Kirklinton Cumbria

Our motorhome trip to Kirklinton in Cumbria was to investigate the church and look for any traces of Gill’s ancestors. When you visit a graveyard you never really know what to expect. Many graveyards are not kept in good condition, they range from totally overgrown with hardly any trace of the memorials, to well-kept churchyards with well-preserved headstones and memorials. Kirklinton church has near rows of memorial headstones that face away from the prevailing wind and weather, which means that the memorials are mostly in very good condition and can easily be read.

Kirklinton church is set in a rural area surrounded by fields and narrow roads. One wonders about the origins of Kirklinton church and how many faithful Christians have attended the services there throughout its lifetime. In twenty-second century Britain there is a tendency to dismiss the church as not being relevant to modern life. When you visit places like Kirklinton you are aware that life can move at a slower pace and that people in rural areas live a life that is completely different to the hustle and bustle of city life. A life that many of the city dwellers crave without openly expressing their desire. The church provides an anchor in modern Britain, a place of stability and permanence that links the people of today to those of the past as we share a common belief and hope for the future.

As we travel around the UK and Europe in our motorhome we visit many churches of different denominations, they range from plain and somewhat austere to highty-ornate, but they are linked by that common faith that binds people together. It is a source of hope for the future and a demonstration that despite all the difficulties of modern living the church remains a strong organisation.