I don't know about you, but my hometown or current city of residence doesn't date back to the 13th Century. Yes, that's right, the pretty little Cumbrian town in the Lake District of northwestern England (current population, 750) dates around 1270. TWELVE SEVENTY! I lived in Brigham for a year ... and it's a place I would LOVE to live again.
Why review a town? Well, guess what, sometimes people want to live in a quiet hamlet where you know your neighbors (and the whole town!) and there's lush greenery and open spaces. Sometimes people want to walk around town, amble down to the river, live in a close-knit community. This all, to me, perfectly represents Brigham.
A must see--and the town's most stunning location--is St. Bridget's Church. An active Anglican parish church, it's stunning inside and out.
The interior: Painted plasterwork and timber work ceilings by William Butterfield, a famed architect of the mid to late 1800s. The ceilings, much of which was recently restored, are unlike any that I have seen in England's churches. Come inside on a sunny day, and the light beams a spectrum of colors from the gorgeous, Victorian-era stained-glass windows.
And then there's the outside graveyard of the Church. Its most famous connection is to Fletcher Christian (the HMS Bounty mutineer); he was Christened in the Church, and his father has a table tomb here. Also notable are members of poet William Wordsworth's family (Wordsworth lived 2 km down the road in Cockermouth). His son John was Vicar of St. Bridget's Church for 40 years. The graveyard is quite stunning, with more than 700 monuments.
While it'll never be mistaken for Wembley Stadium or a megaplex theater, Brigham Memorial Hall (found in High Brigham) is the epicenter of fun in town. Concerts, dances, a big kitchen for big gatherings (e.g., Wedding receptions), meetings, movies, and even Zumba classes are found here!
There's also a lovely primary school. I went to St Bridget's for a year and it was then (and is still now) a place with friendly teachers and comprehensive learning.
If you want to move to Brigham, I give it the Drew B Seal of Approval. Just a few km from great goods and services (Cockermouth, Keswick, Workington), it's a great way to live the small village life without being far from civilization. read more