THE PARISH OF ST. CUTHBERT, DUFTON.

THE CHURCH.

In the "Antique Taxatio Ecclesiastica" of Pope Nicholas IV made in the year 1291, the church is valued at £13. 6. 8. By the Novo Taxatio" of 1318 the value is reckoned at £2. See page 22. The "Valor Ecclesiasticus" of 26 Henry VIII, 1535, gives the following:—

1655–6 30 January.

Mr. Edward Preston, minister of Dufton, made his appearance before the "Commissioners for ejecting of the scandalous, ignorant and insufficient ministers and school masters," and upon being desired to put himself upon trial as to his fitness for the work of the ministry he refused.

1656 4 December.

Time was given to Mr.Edward Preston till the last Wednesday in January next to give satisfaction touching his ability and fitness for the work of the ministry or else to be proceeded against upon the Clause in the Ordinance for disaffection to the Government. However, he continued in his living until after the Restoration.

The Commonwealth Survey of 1657 is as follows:—

That the right of presentation to the church is in Christopher Clapham. That Edward Preston supplieth the cure there and hath for his maintenance a prescription rent for tithe corn the sum of £8. 13s. 4d. yearly, and also the tithe of hay, wool, lamb and all other dues and tithes within the parish worth £16. 6s. 8d. yearly. And likewise the glebe land and grassings belonging to the same which is worth £15.

The church was rebuilt in 1775 and repaired in 1853.

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

THE SCHOOL.

The school was founded by Christopher Walker in 1670 and endowed by him with the interest of £40; and by Michael Todd with £4 a year payable out of lands at Knowle Green in the parish of Staines in Middlesex.

Conveyance by Sir Richard Tufton, bart. of Hothfield Place, co. Kent to Joseph Rawlins Henderson of Dufton, clerk, and others of a piece of land upon which a school house and offices are erected in the village of Dufton, and a class room and offices are intended to be erected, to have and to hold for the use of a school for the education of children and adults, or for children only, in Dufton, to be at all times open to inspection by H.M. Inspectors and to be under the management of a committee of ten persons subscribing at least 10s. a year. Signed by the parties, 3 August, 1865.

THE HALL.

Dufton Hall stands on the north side of the village, and is in the form of the letter L. The southern frontage was rebuilt in 1779 and now is of three storeys. The older northern wing is of two storeys but it has been modernized and left without any special interest. The building was occupied as a sporting seat by Sir William Bryan Cooke in 1829 but since then it has been divided into tenements.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

1288

Inquisition taken after the death of William son of Thomas de Greystoke, made before William de Windesore, sub-escheator of co. Westmorland, on Monday after the Invention of Holy Cross, 17 Edw. 1, in which the jurors say on oath that William on the day he died held no lands of the king in chief in co. Westmorland, but held of his own heritage the manor of Dufton with the advowson of that church, of the Lady Idonea de Leyburn, daughter and one of the heirs of Robert de Veteripont, by the service called cornage and the same cornage was worth yearly 25s. 6d.; and beyond the said cornage the manor is worth in all issues £27. 12. 4. yearly.

John, his son, is his next heir and was aged 25 years at Michaelmas 16 Edward 1. Chanc. Inq. p. mortem. file 53, n. 13.

1305

Inquest taken after the death of John, son of William de Graystoke, before Richard Cysel, escheator beyond Trent, at Appleby on the Sunday before St. Wilfrid, 34 Edward 1, by William de Crackanthorpe and others as jurors. They say on oath that John son of William gave his manor of Dufton together with the advowson of the church of that manor with all the appurtenances, holding back nothing, to Ralph son of William and his heirs for ever, by licence of the king who also gave licence to the said Ralph to demise the same to John for his life, with remainder after John's death to Ralph and his heirs. The said John died holding the manor of Ralph and not otherwise as appears by fine levied between the said Ralph and John in the King's court before John de Setingham and his fellows. Ralph held the same of Idonea de Leyburn, one of the heirs of Robert de Veteripont, by cornage according to the custom of the county of Westmorland. The same manor and advowson after John's death reverted to the said Ralph and to no other. Inquisition p. mortem, Edw. 1, file 122, n. 8.

1323

Roger de Kernetteby, King's clerk and vicar of Kirkeby Kendall, was presented to the church of Dufton in the patronage of the king. Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1323, p. 343; Bp. Halton's Register, vol. ii, p. 209.

1366

William de Brampton, rector of the church of Dufton, made his will on 10 March, 1365–6, in which he desires his body to be buried in the church of St. Cuthbert of Dufton. Among many bequests he left 3s. 4d. for the repair of the bridge of St. Lawrence of Appleby. The will was proved at Rose on 6 November, 1366. Testa. Karl., 78.

1377 Michaelmas.

Thomas son of William de Warthecop appeared against Thomas, parson of the church of Dufton in a plea wherefore with force and arms the corn and grass of the said Thomas son of William, worth 100s. lately growing at Murton with certain beasts was depastured, trodden down and consumed. Defendant did not come. Case adjourned until the octave of S. Hilary. De Banco Roll, 468, m. 151d.

1378 Trinity.

John Thomasman of Dufton appeared against John Robynson of Skakilthorp in a plea wherefore with force and arms certain cows belonging to John Thomasman at Dufton worth 20s. he took and carried away from Dufton with other goods and chattels worth 40s. De Banco Rolls, 471, m. 351d.; 472, m. 41; 473, m. 317.

