Church of St Olaf, Wasdale

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St Olaf's Church in Wasdale Head, Cumbria, is one of England's smallest churches. The earliest record of the church is from 1550, though it probably predates this, as the beams are said to come from a Viking longship.

History

The church was dedicated to St Olaf in 1977, before which it had no name. The parson of that time, the Reverend Raymond Bowers, had friends in Norway, and it was he who suggested the name. One of the current churchwardens, Bill Bailey, has written a guide to the church and the Wasdale valley: The Vikings: Wasdale Head and Their Church. The book sought to clarify the age of the church; and to mark the 2nd millennium the Bishop of Penrith, the Right Reverend Richard Garrard, made a unilateral declaration—on the Sunday nearest the Feast of St Olaf, 30 July 2000—that the church building was at least 1,000 years old, dating from before AD 1000. At the same time, the bishop dedicated a "millennium stone" on the Wasdale Head Green, using the stone as an altar for the service.

The church has long been associated with British climbers. The south window has a small pane within it with an etching of Napes Needle on Great Gable, serving as a memorial to members of the Fell & Rock Climbing Club who lost their lives in the First World War. A well-attended silence is kept every year on Remembrance Sunday at 11 AM.

The church is a grade II listed building. The parish of Wasdale Head is within the Calder deanery of the Diocese of Carlisle.^[1]

Visitor information.

The church is part of the Benefice of St. Mary, Gosforth; St. Michael & All Angels, Nether Wasdale; and St Olaf, Wasdale Head. The present Priest-in-charge is Rector Jonathan Falkner, his wife Sheila is the Reader (now Licensed Lay Minister), and Mrs Hannah Norris is the Commissioned Lay Pastoral Minister. All are members of the Parochial Church Council at Wasdale Head. The other churchwarden is Andrew Naylor-Lopez, part of a local farming family in Wasdale.

The church is open to visitors in the daytime. As well as a Visitors Book at the back of the church, a Prayer Book is kept near the front where Prayer Requests may be written. The Book is read by the Lay Pastoral Minister (or the Rector) at least once weekly, and people and situations are then prayed for. These are usually also included at the next Service. Services are held at major festivals such as Christmas Day and Easter Sunday, and most Sundays throughout British Summer Time. Notice of any other Services are displayed on the Hymn Board in the church, as well as on the weekly Notice Sheet and monthly Church Magazine; usually available in the church, or can be obtained from St. Mary's Church, Gosforth or the Rectory.

External links

• Wasdale - St Olaf's Church at Visit Cumbria
• Details from listed building database (76282) . Images of England. English Heritage.

References

1. ^ "The Parish of Wasdale Head". Diocese of Carlisle. http://www.carlislediocese.org.uk/churches/deaneries/calder/4211.html. Retrieved 2009-03-24. 

Coordinates: 54°28′02″N 3°15′13″W / 54.4671°N 3.2535°W / 54.4671; -3.2535