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Heversham

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"HEVERSHAM, a parish in KENDAL ward, county of WESTMORLAND, comprising the chapelries of Crosthwaite with Lyth and Stainton, and the townships of Hincaster, Levens, Milnthorpe with Heversham, Preston Richard, and Sedgwick, and containing, including the whole of Levens, a small portion of which township is in Kendal parish, 3996 inhabitants, of which number, 1401 are in the joint township of Milnthorpe with Heversham, 1 mile (N.) from Milnthorpe. The living is a vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Richmond, and diocese of Chester, rated in the king's books at £36. 13. 4., and in the patronage of the Master arid Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is a fine edifice in the early style of English architecture. . . . This parish is bounded on the north and on the west by the river Kent."

[From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England (1831) - copyright Mel Lockie 2016]

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The parish contained the chapelries of Crosthwaite cum Lyth, Levens, Crosscrake and Milnthorpe.
Milnthorpe later became a separate parish (but does not nave a separate page on this site)

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Cemeteries

M.I.s for Heversham were transcribed in Monumental Inscriptions of Westmorland by E. Bellasis 1888-89 and are available on Westmorland Papers.

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Census

Returns do not survive for the 'census' of 1787.

Census returns are available from the usual sources for 1841-1911.

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Church History

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St Peter
C12th arcade but North arcade is Victorian. As is W tower (by Paley & Austin).
Historical and architectural notes on National Heritage List (EnglishHeritage site).
History and description on Wikipedia.
Photograph(s) and description on VisitCumbria.
Access and contact details on Church of England site
More details and maps in Genuki Westmorland Church Database
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St Thomas
Milnthorpe 1837
Photograph(s) and description on VisitCumbria.
Access and contact details on Church of England site
More details and maps in Genuki Westmorland Church Databas
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Church Records

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Heversham parish chest

 

Parish Registers and Bishop's Transcripts are held by Cumbria Archives - originals at Kendal RO and microfilm copies at Carlisle RO.

 St Peter
Heversham WPR8
St Thomas
Milnthorpe WPR88
Baptism registers1605-19561837-1963
Marriage registers1605-19581838-1966
Banns registers1770-19191838-1960
Burial registers1605-18931838-1913
Bishops transcripts1682-19141855-1915

See the CASCAT online calogue for WPR8 for information on these and other parish records..
See the CASCAT online calogue for WPR88 for information on these and other parish records..

For searching on LDS familysearch.org see IGI batch numbers (compiled by Jake Prescott)
or use the batch number search site (by Hugh Wallis).

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Description & Travel

Nicolson and Burn: The history and antiquities of the counties of Westmorland and Cumberland. 1777. Transcribed by Anne Nichols:

"This is one of those places in Westmorland which is mentioned in Domesday, and therein is written Eureshaim; probably from the name of the owner, Eure being a name not yet out of use. This parish is bounded on the East by Preston Patrick in the parish of Burton, divided from it by the Betha, otherwise Hutton Beck or Lilly Beck; on the South, by the parish of Betham; on the West, by the chapelry of Witherslack in the said parish of Betham; and on the North, by Cartmell Fells, being divided therefrom by the river Winster. About 200 yards north-west from the church, there is a well which bears the name of St. Mary's well; from whence it has been conjectured that the church was dedicated to that Saint. [Note: The church's dedication is actually to St. Peter and not to St. Mary] It is a vicarage. . . . The advowson whereof belongs to Trinity college in Cambridge. The fabric of the church is not ancient; for the old church was burned down by accident in the year 1601, whereby all monuments, seats, bells, organ, and other ornaments were utterly destroyed. It was soon after rebuilt (at the expence of the parishioners), and restored to its pristine state; as appears by certificate entered in the parish-book."

You can see pictures of Heversham which are provided by:

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Directories

The University of Leicester History, Directory & Gazetteer of Cumberland & Westmorland, 1829

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Gazetteers

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History

Magna Britannica et Hibernia.Volume 6: Westmorland by T Cox 1731:

"Milthrop, a Sea-port situate at the Mouth of the river Can; it is the only Sea-Town in this County, and the Commodities, which are brought hither, are imported in small Vessels from Grange in Lancashire."

Records relating to the Barony of Kendale, CWAAS, William Farrer & John F. Curwen (editors) available on British History Online:

Cumbria County History Trust has published a "Jubilee Digest" for the townships of Heversham Hincaster, Sedgwick, Preston Richard, Stainton and Milnthorpe.

There is a book: Heversham - The Story of a Westmorland School and Village, by Robert D. Hunter . Published by Titus Wilson & Son, Kendal, 1968.

Also historical information on a Heversham website.

 

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Heversham Cross

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SD510842 (Lat/Lon: 54.251001, -2.75383), Heversham which are provided by:

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Probate Records

Wills for Heversham and Milnthorpe 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.

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Taxation

Hearth Tax records for 1674 Milnthorpe (Heversham) transcribed on Edenlinks
Hearth Tax records for 1674 Hincaster (Heversham) transcribed on Edenlinks.
Hearth Tax records for 1674 Preston Richard (Heversham) transcribed on Edenlinks.
Hearth Tax records for 1674 Stainton (Heversham) transcribed on Edenlinks