Revd. Andrew Burrell
Our church building is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ousby, a farming community, is made up of a string of hamlets and St Luke’s sits to the south-east of the village centre under the highest hill in the Pennines Cross Fell and alongside Ardale Beck. It’s fellside location affords exceptional views to the Pennines and to the hills in the Lake District.
The original church, apparently dedicated to St Patrick, was probably C13, and a rector called Barnard is mentioned in 1214. It is thought the church was derelict by the end of the following century, no rectors are listed after 1376. The list starts again in 1583. The church was rebuilt in the C17 and dedicated to St Luke. It was then restored and largely rebuilt in 1858 and then further restored in 1896.
We have a resident crusader! In the Chancel, encased in glass, is a rare wooden effigy. It might be a crusader and is carved from a single piece of oak. It dates back to C1200-1250.
Ousby is a doubly thankful village in that all the village folk who went to fight in the wars (WW1 and WW2) returned safely home. We celebrate this with a plaque in church.
Ousby is one of eight parishes in the Crossfell Benefice. At St Luke’s our worshiping tradition is traditional Church of England, using Common Worship. Our services take place at 10am on the third Sunday of the month. We enjoy special services for Harvest and other feast days and we hold annual summer and autumn fetes.
Please come and join us or visit when you are passing………the church is open.
To find out more about our events, how you can hold your celebration with us, or for anything else, contact The Rev’d Andrew Burrell.
