Long Marton Church

The Church of St Margaret and St James' Church at Long Marton in Westmorland is an ancient lady. Some of its construction is described as ‘pre-conquest’, which means it goes back before 1066 when 'England was English'. It also survived the dreadful ‘harrying of the north’, during which William the Conqueror burned and destroyed much of northern England as punishment for rejection of the Norman yoke. Although it is possible that Long Marton was not under Norman rule at this point (Cumbria had a complicated reltionship with the rest of England), it is still likely that it survived one of the most devastating assaults on human life and existence which this land has ever endured.  

Anyone reading those sections of the Bible dealing with the times of the end may wonder if any life can survive the coming chaos and judgement. Yet the church will survive, His redeemed Israel will survive, a remnant will survive and shall even prosper. As Daniel chapter 7 twice reminds us:

But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

St Margaret and St James' Church survived William the Bastard’s appalling acts of violence and retribution, and the blood-washed saints of Jesus Christ shall survive the assaults of Satan and the righteous judgements of Almighty God.