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St Wilfrid, Brougham
St Wilfrid's Chapel
Brougham Church
locality:-   Brougham
civil parish:-   Brougham (formerly Westmorland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   church
coordinates:-   NY52762840
1Km square:-   NY5228
10Km square:-   NY52
references:-   : 2005: Diocese of Carlisle, Directory 2004/5


photograph
BTF78.jpg (taken 18.7.2010)  
photograph
CBW44.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  

evidence:-   old map:- Morden 1695 (Wmd) 
placename:-  Browham Chapple
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, Westmorland, scale about 2.5 miles to 1 inch, by Robert Morden, published by Abel Swale, the Unicorn, St Paul's Churchyard, Awnsham, and John Churchill, the Black Swan, Paternoster Row, London, 1695.
image
MD10NY52.jpg
"Browham Chappl"
Circle, building and tower. 
item:-  JandMN : 24
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old map:- Simpson 1746 map (Wmd) 
placename:-  Broome Chapel
source data:-   Map, uncoloured engraving, Westmorland, scale about 8 miles to 1 inch, printed by R Walker, Fleet Lane, London, 1746.
image
SMP2NYL.jpg
"Broome C."
Building. 
item:-  Dove Cottage : 2007.38.59
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   old map:- Jefferys 1770 (Wmd) 
source data:-   Map, 4 sheets, The County of Westmoreland, scale 1 inch to 1 mile, surveyed 1768, and engraved and published by Thomas Jefferys, London, 1770.
image
J5NY52NW.jpg
"Ch."
church 
item:-  National Library of Scotland : EME.s.47
Image © National Library of Scotland

evidence:-   old map:- Donald 1774 (Cmd) 
source data:-   Map, hand coloured engraving, 3x2 sheets, The County of Cumberland, scale about 1 inch to 1 mile, by Thomas Donald, engraved and published by Joseph Hodskinson, 29 Arundel Street, Strand, London, 1774.
image
D4NY52NW.jpg
church at Brougham 
item:-  Carlisle Library : Map 2
Image © Carlisle Library

evidence:-   old text:- Clarke 1787
source data:-   Guide book, A Survey of the Lakes of Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire, written and published by James Clarke, Penrith, Cumberland, and in London etc, 1787; published 1787-93.
image CL13P006, button  goto source
Page 6:-  "..."
"On the other side of the road [from Brougham Hall] stands the Chapel, a low old-fashioned building, founded by the Countess of Pembroke; it has no burying-ground, and service is performed there only once a fortnight."
"..."

evidence:-   old text:- Gents Mag
source data:-   Magazine, The Gentleman's Magazine or Monthly Intelligencer or Historical Chronicle, published by Edward Cave under the pseudonym Sylvanus Urban, and by other publishers, London, monthly from 1731 to 1922.
image G848A373, button  goto source
Gentleman's Magazine 1848 part 1 p.373  "... Dr. Markham, a prebendary of Carlisle, in a MS. which relates principally to the ecclesiastical matters of the diocese, and written about 1680, says, "At the mansion of Browham stand a chapel of a very anctient erection. In the year 1377 Johannes de Burgham is said to have had 'Capellam apud Browham Scte. Wilfrido sacram antiquis temporibus fundatum,' and that a chaplain attended divine offices at it."
"The roof is an open timbered one, consisting of a series of arches, and carved with armorial insignia of the family. The seats are open benches, that standards and poppy heads all richly carved, and the pulpit a piece of very fine late work. One part of the chapel is divided from the rest by an elaborate parclose screen, forming an ante-chapel, in which is placed the organ and choir. There is a fine altar-piece of the most gorgeous character, brought from the continent, and placed by Mr. William Brougham in its present situation, the original one of very old carved oak being removed to the west end of the chapel. There is also a very curious old lace altar-cloth. In an ambry are a collection of antique ecclesiastical vessels of silver gilt, with sundry relics of enamelled crosses, pyx, monstrance, &c. The windows contain much good painted glass, particularly that in the eastern one, which bears a very strong resemblance to the glass in the celebrated transept window known as the Five Sisters in York Cathedral. The discarded stone flag, formerly the altar, I searched in vain for among the flags of the floor, where it is so frequently found, with its five crosses, in old churches; but the piscina yet remains. There is a traditional story that the chapel was built over the holy well of St. Wilfred, from which water is said to have risen up inside the font, by what in all other fonts is the drain to carry off the water to the earth. This, however, if it ever did exist, has long since ceased to act. The chapel, hall, terrace, court-yard, &c. stand upon the site of the ancient Roman station Brovacum or Brovoniacum, from which it is supposed by Camden and others that the name arises; ..."

