Brigham, Cumberland
Historical Description
Brigham, a village, a township, and a parish in Cumberland. The township lies on the river Derwent, and on the Cockermouth and Workington railway, 2 miles W of Cockermouth, and has a station on the railway, and a post and money order office under Carlisle; telegraph office, Cockermouth. Area of township, 1759 acres; population, 818. The parish contains also part of the town of Cockermouth, and the townships of Blindbothel, Greysouthen, Setmurthy, Eaglesfield, Mossar, Buttermere, Whinfell, Lorton, Wythop, and Embleton. The surface is greatly diversified, ranging from soft valley to bold high mountain, and contains much brilliant scenery. Limestone, freestone, slate, and coal are worked. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Carlisle; net value, £328 with residence. Patron, the Earl of Lons-dale. The church is Decorated English, in good condition.
Administration
The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.
| Ancient County | Cumberland | |
| Ecclesiastical parish | Brigham St. Bridget | |
| Poor Law union | Cockermouth | |
| Ward | Allerdale above Derwent |
Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.
Church Records
The register dates from the year 1564.
Churches
Church of England
St. Bridget (parish church)
The church of St. Bridget is an ancient edifice of stone, dating from about 1060, and consisting of chancel, nave of three bays, south porch, and a western tower containing 3 bells. Fragments of an undoubtedly earlier church have been discovered on the site. In the nave is some Norman arcading, and in the north wall some Early English windows have been inserted: the tower and the chancel arch and walls are also of this date, with Perpendicular windows inserted in the south wall: on the south side of the nave, entered by a somewhat later doorway and porch, is a Decorated chantry, built by Sir Thomas de Burgh in 1350: the chantry contains a mural tomb, three sedilia, and a piscina, The church was restored in 1864 and 1876, under the direction of Mr. William Butterfield, architect, of London, at a total cost of £4,500, and now affords 306 sittings.
Civil Registration
For general information about Civil Registration (births, marriages and deaths) see the Civil Registration page.
Directories & Gazetteers
We have transcribed the entry for Brigham from the following:
- Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Brigham (St. Bridget))
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Cumberland is available to browse.
Maps
Online maps of Brigham are available from a number of sites:
- Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- Google Streetview.
- National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
- OpenStreetMap.
- old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
- Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)
Villages, Hamlets, &c
BlindbothelBrackenthwaite
Buttermere
Eaglesfield
Embleton
Greysouthen
Mosser
Setmurthy
Whinfell
Wythop
Visitations Heraldic
The Visitation of Cumberland, 1615 is available on the Heraldry page.