Rampside, St Michael's Church

Replaced the original chapel in 1840. A seafarers' church with an elaborate taste in tombstones.  See next.

The minister at Rampside was the 22-year-old Thomas Lawson, who was convinced to Quakerism by Fox. He had been to Christ's College Cambridge, and was skilled in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. He also developed a lifelong interest in botany. Six years later he married Frances Wilkinson of Great Strickland, moved there, and set up school. He taught the Fell daughters botany, and became nationally eminent in the subject. He died on 12 November 1691, and is buried in the Quaker burial ground at Newby with an inscription that described him as LUDIMAGISTER ET BOTANICUS NON IMPERITUS (‘schoolmaster and a not inconsiderable botanist’).

Image © Meg Twycross, 9 August 2009

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