England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Flimby St Nicholas

The Parish

The parish of Flimby lies in the extreme west of Cumberland forming a stretch of the county's Irish Sea coastline. Flimby is located roughly 2 miles south of the port of Maryport and sits on the A596 road which connects Maryport with Workington. Most of Flimby lies to the east of the A596 which hugs the coast through the village, an extension of properties eastwards along the lane leading to Great Broughton contains most of the residential area. Flimby is, or rather was, a coal mining village, the rich coal-fields being exploited to supply the heavy industries further to the south, in contrast the largely pastoral farming sits upon rolling hills with distant views of the tourist hot-spots of Lakeland. Modern developments have come to Flimby with the construction of Cumberland's coastal railway line connecting Barrow in Furness by was of the coast to Carlisle. As a coastal settlement numerous small becks drain the parish into the nearby Irish Sea. Flimby occupies a rising site with properties ranging from sea level to almost 60 metres inland, land continues to rise inland to reach a plateau at around 110 metres. Flimby parish, it was formerly a chapelry of nearby Camerton until 1545, is a small one for this area, covering just under 1,200 more reminiscent of  southern rural farming parish; within that acreage a population of around 550 parishioners would have been supported. Domesday Book has very little coverage of northwestern England consequently Flimby is not mentioned in that book.

The Church

St Nicholas' church sits on the southern edge of the village, Church Road leading southwards from the Great Broughton lane with the church on its eastern side. Whilst there was undoubtedly a medieval church here prior to the construction of today's church this was demolished during the time of this transcript and today's church erected in 1794. A rather austere and plain structure it consists solely of a nave, with Decorated style windows, and chancel, augmented by a northern porch and topped with a western bellcote. Despite its relatively recent build date there was also an extensive restoration of 1860 which produced much of today's features as well as enlarging the church for the expanding congregation. As Church Road is relatively narrow it is fortunate that the housing opposite the site has a separate area for parking allowing a visit. The churchyard sits well above road level with a local red sandstone wall forming its edging, steps rise up from a gap to the churchyard. The churchyard, whilst compact, has few obstacles for the photographer.