1379 Trinity.

Thomas de Clifford, knt., against Thomas de Setteryngton, parson of the church of Dufton, in a plea that he render unto him 16 marks which he owes. De Banco Rolls, 475, m. 431; 477, m. 46d.

1380 Easter.

Thomas son of William de Warthecop against Thomas de Setteryngton, parson of the church of Dufton, in a plea whereas it was ordained by the king that if any servant was retained in the service of any one by agreement and withdrew without reasonable cause or licence that he should be subject to imprisonment. The aforesaid Thomas de Setteryngton and Robert Coke being in the service of the said Thomas de Warthecop at Murton withdrew from his service without reasonable cause to his great damage. De Banco Roll, 478, m. 359d.

1669–1672. Hearth Tax Roll

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

DUFTON.

Twenty-three householders were exempted from payment by Certificate.

1672 31 July.

John Sowerby and Richard Whitlock were presented to Quarter Sessions for refusing to go to the parish church to be catechised and for absenting themselves from the church on the Sabbath Day.

1708 12 April.

Thomas Elwood of Dufton, yeo. was indicted for diverting an ancient watercourse at Dufton so that the water and filth from the tan pits of the said Thomas ran through and across the close of John Dobson and spoiled the herbage and grain. Fined 6d.

1710 17 April.

Thomas Dobson of Dufton, yeo. and others indicted for buying and not by demise or grant of land or tithes, quantities of oats and barley of diverse unknown persons at Appleby, with the intention to re-sell the same contrary to the form of the Statute.

1740 6 October.

Presentment that Edward Howson of Dufton did suffer rude and disorderly persons to frequent his house being at that time a common ale house, wherein they usually did commit many disorders to the disturbance of those who live near the place, for which reason Richard Crackanthorpe and John Robinson, justices of the Quorum, did think it convenient to direct the High Constable of the East Ward to go to the said Edward Howson and to charge him from henceforth not to sell or suffer to be sold any beer or any other liquors in his house and also to cause the sign of the said house to be pulled down, yet notwithstanding the said John Howson in defiance of the warrant sold and doth continue to sell ale, etc. in contempt of our sovereign lord the king, etc.

1796 26 November.

For the provision of soldiers to serve in the army the parish of Dufton having 49 inhabited houses had to provide one man or else pay a fine of £20.

1821 14 July.

Indenture between Joseph Wallace of Dufton of the one part, and John Nixon of Dufton, farmer, and many others of the second part. Witnesses that for the consideration of 10s. the said Joseph Wallace conveys to those of the second part a piece of ground in Dufton village, 35 by 25 feet, and the building erected thereon and now converted and used as a Chapel by the Wesleyan Methodists, bounded by premises belonging to the earl of Thanet on the south-east and south-west, by premises belonging to the said Wallace on the north-west, and the Town Street on the north-east, and lately sold by Jonathan Nixon to the said Joseph Wallace. They to keep the same in repair and permit the yearly Conference to be held there. Close Roll 10029, part 68.

1827

Two thousand three hundred acres, or thereabouts, being parcels of common and waste grounds in the parish of Dufton, called Dufton Pike, Dufton Fell Pasture and Flascow, were ordered to be divided and enclosed by an Act of Parliament which received the Royal Assent on 28 May, 1827. Charles, earl of Thanet, was lord of the manor and patron of the rectory and parish church; the Rev. Edward Heelis was rector; and Thomas Milward, John Furnass and Thomas Ellwood and others were proprietors of Cattlegates or Stints. The Commissioner appointed was Edward Jackson of Bolton, clerk.

1840 10 April.

Indenture between William Brass of Langton Field in the parish of St. Michael, Appleby, gent. of the 1st part; and George Graham the elder of Dufton, stonemason, and many others of the 2nd part; and William Lonsdale of Barnard Castle, Primitive Methodist Preacher of the 3rd part. Witnesses that in consideration of 5s. the said William Brass sells to those of the second part, all that parcel of land at Dufton upon which a Primitive Methodist Chapel is being built, 30 by 20 feet, bounded on the east and south by land belonging to the said William Brass, on the west by the public road through Dufton, and on the north by a garden belonging to Matthew Robinson; to hold for the space of one year at a peppercorn rent.

1840 11 April.

Indenture between the above parties that having contracted for the purchase of the said land, witnesses that for £5 the said William Brass now releases and confirms to those of the second part the aforesaid land, on which a Chapel is now being built, to have and to hold to them for ever upon trust. The Chapel to be built as a Meeting House for the Primitive Methodists in Dufton and also a school in conformity with the provisions of a deed poll signed by Hugh and James Bourne and William Clowes bearing date 5 February, 1830, wherein the doctrines, etc. of the said Connexion are set forth, freely to permit a preacher to officiate there and annually to choose a steward of the said Connexion to receive subscriptions, seat-rents, etc. and to keep the same in repair. Close Roll, 12435, pt. 188.

In 1807 the brothers Bourne and Clowes, filled with evangelistic zeal, organised a "camp meeting" for open air preaching. The Methodist Conference pronounced against this innovation, whereupon, on refusing to give way they were expelled from the Society. In 1811 the first meeting of the seceders was held and the Primitive Methodists came into being.