St Andrew's Church, Dacre

St Andrew’s Church stands in the quiet village of Dacre, Cumbria, beside the ruins of Dacre Castle. Built of local sandstone under green slate roofs, the church has a three-bay nave, north and south aisles, and a three-stage west tower rebuilt in 1810. The oldest parts date from the 12th century, with 13th-century windows and doorways still visible in the aisles. A 19th-century chancel was added, and the tower’s battlemented parapet gives the exterior a fortified look. Nearby in the churchyard are four medieval red-sandstone statues known as the Dacre Bears. The church is worth visiting for its long history and fine craftsmanship. A monastery once occupied the site in the 8th and 10th centuries before the present building was begun in the 12th. Inside, a Norman tower arch leads to pointed arcades on round and octagonal piers. The chancel holds a 12th-century piscina and a 14th-century knight’s effigy. Two carved cross-shaft fragments, one from the 9th century, survive on window sills. The churchyard also contains a Grade II alms table with a dated sundial and the graves of local figures. Inside, visitors find stained glass by Clayton and Bell, a later window by Leonard Evetts, and etched glass by Laurence Whistler. The nave arcades and 19th-century chancel arch frame the space, while the four Dacre Bears stand guard around the graveyard. Outside, the battlemented parapets and reused medieval stonework add to the sense of age. The churchyard’s quiet atmosphere and the nearby castle ruins complete the visit.