evidence:-   old text:- Gents Mag 1848
item:-  coat of armsSt Wilfred's Well
source data:-   image G848A619, button  goto source
Gentleman's Magazine 1848 part 1 p.618 
Old Subscribers disagree  "..."
"The account of the chapel is equally"
source data:-   image G848A620, button  goto source
Gentleman's Magazine 1848 part 1 p.620  "absurd. This edifice was erected for the accommodation of the inhabitants of Brougham Village, which is situated near three miles from the parish church, and was up to 1833 quite a plain building, with a common barn-like roof. It has since been ceiled to the slates, and each side of the roof divided into many compartments, and each division contains an escutcheon of stucco, not carved, but plain plaster, not one of which coats of arms can we find has any reference to the Brougham family whatever. Bedecked with gold and ornaments, the whole affair is but gilt gingerbread; it is gingerbread still. The fiction about St. Wilfred's Well in this chapel was never before heard of. The "open carved benches and pulpit," the "parclose screen," the "old lace altar-cloth," the "ambry," and "collection of old ecclesiastical vessels, processional cross, and pyx," are all inventions and importations here since 1833; nor was there a vestige of stained glass in it prior to that date: since which time Lord Brougham has appropriated, or wishes to appropriate, this chapel to his own use."

evidence:-   old text:- Gents Mag 1848
source data:-   image G848B138, button  goto source
Gentleman's Magazine 1848 part 2 p.138 
Old Subscribers again:-  "... All our strictures on the chapel are un-noticed, except the well of St. Wilfred, which Mr. G. Shaw says he disapproved of. We cannot find he has; but he gave us a hint we might, if we extended our reading to Chapman and Hall's "Baronial Halls," find this well mentioned: we have no doubt of it. Such recent works as specimens of pictorial art are many of them an honour to this country; but no one ever considered them as much authority in an historical point of view. We never read of it in any standard book, nor ever heard of it before. ..."

evidence:-   old map:- Nurse 1918
source data:-   Map, The Diocese of Carlisle, Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire North of the Sands, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Rev Euston J Nurse, published by Charles Thurnam and Sons, 11 English Street, Carlisle, Cumberland, 2nd edn 1939.
image
NUR1NY53.jpg
"BROUGHAM WITH ST. WILFRID"
item:-  JandMN : 27
Image © see bottom of page

evidence:-   site plan:- Historical Monuments 1936
source data:-   Site plan, uncoloured lithograph, Brougham, Chapel of St Wilfrid, Brougham, Westmorland, scale about 1 to 290, published by Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, London, 1936.
image  click to enlarge
HMW041.jpg
On p.57 of the Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Westmorland. 
printed, top  "BROUGHAM - CHAPEL OF ST WILFRID"
RCHME no. Wmd, Brougham 3 
item:-  Armitt Library : A745.41
Image © see bottom of page


photograph
BTF79.jpg  Church bells.
(taken 18.7.2010)  

 stained glass

evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"CHURCHYARD WALL AROUND CHAPEL OF ST WILFRED / / / BROUGHAM / EDEN / CUMBRIA / II / 74210 / NY5286328428"
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"Churchyard wall. Early C19 for Lord Brougham. Pink sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings. Front wall ending in bridge is beside road which runs in a cutting between the hall and chapel, hence it is quite high and has a pointed-arched right doorway. The wall on the other 3 sides is low with a shaped coping. Listed for group value with Chapel of St Wilfred."

evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"CHAPEL OF ST WILFRED OF BROUGHAM CHAPEL / / / BROUGHAM / EDEN / CUMBRIA / II[star] / 74209 / NY5276528401"
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"Church of England chapel. Rebuilt in 1658 for Lady Anne Clifford on medieval site, with early C19 alterations for Lord Brougham. Coursed red sandstone rubble walls with flush quoins, under graduated greenslate roof with coped gables and kneelers; west twin open bellcote. 4-bay nave and single-bay chancel under common roof. Nave has C17 pointed-arched south doorway under hoodmould. Small round-arched C17 windows under hoodmoulds with stepped buttresses between. Taller west windows. Similar north windows, the western one C19 with engaged-columned surround. Chancel has south C17 ogee-headed priest's doorway under hoodmould. Tall round-headed C17 east windows and C19 rose window. Interior has no division between chancel and nave. C17 timber ceiling of collar-beam trusses with curved braces under the collars; elaborate C19 heraldic plasterwork. C17 bowl and stem font with inscription and C19 reworking. West screen of a series of enriched circular posts supporting cinquefoiled arches, moulded and enriched cornice: C16 French imported by Lord Brougham. Dado panelling including imported C16 traceried panels. Pulpit incorporating similar reused panels with carved Biblical figures. Longtitudinal stalls incorporate C16 French panels, those on south wall with carved canopy hoods. Some C17 painted plasterwork has been retained around the priest's door. C19 stained glass incorporating some earlier imported glass. See RCHM, Westmorland, 1936, pp.56-7."

MN photo:-  
The old organ is obscured at the back of the church by a door which fell off, narrowly missing an organist. The pipes were removed by a previous parson.
The 15th century flemish panel of gilded carvings are - St George, St Martin, the Adoration of the Magi, and perhaps St Ann and the Virgin. Its original front is now the altar reredos.

photograph
CBW67.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW55.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW56.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
Some of the furnishings are said to be from the Low Countries and France, 15th and 16th century, fitted here by a local workman.

photograph
CBW45.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW46.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW48.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW51.jpg  Compare the poppyheads at St Cuthbert, Clifton. The cabinet maker who fitted the old furnishings is said to have carved bits where needed; is this one of them?
(taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW52.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW53.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW65.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW47.jpg  Pulpit.
(taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW68.jpg  Font.
(taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW49.jpg  Altar reredos, originally part of the organ case.
(taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW75.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW50.jpg  Cupboard, perhaps for communion vessels?
(taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW57.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
The pillared screen at the rear of the church was installed by the then Lord Brougham, to separate him from the common people. It is 15th century woodwork (said to include pieces of four poster beds) in 19th fittings.

photograph
CBW54.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW58.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  

MN photo:-  
Lady Anne Pembroke's door.

photograph
CBW69.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW70.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW71.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW72.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW73.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW74.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW66.jpg (taken 24.10.2014)  


photograph
BLM17.jpg (taken 23.12.2005)  
photograph
BLM18.jpg (taken 23.12.2005)  
photograph
BLM16.jpg (taken 23.12.2005)  
photograph
CBW76.jpg  Retaining wall.
(taken 24.10.2014)  
photograph
CBW77.jpg  Door.
(taken 24.10.2014)  

notes:-  
This was a chapel of ease to serve Brougham village, subservient to St Ninian's Church which was then the parish church. An early building was replaced in 1393. When Lady Anne Pembroke inherited her estates the church was in poor repair. Her diaries have:-
"This summer I caused the Chappell at Brougham to be pulled down and new built upp again larger and stronger than before at my own charge and it was wholly finished about the latter end of April 1659 ..."
The interior was probably very simple. Lady Anne took communion here for the first time, Sunday 27 July 1661. The chapel was not licensed for burials.
William, brother of Lord Brougham, altered and refurnished the church about 1830-40. He added the western door and screened off the area where his family sat; the floor was lowered and tiles; windows were given a norman appearance; furniture from the Low Countries and France, of the 15th and 16th centuries, was installed; etc.
A triptych from Antwerp, which stood over the altar, is now in Carlisle Cathedral.

: : church leaflet

notes:-  
Described in:-

Butler, Lawrence (ed): 2011: Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne for Cumbria, 1833-1872: CWAAS:: ISBN 978 1 873124 52 9
Extracted from the original notes made by Sir Stephen, now in Deiniol's Library, Hawarden, Flintshire, contact through Flintshire Record Office

dedication
person:-    : St Wilfred
place:-   Brougham / Carlisle Diocese

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