on or near the site was demolished, except for a font now in the churchyard. The church is open daily from 10am to 4pm.

## Further Information

- [Historic England list entry 1087758](https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1087758)
- [St Mary's Church, Wreay (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mary%27s_Church,_Wreay)
- [St Mary's, Wreay](http://www.stmaryswreay.org/)