In the beautiful English village of Wreay, only five miles outside Carlisle is St. Mary’s church.

Built in 1840-1842 to the specific Basilica design of Miss Sarah Losh in memory of her sister Catherine and parents.

Losh family burial plot

To the North of the church lies the Losh family burial plot.  A unique design with balustrades of stone edging the site and ornate carvings on some of the memorial stones depicting pine cones, palm trees and sea shells.

These designs were popular around the late 19th Century, reflecting the poineering seafaring journeys and discoveries of the time.

Among the people resting here are:

John Losh, partner in the Walker Alkali Works, Newcastle, High Sheriff of Cumberland in 1811, Provincial Grand Master for Cumberland who died 31 Mar 1814 and his wife Isabella, 17 Oct 1799, daughter of Thomas Bonner of Callerton Hall, near Newcastle.

Joseph Losh, 1789 – 17 Jan 1848 aged 59.

Sarah Losh, amateur architect, who rebuilt St. Mary’s Church, Wreay in 1840-42 and also built the Village School and other buildings in the village, 29 Mar 1853.

Sarah & Katherine

Katherine Isabella, who died aged 43 and buried on 26 Feb 1835.

John Joseph Losh, Lieutenant Colonel, 42nd Madras Native Infantry, Military Auditor of  Madras, Died 12 Mar 1862.

Robert Henry Losh of Langarth Cottage, Brisco. Died 7 Nov 1867.

William Septimus Losh, 24 Sep 1888 of Woodside and his wife (and first cousin) Sarah Spencer, 1883 daugther of George Losh.

Frances Elizabeth Losh, 22 Nov 1878 and her husband, Francis Coleridge Hutchinson, M.D., of Douglas, Isle of Man, 6 Oct 1863, both of The Cottage, Brisco.

Some of the stones are well weathered and the inscriptions barely discernable.  However, those wishing to trace an ancestor may do well to vist the following site detailing a Losh family history.

Near the burial plot is a mausoleum dedicated to Sarah’s Sister Catherine, containing an alabaster figure of her seated and holding a pine cone in her hand. The work of a Carlisle Sculptor, David Dunbar.   Pine cones are symbolic of eternal life and are used widely throughout the site and the church, the most recent sculpture added in 2000 to commemorate to millemium.

Cross & Mausoleum

A runic cross stands behind the mausoleum in memory of Sarah’s parents, which is said to be a copy of the Bewcastle Cross.