About Us

Warcop stands half way between Brough and Appleby, and the parish comprises the villages of Warcop and Sandford and the hamlet of Bleatarn.

St Columba's Church is in the Parish of Warcop with Musgrave and we are one of ten Parishes within the Benefice of the Heart of Eden, within the Appleby Deanery.

At St Columba's we hold Holy Communion Service on the 1st and 3rd Sundays each month, starting at 10.45am.

We also share our ministry with our friends from the Methodist Chapel, through Churches Together. We will add details of these services onto a 'Church Near You' and we also publish details of these and all services  in the Parish magazine - The Way, produced monthly.

At St Columba's we have an active Parochial Church Council which ensures that our church is a safe place to visit and we also take the care of young people and vulnerable adults very seriously.

Safeguarding

At St Columba's we follow the guidance in the Church of England's Safeguarding Policy - Promoting a Safer Church. We have also adopted our own Safeguarding Policy which clearly identifies the procedures to follow and those who have responsibilities. Information is on display in the church.  All people are precious in the sight of God. We have a responsibility to care for one another and to keep people safe from harm. This is a principle that is recognised both from the viewpoint of faith and also in the context of law.

Historical Background

 It once included also the small village of Burton, lying under the lee of the Pennines to the north of the roman road (the A66), but this was demolished in World War II by the army which now uses the surrounding fellside for infantry training.
Warcop (“Warthe-coppe”) means “the hill where ruins mark the road,” – perhaps a reference to the bronze-age stone circle that once stood bedside the roman road. Its church existed by the mid-twelfth century, when it belonged to a local magnate of Anglo-Norman-Norse blood called Torphin, who was probably the one who chose its dedication to St Columba, the Celtic saint from Iona. The church was enlarged with transepts and chantry-chapels in the thirteenth century, survived Scottish armies in the fourteenth-century, and enjoyed progressive repair and improvement every century thereafter. Today it is grade I listed for its beautiful interior and its fine early Georgian oak pews. Inside the south door are hung the rushbearing crosses and floral crowns which are replaced every year at a substantial village ceremony on St Peter’s day, 29th June.

There is an active "Friends of St Columba's" Society who hold a variety of events throughout the year - for one example, please see our picture gallery - and new members are always welcome: please get in touch by using the contact form.