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placename:- St John's Church
other name:- Ulpha Church
locality:- Ulpha
parish Ulpha parish, once in Cumberland
county:- Cumbria
church
coordinates:- SD19799325
10Km square:- SD19
References : 2005: Diocese of Carlisle, Directory 2004/5

1Km square SD1993

photograph

St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- 14.3.2007
photograph

St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- 14.3.2007

old map:- Nurse 1918

Map, The Diocese of Carlisle, Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire North of the Sands, now Cumbria, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Rev Euston J Nurse, published by Charles Thurnam and Sons, 11 English Street, Carlisle, Cumberland, 1918 and 2nd edn 1939.
thumbnail NUR1SD19, button to large image
ULPHA
site name:- Gosforth Rural Deanery
site name:- Archdeaconry of Furness
site name:- Diocese of Carlisle
date:- 1939
period:- 1930s

source:- Martineau 1855

Guide book, A Complete Guide to the English Lakes, by Harriet Martineau, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, and by Whittaker and Co, London, 1855; published 1855-71.
Page 108:-
... Some time since there was a blind "priest" settled there. One Sunday morning, the bell rang before the people were all ready; and especially the stoutest farmer in the neighbourhood, who, detained by some cow, pig; or sheep, entered the church last of all, "thunnerin' down
Page 109:-
the aisle." "Wha's comin' now?" asked the blind priest; and, being informed by the clerk that it was John T---, he inquired further, "a-foot or a-horse-back?" ...
date:- 1855
period:- 19th century, late; 1850s

old map:- Garnett 1850s-60s H

Map of the English Lakes, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, published by John Garnett, Windermere, Westmorland, 1850s-60s.
thumbnail GAR2SD29, button to large image
cross, a church
date:- 1850=1869
period:- 19th century, late; 1850s; 1860s

old map:- Bowen and Kitchin 1760

New Map of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, Emanuel Bowen and Thomas Kitchin, published by T Bowles, John Bowles and Son, Robert Sayer, and John Tinney, 1760; published 1760-87.
thumbnail BO18SD18, button to large image
St. John's
circle, tower

placename:- St John's
date:- 1760
period:- 18th century, late; 1760s

old map:- Morden 1695 (Cmd)

Maps, Westmorland, scale about 2.5 miles to 1 inch, and Cumberland, scale about 3 miles to 1 inch, by Robert Morden, 1695.
image MD12SD19, button   goto source.
thumbnail MD12SD19, button to large image
St. Iohns
Circle, building and tower.

placename:- St Johns
county:- Cumberland
date:- 1695
period:- 17th century, late; 1690s

old map:- Jansson 1646

Map, Cumbria et Westmoria, or Cumberland and Westmorland, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, by John Jansson, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1646; published 1646-1724.
thumbnail JAN3SD28, button to large image
S. Johns
Buildings and tower.

placename:- St Johns
county:- Cumberland
date:- 1646
period:- 17th century, early; 1640s

old map:- Speed 1611 (Cmd)

Maps, The Countie Westmorland and Kendale the Cheif Towne, scale about 3.5 miles to 1 inch, and Cumberland and the Ancient Citie Carlile, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by John Speed, London, 1611; published 1611-1770.
thumbnail SP11SD28, button to large image
Sct. Johns
circle, tower

placename:- St John's
date:- 1611
period:- 17th century, early; 1610s

old map:- Saxton 1576

Map, Westmorlandiae et Cumberlandiae Comitatus ie Westmorland and Cumberland, scale about 5 miles to 1 inch, by Christopher Saxton, London, engraved by Augustinus Ryther, 1576; published 1579-1645.
image Sax9SD19, button   goto source.
thumbnail Sax9SD19, button to large image
Church, symbol for a parish or village, with a parish church.
Sct Johns

placename:- St Johns
county:- Cumberlandia
village
date:- 1576
period:- 16th century, late; 1570s

database:- Listed Buildings 2010

Listed Buildings 2010

courtesy of English Heritage
CHURCH OF ST JOHN / / / ULPHA / COPELAND / CUMBRIA / II[star] / 76285 / SD1980493246
courtesy of English Heritage
Parish Church. Present building probably C17; later additions and alterations. Wet-dashed rubble. Graduated slate roof with stone copings and kneelers; gabled bellcote to west end. Single-cell plan. C20 gabled porch added at west end; plank inner door. East window probably C17, remaining windows later (C20?) insertions. Interior: 6 (original?) roof trusses. Remains of C17/C18 wall paintings, uncovered in 1934, include part of Queen Anne's coat-of-arms, text boards, and 2 oval memorials dated 1793. Original octagonal basin to font on C19 pillar and plinth.

