Church Of St Cuthbert

The Church of St Cuthbert is a parish church featuring a fortified tower. It dates from the late 11th century, with the tower added around 1380, and has undergone alterations in 1480 and 1674, along with restorations in 1866 and 1879. The church is constructed from large blocks of red sandstone, with particularly thick walls on the tower. Both the tower and chancel have chamfered plinths. The roof is made of graduated sandstone slate and features a coped gable, kneelers, and a cross finial.

The structure includes a three-storey square west tower, a five-bay nave with a south porch, and a two-bay chancel. The tower has small chamfered loops on each face at various levels, with the upper west loop featuring a cusped head. There is a clock face on the south wall and a projecting angle stair turret, all topped with a battlemented parapet that includes angle spouts. The nave has a porch from 1750 that covers the original heavily-carved 12th-century doorway, which consists of three orders of zigzag arches, some adorned with carved heads. Inside the porch, there is a Roman altar from Old Penrith and fragments of medieval graveslabs. The south side features 19th-century windows, while the north doorway is blocked, with some 19th-century windows and an upper 15th-century window. The walls of the nave were raised in the 15th century.

The chancel includes a round-headed priest's doorway, a rood-light 15th-century window, and other two-light windows. The three-light east window appears to be from the 17th century. Inside the tower, there is a vaulted basement, and two window splays have lintels made from three medieval graveslabs. An iron-bound 'yett' gate with drawbars is present, and the upper-floor fireplace incorporates a reused medieval graveslab belonging to an Inglewood forester from around 1290. The nave features a late medieval timber roof, and one window retains its internal medieval splay. There are 19th- and 20th-century stained glass windows, including one memorial to Bishop Nicholson, who served as vicar here. White marble wall plaques commemorate Bishop Bowstead of Lichfield, born in Great Salkeld in 1801, and there is wall-mounted 17th-century armor. An earlier roofline can be seen in the west wall. The chancel contains an effigy of Thomas de Caldbec, Rector from 1319, which was moved from the nave, along with a medieval graveslab built into the floor and another slate slab from 1490 for Stephen Close, Rector, although the brass inscription is now illegible.