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Orton

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"Orton is nothing but a contraction of Overton; the situation of which place sufficiently shews its derivation... Sometimes this place was distinguished by the name of Sker-Overton, from the scar under which it stands. It is bounded on the East by the parishes of Asby, Crosby Garret, and Ravenstondale; on the South, by the parish of Sedbergh in the county of York, and the parish of Kendal; on the West, by the siad parish of Kendal; and on the North, by the parishes of Shap, Crosby Ravensworth, and Asby: And concists of about 360 families [in 1777], all of the church of England, except one quaker family. The church is dedicated to All Saints. It is a vicarage, in the gift of the landowners within the parish. Langdale carries its own derivation along with it. The manor or Tebay comprehends the vills of Ellergill, Gaisgill, Tebay, Rounthwaite, and Borrowdale. Bretherdale is commonly said to have had its name from three brothers who inhabited there some 200 years ago [from 1777]. But that is only an imagination. It had this name long before; or rather, the name whereof this is a corruption, and sufficiently indicates its own derivation, namely, Brere (i.e. Brier) dale. And the countenance of the place to this day is correspondent thereunto. Therefore the two other brothers should be Hepp and Sleagill.
[Nicolson and Burn: The history and antiquities of the counties of Westmorland and Cumberland. 1777. Transcribed by Anne Nichols.]

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Tebay later became a parish in its own right (but does not have its own page on this site)

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Cemeteries

M.Is for Orton were transcribed in Westmorland Church Notes by E. Bellasis 1888-89

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Census

No returns survive for the 'census' of 1787 .

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

Transcript and index for 1851 has been published by the Cumbria Family History Society and also in 'North Westmorland - An Index to the 1851 Census' compiled by David Lowis and Barbara Slack.

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Church History

image


(c) Kath Hayhurst

All Saints 
C13th arcade but N aisle and W tower are C15th. S aisle is C16th. S porch is C17th. 
Historical and architectural notes on National Heritage List (English Heritage site). 
History and description on Wikipedia
Photograph(s) and description on VisitCumbria
Access and contact details on Church of England site 
Church history is given on Edenlinks. 
More details and maps in Genuki Westmorland Church Database
St James, Tebay 
Historical and architectural notes on National Heritage List (English Heritage site). 
This photograph and others on the Geograph site. 
Photograph(s) and description on VisitCumbria
Access and contact details on Church of England site.
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Church Records

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

 OrtonTebay
 WPR9WPR20
Baptism registers1596-19731882-1922
Marriage registers1596-19741884-1960
Banns registers1814-18261884-1969
Burial registers1596-19771881-1955
Bishops transcripts1662-1881 

Search the CASCAT online catalogue  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

You can see pictures of Orton 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

Cumbria County History Trust has published a "Jubilee Digest" for the township of Orton and Tebay

Magna Britannica et Hibernia.Volume 6: Westmorland by Thomas Cox (Vicar of Bromfield, Essex) 45 pages, printed in 1731.
Transcription by Sarah Reveley, Joan Fisher and Lisl Schoenwald. (Rootsweb Westmorland Listmembers) (c) 2003

"ORTON, or Overton, a Market-Town, whose Market is weekly on Wednesday, and Fair yearly on St. Simon and St. Jude's Day. It was the Lordship of Ranulph de Dacre, 54 Hen. III. when upon the Death of his Father William de Dacre, he was constituted Sheriff of Cumberland. He had before been ever firm to that King in his Wars with the rebellious Barons, and among other Advantages obtained of him and his Successor, King Edward I. had a Grant from this last, Reg. 6. to himself and his Heirs, for a Market every Week upon Tuesday at Overton, and likewise for a Fair there yearly upon the Eve, Day, and Morrow of the Apostles St. Simon and St. Jude, October 28. How the Market his since been removed to Wednesday, we do not know. This Manor continued some Successions in this family of Dacre; for Margaret the Widow of William de Dacre, who died 33 Edw. III. had a Moiety of this Lordship for her Dowry, which after her Decease passed to her Son Ranulph de Dacre, Rector of Prestecotes, and his Heirs; but it seems not to have continued long in them, because Roger Lord Clifford 4, died possessed of this Lordship 13 Rich. II. and left it to his Son Thomas, and his Heirs. Upon an Hill a little Distance from this Town, but within the Limits of it, is a Beacon, called by the Name of Orton Beacon. Mr. Adamson of Rounthwait in this county was a great Benefactor to the Church of Orton."

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference NY615037 (Lat/Lon: 54.427709, -2.594393), Orton which are provided by:

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Population

1641/21307(est)
16711174(est)
18011230
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Probate Records

Orton is in the diocese of Carlisle and wills will be in Carlisle Record Office.

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Taxation

Hearth Tax records for 1674 Orton transcribed on Edenlinks.
Hearth Tax records for 1674 Bretherdale (Orton) transcribed on Edenlinks.
Hearth Tax records for 1674 Langdale (Orton) transcribed on Edenlinks.
Hearth Tax records for 1674 Orton Parke transcribed on Edenlinks.
Hearth Tax records for 1674 Raisbeck (Orton) transcribed on Edenlinks.
Hearth Tax records for 1674 Scales (Orton) transcribed on Edenlinks.
Hearth Tax records for 1674 Tebay (Orton) transcribed on Edenlinks.

Window Tax records for 1777 Orton transcribed on Edenlinks.
Window Tax records for 1777 Raisbeck transcribed on Edenlinks.
Window Tax records for 1777 Longdale transcribed on Edenlinks.
Window Tax records for 1777 Tebay transcribed on Edenlinks.