England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Uldale St James

The Parish

The parish of Uldale lies in central Cumberland roughly 8 miles south of the market town of Wigton. Uldale sits roughly 2 miles south of the B5299 road which links Aspatria with Caldbeck. Uldale is a small and compact village sitting on the northern edges of the Lake District National Park, the border of the park starts at the southern edge of the village. Most of Uldale sits alongside a single north to south running lane which parallels the fast flowing stream of the River Ellen, the wider parish consists of remote farmsteads dotted across the uplands. Most of the parish acreage is described in early gazetteers as being either waste or common, today we would call it unimproved upland grazing, the area is dominated by hardy Herdwick sheep. Besides sheep rearing the extractive industries typical of the region were also important economic forces with the area holding coal, whilst the local free-stone, limestone and peat were also exploited. Today Uldale earns most of its income from tourism with the Northern Fells, as described by Wainwright, sitting on its doorstep drawing the more discerning hiker away from the area's honeypots. Uldale is drained northwestwards by the Ellen which turns westwards once clear of the hills before reaching the Irish Sea through the port of Maryport. Uldale is sited at around 200 metres above the sea with the fells dominating views to the southeast rising to 526 metres on the admirably named Great Cockup Fell and to 710 metres on Knott. By northern standards Uldale parish was rather small covering only around 2,200 acres within which it would have supported a population of close to 350 parishioners. Like most of Cumberland Uldale is not mentioned in Domesday Book which did not cover this area.

The Church

St James' church sits well away from its village, nearer to Ireby than Uldale, on the western side of the lane leading towards Ireby. Early gazetteers state the church as being rebuilt by the parishioners in 1730 and whilst that is partially true there is still traces of earlier material within the result. Pevsner points to the northern wall as having much medieval masonry whilst the chancel arch reveals a 16th century origin for the chancel. Similarly an eastern window, in a Decorated style, may be original or merely reused in the rebuild. The remaining windows are certainly from the rebuild of 1730 and, in view of the weather at this altitude, they are hinged to take shutters. Two more modern phases of rebuild are also recorded, the chancel being rebuilt in 1837 and the double bellcote and timber roof being replaced in a more extensive restoration of 1914. Traveling north along the lane one cannot miss the white-washed church which shines like a beacon when sunlit; a widening of the road permits parking immediately outside the gates. The compact churchyard is open and uncluttered with no obstacles for the photographer other than a large tree standing to the northwest of the church.