St Mary's Church, Yealand Conyers

St Mary’s Church stands at the south end of Yealand Conyers, a quiet village in Lancashire. Built in 1852 for Richard Gillow of Leighton Hall, it was designed by Lancaster architect E. G. Paley. The church is made of limestone with a steep slate roof and a double-gabled bellcote at the west end. Its plan includes a five-bay nave, a lower chancel, and a north porch with a carved Virgin Mary above the doorway. Diagonal buttresses reinforce the corners, and lancet windows line the walls. The church is worth visiting for its fine craftsmanship and historical ties. It cost between £1,100 and £1,200 to build and was meant to surpass the local Anglican church in size and quality. In 2009 it was formally linked with the Roman Catholic parishes of Carnforth and Bolton-le-Sands. The interior features a scissor-braced nave roof, an arch-braced chancel roof, and an elaborately carved reredos. The Gillow family pew and alabaster altar rail with green marble columns add to its elegance. Inside, the church holds a single stained-glass window at the east end. Box pews with poppyhead carvings line the nave, and brass memorials honour members of the Gillow family. The authors of the Buildings of England series noted the deliberate ambition behind its design. The quiet village setting and the church’s refined details make it a peaceful place to explore.