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Holy Trinity, Millom, Cumberland

Location
(54°13′14″N, 3°16′22″W)
Millom
SD 171 813
pre-1974 traditional (England and Wales) Cumberland
now Cumbria
medieval York
now Carlisle
  • James King
  • James King
20 May 2014

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Feature Sets
Description

The church of the Holy Trinity is located next to the castle of Millom, situated around 6 miles north of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. It consists of chancel, nave and S aisle. There is a modern S doorway off the chancel, with medieval window heads re-set above it, remains of a (now-blocked) S doorway off the nave, and a N main doorway, this with a porch over it. There is also a W bellcote and a blocked arch at the W end of the nave, the purpose of which is uncertain. During a siege in 1644, parts of the church were extensively damaged. Although some remedial work was carried out thereafter to make the church serviceable, it was not until 1858 that a full restoration was undertaken. In 1930, the chancel was widened, at which time two early, carved stone fragments were found within the N chancel wall. These were then reused as part of the NE exterior corner of the chancel.

History

Millom does not appear in Domesday Book.

The Lordship of Millom was held by the Barony of Egremont/Copeland, but was in practice an independent lordship. William le Meschin, who had been given the barony by Ranulph le Meschin about 1120, then divided his barony into several manors, one of which was Millom. The first lord of Millon appears to have been Godard Boyvil/Boyville, who received this manor about 1130. The family were thereafter referred to as ‘de Millum’. The Boyvilles continued to hold the lordship until the reign of Henry III (1216-72), when Joan de Millom married John Hudleston. The Hudlestons retained the title until the 18th century, at which time it was bought by James Lowther. In the 14th or 15th century, the S aisle of Holy Trinity Church became a memorial chapel of the Hudlestons, some of whom were buried there.

The church of the Holy Trinity at Millom was rectorial until 1228, at which time it was given to Furness Abbey. One moiety was reserved for the Archbishop of York, and in 1230 it was assigned to the maintenance of three chaplains, with clerks, to the chantry ordained at St Nicholas’ altar in the cathedral of York. In the 13th century a S aisle was added to the nave and a new E window installed. During the 14th century, the S aisle was enlarged, which included new windows. During the medieval period, Holy Trinity church served as the mother church to several local parishes.

Features

Exterior Features

Doorways

Windows

Comments/Opinions

The only stylistically-datable Romanesque feature of the church is the N doorway, which is late 12th century, likely to have been carved sometime between 1160 and 1200.

Bibliography

F. Arnold-Forster, Studies in Church Dedications: or, England’s Patron Saints, 3 (London 1899), 202.

J. Atkinson, ed., The Coucher Book of Furness Abbey, pt. 3 (Manchester, 1887), xxxvii, 652-3 no. CCCCXXII, 655-7 no. CCCCXXV, and 670-82 no. CCCCXXXII.

T. Bulmer, History, Topography, and Directory of Cumberland (Preston, 1901), 548, 582-6 and 625.

H. Cowper, ‘Millom Castle and the Hudlestons’, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, 2nd Series: 24 (Kendal, 1924), 181-99

M. Fair, ‘The Church of the Holy Trinity, Millom’, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, 2nd Series: 37 (Kendal, 1937), 89-97.

M. Fair, ‘Notes on Early Copeland’, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, 2nd Series: 37 (Kendal, 1937), 79 and 84.

C. Hudleston, (compiled by T. Cockerill and C. Cockerill), ‘Millom Families: Part II’, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, 2nd Series: 93 (Kendal, 1993), 87-98.

M. Hyde and N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England, Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (New Haven and London, 2010), 523-5.

J. Nicolson and R. Burn, The History and Antiquities of the Counties of Westmorland and Cumberland, 2 (London, 1777), 9-15.

W. Sykes, ‘The de Boyvils of Millum and Kirksanton’, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, 2nd Series: 41 (Kendal, 1941), 15-40.

W. Sykes, ‘The Parish Church of Millom’, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, 2nd Series: 24 (Kendal, 1924), 235-41.

Taxatio Ecclesiastica Angliae et Walliae Auctorite P. Nicholai IV. circa A.D. 1291 (London 1802).

F. Warriner, ‘Newly-discovered sculptured and inscribed stones at Millom’, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, 2nd Series: 31 (Kendal, 1931), 119-21.

J. Wilson, ed., The Victoria History of the County of Cumberland, 2 (London, 1905), 192 and 342.

J. Wilson, ed., The Victoria History of the County of Cumberland, 1 (London, 1901), 313.