Upper Denton, Cumberland
Historical Description
Denton, Upper, a parish in Cumberland, about 6 miles NE by E from Brampton, and 1 mile W from Gilsland station on the N.E.R. The ancient name of this parish is Over-Denton. There is a very small Saxon parish church. The churchyard contains the grave of Margaret Teasdale, the "Meg Merrilees" of Sir Walter Scott. On her tombstone are the lines:-" What I was once some may relate; What I am now is each one's fate; What I shall be none may explain Till He that called call again."
Margaret Teasdale died in 1777, aged 98, and Margaret Carrick, her grandmother, in 1717, aged 100. It is probable-that the church was built in the time of the Saxon diocese of Hexham, which was suppressed by the Danes in 821. The-acreage of Over-Denton is 1039; population, 167. The Roman Wall, fosse, vallum, and road, called the Stanegate, cross the parish. Extensive remains of a Roman bridge are covered by soil on the Willowford farm at about 60 yards from the river Irthing. A large portion of the wall, &c. may be seen in the vicarage land. Over-Denton is part of the consolidated parish of Gilsland-with-Over-Denton. The value of the benefice is £168.
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 Upper Denton from the following:
- Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858. (Denton, Upper)
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Cumberland is available to browse.
Maps
Online maps of Upper Denton 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)
Visitations Heraldic
The Visitation of Cumberland, 1615 is available on the Heraldry page.