Ireby – Churches and village history on the edge of the Northern Fells

Ireby lies on the edge of the Northern Fells, in the area locally known as “Back o'Skiddaw”. If you are deciding whether Ireby is a suitable destination, its historic buildings and walking connections offer different points of interest. The village's history can be traced through several clearly distinct dates and buildings; there are also easy walking trails in the Ireby and Uldale area. This lets you focus your stay on historic buildings or on the landscape.

Churches from two building periods

Ireby Old Church was built around 1150. Its east wall has an arcade with three round-headed lancet windows, dating from around 1170. The two dates refer to different building phases: the church itself and the later feature on its east wall. Anyone interested in architecture can use this to identify a specific detail of the older church building.

Ireby Old Church is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm; check these hours before your visit. Access is from the road via a footpath and uneven pastureland. The condition of the terrain can vary with the weather. St James was built in 1845–1846 to replace the Old Church. The two churches therefore represent markedly different building periods and the transition from the older church building to its replacement.

Market history and historic buildings

Ireby was formerly called Market Ireby. In 1236, the village was granted the right to hold a weekly market. This detail belongs to the village's history and describes the market right granted at the time. Moot Hall probably dates from the late 16th century. Together, the two dates represent different periods: the market charter from the 13th century and the probable construction date of Moot Hall several centuries later.

Ireby War Memorial is a First World War memorial dating from 1921. Later additions also commemorate the Second World War. The Butter Cross is a market cross probably dating from the 17th century. It is made of red sandstone and stands on a stepped base. An octagonal shaft rises above it; the cross finial was restored in the 19th century. The historical details for these two structures differ considerably: the memorial is dated to a specific year, while the probable date of the Butter Cross is identified only by century.

Walking connections and landscape

There are easy walking trails in the local Ireby and Uldale area, though this does not refer to any particular route. The Smugglers Route ends in Ireby; check trail conditions before setting out. John Keats visited Ireby on a walking tour. These connections link the village with walking in different ways: through trails in the area, a route that ends in Ireby, and a visit connected with literary history.

The wider landscape also helps put the destination into perspective. Overwater, the northernmost lake in the Lake District, is a few miles from Ireby. Nearby Aughertree Fell is the site of a Bronze Age farmstead; remains of a pre-Roman road can also be seen there. Alongside Ireby's buildings, nearby landscape features and traces of history therefore offer distinct topics to explore. As you weigh up your interests, the specific points of interest differ: church and village history in Ireby, walking trails in the Ireby and Uldale area, and nearby remains at Aughertree Fell.

Discover more destinations: Preston Patrick, Whitehaven, Crook, High Harrington, Uldale, Newby Bridge, Haverthwaite, Milnthorpe.

For the main travel overview: Cumbria.