St Micheal
Lamplugh, Cumbria
The footpath to Blake Fell featured in Wainwright’s ‘The Western Fells’ starts opposite the main churchyard gate. The popular Coast to Coast cycle route borders two sides of the churchyard. Stained glass windows by Kempe and his workshop attract visitors countrywide as does the Lamplugh family association.
Lamplugh's name is Celtic. The Dictionary of English Place-Names by A D Mills (OUP) suggests the name meant 'Bare valley' (nant + blwch). But local historian, Betty Marshall in her book 'Lamplugh Church' suggested the original name came from 'llan + plwyf' which means an open space or enclosure used for religious purposes for people round about. The difference in meanings could well have originated from incorrect pronunciation of the original Celtic. Melvyn Bragg writes in his foreword to Betty's book that Lamplugh ' is an ancient place with an intriguing story to tell. The church has been its keystone. It is remarkable that the exploration of one building can yield so much about the lives of so many over so long a period'.
A church or chapel had existed on the site since c1150, with two previous reconstructions recorded in 1658 and 1771. Today’s church was designed by the eminent Victorian architect, William Butterfield. Built in 1870 in the Perpendicular style, retaining the remodelled chancel and vestry and some mediaeval features. Three finely carved gargoyles can be seen defiantly projecting from the east wall. The exterior bell cote has two bells, one dating to the third quarter of the 15th century and the other to 1870. The latter bell was last repaired and rehung in 2018 and the former in 2020.
The fine Victorian interior is lit with windows designed by Charles Eamer Kempe, two in the chancel, and by his workshop under his cousin Walter Tower, two including the west window and that in the nave illustrating St Aidan and St Oswald. There is one window by Heaton, Butler and Bayne and three others attributed to Clayton and Bell.
Two large memorials to members of the Lamplugh family are affixed to the west wall, an external memorial to the Dickinson family seals the former choir door into the chancel and brass plaques and windows also commemorate various Dickinsons.
A reputed Crusader's tombstone, possibly 15th century, lies in the churchyard and on the vestry wall is the 1634 tombstone which may have replaced that of his ‘crusader’ ancestor. Also in the church are possibly falsified extracts from the 17th century register which records, inter alia the cause of death of one person as ‘frighted to death by fairies’. Other almost equally remarkable causes of deaths are quoted for visitors.
Used as a focal point for the scattered rural community for centuries. It is believed that Lamplugh church is the first Anglican church in the country to have a Methodist Minister (shared with the other two churches in the parish).
