THE PARISH OF ST. ANDREW, CROSBY GARRETT.

ANTIQUITIES.

In this parish we have a Long Barrow on Raiset Pike; a Tumulus quarter of a mile north-east of Smardale Bridge; and Cairns at Hardrigg. The site of a chapel and Holy Well at Smardale.

THE CHURCH.

In the "Antique Taxatio Ecclesiastica" of Pope Nicholas IV, made in the year 1291, the church is valued at £24. But by the "Novo Taxatio" of Pope Clement v, made in 1318 the value is reduced to £3. 6. 8. See page 22. The "Valor Ecclesiasticus" made by order of Parliament, 26 Henry VIII, 1535, gives the following:

1646

The Westmorland Certificate under date 10 March, 1645-6 has "Mr. Joseph Bousfell, minister of Crosby Garrett, and Humphrey Bell and James Richardson as elders." Again under date 21 November, 1646. "Joseph Bousfeild minister to ye Assembly for ye Church of Crosby Garrett county Westmorland." He was the son of Thomas Bousfield, rector of Windermere, was born at Killington and educated at Sedbergh Grammar School. On 19 May, 1647, Bousfield appears to have been approved by the Commissioners as follows:—Whereas the rectory of the parish Church of Crosby Garrett is and standeth sequestered from Edmund Mauleverer, it is ordered that the said rectory shall stand sequestered from henceforth to the use of Joseph Bousfield a godly and orthodox divine and that he do forthwith officiate the cure of the said church as rector and preach.

The Commonwealth Survey of 1657 is as follows:—

That the right of presentation to the church was heretofore in Sir Philip Musgrave, delinquent, and now is in his highness the Lord Protector. That Mr. Christopher Jackson is incumbent there and hath for his maintenance the tithe wool and lamb and all other small tithes worth £10. 13. 4. by the year, to prescription rent £18. 11. 8. for the tithe corn and hay within the parish and the glebe land worth £10 by the year, amounting in the whole to £40. 5. 0. by the year. That the tithe corn of Little Musgrave within the said parish was heretofore in the possession of Sir Philip Musgrave and now in the possession of the Commonwealth, worth by the year £6. 13. 4. out of which is paid to the said Mr. Jackson £5. 6. 8. being part of the above prescription for tithe corn and hay.

1660 June.

Edmund Mauleverer petitioned the House of Lords showing that for sixteen years last past he had been most illegally ejected and thrust out of his parsonage and from the exercise of his ministerial duties, only for his loyalty to his majesty, and prayed for their order for securing the tithes and profits thereof until such time as he should receive title to his parsonage. Mauleverer was reinstated but he resigned three years later.

A list of the Incumbents whose names have been met with during the present research.

THE SCHOOL.

In 1648 John Sympson of Sandford gave 5s. a year, to be paid alternately, one year to Crosby and one year to Warcop; and for want of a school at either place the said sum is to go to the other.

Bishop Nicolson visited the church on 12 July, 1703, and records, "In the west end is a square part of the north side railed in for a school, wherein the children are taught by Joshua Harrison the parish clerk. As schoolmaster he has a standing salary of about £5 and the contributions amount to about the like sum."

School stock amounting to some £55 from contributions received between 1682 and 1732, together with some Poor stock, was laid out in purchase of lands about the year 1735. Then there was a benefaction of £80 left by the will of Thomas Wilson, dated 16 April, 1767, one half of the interest for the schoolmaster and the education of three poor children.

A school house existed in 1777; but a new building, which consisted of a single room and that so small as to be almost filled by 19 children, was erected in 1865. It was opened in January 1866, the school having been closed for two years. Crosby was formed into a School Board area in 1891 and by 1895 a new school and dwelling house had been erected.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

1378. Michaelmas.

Henry de Sandeford, parson of the church of Crosbigerard, is in mercy for many defaults, etc. The same Henry was summoned to answer Peter de Morland, vicar of the church of Kirkebistephan, in a plea that he render unto him 50s. which are in arrears of annual rent of 5s. which he owes. Thereupon the said Peter by John Oxthwait his attorney sayeth that a certain John del Bowes late vicar of Kirkebistephen, his predecessor, was seised as of the right of his church of S. Stephen, Kirkebistephen, of the annual rent aforesaid by the hand of one William Colstone then parson of the church of Crosbigerard, predecessor of the said Henry, by receiving it at Crosbigerard on the feast of St. Stephen next after Christmas, and he and all his predecessors, vicars of Kirkebistephan time out of mind were seised of the said rent by the hands of the parsons of Crosbigerard predecessors of the present parson for the time being until ten years last past before the day of the suing out of his writ, to wit 12 July 1 Ric. II, that the said Henry has withdrawn the said rent from the said Peter and has refused and hitherto refuses to pay the same whereby he says that he has damage to the value of 100s. and therefore produces suit.

