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St Mungo's Church, Simonburn

A view of St Mungo's Church, from the west. According to a booklet displayed inside, a church has existed on this site since the 6th or 7th century. Its foundation is attributed to St Mungo who was driven from his cell at Glasgow by the pagan King Morken and undertook a missionary journey through Cumbria to North Wales.

St Mungo’s is the mother church of the North Tyne Valley. Up until the early 19th century, the original parish extended from Hadrian's Wall to Carter Bar and was at that time the largest parish in England; perhaps this helps to explain why the tiny village of Simonburn has such a large church.

There are traces of an Anglican church from the 9th century, but the present building is mainly 13th century in origin with sensitive restorations made in 1762 and 1863.

The Church of St Mungo is a grade II* listed building (Link British Listed Buildings)


Link "The Great Parish of Simonburn" from Hadrian's Wall to Carter Bar

Link Northumbria.info

Link Wikipedia article about St Mungo