Please click the Play button to listen to a brief audio clip about the history of St Lawrence’s Church.
A Transcript is also available further down the page.
Historical Images
Audio Transcript
St Lawrence’s Church was built in the late 11th Century in sight of the Castle at the opposite end of Boroughgate, the main street of the new Norman town of Appleby. The church was extensively rebuilt in the mid-17th Century at the expense of the Castle’s owner, Lady Anne Clifford, whose family memorial is in the Lady Chapel at the north-east corner of the church.
It underwent further refurbishment in late Victorian times, when the pews and stained-glass windows were installed and the organ was rebuilt, incorporating some older pipes and the timber case built in 1722.
As any church should, St Lawrence’s balances pride in the past with hope for the future. We hope you enjoy your visit.
About the Speaker: Andy Connell
Andy is a familiar face in Appleby! He taught history in Appleby Grammar School for over 40 years, and is now an Appleby Town Councillor and a Westmorland and Furness Councillor.