Old Cumbria Gazetteer - St Andrew, Penrith

St Andrew, Penrith

St Andrew's Church

Penrith Church

locality:-

Penrith

civil parish:-

Penrith (formerly Cumberland)

county:-

Cumbria

locality type:-

church

coordinates:-

NY51653018

1Km square:-

NY5130

10Km square:-

NY53

references:-

: 2005: Diocese of Carlisle, Directory 2004/5

BMC51.jpg (taken 12.5.2006)
photograph

BMC53.jpg (taken 12.5.2006)

evidence:-

old map:- OS County Series (Cmd 58 4)
placename:- St Andrew's Church

source data:-

Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.
"St. Andrew's Ch. (Vicarage)"

evidence:-

old map:- Ogilby 1675 (plate 38)

source data:-

Road strip map, hand coloured engraving, continuation of the Road from London to Carlisle, scale about 1 inch to 1 mile, by John Ogilby, London, 1675.

OG38m282.jpg
In mile 282, Cumberland.
Church to the left of the road, behind the houses.
item:- JandMN : 21
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

descriptive text:- Fiennes 1698
item:- turret clock; clock; star; Zodiac; moon movement

source data:-

Travel book, manuscript record of Journeys through England including parts of the Lake District, by Celia Fiennes, 1698.
"... there was also on the Church at Peroth a fine Clock which had severall motions, there was the starrs and signes there was the encrease and changes of the moone by a darke and golden side of a little globe."

evidence:-

old map, descriptive text:- Bowen 1720 (plate 94)
item:- plaque

source data:-

Strip maps, uncoloured engravings, road maps, The Road from London to Carlisle, scale about 2 miles to 1 inch, with sections in Lancashire and Westmorland, published by Emanuel Bowen, St Katherines, London, 1720.

B094m282.jpg
"The Church is a very Spacious & Fine Structure, remarkable for a Latin Inscription on the North outside of ye Vestry Wall, Signifying yt in the Year 1508 there was a raging Plague in this County which Destroyed grt. Numbers of People in this &ye Adjacent Towns, of wch. our Historians take not the least Notice. In King Henry 8ths. time it was Honoured with ye Title of a Suffragan Bishop. In ye Church Yard on ye North Side of ye Church, are 2 large Pillars, ..."
item:- Dove Cottage : 2007.38.100
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

descriptive text:- Defoe 1724-26
placename:-
item:- plague

source data:-

Tour through England and Wales, by Daniel Defoe, published in parts, London, 1724-26.
"... On the north side of the vestry of this church [Penrith] is erected in the wall an ancient square stone, with a memorial, intimating that in the year 1598 there was a dreadful plague in those parts, in which there dy'd;"
"Persons. / In Kendal, 2500 / In Penrith, 2266 / In Richmond, 2200 / In Carlisle, 1196 / 8162"
"N.B. By this account it should seem that every one of those towns had separately more people than the city of Carlisle, and that Kendal, which is the only manufacturing town of them, was the most populous."

evidence:-

descriptive text:- Simpson 1746
item:- plague; black death

source data:-

Atlas, three volumes of maps and descriptive text published as 'The Agreeable Historian, or the Compleat English Traveller ...', by Samuel Simpson, 1746.

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"..."
"... The Church is an handsome spacious Edifice, but hath nothing further remarkable but an Inscription in rude Characters, set up for a Monument to Posterity, upon the N. Outside of the Vestry Wall: Fuit Pestis, &c. i.e. There was a Plague in this County in 1598, whereof died at Kendal, 2500; at Richmond, 2200; at Penrith, 2266; and at Carlisle, 1196: Which Relation is the more observable, and worth our Notice, because we have no Account of this Accident in any of our Histories. In King Henry VIII's Days, it was honour'd with the Title of a Suffragen Bishop."

evidence:-

old text:- Clarke 1787
item:- 1745 Rebellion; Battle of Clifton Moor

source data:-

Guide book, A Survey of the Lakes of Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire, written and published by James Clarke, Penrith, Cumberland, and in London etc, 1787; published 1787-93.

