STAINTON.

1696 17 January. Order for repair of Butcher Bridge in the Constablewick of Stainton now in decay to the great prejudice of passengers. K. Indictment Book, 1692–1724.

1697 8 October. Upon the request of Myles Addyson of Stainton having built a house at Stainton to be set apart for religious worship for Protestants "defealing" from the Church of England. It is granted so that it is used according to Law. K. Order Book, 1696–1724.

1705 Will of Mary Robinson of High Hall in Dent in co York, sp^r. I give and bequeath to Alan Chambre of Collinfield, Kendal, and Brian Moore of Aykrigge End in Hutton, gent., all my goods and chattells etc. as exors., in trust as follows:—To my brother Nicholas Robinson of Stainton in the parish of Heversham £10; to his daughter Elizabeth 10s. and to each of his children 5s. I leave to my nephew Rich^d Robinson of Stainton £10 and to his daughter £5. I give to Anne the wife of Jeffroy Beck of Stainton £10. I give to my sister Margaret Garnett £50 and to her son Robert Garnett, my nephew, £10; and to her daughter Anne, my niece, £5 and one feather bed and bolster and pair of sheets and 3 pewter dishes. Whereas my late mother did intend the benefit of £15 to the use of my sister Agnes Briggs but left it solely to my discretion and disposal for her use I appoint that the s^d £15 shall be made up to the sum of £100 which shall be employed at interest and that the yearly interest shall be paid to my sister Agnes into her own hands personally during her life, and also it is my will and mind that if she shall for her own particular obligation or for the preferment of any of her children be mindful to have any or all of it paid to her, her sole acquitance shall be sufficient discharge. If any part of the £100 be left at her decease in the hands of my Exors. she shall have full power to order and dispose before 2 or more witnesses the s^d sum so remaining to such of her children as she shall think most needfull and for want of such disposal then I will and appoint that it be equally divided amongst her living children. I give to my brother in law Thomas Briggs 10s. to buy him a ring; to his son Thomas, my nephew, 20s.; to his daughter Mary Briggs 40s.; to his daughter Anne Briggs one feather bed and bolster and one pair of best sheets; to his daughter Agnes one chest of drawers; to his daughter Elizabeth one pair of sheets and 3 pewter dishes. A codicil states that "whereas it hath pleased God to visit me with a long and tedious sickness whereby I have impared my estate" she reduces the amount of the legacies and appoints Dr. Anthony Askew in place of Brian Moor as Executor. Dated Dec. 5th, 1705, and proved in the archdeaconry of Richmond 20 March 1705/6. Chambre Deeds, County Muniment Room.

1706 5 April. Presentment that a common footbridge called Ings bridge across Ing beck, in Stainton, in the highway from Preston Richard to the parish church of Heversham is in great decay, and ought to be repaired by the inhabitants of Preston Richard. On the 11th October, 1706, upon traverse the judgment was given of Not Guilty. On a strip of paper attached:—"The proofs about Stainton Ings Bridge being a private stang, belonging to five houses in Stainton; present owners are Mary Fletcher, Eliz. Wilson, John Wilkinson and Leonard Fletcher" (K. Indictment Book, 1692–1724). On 16 July following, recognizances of Ric. Chambers, Miles Towanson, Christ. Fletcher and John Preston, all of Preston Richard, yeomen, in £20 each, concerning the repair of Ings Bridge. Ibid.

1708 16 April. Upon the trial of a traverse between the inhabitants of Stainton and those of Preston Richard at Quarter Sessions, 11 October, 1706, touching the repair of a footbridge called Ings Bridge, being then out of repair, the jury found that formerly and so until of late the owners of the houses of Peter Saul, Tho. Fletcher, John Brigg, John Wilson and Tho. Wilson, late of Stainton ought to repair the same; and it appearing that Mary Fletcher, widow, Eliz^th Wilson, widow, John Wilkinson and Leonard Fletcher the present owners or occupiers of the said houses ought to repair the same, being still out of repair; order that they do so within 14 days. (K. Order Book, 1696–1724). At the Court held on 8 October following, it appearing to this Court that Ings Bridge is since taken away by some persons unknown; Order that the owners do renew it within 14 days and order that in default they be apprehended, etc. (Ibid). On 14 January following an Order was issued for the apprehension of Mary Fletcher, John Wilkinson and widow Elizabeth Wilson, owners of certain lands in Stainton charged with the repair of Ings Bridge, for neglect to repair the same, and of John Fletcher the constable of Stainton for neglect to obey the order of this Court. Ibid.

1710/11 12 January. Order to repair the water course near Butcher Bridge, in the low end of Stainton, being very ruinous. K. Indictment Book, 1692–1724.

