Dwindling Congregation Brings Historic Lake District Church to a Close

|PIC1|One of Britain's most historic churches is to close on Sunday, when it will hold its final Sunday Service.

St Margaret's Church at Low Wray in the Lake District of England was consecrated in 1861. It will close its doors permanently after becoming impossible to run as a result of years of declining congregation numbers.

The church was built in 1856 by James Dawson, a retired surgeon from Liverpool, who built Wray Castle next door and intended the church as a chapel for 'the spiritual benefit of his family, retainers, estate workers, servants and friends'.

After Dr Dawson's death in 1875, the Wray Castle estate was inherited by his nephew, Preston Rawnsley.

In 1877 Preston's cousin, Hardwicke Rawnsley, took up the appointment of vicar of St Margaret's, and he later went on to become one of the founders of the National Trust.