St Oswald
Grasmere, Cumbria
This church is well known because of its associations with the great Romantic poet William Wordsworth, who lived in nearby Dove Cottage and is buried in the churchyard.
Wythburn’s lonely position attracted the attention of the Romantic poets including Coleridge and Wordsworth, the latter describing it as 'Wythburn’s modest house of prayer'. It was formerly the spiritual centre of a small farming community, destroyed with the creation in 1894 of Thirlmere reservoir.
At the west end are two simple but good windows depicting Celtic saints, St Cuthbert, and St Herbert, who both lived in the 7th century. St Herbert was the Lakeland saint who brought Christianity to the region, and lived on an island on Derwentwater.
Wythburn Church frequently provides shelter from torrential rain and a place to sleep for those caught out on the fells. Standing outside the church, headstones are evidence that people once lived nearby.