Marton, Long

63 MARTON, LONG (F.b.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)V, S.E., ^(b)IX, N.W., ^(c)IX, N.E., ^(d)IX, S.E., ^(e)IX, S.W.)

Long Marton is a parish and village 3 m. N. of Appleby. The church is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Margaret and St. James (Plate 140) stands to the S. of the village. The walls are of local sandstone rubble and ashlar with dressings of the same material; the roofs are slate-covered. The Chancel and Nave were built c. 1100, though the large quoins of the N.E. and S.W. angles of the nave are of an earlier technique. Early in the 12th century the West Tower was added; the chancel was lengthened late in the same century. In the 14th century the South Transept and North Vestry were added and the main building heightened. The church was restored in 1880 when the South Porch was added.

The church has interesting early features including the two carved tympana.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (34 ft. by 17ft.) has an early to mid 14th-century E. window of three trefoiled ogee lights with net-tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded label; flanking it, and visible internally, are the outer splays of two late 12th-century windows; the extended E. end of the chancel has a chamfered string-course of this date and remains of a second string-course at a higher level. The earlier W. part of the chancel has a rough offset or footing at the base of the walls. In the N. wall are three windows, the easternmost and westernmost of the 14th century and of two trefoiled ogee lights in a square head with a moulded label; the middle window is a single round-headed light of c. 1100; it is now blocked; the 14th-century doorway to the vestry has moulded jambs, round arch and label. In the S. wall are three 14th-century windows, the first and third of two and the middle window of one trefoiled ogee light; all have square heads and moulded labels; the doorway, of the same period, has moulded jambs, two-centred arch and label. The chancel-arch is modern.

The North Vestry has, in the E., N. and W. walls, a 14th-century window of one trefoiled ogee light. In the N. wall is a fireplace with a projecting hood on two brackets; it is mostly modern except for one of the brackets. In the W. wall is a 16th-century doorway with a flat triangular head.

The Nave (43¼ ft. by 20½ ft.) has in the N. wall five windows all modern except the second, which is a single round-headed light of c. 1100, now blocked and only visible externally; the fourth window is set in the blocking of the N. doorway of c. 1100; it has plain jambs and round head with a chamfered label; the head has been chamfered and rebated at a later date. In the S. wall is a modern arch; further W. are three windows, the first and third modern and the second of the 14th century, partly restored, and of two lights similar to those in the chancel; the S. doorway of c. 1100 has plain jambs, lintel and round head; the tympanum (Plate 139) is carved with two monsters, a winged shield with a cross upon it, a sword and a four-lobed device. In the W. wall, and now opening into the tower, is another door-way of the same date and character; the tympanum (Plate 139) is carved with diaper, two monsters and a cross, one monster is of human-fish form and the other of bird-like form. The lintel is diapered.

The South Transept (about 12 ft. square) is of the 14th century and has two-light E. and W. windows similar to those in the chancel; the W. window is partly restored. In the S. wall is a window of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head with a moulded label.

The West Tower (about 10¾ ft. square) is of early 12th-century date and of three stages, with a plain parapet on a corbel-table; the staircase is a modern addition. In the W. wall is a doorway with plain jambs and round head; it is now blocked and has a modern window in the blocking. The upper part of the ground stage has a 12th-century window in the S. wall, partly restored externally; it is of one round-headed light. The second stage has, in the W. wall, a window of two round-headed lights with a re-cut head. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two round-headed lights in a round outer order, with a free shaft between the lights; the N. window is of the 12th century, but the other three have been completely restored.

