St Kentigern’s Church and Well, Caldbeck

The Kentigern Way traces the footsteps of Glasgow’s patron saint as he travelled across Cumbria and Scotland, taking in this church and its holy well

‍Highlights

• Riverside holy well dedicated to St Kentigern

St Kentigern, founder of Glasgow, worked in Caldbeck as a missionary and used this well for baptizing local people. The holy water emerges on a riverbank, gathering in a stone basin before trickling into the gurgling stream. The well is just outside the parish churchyard. A picturesque stone footbridge spans the stream alongside, with the church tower just behind. It is an enchanting setting to welcome an infant into the community.

The church had a hand-written guide when I visited, in a ring binder. It records that the church is Norman, built around 1130–50. It and other sources say the current building is on the site of St Kentigern’s original Celtic church, though no visible evidence remains. The saint would have passed through Cumbria in the mid-6th century on his way to Wales, where he also founded churches (such as St Asaph).

There is a window depicting the saint with a puffin at his feet, made in 1938 and installed at the east end of the north aisle. St Kentigern is also known by his nickname St Mungo (‘dear one’), a name sometimes used for this well.

Directions‍

St Kentigern’s Church

Caldbeck, Wigton CA7 8DP‍

www.achurchnearyou.com/church/12268‍

W3W: straying.singer.beep

GPS: 54.7494N 3.0496W

The church is on the east side of the village on the road to Hesket Newmarket, just beyond the village shop/petrol station. To find the holy well, leave the churchyard through the gate beside the tower and turn right towards the stone footbridge. The well is at the foot of this bridge on the left, before you cross the river.