Allhallows Parish

  Is bounded by the parishes of Aspatria, Torpenhow, Bromfield, and Bolton Gate, and contains 1860 acres of land, generally level, but varying in quality from a loam or gravel, to black wet earth. It produces a greyish freestone, and a coal pit has recently been opened here, which promises to be tolerably productive. It is divided into four districts, called Ukmanby, Whitehall, Harby, and Baggray, but they form only one township, which was anciently a chapelry under Aspatria. "Ukmanby is said to have been an entire manor, granted by Alan, second lord of Allerdale, to Ranulph de Lindsey, with his sister, Ochtreda. It came to the Tilliols by marriage, which family ending in females, the estate was sold to several purchasers."

Whitehall was a manor and mansion of a younger branch of the Salkelds of Corby, and lies on the east side of the parish. The hall, now a farm house, bears date 1589, and about sixty yards north of it is a circular mound, nearly sixty yards in diameter, with the confused remains of some ancient building; and about two hundred yards south is an entrenchment, 28 yards square, surrounded with a ditch, and having near it the ruins of extensive buildings.

Harby Brow, also a farm house, is an antique edifice, with a tower 30 feet square and 60ft. high; and in an adjoining building are the letters and date "F. 1594, H." It formed a distinct manor of the ancient name of Leesgill, or Leesrigg, and was in the possession of the Highmores, who sold it to the Blencows, of whom it was purchased about ninety years ago, by a Mr. Steel. The manor house, which stood upon the banks of the river Ellen, has long been in ruins. The population of the parish in 1841, was 235 souls.

The Church1, dedicated to All Saints, is a small ancient fabric, about six miles S.W. of Wigton. It was certified to the governors of queen Anne's bounty at £9 per annum, but has since received two augmentations from that bounty, with which land was purchased, so that the living, which is a perpetual curacy in the patronage of the bishop of Carlisle, is now worth about £80 a year. The Rev. Thomas Thompson is the incumbent.

Baggery, Baggray, or Baggraw2, is a small village on the river Ellen, seven miles S.W. of Wigton, opposite to Blennerhasset, containing a public house, four farmers, and a few tradespeople. £1 a year is given to the poor of the parish.

 

Mannix & Whellan, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Cumberland, 1847

 

 
 

Notes

1. The church must be the one referred to in Pevsner as "Old All Hallows". New All Hallows was built at the end of the 19th century, and lies about a mile to the N.W.
2. Baggray is now referred to as Baggrow.


23 June 2008

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