The church at Brough is a pretty large handsome building. The steeple is
not so old; having been built about the year 1513, under the direction
of Thomas Blenkinsop, of Helbeck, Esq. There are in it four excellent
bells, by much the largest in the county, except the great bell at
Kirkby Thore. Concerning these bells at Brough, there is a tradition
that they were given by one _Brunskill_, who lived upon Stanemore, in
the remotest part of the parish, and had a great many cattle. One time
it happened that his bull fell a bellowing, which, in the dialect of the
country, is called _cruning_, (this being the Saxon word to denote that
vociferation.) Whereupon he said to one of his neighbours, “Hearest thou
how loud this bull crunes? If these cattle should all crune together,
might they not be heard from Brough hither?” He answered, “Yea.” “Well,
then,” says _Brunskill_, “I’ll make them all crune together.” And he
sold them all; and with the price thereof he bought the said bells, (or
perhaps he might get the old bells new cast and made larger.)--There is
a monument in the church, in the south wall, between the highest and
second windows, under which, it is said, the said _Brunskill_ was the
last that was interred.
The pulpit is of stone. There was heretofore a handsome _reading desk_,
given by sir _Cuthbert Buckle_, knight, vintner in London, who was born
upon Stanemore in this parish, and was lord mayor of London in the year
1593. His name was upon the desk thus:--“By Cuthbert Buckle, Anno Domini
1576.” He built also a bridge upon Stanemore, which still bears the name
of _Buckle’s Bridge_; and gave eight pounds a year to a school upon
Stanemore.
[237] From the “Genius of the Thames, a Lyrical Poem, with Notes, by
Thomas Love Peacock,” 1810.
* * * * *
_For the Table Book._