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page 16:- "..."
"The church of Penrith is vicarial, and is worth, (as appears from the table of donations,) about L.100 per annum; it is in the gift of the Bishop of Carlisle, having been annexed to that See at its first erection by King Henry the I. It is a very handsome modern structure, having been rebuilt A.D. 1721, the tower excepted, which is of a much older and uncertain date. It consists internally of 112 pews on the ground, and 90 in the galleries, which are supported upon 20 beautiful stone pillars, well worth the notice of travellers: each pillar consists of one single stone, veined like mahogany, or stained fir; insomuch that they seem rather to have grown like wood, than to have been cut out of a solid block."
"The whole inside of the church is elegantly neat, the pews being made in a variegated English oak, and the altar decorated all round with paintings, which will be a lasting testament of the abilities of Mr Reid. From the roof of the Church depend two handsome gilt chandeliers, with the following inscription upon them: "These chandeliers were purchased with the 50 guineas given by the most noble William Duke of Portland to his tenants of the honour of Penrith, who, under his Grace's encouragement, associated in defence of the Government and town of Penrith against the rebels in 1745." The rebels, after their retreat from Derby, were put to flight from Clifton and Penrith, by his Royal Highness William Duke of Cumberland, after a short skirmish near Clifton-Moor, which began about four o'clock in the afternoon of Wednesday December 18th 1745: The rebel prisoners taken by the tenants of Penrith and the neighbours were upwards of 80."

evidence:-

old text:- Clarke 1787
item:- excommunication

source data:-

Guide book, A Survey of the Lakes of Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire, written and published by James Clarke, Penrith, Cumberland, and in London etc, 1787; published 1787-93.

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page 21:- "..."
"Before I leave Penrith, I must mention two pieces of church-history which occurred too late to be inserted in their proper place. ... The other is this; In the year 1355, some persons having committed several outrages in the church and church-yard of Penrith, Bishop Walton issued out a mandate to Sir Thomas rector of Burgham, and John de Docwray, threatening the greater excommunication to all concerned therein. Upon this, several of the parishioners went to Rose Castle and owned themselves guilty to the Bishop, humbly begging pardon, and intreating him to withdraw his mandate. This he consented to, upon condition that each of them should make an offering be-"

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Page 22:- "[be]fore the image of the blessed Virgin, the Sunday following, of a wax candle three pounds weight."

evidence:-

old text:- Camden 1789 (Gough Additions)

source data:-

Book, Britannia, or A Chorographical Description of the Flourishing Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by William Camden, 1586, translated from the 1607 Latin edition by Richard Gough, published London, 1789.

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Page 188:- "... The church was rebuilt of brick 1720, except the steeple. ..."

evidence:-

old text:- Capper 1808

source data:-

Gazetteer, A Topographical Dictionary of the United Kingdom, compiled by Benjamin Pitts Capper, published by Richard Phillips, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, London, 1808; published 1808-29.

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"[Penrith] ... The church is a large and handsome structure, mostly new built, except the lower part. Its roof is supported by pillars, consisting each of one entire stone dug out of a neighbouring quarry. ..."

evidence:-

old text:- Gents Mag

source data:-

Magazine, The Gentleman's Magazine or Monthly Intelligencer or Historical Chronicle, published by Edward Cave under the pseudonym Sylvanus Urban, and by other publishers, London, monthly from 1731 to 1922.

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Gentleman's Magazine 1819 part 1 p.508
From the Compendium of County History:- "... The vicarage [Penrith] was enjoyed from 1699 till his death in 1728 by Dr. Hugh Todd, who made considerable topographical collections for this county, and wrote a brief account of Carlisle."

evidence:-

descriptive text:- Ford 1839 (3rd edn 1843)

source data:-

Guide book, A Description of Scenery in the Lake District, by Rev William Ford, published by Charles Thurnam, Carlisle, by W Edwards, 12 Ave Maria Lane, Charles Tilt, Fleet Street, William Smith, 113 Fleet Street, London, by Currie and Bowman, Newcastle, by Bancks and Co, Manchester, by Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, and by Sinclair, Dumfries, 1839.

