Warwick1 village is very
pleasantly situated on the west bank of the river Eden, four miles east of Carlisle. A
fine stone bridge of three arches crosses the Eden here near the foot of an eminence, upon
which are the remains of large breast works of earth, supposed to have been raised to
guard the pass during the incursions of the Scottish moss troopers. The church,
which is dedicated to St. Leonard, is "remarkable for its tribune or rounded east
end, with thirteen narrow niches, 10 feet 8 inches high, and 17 inches broad, reaching
almost to the ground," and having arched tops and two or three small windows. The
edifice is still 70 feet long, but once extended upwards of 21 feet west, there being
still at that end a good rounded arch, now filled up, and the whole is built of excellent
stone. It was a rectory, and was given by Ranulph de Meschines to the Abbey of St. Mary,
York, but was granted after the dissolution of the religious houses by Henry VIII to the
dean and chapter of Carlisle, who united the benefice to that of Wetheral, and having
since continued to appoint a curate to the joint livings. Duty is at present performed
both here and at Wetheral, every Sunday morning and afternoon, alternately.
Warwick has evidently been occupied by the Romans and
Saxons; the latter called it Warrick-wick, and the Normans, Warthwick.
"The manor of Warwick was given by Hubert de Vallibus to Odard, the first lord
of Corby, as a dependant manor of the barony of Gilsland. Odard had two sons, Osbart, who
had Corby, and William, whose second son Robert afterwards inherited Corby, as his eldest
son John did Warwick, where his descendants resided till 1772, when Francis Warwick, Esq.,
died without issue, and was succeeded by his only surviving sister and heiress, Anne
Warwick, after whose disease the manor passed to Ralph Maddison, Esq. of Gateshead, near
Newcastle, who died without issue in 1778, when John Maddison entered into possession, and
also died without issue in 1784, when the manor became the property of Robert Bonner,
Esquire, who, in 1792, by his majesty's royal licence, took the name of Warwick only.
There are now only four customary tenants in this manor, who pay a twenty penny fine upon
the death of the lord, or change of tenant, and a heriot upon the death of each tenant.
Warwick Hall is a pleasant mansion, near the Eden, a little below Warwick Bridge, shielded
on the N. and W. by thriving plantations, and commanding a beautiful and extensive
prospect towards the south and east. It was built in 1828, by Thos. Parker, Esq. and is
now the seat and property of his relict, Mrs. Mary Parker. Mr. Parker bequeathed £1000
towards the establishment of the County Infirmary, £500 each to Manchester Infirmary, the
Stockton Dispensary, the Bible Society, and the Wesleyan Missionary Society, making in all
no less than £3000 for charitable and religious purposes. He built two day schools, one
for boys and one for girls, in this village, and also a Sunday School, which is now used
as a chapel by the Wesleyans.
Aglionby is a hamlet and township three miles east of
Carlisle. Hutchinson says "the manor of Aglionby belonged to the late Chrstpr.
Aglionby Esq. of Nunnery, and now (1795) to his sisters, and derives its name from Augullon,
the ancestor of that family, who came to England with the Conqueror, and seated himself
there." Henry Aglionby, Esq. is now its lord, to whom the customary tenants pay a
yearly rent of £7 6s. 9d., arbitrary fines and heriots. The township contains only 559A.
2R. 18P., and its population in 1831 was 107 souls.
Mannix & Whellan, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Cumberland, 1847