Dendron, Cumbria
Encyclopedia
Dendron is a small village in South Cumbria
, around three miles from the town of Barrow-in-Furness
. The village was once just a collection of farms, but many of the old farm buildings have now been converted into houses for commuters working in Barrow, Ulverston
and Dalton
.
The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book
as Dene, and the name is thought to mean sheltering place for deer - it is only a coincidence that it is the same as the Greek for tree.
in 1642, and it spent most of its early life as a school for the village children.
In 1652, the famous Quaker George Fox
preached with some success at the chapel and noted that "no priest had ever preached in it" before this time. It was not until 1671 that a Minister was properly appointed to serve Dendron.
The renowned artist George Romney
, born in nearby Dalton, was educated for a short time at the school but was removed in 1745 by his father because he had failed to make any progress.
In 1833 a new schoolroom was built opposite the churchyard, replacing what had once been a cockpit
, and in the same year the vicarage was built. The schoolroom still stands today as a meeting room and Sunday school
, but was replaced in the 1870s by another, larger building some distance south of the village in which were educated most of the children from the villages of Dendron, Leece
and Gleaston
. This building later became a primary school, but in 1994 it ceased to be a school at all when it was amalgamated with two other small rural schools into Low Furness C of E School in Urswick
; it is now a house. Beside it stands a War Memorial commemorating parishioners lost in the First World War.
Dendron did not become a parish
church until 1892.
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, around three miles from the town of Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
. The village was once just a collection of farms, but many of the old farm buildings have now been converted into houses for commuters working in Barrow, Ulverston
Ulverston
Ulverston is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria in north-west England. Historically part of Lancashire, the town is located in the Furness area, close to the Lake District, and just north of Morecambe Bay....
and Dalton
Dalton-in-Furness
Dalton-in-Furness is a small town of 8,394 people, north east of Barrow-in-Furness, in Cumbria, England.-History:Dalton is mentioned in the Domesday Book, written as "Daltune" as one of the townships forming the Manor of Hougun held by Earl Tostig. Historically, it was the capital of Furness...
.
The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as Dene, and the name is thought to mean sheltering place for deer - it is only a coincidence that it is the same as the Greek for tree.
The Church and School
The most notable feature of the village is the 17th century St Matthew's Church. It was originally built as a chapel of easeChapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
in 1642, and it spent most of its early life as a school for the village children.
In 1652, the famous Quaker George Fox
George Fox
George Fox was an English Dissenter and a founder of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers or Friends.The son of a Leicestershire weaver, Fox lived in a time of great social upheaval and war...
preached with some success at the chapel and noted that "no priest had ever preached in it" before this time. It was not until 1671 that a Minister was properly appointed to serve Dendron.
The renowned artist George Romney
George Romney (painter)
George Romney was an English portrait painter. He was the most fashionable artist of his day, painting many leading society figures - including his artistic muse, Emma Hamilton, mistress of Lord Nelson....
, born in nearby Dalton, was educated for a short time at the school but was removed in 1745 by his father because he had failed to make any progress.
In 1833 a new schoolroom was built opposite the churchyard, replacing what had once been a cockpit
Cockfight
A cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters , held in a ring called a cockpit. Cockfighting is now illegal throughout all states in the United States, Brazil, Australia and in most of Europe. It is still legal in several U.S. territories....
, and in the same year the vicarage was built. The schoolroom still stands today as a meeting room and Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
, but was replaced in the 1870s by another, larger building some distance south of the village in which were educated most of the children from the villages of Dendron, Leece
Leece
Leece is a village on the Furness peninsula of South Lakeland in Cumbria, England, situated between the towns of Ulverston and Barrow-in-Furness...
and Gleaston
Gleaston
Gleaston is a village with a population of around 400 in the Furness area of South Cumbria, situated between the towns of Barrow-in-Furness, Dalton-in-Furness and Ulverston. The history of the village can be traced as far back as the mesolithic period and it was the centre of the manor of Muchland...
. This building later became a primary school, but in 1994 it ceased to be a school at all when it was amalgamated with two other small rural schools into Low Furness C of E School in Urswick
Urswick
The villages of Great Urswick and Little Urswick, together called Urswick, are located in the Furness peninsula in Cumbria, England. They are situated to the south-west of the town of Ulverston....
; it is now a house. Beside it stands a War Memorial commemorating parishioners lost in the First World War.
Dendron did not become a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
church until 1892.