Church Of St Martin

The Church of St Martin at Brampton replaces a late 17th-century hospital, which was subsequently converted to a chapel in 1789. The present structure largely dates from 1877-8, designed by Philip Webb – his only church commission – for George Howard, later the 9th Earl of Carlisle, and other contributors. The tower was completed in 1906, also by Webb. The church is constructed from dressed red sandstone from Wetheral Quarry, with graduated green slate roofs and a lead spire.

The church comprises a square western tower with a slated open porch and a north entrance, a four-bay nave of almost square plan, and a single-bay chancel. A two-storey vestry adjoins the north side of the chancel, and an organ chamber is on the south. The west window of the tower is a two-light design set within a large niche, with smaller two-light baptistery windows below. The tower features clock faces on three sides. The nave has three two-light north aisle windows with a battlemented parapet and merlons with sloping tops. The south aisle has a round west window with tracery, small rectangular windows with alternating gabled stretches, and three gabled clerestory dormers. The projecting organ chamber on the south wall of the chancel features a three-light Perpendicular window, flanked by buttresses and gables to the west and east.

The interior includes a west narthex, serving as a porch and baptistery, with access to the nave through two arches, above which is a four-light window, illuminated from a room above by the tower’s west window. The nave features four pointed arches resting on octagonal columns with moulded capitals. The north aisle has painted wooden transverse tunnel vaulting, while the south aisle has a sloping, painted wooden roof with clerestory dormers. The nave and chancel roof is flat, with painted boarding and fan coving above the arch columns. A north-east war memorial chapel, with an upper floor vestry, contains an altar panel by Byam Shaw and an altar carpet to a Morris design. Stained glass, largely to Burne-Jones designs, is by Morris & Co. The east window, commemorating Charles Howard in 1880, depicts fifteen subjects including angels, saints, the Good Shepherd, and a pelican, primarily to original designs, with the side windows incorporating re-used designs. A free-standing bust and wall plaque commemorate Rev Thomas Ramshay, who died in 1840. A 13th-century baluster font, originally from Upper Denton Church, is also present, along with three medieval and early 18th-century grave slabs from Brampton Old Church.