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St Bega, Bassenthwaite
St Bega's Church
Bassenthwaite Church
civil parish:-   Bassenthwaite (formerly Cumberland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   church
coordinates:-   NY22652875
1Km square:-   NY2228
10Km square:-   NY22
SummaryText:-   The church is sited by an old road along the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, on the segment between Little Crosthwaite and Bowness Farm.
references:-   : 2005: Diocese of Carlisle, Directory 2004/5

photograph
BLO35.jpg (taken 20.1.2006)  
photograph
BLO36.jpg (taken 20.1.2006)  
evidence:-   old map:- Donald 1774 (Cmd) 
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, 3x2 sheets, The County of Cumberland, scale about 1 inch to 1 mile, by Thomas Donald, engraved and published by Joseph Hodskinson, 29 Arundel Street, Strand, London, 1774.
image
D4NY22NW.jpg
"Church"
church on the lake shore 
item:-  Carlisle Library : Map 2
Image © Carlisle Library
evidence:-   old map:- Crosthwaite 1783-94 (Bas) 
placename:-  Bassenthwaite Church
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, An Accurate Map of Broadwater or Bassenthwaite Lake, scale about 3 inches to 1 mile, by Peter Crosthwaite, Keswick, Cumberland, 1783, version published 1800.
image
CT6NY22J.jpg
"Bassenthwaite Church"
Marked by a cross (x), by the lake. 
item:-  Armitt Library : 1959.191.4
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old text:- Clarke 1787
placename:-  St Bridget's Church
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.
image CL13P098, button  goto source
Page 98:-  "..."
"In a hollow, and out of sight of the road, yet near Bonas, stands, obscurely sequestred, the parish church of Bassenthwaite. In troublesome times, (particularly in the"
image CL13P099, button  goto source
Page 99:-  "time of popery,) the churches in these parts (or most of them) were built in the remotest and most obscure part of the parishes: this was done, to the end that their enemies might not so easily find them, as they were often most sought for, being generally the richest prizes, containing the reliques and plate; and at this day, when we have a war with a Popish kingdom, our sailors make no objection to landing upon their coasts, and piously visiting a few of their churches. The church is dedicated to St Bridget, and the Dean and Chapter of Carlisle are appropriators and patrons."
evidence:-   old map:- Clarke 1787 map (Bassenthwaite Lake) 
source data:-   Map, A Map of Broadwater and its Environs, ie Bassenthwaite Lake, scale about 6.5 ins to 1 mile, by James Clarke, engraved by Neele, 352 Strand, published by James Clarke, Penrith, Cumberland and in London etc, 1787.
image
CL8NY22J.jpg
"Church"
item:-  private collection : 10.8
Image © see bottom of page
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.
image FD01P087, button  goto source
Page 87:-  "... the church, which is old and was built about 1471, on the margin of the lake, not far from the promontories of Bradness and Scarness. ..."
evidence:-   old map:- Ford 1839 map
placename:-  Bassenthwaite
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Map of the Lake District of Cumberland, Westmoreland and Lancashire, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, published by Charles Thurnam, Carlisle, and by R Groombridge, 5 Paternoster Row, London, 3rd edn 1843.
image
FD02NY22.jpg
"Bassenthwaite"
Labelling the church by the lake. 
item:-  JandMN : 100.1
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   old map:- Garnett 1850s-60s H
source data:-   Map of the English Lakes, in Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, 1850s-60s.
image
GAR2NY22.jpg
cross, a church 
item:-  JandMN : 82.1
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   perhaps old map:- Nurse 1918
placename:-  St Bridget's Church
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.
image
NUR1NY22.jpg
"BASSENTHWAITE ST. BRIDGET WITH B. ST. JOHN"
item:-  JandMN : 27
Image © see bottom of page

