Nicolson and Burn:
The history and antiquities of the counties of
Westmorland and Cumberland. 1777. Transcribed by Anne
Nichols. |
"The parish of Kirkby
in Kendale is very extensive, comprehanding 24 townships
or constablewicks, viz. Kendal, Helsington,, Natland ,
Scalthwaite Rigg (including Hay and Hutton in the Hay),
New Hutton , Old Hutton and Holme Scales, Docker,
Lambrigg, Grayrigg , Whinfell, Fawcet Forest, Whitwell
and Selside ,
Slelsmergh and Patton, Burmeshead , Strickland
Roger, Strickland Ketel, Long Sleddale , Kentmere ,
Crook , Winster, Over Staveley, Nether Staveley,
Hugill, Underbarrow and Bradley Field; and some of these,
for convenience, have been subdivided:- And 15
chapelries, viz. Kendal, Helsington, Natland, New Hutton, Old Hutton, Grayrigg, Selside, Burneshead, Long Sleddale, Kentmere, Crook, Winster, Staveley, Ings [Hugill], and Underbarrow.
This parish was anciently larger; for Windermere and Gresmere were parts
thereof, though now they have obtained by reputation the
name of distinct parishes, and are the only rectories
within the barony of Kendale.
It is bounded on the East by the parishes of Shap, Orton,
Sedberg, and Kirkby Lonsdale; on the South, by the
parishes of Kirkby Lonsdale, Burton, and Heversham; on
the West, by the parishes of Heversham and Windermere;
and on the North, by the parishes of Windermere,
Gresmere, and Orton.
The church of Kendal stands in Kirkland, from whence the
place hath received its name. It is a very large, neat,
and handsome building, and contains every Sunday as large
a congregation, as almost any parish church in the
kingdom. It is 180 feet long, and 99 feet in breadth;
with five alleys, each of them being parted by a row of 8
fair pillars; and with a strong square steeple, wherein
there are 6 large and very tunable bells.
It is a vicarage, in the patronage of Trinity college in
Cambridge
Helsington [is] below Kendal, on the West side of the
river Kent.
Advancing Eastward from Helsington, we come to
Natland, which is a small manor or lordship, containing
only about 30 families [in 1777]. It seems to have had
its name from the Nativi or bondmen probably placed
there, as attendent upon the capital lord at Kendal
castle to do servile offices, like as the inhabitants of
Bongate nigh Appleby, or the Drengage tenants nigh
Brougham castle. The chapelry also of Natland is
commensurate to the manor.
Old Hutton, New Hutton, and Holme Scales... At first
there was only one general name of Hutton. The
distinction between Old and New Hutton seems to have come
in about the beginning of the reign of king Edward the
first [c.1272]. Holme Scales is in the parish of Burton;
being, as the name imports, scales or huts belonging to
Holme in that parish. But for the sake of vicinity and
convenience, Holme Scales hath for a long time been
annexed to Old Hutton, and is now deemed part of that
township or constablewick.
Docker.. this place claims, and in some respects
exerciseth, a privilege of exemption from ecclesiastical
jursidiction; but by whom, or in what instances, the same
hath been granted, we have not found.
Lambrigg... This perhaps might be the place to which
they carried their lambs at certain seasons. For many
places received their name of distinction from such like
circumstances; as Sheepshead, Ramsbottom, Ewbank,
Stirkland, Cowbrow, Oxenholme, and the like.
Dillaker... Adjoining to lambrigg on the East, is the
hamlet of Dillaker; of which we have met with no
particular account.
Grayrigg... Having now advanced to the Eastern
extremity of the parish of Kendal, we incline Northwards
to the manor of Grayrigg; so called probably from being
frequented by badgers, brocks, or grays; as on the east
side of the river Lune, opposite thereto, is a place
which yet bears the name of Brockholes. The hollow
between is called Grayrigg-hause, from haustus perhaps,
which signifies a draught; even as yet a throat or gulley
is by the common people called a hause. There is a
meeting-house in Grayrigg belonging to the Quakers.
Whinfell... From Grayrigg, travelling northwards,
along the eastern extremity of the parish, we come to
Whinfell; which carries its own derivation along with it.
Fawcet Forest...Pursuing our course northwards, we come
to Fawcet Forest, at the utmost extremity of the parish
towards the east and north. It was anciently called
Fauside. It is within the chapelry of Selside.Whitwell
and Selside... Inclining westward, we come to Whitwell
and Selside, which though separate divisions, yet make
but one constablewick, and seem to have been originally
but one manor. When they were first separated doth not
appear.
Skelsmergh and Patton... Skelsmergh and Patton are one
constablewick, but they have been separate divisions for
a long time. There was heretofore a chapel in Skelsmergh,
dedicated to St. John Baptist; with the stream of a well,
called St. John's well, running through it from East to
West.
