This paper uses long-neglected evidence – two 12th-century deeds from the archive of St Brigit’s church, Bridekirk, printed by William Dugdale in 1673 – to examine the circumstances which resulted in the building of the first stone church on the site and the carving of the magnificent font. This evidence reveals the combined contribution of two leading laymen of Cumberland, the small body of priests serving the church of St Brigit and the mason, Rikard, and his team of workmen. The result is a study of the interplay of authority, devotion and artistic craftsmanship in one corner of the 12th-century West.