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Page 131:- "..."
"The parish church, dedicated to St. Andrew, is a large structure, rebuilt in 1722, by a rate and subscription: the tower, which contains a set of very sweet chimes, is ancient. In the churchyard is a curious relic of antiquity, called the Giant's Grave, consisting of two large pillars, ten feet in height, and distant fifteen feet from each other in the direction of east and west, having the space between them partly enclosed on each side by four large thin stones. Near them is another pillar named the Giant's Thumb, but it is six feet in height. ..."

evidence:-

old photograph:- Ullswater Steamers 1900s (edn 1903)
placename:- St Andrew's Church

source data:-

Photograph, bw halftone, St Andrew's Church, Penrith, Cumberland, published in a guide book by the Ullswater Steam Navigation Co, Penrith, Cumberland, 1903.

click to enlarge
UN105.jpg
item:- JandMN : 1023.5
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-

old text:- Harper 1907
placename:-

source data:-

Guidebook, The Manchester and Glasgow Road, by Charles G Harper, published by Chapman and Hall Ltd, London, 1907.
HP01p132.txt
Page 132:- "..."
"There is not much left of the ancient church of Penrith, beside its Gothic tower, for the body of the building dates"
HP01p133.txt
Page 133:- "only from 1722, and is in a classic style that seems rank heresy in a place so historic as this. Not even the monolithic Ionic columns of red marble that decorate the interior, nor the ornate gilded chandeliers presented by the Duke of Portland, in recognition of the loyalty of Penrith in 1745, can compensate the stranger for the loss; although, to be sure, the townsfolk are inordinately proud of them. But there are many ancient monuments in the church, and some interesting fragments of stained glass that have escaped destruction. Among them is represented golden-haired Cicely Neville, youngest of all the two-and-twenty children of Henry Neville, Earl of Westmoreland. This is that "Proud Cis of Raby" who was wife of Richard, Duke of York, and mother of Edward the Fourth and Richard the Third. Here, too, is seen a plaguey ill-favoured stained-glass "likeness" of Richard the Second, with hair of an unpleasant canary-yellow, and a couple of chin-sprouts of the same colour."
"Still upon three sides of the church-tower you see sculptured the "bear and ragged staff" device of the great Earl of Warwick, the King-maker, who in his time was lord of Penrith and rebuilt the upper stage of the tower; ..."

evidence:-

old map:- Nurse 1918

source data:-

Map, The Diocese of Carlisle, Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire North of the Sands, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Rev Euston J Nurse, published by Charles Thurnam and Sons, 11 English Street, Carlisle, Cumberland, 2nd edn 1939.

NUR1NY52.jpg
"PENRITH"
item:- JandMN : 27
Image © see bottom of page

stained glass

evidence:-

database:- Listed Buildings 2010
placename:- Parish Church of St Andrew

source data:-

courtesy of English Heritage
"PARISH CHURCH OF ST ANDREW / / ST ANDREW'S CHURCHYARD / PENRITH / EDEN / CUMBRIA / I / 72923 / NY5164730156"

source data:-

courtesy of English Heritage
"Red sandstone rubble west tower of C12 and C13. The west doorway and rest of church was rebuilt in 1720 in red sandstone ashlar, classical. Two rows of round-headed windows in chamfered openings and with triple keystones. Sundial on south wall. Interior has 2 tiers of Roman Doric arcades, wide aisles, and galleries of equal width over the aisles and at west. Panelled ceilings. Three round-headed lights in east wall. Round arched over altar, with paintings."

evidence:-

database:- Listed Buildings 2010

source data:-

courtesy of English Heritage
"MONUMENT TO RAILWAY CONTRACTORS IN ST ANDREW'S CHURCHYARD ON NORTH SIDE OF CHURCH / / ST ANDREW'S CHURCHYARD / PENRITH / EDEN / CUMBRIA / II / 72924 / NY5165930184"

source data:-

courtesy of English Heritage
"1846. Victorian Gothic monument to commemorate building of Lancaster to Carlisle Railway. Robert Virtue, superintendent, John Stephenson &Co. Stone. Two rectangular piers with pointed arched panels with inscriptions, ending at top in crocketted finials. Between the piers is Perpendicular Gothic tracery, cusped, with an ogee arch above ending in a foliated finial."

evidence:-

old print:- Robertson 1911

source data:-

Print, lithograph? Skiddaw and Blancathra, Seen from the Side of Penrith Beacon, from a watercolour by Arthur Tucker, published by Chatto and Windus, London, 1911.

