Church of St Olaf, Wasdale

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St Olaf's Church, Wasdale, Cumbria is one of England's smallest churches. The earliest record of the church is 1550, though it probably predates this as the beams are said to come from a Viking longship.

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The Church of St Olaf, Wasdale Head, was so named in 1977. Prior to that date the Church has no name. The Parson of that time, Revd Raymond Bowers, had friends in Norway, and it he who suggested the link. The present Churchwardens are Bill Bailey and Clare Hodgson, who both live in the valley of Wasdale, Clare at the Head of the Lake at Wasdale Head Hall Farm, where she and her husband rear Herdwick sheep and Galloway beef, both of which are sold from the Farm Shop qv Wasdalefellmeats Bill Bailey has written a guide to the Church and the valley itself, titled, "The Vikings: Wasdale Head and their Church. The book sought to clarify the age of the Church and to mark the 2nd Millennium, the Bishop of Penrith, the Rt Revd Richard Garrard made a unilateral declaration that the Church building was at least 1000 years old, dating from before AD1000, on the Sunday nearest the Feast of St Olaf, 30th July 2000. At the same time the Bishop dedicated the new Millennium stone on the Wasdale Head Green, using the stone as an altar for the service. Wasdale Head Church has long been associated with early British climbers, the south window is a small pane with an etching of Napes Needle, as a war memorial to those who lost their lives in the First World War, and were members of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club. It is also surrounded by yew trees, over thirty in number. at the head of the valley is also the cenotaph of the north, Great Gable, bought by subscription and dedicated to all who lost their lives in the first second and subsequent wars. A well attended silence is kept on Remembrance Sunday, every year at 11 am. Further information is available from Wasdaleweb