The Three Solway Churches’ Development Project 2012-14 was the result of close collaboration between all three churches in order to provide improved visitor infrastructure and tourist information.

 

• St Mary’s, Beaumont has seen the installation of illustrated Historical Information and Welcome panels inside and outside. 

• St Michael’s, Bowness-on-Solway has received a Welcome and Information panel outside.

• St. Michael’s, Burgh-by-Sands has seen major infrastructure improvements.  These include a granite time-line which has been laid alongside the church path, giving details in chronological order of the key events in the history of the church and area. An alternative level access into the church has been created by re-opening the 13^th century west door, blocked up in the 1880s.  This doorway and the newly created WC are accessed by ramped paths, and a kitchen has been installed in the vestry.  Cycle racks are now in place and there is an exterior tap at the east end of the church where visitors, and particularly walkers and cyclists may fill their water bottles on their travels.  Welcome/Information panels have been placed at each gateway and in the ground floor of the tower there is a superbly illustrated series of Historical Information panels, covering the church’s story from the Roman Fort on which it stands through to the building of the 14^th c. tower and its defensive history.

 

See below for pictures of some of the work in progress.