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Appleby St Lawrence

One of Appleby's 2 parishes together with St Michael Bongate

"The parish of St. Laurence is bounded on the East by St. Michael's, commonly called Bongate parish; on the South-east and South, by Ormeshead and Asby parishes; on the West, by Crosby Ravensworth and Morland parishes; and on the North, by the said parishes of Morland and St. Michael's: And contains in the whole about 160 families [in 1777], all of the church of England.

The church (as the name imports) was dedicated to St. Laurence; which was the original of the fair at Appleby on that saint's day, and the same feast of St. Laurence is for the like reason in ancient writings appointed for the payment of rents in places thereabouts.

It is a vicarage.

[Note: The parish of St. Laurence also covers Colby... Barwise... Hoff and Drybeck.] "

Nicolson and Burn: The history and antiquities of the counties of Westmorland and Cumberland. 1777. Transcribed by Anne Nichols.

Cemeteries

Monumental inscriptions were transcribed in Monumental Inscriptions of Westmorland by E. Bellasis 1888-89 and are available on Westmorland Papers.

Census

No returns survive for the 'census' is of 1787.

Census returns are available from the usual sources for 1841-1901.

Transcript and index for 1851 has been published by the Cumbria Family History Society and also in 'North Westmorland - An Index to the 1851 Census' compiled by David Lowis and Barbara Slack.

Church History

St Laurence Church dates from Norman times in the base of the West Tower and the South Porch doorway. Internally the five-bay arcade is Decorated work from the C14th and the screens are C15th. Externally the Perpendicular-style windows are Victorian.

The church contains monuments to Lady Ann Clifford (d.1676) and her mother the Countess of Cumberland.

Picture of St Lawrence's church by Les Strong
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Church Records

The parish records are held at the Kendal Record Office of Cumbria Archives Service. The Record Office reference is WPR28.

Baptism registers 1694-1956
Marriage registers 1695-1976
Banns registers 1809-1924
Burial registers 1694-1963
Bishops transcripts 1665-1869

BTs are in Kendal RO.

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History

Buley-Castle, situate on the River Eden, a little above Appleby on the
North-West, and belonging to the Bishop of Carlisle. It is said to have
been erected at two or three Times by the Bishops of that See, several of
whom have kept their Ordinations here, as there are still in Being several
Registers to testify, if a Proof of it were necessary.

Magna Britannica et Hibernia.Volume 6: Westmorland by Thomas Cox (Vicar of Bromfield, Essex) 45 pages, printed in 1731.
Transcription by Sarah Reveley,  Joan Fisher and Lisl Schoenwald. (Rootsweb Westmorland Listmembers)  (c)  2003

See the history for the town.

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Population

1641/2 561(est)
1671 783(est)
1801 711

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Last updated: March 2006 - Dave Huddart