Burneshead... This name is variously written in ancient
time, but most commonly Burneshead, and seems intended to
signify the head of the burn or river which springs a
little above in Kentmere. The chapel of Burneshead is
common to Burneshead, Strickland Roger, and Strickland
Ketel. To what saint it was dedicated, we have not
certainly found. There is a well called the Miller's,
formerly St. Oswald's well, about 30 yards north-east
from the chapel, which probably leads to the name of the
tutelar saint
Strickland Roger and Strickland Ketel... Strickland
anciently was always written Stirkland, being no other
than the pasture ground of the stirks or steers and other
young cattle.
Long Sleddale... The chapel stands about the middle of
the dale, and was made parochial... in 1712. Sleddale
Beck, commonly called Spret, springs up in Wrangdale-
head in this dale (a place famous for fine blue slate got
there), runs southward all along the dale on the west
side of the chapel and Ubarrow Hall, from thence on the
east side of Burneshead Hall, and about half a mile below
falls into the river Kent.Kentmere... This place hath its
name from the river Kent, which springs there, and from a
mere or lake therein called Kentmere; which river gives
name not only to this particular district, but to all the
south-west part of this county, called Kendale. It
springs about 3 miles north from the chapel, and from
thence runs southward through Kentmere, Staveley,
Strickland, the township of Kendal, by Natland,
Helsington, Levins, and from thence into the sea. It
receives in its course two small rivers, Sprit and Mint.
The former springs in Long Sleddale , and runs in at
Burneshead. The other springs in Fawcet Forest, and its
course meets with Grayrigg water which springs above the
hall, and falls into Kent about a mile above Kendal.
Kentmere is bounded on the East by the chapelry of Long
Sleddale, on the South by the chapelries of Staveley and
Ings, on the West by the top of Garburne Fell, and on the
North by Patterdale in the parish of Barton and Mardale
in the parish of Shap.
Staveley and Hugill... Having now advanced to the
furthest extremity of the parish towards the north-west,
we turn southwards to Staveley and Hugill. Staveley and
Hugill are bounded on the east by Long Sleddale, being
divided therefrom by the ridge of Potter Fell; on the
south by Underbarrow, being divided by the top of
Ratherhead; on the west by Crook, being divided by the
ridge of Brackenthwait Fell; and on the north by
Kentmere, being divided by Blackbeck which runs by
Milrigg. The chapel of Staveley is a fair building, with
a handsome steeple and three good bells. To what saint it
was dedicated is not certain: From the inscription on one
of the bells, it seems to have been St. Margaret.
Staveley and Hugill were originally one chapelry. But
afterwards a separate chapel was erected at Ings in
Hugill, so called from a long Ing or watery meadow, at
the head of which it stands. As Grasgarth there was
anciently a chapel called St. Anne's, about a quarter of
a mile north-west from the present chapel of Ings.
Crook and Winster... These two, in like manner as
Staveley and Ings, were originally one chapelry; but now
they are two distinct chapelries. The chapel of Crook is
a fair building, with a tower steeple, and one bell.
Winster, though it is in the parish of Kendal, yet is
said to be in the constablewick of Undermilbeck in the
parish of Windermere. The chapelry of Winster was
anciently a part of the chapelry of Crook. This place
gives name to the rivulet called Winster Beck; which
almost from head to foot divides Westmorland from
Lancashire.
Underbarrow and Bradley Field... This is the last
division that remains to be spoken of in the parish of
Kendal. Underbarrow hath its name from its situation
under the barrow, hill, or scar, which extends from north
to south all along in this division. That part which is
called Bradley Field received its denomination from a
family of the name of Bradley, which came from Bradley in
Lancashire. There was an ancient chapel at this place
[Underbarrow]. In the year 1708, this chapel was rebuilt
at the expence of the inhabitants of Underbarrow only
(for Bradley Field is not in the chapelry). "
|
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.
|
All Hallows |
Holy Trinity |
St George |
St Thomas |
Skelsmergh |
|
WPR38 |
WPR38 |
WPR31 |
WPR94 |
WPR87 |
| Baptism registers |
1883-1940 |
1558-1940 |
1841-1914 |
1837-1966 |
1871-1936 |
| Marriage registers |
- |
1558-1919 |
1849-1922 |
1853-1980 |
1872-1969 |
| Banns registers |
- |
1754-1904 |
1892-1957 |
- |
1872-1917 |
| Burial registers |
- |
1558-1855 |
1842-1855 |
1838-1960 |
|
| Bishops transcripts |
- |
1673-1845 |
1856-1873 |
1838-1875 |
1871-1884 |
The following registers have
been transcribed by Roland Grigg (available through
Wayback Machine Internet Archive) :
Baptisms for 1558-1587
(A to D) : (E to M) : (N to Y)
Baptisms 1596 - 99, Marriages
and Burials 1591 - 99 and Baptisms 1607 - 31
( A ) : (
Ba-Bi) : (
Bl-By) : ( C ) : (
DE) : (
FG) : ( H ) : (
IJ) : (
K-M) : (
N-Q) : ( R ) : ( S ) : (
T-V) : (
Wa-Wh) : (
Wi-Z)
and these registers are included
in a combined Cumbrian parish register index (available
through Wayback Machine Internet Archive): .
