St James’ Church, Burton-in-Kendal, Cumbria: Desk-Based Assessment

Greenlane Archaeology was commissioned to carry out a desk-based assessment for St James’ Church, Burton-in-Kendal, in order to identify evidence relating to the external finish of the tower. A number of relevant archive sources were identified, which revealed references to the tower being rough cast in 1759, as well as several mentions of whitewashing and the use of lime throughout the building during the period up to c1840. Specifications for an extensive programme of alterations in the 1840s reveal that a considerable amount of the structure was rebuilt and external walls were repointed. A further scheme of renovation was also carried out in the 1870s, but this seems to have been largely restricted to altering the interior. By at least 1879 it is evident that the tower had a large amount of ivy growing on it, something which is shown on early photographs.