photograph
BVE28.jpg (taken 9.8.2011)  
 stained glass
evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
placename:-  Church of St Bega
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"CHURCH OF ST BEGA / / / BASSENTHWAITE / ALLERDALE / CUMBRIA / II[star] / 72100 / NY2266228748"
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"Parish church. C12 and C13, with restoration of 1874 by Messrs S. Watson of Penrith. Dressed calciferous sandstone, the larger blocks medieval, with angle buttresses and flush quoins of pink sandstone. Graduated greenslate roof with coped gables and cross finials. 2-bay nave with south aisle and vestry, west open bellcote; single-bay chancel with south chapel continuous with aisles and vestry. Nave has C19 north round-headed doorway within stone porch. C19 2-light north window and double-lancet west window under round plate-tracery window. South aisle has paired lancet windows; vestry shouldered windows. Chancel has blocked north doorway and window with 2 cusped lights. C19 3-light east window and chapel with C19 lancets. Interior of nave has C19 open timber roof and single pointed aisle archway. Unmoulded chancel arch on simple imposts. South door now leads to vestry, near which is a medieval graveslab to Robert Highmore and wall plaque to Mary Wane of Scarness 1741. Royal arms of George II and recut octagonal font. Wrought-iron hourglass stand beside chancel arch. Chancel has side chapel archway similar to aisle. Floor paving includes medieval graveslab to a Highmore. Wall plaque to Walter Vane, 1814 by Paul Nixson of Carlisle. Stained glass east window and aisle windows of 1874 by Powell Bros of Leeds. See Transactions Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian &Archaeological Society, new series, 1xvi, pp 276-292."
 cross slab
incumbents:-  
Fisher, Robert  1578 -  about 
Fisher, Henry  1579 -  about 
Parker, Thomas  1592 -  about 
Simson, Nicolas  1606 -  about 
Pearson, Simon  1606 - 1616 about 
Hewetson, Robert  1649 -  about 
Forward, John  1655 -  about 
Ardrey, William  1655 - 1680 about 
Pearson, John  1680 - 1686 
Todd, John  1687 - 1705 
Railton, James  1705 - 1707 
Gregory, Peter  1708 - 1719 
Grave, Stephen  1719 - 1763 
Sim, Joseph  1763 - 1793 
Wheelwright, Michael  1793 - 1801 
Brown, John  1801 - 1822 
Roy, Thomas  1822 - 1835 
Barnes, John  1835 - 1853 
Webster, Edward Bullock  1853 - 1855 
Simpson, Thomas Browne  1855 - 1856 
Sherlock, John Russell  1856 - 1868 
Raby, John  1868 - 1895 
Kenworthy, George  1895 - 1916 
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

photograph
BLO34.jpg (taken 20.1.2006)  
photograph
BLO40.jpg  Holder for an hour glass.
(taken 20.1.2006)  
photograph
BLO38.jpg  Royal coat of arms.
(taken 20.1.2006)  
photograph
BVE27.jpg  Parish chest?
(taken 9.8.2011)  
photograph
BLO39.jpg  Memorial to Captain Walter Vane, 1st Regiment of Foot, killed at the Battle of Bayonne, during the Napoleonic Wars, and buried there, 1814. Erected by his father Sir Frederick Fletcher Vane.
(taken 20.1.2006)  
photograph
BOQ45.jpg (taken 13.2.2008)  
photograph
BPV74.jpg (taken 17.12.2008)  
photograph
BPV86.jpg  Stile over the churchyard wall, next the gate.
(taken 17.12.2008)  
notes:-  
 The church has been here since about 950, though there might have been an earlier church; recorded history of the church begins in the mid 12th century. There was extensive restoration in 1874.

: : church leaflet
hearsay:-  
 A lead crucifix, about 12 inches high, was found when the priest's door on the north wall of the church was filled in, 1874. This is in the treasury at Carlisle Cathedral. It probably dates from the 14th century.
personal
person:-    : Vane, Frederick Fletcher, Sir
person:-    : Highmoor, Robert de
place:-   burial place
dedication
person:-    : St Bega
place:-   Bassenthwaite / Carlisle Diocese
St Bega was the daughter of an irish chieftan, 7th century, who fled Ireland to avoid marriage to a norse prince. She landed at St Bees Head.
person:-    : Vane, Frederick Fletcher, Sir
date:-   1832
item:-   grave
In the churchyard is the grave of Sir Frederick Fletcher Vane, died age 72, 1832.
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