|
Old Brampton Church Cutthorpe is not a separate parish but comes within the parish of Old Brampton, formerly just Brampton. Since Cutthorpe does not have it's own C of E Church, Cutthorpe inhabitants of the past probably attended the church of Old Brampton, as some Cutthorpe inhabitants do today. Therefore this small amount of information about Old Brampton Church is provided. Since this was written the Church has got it's own website  The church is named St Peter and St Paul. It dates from about 1100 and has been altered substantially since then. When first built,
in Norman times, the church had no spire and was not so wide as it is today. The windows were much smaller then and there were no pews inside. The roof was probably thatched with heather from the nearby moors.
An ancient gravestone found buried in the churchyard is now fixed to an interior wall of the church. It is the memorial of Matilda Le Caus from the Manor of Caushall who died about 1200. It is not known where the Manor of Caushall was but a Caus Farm exists today not far from Old Brampton. |
Between Between 1200 and 1300 the church was widened by adding north and south aisles. About 1300 the spire was added. There are 6 bells in the tower today, it is not known (by me) when the church bells were first put in place. In the 1400's the church windows were enlarged, and a roof made of lead sheets probably replaced the thatched roof. In 1823 the size of the Parish of Brampton was greatly reduced. However, alterations to further enlarge the interior of the church were made in the 1800's. These eventually left the building in a precarious state and in 1870 the structure was judged unsafe so new pillars and arches were made to strengthen it. One of the most remarkable features of the church today is that it has 63 minutes painted on the church clock (the clock can just be seen in the photograph above on the tower). This is said to be the work of a clock painter who had over indulged on the dinner time drink. |
 It is possible to walk from Cutthorpe to Old Brampton across the fields by Linacre Reservoirs, which might have been the route taken by parishioners in the olden days before motor transport (and even before the reservoirs themselves were made). This photo was taken on the path from Linacre Reservoirs to Old Brampton Church. |
References:
A Fresh Look At Old Brampton Church by Stephen Knight, 1996; on sale in the Church.
AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications, 1980.
For more information on Old Brampton, Memorial Inscriptions, Parish Records, etc. see:
GENUKI Page on Old Brampton