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"Betham seems to have had its name from the river Betha, which runs through the village, and so by Milnthorp into the sea; as much as to say, the hamlet or village on the river Betha. This river is now called Bela, by corruption as it seemeth; for in Mr. Machel's account it is invariably written Betha, without any imtimation of its having any other name. And Mr. Leland who travelled through this country in the reign of king Henry the eighth, says, "By Bytham runneth Byth water, a pretty river." And especially, in a grant of landss and other possessions to the priory of Conishead (as hereafter mentioned), it is expressly called the water of Betha.
Sometimes the name of the place is written Bethom; in which respect it may be understood to signify the holme ground adjoining the river.
This parish is bounded on the East by the parish of Burton (indeed it runs almost quite through and intersects the said parish of Burton, which part is called Farleton); on the South, by the parish of Warton in the county of Lancaster; on the West, by the sea; on the North-west by the parish of Cartmell in the said county of Lancaster; and on the North, by the parish of Heversham.
The church, according to Mr. Machel's account, is dedicated to St. Leoth or Lyth, otherwise called Lioba or Liobgytha; but according to Mr. Brown Willis it is dedicated to St. Michael. It is a vicarage, in the patronage of the crown, and in the presentation (under the crown) of the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster.
In the parish of Betham there are three divisions (exclusive of Witherslack) which seem anciently to have been all one manor or lordship, to wit, Betham, Haverbrack, and Farleton. ...Witherslack, Methop and Ulva, are included within a peninsula (as it were) between Winster beck, Brigsteer moss, and the Sands... by reason of their great distance from the parish church, a chapel was anciently erected... ... consecrated in the year 1671, by the name of the chapel of St. Paul."
Nicolson and Burn: The history and antiquities of the counties of Westmorland and Cumberland. 1777. Transcribed by Anne Nichols.
Arnside became a parish in its own right.
Monumental inscriptions were transcribed in Monumental Inscriptions of Westmorland by E. Bellasis 1888-89 and are available on Westmorland Papers.
Returns do not survive for the 'census' of 1787.
Census returns are available from the usual sources for 1841-1901.
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St Michael. Norman S arcade. Late C12th W off-set tower but with C16th bell-stage. |
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St James. 1866. By Miles Thompson. Enlarged 1905 and 1914. |
The parish records and Bishop' Transcripts are held at the Kendal Record Office of Cumbria Archives Service. There will be microfilm copies at Carlisle Record Office.
| Beetham | Arnside | |
| WPR43 | WPR39 | |
| Baptism registers | 1604-1858 | 1866-1934 |
| Marriage registers | 1604-1923 | 1873-1968 |
| Banns registers | 1754-1946 | 1889-1986 |
| Burial registers | 1604-1892 | |
| Bishops transcripts | 1689-1870 |
Transcripts of the Beetham registers are available on EdenLinks.
For searching on www.familysearch.org see Jake Prescott's list of IGI batch numbers.
The details for the parish from the Parson
& White's Directory for 1829 are transcribed on Edenlinks site.
"Betham, a small Village-standing near the River Can, famous only for a
Catadupa or Waterfall, made by the Waters tumbling Headlong from an higher
Ground, with an hideous Noise. The Neighbours form a Prognostication of the
Weather from it thus: When the Noise of it sounds clear, they are sure of
Rain and Mists. There is another Waterfall in this River at Levens, a
Village lying above this Northward, of which in its Place: The Earl of
Derby hath a Seat here, called Betham-Castle."
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
Wills for Beetham will be at Carlisle since about 1858 but before that will be at the Preston R.O. as it was in the Diocese of Chester until that time.
Last updated: 21/8/04 Dave Huddart