click to enlarge
RSN102.jpg
Tipped in opposite p.4 of Wordsworthshire by Eric Robertson.
printed at bottom:- "SKIDDAW AND BLENCATHRA, SEEN FROM THE SIDE OF PENRITH BEACON / (In foreground and middle distance, Scumshaw Farm, Church and Castle of Penrith)"
item:- JandMN : 197.2
Image © see bottom of page

ring of bells

cross slab gravestones

incumbents:-

Nevill, Ralph de	1215 -
Penreth, Simon de	1222 -
Cantelupe, Walter de	1223 -
Kirkoswald, Thomas de, Sir	1318 - up to
Horncastle, Alan de, Sir	1318 - 1323
Kirkby, Gilbert de, Sir	1323 - 1325
Wormynton, Peter de	1325 -
Penreth, John de	1332 -
Penreth, John de, Sir	1355 -
Roter, John	1387 -
Bolton, Hugh de	1390 -
Strickland, William	1399 -
Hanekin, John	1428 -
Best, Thomas	1477 -
Beneman, Henry	1535 -
Sawell, Thomas	1536 -
Ellerton, Thomas, Sir	1565 -
Pearson, Robert, Sir	1565 - 11574
Robson, Robert, Sir	1574 - 1575
Walleis, William, Sir	1575 - 1601
Hastie, John	1601 - 1650
Baldwin, Roger	1650 - 1660
Webster, Simon	1660 - 1663
Fisher, Robert	1663 - 1665
Carter, Charles	1665 - 1667
d'Assigny, Marius	1667 - 1668
Bunting, Joshua	1668 -
Child, John	- 1694
Farington, Alexander	1694 - 1699
Todd, Hugh	1699 - 1728
Morland, John	1728 - 1748
Thompson, Gustavus	1748 - 1749
Worsop, Battie	1749 - 1750
Cowper, John	1750 - 1788
Grisdale, Browne	1788 - 1790
Fletcher, James	1790 - 1823
Fenton, John	1823 - 1833
Jackson, William	1833 - 1841
Clark, Thomas James	1841 - 1845
Milner, William Holme	1845 - 1853
Butler, Samuel Johnston	1853 - 1879
Chapman, Edward William	1879 - 1888
Monnington, Thomas Pateshall	1888 - 1905
Cropper, James	1905 - 1911

sundial

sundial (2)

sundial (3)

notes:-

Described in:-

Butler, Lawrence (ed): 2011: Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne for Cumbria, 1833-1872: CWAAS:: ISBN 978 1 873124 52 9

Extracted from the original notes made by Sir Stephen, now in Deiniol's Library, Hawarden, Flintshire, contact through Flintshire Record Office

CAT64.jpg Organ
(taken 23.5.2014)
photograph

BVR95.jpg Mother Union banner
(taken 22.11.2011)
photograph

CAT63.jpg Mothers Union banner; at St Andrew's, Penrith:-
"PENRITH DEANERY" (taken 23.5.2014)
photograph

BQU24.jpg Brass plaque in the tower, restates what has been defaced by time from a sandstone plaque:-
"A.D. MDXCVIII Ex gravi Peste, quoe Regionibus hisce incubuit, Obierunt, Apud / PENRITH, 2260 / KENDAL, 2500 / RICHMOND, 2200 / CARLISLE, 1196 / POSTERI Averite vo, et Vivite / EZEK. XVIII.32." (taken 11.6.2009)
photograph

BMC50.jpg (taken 12.5.2006)

hearsay:-

A clock in the church was repaired in 1655. This clock was described by Celia Fiennes, 1698.

A new clock was ordered by the vicar, Dr Hugh Todd, from Aaron Cheesebrough, clockmaker, Penrith, 1712.

BQU22.jpg Movement of turret clock, displayed in the tower. The clock was built by Aaron Cheesbrough, Penrith, 1712; wood framed, dead beat escapement, strike train.
(taken 11.6.2009)
photograph

BQU23.jpg Movement of turret clock, displayed in the tower. The clock was built by Aaron Cheesbrough, Penrith, 1712; wood framed, dead beat escapement, strike train.
(taken 11.6.2009)

The present clock was made by Potts, Leeds, late 19th century.

notes:-

There was a church in the early 12th century. The present building dates from 1720-22. There have been several restorations, latterly in 1887, 1921, 1951, and 1972.

: : church leaflet

notes:-

fortified church tower

Perriam, D R &Robinson, J: 1998: Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria: CWAAS:: ISBN 1 873124 23 6; plan and illsutration

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