Henry comes and denies it and says that John del Bowes and his predecessors were not seised of the annual rent aforesaid. And for this he puts himself upon the country and the said Peter likewise.

A jury is called and adjourned until Judge Roger de Fulthorpe should come to Appleby for the Assizes. Upon the hearing Peter de Morland made statement of the case. (Here follows the statement.) The jury find the claim is correct and adjudge that the said Peter ought to recover against the said Henry the annual rent aforesaid as well as the arrears of the same, before and after the issuing of the said writ, being in all 60s., likewise his damages aforesaid over and above the arrears assessed at 10s. and the said Henry is in mercy. And upon this the said Peter being present here in court freely remits to the said Henry the arrears and damage aforesaid. De Banco Roll, 472, m. 448d.

1380

Henry de Sandford, rector of Crosseby Gerard, made his will on Sunday before the Nativity of our Blessed Lord, Christmas, 1380, in which he left 40s. to his church among many other benefactions. Testa. Karl., 147.

1415

Crosseby Gerard paid a fifteenth as a subsidy to the king amounting to 40s. Excheq. Q.R. Miscell. Books, vol. 7.

1669–1672 Hearth Tax Roll

1669–1672 Hearth Tax Roll, Lay Subsidy 195, n. 73.

CROSBY GARRETT.

Four householders were exempted from payment by certificate.

1740

A large portion of the Rectory house was rebuilt. Over the doorway is the inscription:—Thomas Gate, Generosus Patronus Benignissimus, W(illiam) B(ird), A.D. 1719.

1741 5 October.

The dwelling house of John Bell in Crosby Garrett was licensed as a place for religious worship.

1741

The King's highway from Crosby Mill to Waller's Gate lying between the market town of K. Stephen and Crosby Garrett, was presented as being dirty, founderous and in decay and ought to be repaired by the inhabitants of Crosby.

1753 30 April.

The King's highway in a place called Gallansey Lane from Gallansey Gate to Maines Gates, in length 700 yards and in breadth 8 feet, has been in decay but now is efficiently repaired.

1754

The dwelling house of Joseph Richardson was licensed on 7 October, 1754, as a place for religious worship.

The growth of Nonconformity in Crosby Garrett as told by J. W. Nicholson is worthy of note. Some of the Richardson family had long interested themselves in the Birks Chapel, near Warcop. Nancy Richardson of Mossgill House married in 1804 George Greenwood, a merchant and ship owner of Hull, and he, being a Baptist preacher of considerable ability, came to reside here and use his efforts on behalf of that body. They caused the Independent Chapel to be enlarged. Until 1856 the Independents and Baptists preached in the same chapel, the services of the former being conducted by the minister who walked over from Ravenstonedale on alternate Sundays. But as this body decreased in numbers and as the Rev. William Fawcett, a Baptist minister of private means, who had married Miss Greenwood, came to reside permanently at Mossgill House in 1856, the Baptists took over the whole conduct of the place. William Fawcett appears to have been a learned and able preacher, many came long distances to hear him and to their great regret, owing to ill health he resigned on 19 October, 1873. He was inter ested in the building of the chapels at Great Asby and Winton. In 1887 the chapel was handed over to Trustees for the use of the denomination.

The Wesleyan Methodists began to hold services in Chapel House, Crosby, about the year 1810, and erected their chapel in 1882, the opening services taking place in June, 1883.

1760

Crosby Mill on the Scandale beck was discontinued as a mill about this time and converted into a hand-loom weaver's shed.

1861 5 July.

The Rev. Isaac Smith, who had been a missionary in Africa, took the usual oaths on his institution to the rectory, and soon after he caused several alterations to be made to the church. The chancel floor was raised, the north aisle rebuilt, the whole church reseated and a new pulpit erected. The church was re-opened by Bishop Waldegrave in August, 1866. The tower was rebuilt in 1874.