The story of Crosscrake church is a story of dilapidation and renewal, of almost-endings and beginnings. Its position as a centre of Christian worship goes back, perhaps, to the days when there were Scandinavian settlers in this part of Britain and one Kraki set up a cross such as his people delighted in. We do not know. The Medieval Chapel 1190. Anslem de Furness founded a chapel at Crosscrake.
Nothing now remains of the old chapel, except a stone thought to be part of the font.
This was found in the wall of a local farmer. It now lies in the north window of the sanctuary. Reformation, Dissolution 1534. Henry VIII declared himself head of the Church of England. His policy of dissolving the monasteries and seizing their revenues for himself put an end to Cartmel Priory.