placename:- Church of St John
district:- Copeland
listed building
coordinates:- SD19809324
date:- 2010
period:- 2010s

incumbents:-
Muncaster, John 1693
Lewthaite, Thomas 1697
Brackenthwaite, Edward
Atkinson, Daniel 1705
Noble, C David 1725
Walker, Edward
Brocklebank, Thomas 1754
Nicholson, Clement 1757
Philipson, Christopher 1763
Hodgson, Hugh 1771
Brockbank, Richard 1775
Boulton John 1786
Tyson, Edward 1797
Myers, William 1800
Gaitskell, Isaac 1802
Walker, Jeremiah 1828
Kewley, William 1881
Whitaker, Charles 1897

photographs
tiny photograph, 
button to large St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- The two bells. -- 14.3.2007

photographs
tiny photograph, 
button to large St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- Painted memorial:- -- 'Miles Whinfield, / Nicholas Whinfield, / 1793.' -- 14.3.2007
tiny photograph, 
button to large St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- Painted memorial:- -- 'S. Danson / 1793.' -- 14.3.2007
tiny photograph, 
button to large St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- Wall painting. -- 14.3.2007
tiny photograph, 
button to large St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- Wall painting. -- 14.3.2007
tiny photograph, 
button to large St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- Wall painting. -- 14.3.2007
tiny photograph, 
button to large St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- Wall painting. -- 14.3.2007
tiny photograph, 
button to large St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- Wall painting. -- 27.2.2008

photographs
tiny photograph, 
button to large St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- Gravestone, just outside the door to St John's Church, Ulpha:- -- 'In Memory of / JAMES CROSBIE JENKINSON, / of Whitehaven, / Who perished on Birker Moor / during the 'pelting of the pitiless / storm' on the 1st. of January 1826, / aged 17 Years. / ...' -- SD19799324 (at) -- 27.2.2008
tiny photograph, 
button to large St John's Church -- Ulpha -- Ulpha -- Cumbria / -- Sunrise sky and trees. -- 27.2.2008

hearsay William Wordsworth:-
The Kirk of Ulpha to the Pilgrim's eye is welcome as a star.

story In the parish register is a brief history of the church at Ulpha, written by the incumbent, Jeremiah Walker, 1828-81:-
Ulpha is a place or division of great antiquity. It had a Church or place of worship as early as the reign of Henry the Third. The Church or Chapel or Chantry originally stood at a place called Hall End. After the destruction of the Old Hall or Castle it was removed to its present site.
There is a superstitious legend prevailing that although it stood during many Cent[u]ries & generations in its original position, but having fallen into a state of delapidation when it was found necessary that it should be rebuilt, the work could not be proceeded with, 'that whatever progress was made in the day the work was thrown down in the night & the materials taken to the place where the church now stands, & this was considered as a revelation from heaven.' So that the people removed it to its present situation. This took place about the end of the fourteenth century or the beginning of the fifteenth.
There is no mention made of Ulpha or Ultima regio, the extremity of the County of Cumberland in the Liber Regis of William 1st Duke of Normandy. But after the dissolution of the Monasteries in the return made by Order of Henry VIII it is mentioned as of the annual value of Five Pounds (Vicarial Tithes Three Pounds fourteen shillings and eleven pence half-penny, & the remainder Offerings & Surplice Fees.)
The Registers or Ecclesiastical & Civil Memorandums & Records go as far back as the time of Elizabeth, when the Poor Law act was passed. Birker and Ulpha were united for the maintenance of their poor & continued so till about the commencement of the nineteenth century, when Birker ceased to have a Pauper. The Inhabitants of Birker used to attend Ulpha Church to receive the Sacrament, and provided or paid for half the wine &c. until the year 1856.
The Registers were at first kept very irregularly and the Church most likely irregularly served, as the Stipend was so very small that no clergyman could afford to serve it. The Registers of Births and Deaths have been very regularly kept from the year 1703. But the Marriage Register has been neglected until the passing of the Act of Parliament to prevent clandestine marriages in the year 1753.
Four grants of £200 each have been made from Queen Anne's Bounty for the augmentation of the Benefice.

Old Cumbria Gazetteer - JandMN: 2008

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