HOLME-CULTRAM, Cumberland - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

"HOLME-CULTRAM, (or Abbey Holme), a parish in the ward of Allerdale-below-Derwent, county Cumberland, 6 miles N.W. of Wigton, 9 N.E. of Aspatria, and 15 E. of Maryport. Abbey Holme is its post town. It is a station on the Carlisle and Silloth Bay railway. The parish is bounded on the W. by the Irish Sea, and on the N. by the estuaries of the Wampool and the Waver. It is very extensive, comprising above 22,000 acres, and includes the townships of Holme Abbey, Holme East Waver, Holme Low, and Holme St. Cuthbert. The village, which is situated on the W. bank of the river Waver, was formerly a market town and has the ruins of a Cistercian mitred abbey, founded in 1150 by Prince Henry of Scotland. Here are brick and tile kilns, also a steam mill. The soil is various, but well cultivated, with the exception of about 3,000 acres of moss. The lower grounds are well drained, and there are some quarries of excellent freestone. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Carlisle, value £160, in the patronage of the University of Oxford. In addition to the parish church there are three district churches, viz: at Holme-Low, Newton-Arlosh, and St. Cuthbert's, the livings of all which are perpetual curacies, varying in value from £106 to £100. The parish church of St. Mary is situated on the site of the ancient monastery, and includes a portion of it. Here are National schools for both sexes, also the Abbey Holme reading and news rooms." "ABBEY COOPER, a small hamlet in the parish of Holme Cultram, in the ward of Allerdale-below-Derwent, in the county of Cumberland, 1 mile W. of the village and 5 from Wigton." "ABBEY HOLME, a township in the parish of Holme Cultram, in Allerdale-below-Derwent ward, in the county of Cumberland, 6 miles N.W. of Wigton, and 15 E. of Maryport. The Carlisle and Silloth Bay railway passes through the parish and has a station at Holme. There are still some remains of the Cistercian abbey founded here in 1150 by Prince Henry of Scotland, and St. Mary's church is said to have formed part of the abbey church." "BECKFOOT, a hamlet in the parish of Holme Cultram, in the county of Cumberland, 6 miles W. from Abbey Holme. It is situated close to the sea, and is supposed to have been formerly a place of more importance from the many foundations met with in its vicinity. The Society of Friends have a meeting-house here." "HOLME ST. CUTHBERT, a township in the parish of Holme Cultram, ward of Allerdale-below-Derwent, county Cumberland. This township, which is considerable, contains the hamlets of Beckfoot, Goody Hills, Newtown, Mawbray, Cooper, Pelutho, Sarns, and Etherside, with several straggling farms. R. E. W. P. Standish, Esq., is lord of the manor." "LOW HOLME, (or Holme St. Paul's), a township in the parish of Holme-Cultram, ward of Allerdale-below-Derwent, county Cumberland. This township, which is nearly surrounded by the sea and the estuary of the Waver and Wampool, extends from 2 to 6 miles from the Abbey town. It comprises the hamlets of Blitter Lees, East Coate, Calve, Black-Dyke, Wolsty, Wath, Silloth, Hayrigg, Soaville, Skinburness, Green-Row, and Causeway-Head. The Carlisle and Silloth railway passes through the township The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Carlisle, value £100. The church, which was erected in 1845, is a stone structure dedicated to St. Paul." "NEWTON-ARLOSH, a hamlet in the parish of Holme-Cultram, ward of Allerdale-below-Derwent, county Cumberland, 6½ miles N.W. of Wigton. It had formerly a market under the abbots of Holme-Cultram, who, upon the destruction of Skinburness by an irruption of the sea, obtained leave to hold here their market and fair, now disused. The ruins of an ancient church dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and so constructed as to serve the purpose of a fortress, may be seen in the cemetery, which is still used by the parishioners." "SKINBURNESS, a village in the parish of Holme-Cultram, ward of Allerdale-below-Derwent, county Cumberland, 11 miles N.W. of Wigton. It was anciently a place of importance, having a market and fair granted to the Abbot of Home-Cultram, but at the beginning of the 14th century was nearly destroyed by the sea. It is now a bathing village, commanding extensive views over the Solway Frith and the Scottish mountains. A productive herring fishery is carried on."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]