For searching on www.familysearch.org
see Jake Prescott's list of IGI batch numbers.
Non-conformist
records:
| Roman Catholic |
| Kendal |
1762-1941 bap
1856-1900 marr
1856-1966 bur |
Kendal RO
London PRO (1762-1840) |
| Dodding Green,
Skelsmergh |
1864-1889 bur |
Kendal RO |
| Methodist |
| Wesleyan Circuit
Register |
1848-1953 bap |
Kendal RO |
| Lowther Street
Primitive |
1929-37 bap |
Kendal RO |
| Stricklandgate
Wesleyan |
1802-1837 bap
1900-1976 mar
1808-1852 bur |
Kendal RO &
London PRO
Kendal RO
Kendal RO & London PRO |
| Presbyterian |
| Kendal |
1687-1834 bb |
London PRO |
| Kendal |
1823-1853 bap
1845-1859 mar
1773-1855 bur |
Kendal RO |
| Baptist |
| Kendal Unitarian Baptist |
1801-1839 bap |
Kendal RO |
| Unitarian |
| Kendal |
1687-1843 bap
1725-1855 |
Kendal RO |
| Inghamites |
| Kendal Pear Tree Chapel |
1757-1782 bap
1779-1801 bur |
London PRO |
| Quakers |
| Kendal |
1764-1889 births
1765-1927 mar
1764-1893 |
Kendal RO |
Description
There is a picture of Kendal
Market in 1924.
Directories
The details for the parish
from the Parson
& White's Directory for 1829 are transcribed on
Edenlinks site.
History
Described in 1199 as Kirkeby in Kendal - i.e.
the valley of the River Kent.
Kirkby in Kendale -
c.1100-1350 Records relating to the Barony of
Kendale, CWAAS, William Farrer & John F. Curwen
(editors) are available on British History Online
Kirkby in Kendale -
1352-1450 Records relating to the Barony
of Kendale, CWAAS, William Farrer & John F.
Curwen (editors) are available on British History Online
Kirkby in Kendale -
1453-1530 Records relating to the Barony
of Kendale, CWAAS, William Farrer & John F.
Curwen (editors) are available on British History Online
Kirkby in Kendale -
1532-60 Records relating to the Barony of
Kendale, CWAAS, William Farrer & John F. Curwen
(editors) are available on British History Online
Kirkby in Kendale -
1572-1650 Records relating to the Barony
of Kendale, CWAAS, William Farrer & John F.
Curwen (editors) are available on British History Online
Kirkby in Kendale -
1663-1739 and addenda Records relating to
the Barony of Kendale, CWAAS, William Farrer &
John F. Curwen (editors) are available on British History
Online
Supplementary Records -
Kirkby in Kendale
Dillicar Records
relating to the Barony of Kendale, CWAAS, William
Farrer & John F. Curwen (editors) are available on
British History Online
Supplementary Records -
Dillicar
Skelsmergh and Paton Records
relating to the Barony of Kendale, CWAAS, William
Farrer & John F. Curwen (editors) are available on
British History Online
Supplementary Records -
Skelsmergh and Paton
Strickland Roger Records
relating to the Barony of Kendale, CWAAS, William
Farrer & John F. Curwen (editors) are available on
British History Online
Supplementary Records -
Strickland Roger and
Strickland Ketel Records
relating to the Barony of Kendale, CWAAS, William
Farrer & John F. Curwen (editors) are available on
British History Online
Strickland Ketel Records
relating to the Barony of Kendale, CWAAS, William
Farrer & John F. Curwen (editors) are available on
British History Online
Records
relating to The Barony of Kendale by William
Farrer have also been transcribed on EdenLinks
Kendal from Magna Britannica et
Hibernia.Volume 6: Westmorland by Thomas Cox 1731.
Much historical material is available for Dodding Green
on the Edenlinks site.
Some museums have websites:
- Abbot Hall
Art Gallery. Georgian villa, with important
collections 18th, 19th and 20th century art.
- Blackwell.
Arts and Crafts house
- Kendal
Museum. Founded 1796 - one of the country's
oldest museums. Local archaeology, history,
geology, and natural science from around the
world.
- Museum
of Lakeland Life . Collections on: the Arts
and Crafts movement; Arthur Ransome; and
Victorian social history of Lakeland Victorians.
Maps
There is a C17th
map of Kendale by John Speed.
Poor
Houses / Poor Law
Details of Kendal Union
werkhouse are given on on the websites of Ross
Brett (Internet Archive) and Peter
Higginbotham .
Probate
Records
Wills for Kendal 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.
Taxation
Hearth
Tax records for 1674 Kendal Parke &
Oxenholme transcribed on Edenlinks.
Hearth
Tax records for 1674 Dilliker (Kendal)
transcribed on Edenlinks
Hearth
Tax records for 1674 Patton & Skelsmergh
transcribed on Edenlinks
Hearth
Tax records for 1674 Strickland Roger
(Kendal) transcribed on Edenlinks.
Last updated Jan 2012
Dave Huddart
|
Westmorland 
WES
Parishes 
Genuki
contents 
Nearby places
