Barton Church

The name "Barton" refers to buildings belonging to a farm where corn is grown. Thus there never was a village here, nor is there now.

The church occupies a site on a mound with a circular churchyard that may have prehistoric origin. St Michael was a traditional dedication when Christianity supplanted pagan gods.

Map and Gallery:

 The Beginning:
1150 - Approximate date of foundation when nave, tower and chancel were built in the Norman style. The ancient parish included the whole of Eamont Bridge, Tirril, Stockbridge, Pooley Bridge, Martindale and Patterdale.
1225 - First written reference contained in an agreement about the use of a mill pond at Bartion.
1250 - South aisle and arcade built.
1280 - North aisle and arcade built.
1300 - Lancaster chapel built probably as a chantry.

 The monastic connection:
1318 - The church was given by Sir John de Lancastre to the care of the Augistinian canons of Watre Priory near York.
1330 - Chancel rebuilt and extended, and to improve access to it, Norman arch in the tower was widened to give its present appearance.
1536 - During the dissolution of the monasteries, the church was granted to the Earl of Rutland. The present patrons are the Bishop of Carlisle and the Earl of Lonsdale.

 Efforts by individuals:
1632 - Presentation of a silver chalice.
1637 - First vicarage built by Lancelot Dawes. Now Church Farm.
1649 - Foundation of Grammar school between Barton and Pooley Bridge by Gerrard Langbaine and others.
1672 - Two bells inscribed St Mikhaell for Barton.
1676 - The parish registers began.
1700 - Pewter flagon presented.

 In decline:
1730 - Vicar's stipend was £5 per year with the right to allow his goose to feed on the common; the privilege of free accommodation, called whitt legait, at any house in the parish for a week at a time, and a shirt of coarse linen.
1730 - The nave roof needed re-thatching. Slated for the first time.
1787 - "In the Chancel there is not one window with glass in it. Only a few years ago, hounds actually killes a hare in it."

 Victorian revival:
1857 - Second vicarage built.
1863 - Patterdale became a separate parish.
1882 - Martindale became a separate parish.
1904 - The Church was extensively restored. The stonework was pointed in its present style.
1905 - Pooley Bridge became a separate parish.

 Present regard:
1953 - Construction of Vestry of site of coach house and stabling.
1957 - Eamont Bridge transferred to Clifton parish.
1975 - Treatment against death watch beetle in roof timbers.
1982 - New heating system installed.
2004 - Improved heating system installed.
2005 Vestry enlarged and toilet and kitchen installed.

 A tour round the church:

Stand first at the back of the building facing the alter. You are in the Nave, part of the original building of 1150. On the left is the North Aisle, built in 1280, and on the right, the South Aisle of 1250. The most striking feature is the double rounded arch in the tower, made in this fashion when the chancel beyond was rebuilt and extended. Judging by the care and craftsmanship with which this was done, it is believed to be Augustinian work. Earlier, there had been a narrow Norman archway, and to provide better access from the Nave, the lower part was widened and reduced in height. The Royal Arms, dated 1730, are those of King George II. A small door at the side may have been the originak access to the tower.

 Looking through the arch-tunnel you will see the chancel. The stonework of the east window is of the first half of the 14th century, but the stained glass representing the Ascension and Christ as the Good Shepherd dates from 1913. To the left is a brass memorial to Frances, wife of Lancelot Dawes; its dedication is worth reading. The communion rails are late 17th century, as is the panelling behind the alter and the Bishop's chair alongside. On the right, the south wall is pierced by a 14th century arch linking the chancel with the Lancelot Chapel. The capital at its east end has a shield of arms of Lancaster and two miniature carved heads, defaced. These have the appearance of tonsures monks, possibly a reference to the Augustinians during whose ownership these changes were made.
On the west base of the arch is a shield of Lancaster. East of the arch can be seen the upper part of a priest's doorway, and the remains of a window, both 13th century.

 On the opposite side of the Chancel, there is a coffin lid with an ornamental cross, sword and shield of Lancaster inscribed Cri(stop)her La(ncastre) and with the plea 'Mercy'. This monument is said to be of the early 14th century. Another grave slab is on the south side; it has a cross and a sword of about 1300. Another slab in the floor of the chancel has the initials H. and G.W. of the 17th century; that marked M.L and W.L (probably Lancaster) is dated 1640; and there are two memorials to members of the Wordsworth family: brasses record Richard Wordsworth (William's Grandfather) and Ann Myers (the poet's aunt).

 Through the archway on the right is the Lancaster Chapel, first a chantry, then a burial site, an organ loft, vestry and restored in 1956. The 13th century east window has an early 13th century coffin lid as a lintel; it shows faint outlines of a cross and sword on the underside. Below the window is a slab carved with a rosette, fleur de lis, trees and two birds. It was made in the 16th century and commemorates the Dawes family who had jackdaws as their coat of arms. Left of the window ia a semi-octagonal bracket of the 15th century.

