Farlam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Farlam
Church of St Thomas a Becket, Farlam
Farlam
Population	669
OS grid reference	NY5620258218
• London	259 Miles
Civil parish	Farlam
District	Carlisle
Shire county	Cumbria
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Brampton
Postcode district	CA8
Dialling code	016977
Police	Cumbria
Fire	Cumbria
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Penrith and The Border
List of places UK England Cumbria 54°55′19″N 2°41′42″W / 54.922°N 2.695°W / 54.922; -2.695

Farlam is a small village in Cumbria, England. It is part of the City of Carlisle area. The village is about 2.25 miles (3.6 km) southeast of Brampton. It is also about 9.5 miles (15 km) east of the city of Carlisle.

In 2011, Farlam had a population of 669 people. This included 331 males and 338 females. The population has changed quite a bit over the years.

History of Farlam

What's in a Name?

The name Farlam has old roots. It likely comes from two Old English words. Fearn means 'fern' and ham means 'village' or 'homestead'. So, Farlam probably means 'Ferny-clearing village'. It could also mean 'land hemmed in by a ferny clearing'.

Farlam was once split into two parts. These were East Farlam and West Farlam. In 1811, both parts together had 672 people. They also had 115 houses. Two small communities, Hallbankgate and Kirkhouse, were in East Farlam. The church is located near Kirkhouse. Milton was a village in West Farlam. It is now part of the Brampton area. Farlam is a hilly place. In 1847, it covered an area of 5,680 acres.

How Many People Lived Here?

The number of people living in Farlam has changed a lot. In 1801, there were 592 residents. The population grew steadily until 1881. In that year, it reached its highest point with 1,585 people.

After 1881, the population started to drop. By 1961, it had fallen to 670 people. This was a big change from its peak.

Jobs in Farlam

Farlam was a place where people found coal and limestone. Because of this, mining and quarrying were very important jobs. In 1552, people were already looking for coal in an area called Greenside Rigg.

The 1881 census shows many men worked in these industries. About 257 men were listed as working with minerals. For women, the job situation was different. Most women (232) were listed as not having a specific job. This might be because mining was the main industry. There may not have been many other jobs available for women.

Homes in Farlam

The number of houses in Farlam has also changed over time. From 1831 to 1901, the number of homes grew. It went from 134 to 294. However, in 1921, the number dropped to 230. It went up a little in 1931 to 247. But then it fell again to 230 in 1961. In 2001, there were 265 houses in Farlam.

The Church

Farlam has had a church for a very long time. Records show one existed as early as 1169. The church you see today was built much later, in 1860.

The old church was given to Lanercost Priory. Later, it became part of the Dacre family's property. Now, the Earl of Carlisle helps support it.

The current church is named after St. Thomas a Becket. It is a simple stone building. It was designed in an early English style. Building it cost £2,000 in 1860. That would be a lot more money today! The church has a main hall, a chancel, and one side aisle. It can hold up to 400 people. It stands near where the old church used to be, close to Kirkhouse.

Many people helped pay for the new church. The Hon. Charles Howard gave the land and £500. Mrs. Maria Thompson gave £200. She also bought a new organ and a beautiful stained-glass window for the east side. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners gave £200. The local people also gave a large amount of money to help build their new church.