1730/1 15 January. In pursuance of an Order made at this General Quarter Sessions for the high constable to view the Common highways and to make a report of the state and condition of the same, Benjamin Browne reported that the way from Barrows Green to the Miln Bridges was for a great part of it very narrow especially near the Miln Bridges and from thence to Roger Dickenson's and that the hedges want to be cut the most part of the way. Browne MSS., vol. 1. n. 220.

1735 10 October. Presentment that the King's highway, a quarter and a half a mile in Natland and Stainton is in decay and ought to be repaired a quarter thereof by Natland and the residue by Stainton. Rough Minute Book, 1733–37.

1742/3 14 January. Petition of the Surveyors of the highways of the township of Stainton setting forth that the six days work ordered to be done by Act of Parliament is not sufficient to keep the common highways, cawseys, bridges, streets and pavements in good repair, they pray for an assessment according to the Act of 3 and 4 William and Mary. Order that the assessment be made after the rate of 4d. in the pound of the yearly value of all lands, houses, etc. K. Order Book, 1738–50.

1749/50 27 January. Whereas an indictment was found against the inhabitants of Stainton on 13 January, 1749 (A. and K. Indictment Book, 1738–50) concerning a portion of the common and ancient King's highway, 60 yards in length and 2 yards in breadth at Millbridges being very ruinous, broken and in decay, and whereas at Michaelmas Session last the inhabitants appeared and submitted to the said indictment and produced a certificate that the said highway was well and sufficiently repaired whereupon the said indictment was withdrawn and whereas the inhabitants have this day by petition set forth the great expense they have been at in building new bridges and in completing the said road and prayed that the bridges may be made County bridges and for the future be repaired at the expense of the county; now this court being entirely adverse to increase the number of county bridges but compassionating the hardships which the inhabitants have laboured under, hath thought fit to order that the high constable of Kendal Ward shall pay unto the said inhabitants the sum of £4 as a gratuity or charity towards reimbursing the charges in rebuilding the said Millbridges, but not to be construed as to enable the inhabitants to make any future claims upon the county for silmiar repair. K. Order Book, 1738–50.

1754 16 July. Presentment that from the time whereof the memory of man is not to the contrary there was and yet is a certain common and ancient highway leading from Cockrigg in the township of Stainton to the market town of K. Kendall, and that a certain part of the same in a lane there called Syke Lane and containing in length 150 yards and in breadth 8 feet, is very ruinous and that Thomas Smeeton, yeo. and those whose estate he now hath have from time immemorial repaired and amended the said way and that the said Thomas Smeeton ought by reason of his tenure of his lands adjoining, to repair and amend etc. K. Indictment Book, 1750–60.

1769 2 October. Ordered that the petition of the Minister, chapelwarden and inhabitants of the chapelry of Crosscrake for a certificate from the Bench to the Rt. Hon. the Lord High Chancellor of Gt. Britain for obtaining His Majesty's Letters Patent for a brief for the rebuilding of the same chapel, an estimate whereof is filed amounting to £1102 14s. 9d., exclusive of the old materials, be allowed and the certificate was given accordingly. John Thomas, joiner, Robert Bindloss the eldest, mason, John Woodburn, waller, the workmen, and the Rev. John Wilson, clerk, Jonathan Bracken and John Dickenson, two of the landowners in the same Chapelry being first sworn in Court. K. Order Book, 1760–70.

1806 15 July. Presentment that a certain public and ancient bridge called Stainton Bridge situated over Stainton Beck in the common King's highway leading from the town 01 K. Kendall to the town of Burton, was and yet is narrow, steep, crooked, uneven and insecure for want of due reparation and ought to be repaired at the expense of the county. (K. Indictment Book, 1805–1806). Order for its repair. K. Order and Indictment Book, 1798–1811.

1818 12 January. Order with a plan annexed for diverting and turning a certain part of the highway leading from Crosscrake towards and unto Milness situate near Stainton Crossings; and also a certain part of the highway leading from Viver towards and unto Stainton. K. Indict. Book, 1817–24.

1827 8 January. Filed the certificate of Edward Tomlinson, Bridge Master, that the Bee Hive Bridge is erected in a substantial and commodious manner and is in complete repair. K. Indictment Book, 1824–34.

1907 13 November. A Sub-Committee of the County Council recommended that the two eastern sections of Mill Bridge should be rebuilt. Francis Fox of the eminent firm of engineers, Sir Douglas Fox and Partners, was consulted and he wrote that the application of his cement grouting machine in the hands of a man accustomed to its use would repair and restore the bridge to its full strength for a very small sum. Accordingly a man with his machine was sent down and the bridge was cement grouted. C. C. Minutes, 1907–8.