 To the left of the priest's door (referred to earlier) ia a 16th century holy water stoup. The window is also 16th century. Below is a piscina; its drain cut in a Norman capital, unlike any other work remaining in the church. Its head is part of a re-used 14th century window tracery. Three memorial tablets in this chapel refer to John Wordsworth (William's cousin), his first wife Ann and his second wife Elizabeth. The font here is modern, having been brought from Eamont Bridge on the closure of the Mission Church in 1932. Above it is a list of Rectors and Vicars from the 13th century.

 From the Lancaster chapel, there is first an extension of the south aisle to overlap the tower, then the aisle itself. The two windows are modern. The main doorway is 13th century. The font is late 13th century, the lead inserts indicating extensive repair. The fine woodcover is of 14th century.

 Crossing to the other aisle, pass the west window, early 16th century. The stained Glass, dedicated 1913, represents St Michael and All Angels and the Annunciation.

 The moulded capitals, corbels and bases of the North aisle are interesting. The easternmost has a man's head, said to represent Edward I or II. They date from 1280 or thereabouts. In the north aisle are two much restores 16th century windows, but the east wall is a century later in date. Here is placed the three lock arms chest of 1667 which was used for the records of Barton School.

 Return to the entrance. The porch was built in the 17th century by Moses Sisson, whose initials M.S. are faintly visible on the upper step. In the east wall there is a fragment of a late 13th century grave slab with cross and chevron ornament. Externally, above the keystone is a shield of arms of Lowther, quartering Lancaster, Beetham and Hartsop of about 1620. On the east wall is a 15th or 16th century panel with shield of three stag's heads, the family of Hartsop of Hartsop Hall, Patterdale. As you walk round the church, on the south wall of the chancel is a fragment of a 12th century detail. The north wall contains a 14th century panel. Note the blocked doorway of the north aisle. It bears Norman characteristics. No ancient tombstones remain in the churchyard, but there are some fine 18th century headstones. The tower was built probably when the monks came into possession of the building. The style is transitional, between Norman and Early English with its slightly pointed coupled windows in the east, south and west walls; that in the north is blocked.

 At the entrance to the churchyard is a lych gate built as a memorial to those killed in the two world wars.

 The road to the left leads to the Old Vicarage and Church Farm, and to the right Pooley Bridge and Penrith. On the skyline through the heart of the Lake District is the ancient Bretestrete, a prehistoric route way, adopted by the Romans to become the High Street and used throughout the Middle Ages and beyond to bring worshippers, infants for baptism, hopefuls to be married and corpses for burial at Barton Church and as far distant as Kirkstone Pass.

 THE WORDSWORTHS BARTON:
Buried in the Chancel is Richard Wordsworth, the poets grandfather. He was born c. 1680 in Yorkshire, "the first of the name who came into Westmorland". In the early 1700's he became Clerk of the Peace and was from 1723 to 1738 in charge of the Lowther estates for the Earl of Lonsdale. He married Mary, daughter of John Robinson of Appleby and bought Sockbridge House, now Wordsworth House in this Parish. At the time of the 1745 rebellion, he was Receiver General of the county, and with so much public money in his charge, he felt compelled to leave home and hide the money in a glen on Patterdale until times were better. He died in 1760 and was buried here. His widow remained at Sockbridge Hall but after the death of her unmarried daughter, who was buried at Barton in 1761, no doubt joined her elder son, Richard, at Whitehaven. She resigned her life interest in the Hall in 1765 for an annuity of £50 from her younger son and heir, John.

 The three memorial tablets on the wall of the Lancaster chapel are to John Wordsworth, who was the poet's cousin, his first wife Anne, and his second wife Elizabeth. He was born at Normanton, Yorkshire in 1754. He went to sea and became a Captain in the East India Company. He married Anne Gale of Whitehaven, 'a sweet woman' as Dorothy described her, and elseware thanked for her kindness which supports the warm praise to be read on Anne's memorial. she died in 1815 and was buried here. Captain Wordsworth married Elizabeth Littledale of Whitehaven. Dorothy comments that she was "a most judicious choice". Soon after their removal to Penrith, her husband died of yellow fever on board the Atlantic of Whitehaven and was buried beside his first wife. Elizabeth survived him by some 44 years and is buried at Wilton, near Liverpool.

 In the Chancel is a memorial stone of Ann Myers, William's aunt. She was the daughter of old Richard, and was born in 1734. She married the Revd. Thomas Myers, curate of Barton and headmaster of Barton Grammat School., in 1763. She died in 1787 and was buried at the time when William and their son John were studying at St. John's Colage, Cambridge. It was during a tour of the Lake District in the company of John and Samuel Taylor Coleridge that included lunch with Uncle Myres and a visit to Eusemers at Pooley Bridge, the home of Mr Thomas Clarkson, the slave abolitionist, that William decided to live in the Lakes and to settle at Grasmere.