Fittings—Bells: three; 1st uninscribed and cracked; 2nd inscribed in black-letter "Sancta Maria o. ihc r.", c. 1500; 3rd inscribed in Lombardic capitals "Sancte Thoma ora pro nobis," c. 1400. Bell-frame, old. Chest: In tower—of hutch-type, with lid in two parts and iron straps and hinges, mediæval. Coffin-lids: In chancel—re-used as lintel of S.W. window, (1) slab with remains of incised decoration. In porch—(2) slab with ornamental cross, shield and sword. In churchyard—E. of porch, (3) broken slab with enriched cross on stepped base; (4) fragment with enriched cross-head; (5) part of slab with plain cross. All late 13th and early 14th-century. Communion Table: In second storey of tower—with turned legs and fluted top-rail, early 17th-century. Piscina: In chancel—recess with trefoiled ogee head and foiled spandrels, round drain and sill formed of part of earlier coffin-lid, with sword, 14th-century. Plate: includes an Elizabethan cup (Plate 54) with a band of engraved ornament round the bowl. Recesses: In chancel— in N. wall, (1) plain rectangular recess; in S. wall, (2), rectangular recess with upright dividing it into two unequal parts. In S. transept—in S. wall, (3) plain rectangular recess. Probably all mediæval. Sedilia: In chancel—of two bays with ogee heads and cusped spandrels in a square main head with a moulded label and a king's head-stop, 14th-century. Sundial: Re-set in E. wall of transept—scratch dial.

Condition—Good.

Secular

Monuments (2–11)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys; the walls are of rubble and the roofs are slate-covered. Some of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good.

^b(2). Rectory, 450 yards N. of the church, was built probably early in the 18th century but has been extensively enlarged and altered. It contains two fireplaces with original moulded surrounds and a staircase with turned balusters and square newels.

^d(3). Brampton Hall, about 1 m. S.E. of the church, retains many of its original stone-mullioned windows with square heads and moulded labels. The front doorway has a triangular arch in a square head. Inside the building are some original doors and panelling. There is also an original fireplace with a triangular arch in a square head and some remains of plaster mouldings against the ceiling-beams.

^d(4). Cottage, on the S.W. side of the road at Brampton, 280 yards N.W. of (3), retains two original windows.

^d(5). New Inn, 60 yards N.W. of (4), was probably remodelled in 1730, the date on a panel in the front wall.

^d(6). Cottage, 30 yards N.W. of (5), retains an original doorway.

^c(7). Cottage, two tenements, on the N.E. side of the road 1,400 yards E.S.E. of the church, retains some original windows.

^d(8). House, 520 yards W.S.W. of (3), was built probably early in the 18th century and retains some windows of that date. Inside the building is an original fireplace with a corbelled lintel.

^d(9). Hangingshaw, house 1¾ m. S.E. of the church, has been enlarged on three sides. Two original windows remain.

^b(10). Range of two cottages on the S.W. side of the road in Long Marton village, 700 yards N.N.W. of the church, is of two dates in the 17th century, the southernmost cottage being the earlier.

^a(11). Close Houses, three tenements at Knock, nearly 2½ m. N.N.E. of the church. Above one of the doorways is a re-set original door-head with the date 1695. Inside the building, the fireplaces have corbelled lintels.

Unclassified

^e(12). Enclosure, on a low hill (511 ft. above O.D.) 950 yards S.W. of the church and overlooking the Roman road, is probably of no great age. It is about 38 yards square with a bank 2 ft. high. Near the middle is a mound about 40 ft. in diameter and 2 ft. high.

^e(13). Enclosure, on Castrigg Hill (589 ft. above O.D.), 1¼ m. S.S.E. of the church, rectangular and about 240 ft. N. to S., consists of a platform with a ditch surviving on the E. and N. (excavated 1932 and found to be at least 7 ft. deep). No finds were made (ex in. I. A. Richmond). The work may be Roman.

^c(14). Mounds, near Dufton Church Bridge, on the E. edge of the parish, are three in number. (a) 370 yards S.S.W. of the bridge, is of oval form about 48 ft. by 24 ft. and 1 ft. high. (b) 160 yards S.W. of (a), was probably about 60 ft. in diameter and 2 ft. high; it has been much damaged. (c) 280 yards N.W. of (a), has been ploughed out.

^c(15). Earthwork (marked Site of Camp on O.S.) was 370 yards W. of Mound (a) and is now reduced to very slight traces of a bank with a faint ditch on its W. side.