BURTON-IN-KENDALE.

1374–1440 Master William Wilton was rector in 1374. On 8 February, 1377/8, John de Sagefeld was presented to the church by the abbot and convent of St. Mary's, vacant by the death of Wilton. (Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1370–4, p. 425). Sagefeld resigned before 12 July, 1384, when William Yeland was presented by the Crown. In May, 1385, John Dedmore was rector (ibid. 1381–5, pp. 443, 558). Roger Dokwra whose estate in the church was ratified in 1409, received a licence on 4 April, 1419 to absent himself from the church of Burton-in-Kendale. On 29 August, 1437, Thomas Horneby was presented by the abbot and convent on the death of Roger Dokwra (Reg. Arch. of Richmond, Yorks. Arch. Soc., vol. 25, p. 224). On 14 June, 1440, Master William Trokell was presented by Henry VI (ibid.). The reason of this presentation is not clear as the abbey was not vacant and Horneby instituted again eight days later (22 June) was already rector; the presentation was probably made in error.

1535 Rural Deanery of Kendall, Vicarage of the Church of Burton. Rectory appropriated to the monastery of St. Mary of York. Richard Broune, incumbent.

The aforesaid Vicarage is worth in

Valor Ecclesiasticus, vol. 5, p. 268.

1584 20 October. Henry Curwen was instituted to the vicarage of Burton on the death of J. Williamson. He was M.A. of St. John's Coll., Cambridge and probably the son of William and father of another William who died vicar of Crosby Ravensworth, early in April, 1685, aged 93. (Al. Ox.). Henry died in 1599 and was succeeded by Milo Dawson. Henry Johnson was instituted to the vicarage on 27 February, 1622, on the resignation of Dawson.

1645 3 July. Bond of Henry Johnson of Burton in £100 to James Bellingham of Levens, esq., that his son Daniel Johnson, shall not hold any intelligence with the party in arms against the Parliament nor depart out of the county of Westmorland, but be ready to render his body before the Standing Committee or other Commander for the Barony of Kendal. Kendal Corporation Deeds, bundle C. 7.

1645/6 10 March. Henry Johnson is referred to in the Westmorland Certificate as minister of Burton, one who hath formerly complied with the enemy but hath since taken the convent and the oath of the 5th of April.

1646 2 July. Ordered that the yearly sum of £50 be paid out of Impropriate tithes of Burton, sequestered from Sir John Preston, papist, for increase of the maintenance of the minister of the parish church of Burton in Kendall. Vicarage not worth above £32 per annum.

1661 Sir George Middleton secured the privilege of a market for Burton in 1661 and during the course of the next century it had become the most extensive corn market in the county; but shortly after the opening of the Lancaster and Kendal Canal the market began to decline and is now altogether extinct. Two annual fairs were also established in 1661, one on 23 April and the other on Whit-Monday.

1694 20 April. John Dawson and Isaac Pennington, both of Burton, yeomen, on 8 April entered into the parish church of Burton, in time of divine service and molested John Usherwood, vicar of Burton, to the great disturbance of the congregation; committed to Appleby Gaol and fined £20 each. (K. Indict. Book, 1692–1724). At the Court held on 10 July following it was reported that the churchwardens had expended £7 19s. 6d. for the prosecution and conviction of John Dawson and Isaac Pennington for disturbing the minister in the time of divine service, contrary to the form of the statute in that case made and provided; Ordered that the inhabitants within the parish of Burton do proportionately contribute to and with the Churchwardens for the expenses aforesaid. K. Indictment Book, 1692–1724.

1694/5 18 January. Thomas Barbon, clerk, vicar of Burton, and others took the oath and subscribed the Test. (K. Indictment Book, 1692– 1724). On 14 July, 1696, Thomas Barbon signed the Anti-Jacobite "Association," formed throughout the Kingdom, for the protection of William III. Ibid.

1705/6 18 January. Petition of Mary the wife of John Dixon of "Claythropp," par. Burton, that her husband about 6 weeks since was pressed and taken away by a Dutch Captain into H.M. Service and carried beyond seas, petitioner being left with 2 young children and is not able to maintain herself and them; order for 9d. per week. K. Order Book, 1696–1724.

1714/5 14 January. Certificate delivered into court by the people called Quakers that they have a meeting place for religious worship at Roger Hind's in Burton. K. Indictment Book, 1692–1724.

1753 12 January. Upon the petition of the Surveyor of highways within the township of Burton setting forth that the street of Burton and the highways within the township are greatly out of repair and that the 6 days labour is insufficient to effectually repair the same; it is ordered that an assessment of 6d. in the pound be levied upon the several inhabitants owners and occupiers, etc. and in case of refusal or non payment within 10 days after demand the said assessment be levied by distress and sale of goods, etc. (K. Order Book, 1750–60). Similar petition and Order on 11 October, 1765, and again on 12 January, 1767. K. Order Book, 1760–70.

1764 10 July. John Hutton, A.B., vicar of Burton, took the oath of allegiance and supremacy and the oath of adjuration and subscribed the same according to law. K. Indictment Book, 1760–70.

1809 14 April. William Stephenson of Burton and James Crosby of Kendal convicted for travelling with their horses and carts through the town of Burton on Sunday, 12 February last past. K. Order and Indict. Book, 1798–1811.

1812 13 January. Presentment that a certain common and public bridge situated over a certain water rivulet or beck called Mansergh Beck, the south end of which said bridge is in the parish of Beetham and the north end in the parish of Burton, being part of the king's highway leading from K. Lonsdale to the town of Burton, is in decay and out of repair and insufficient to carry off the rain and waters flowing through and under the same by means whereof the said highway adjoining the bridge for the length of 300 feet at each end thereof and for the breadth of 20 feet by divers inundations is overflowed and dangerous, and that the inhabitants of the county ought to repair widen and make sufficient the same. (K. Indict. Book, 1811–17). On 11 January, 1813 the inhabitants prayed that the judgment be suspended which prayer was granted until the next Easter Sessions and that the Bridge Master do proceed to rebuild the bridge as soon as the Season will permit. Ibid.

1815 The Act for inclosing lands in the parish of Burton and converting the same into stinted pastures was passed in 55 George III, c. 16.

1818 12 January. At this Sessions a certain back building near the centre of the Town of Burton belonging to Thomas Clough, house carpenter, was duly licensed and allowed as a Place of Public Worship for Protestant Dissenters generally denominated Independents. K. Indict. Book, 1817–24.

1819 19 April. Presentment that John Williams, gent. on 7 March, in the parish church of Burton, a little before the celebration of Divine Service and whilst 100 persons were then and there assembled for the purpose of attending the celebration, unlawfully and irreverently did make a great noise and disturbance and with divers menaces and threats did violently prevent and hinder three parishiones, to wit, one John Dixon, one John Layfield and one Thomas Marshall from then and there sitting in their proper pews, and did threaten one Thomas Atkinson, one of the Churchwardens, and with a certain whip which he the said John Williams held in his hand did make an assault upon Thomas Atkinson to the great scandal and annoyance of the inhabitants assembled and did beat and ill treat him. He pleaded Not Guilty but the jurors found him Guilty of the offence. Sentence a fine of £30 and that he be imprisoned in the Ho. of Correction until such fine be paid, and he having paid the fine is discharged accordingly (K. Indict. Book, 1817–24). The same assault against John Layfield and John Dixon. Ibid.

1819 19 April. Presentment that Christopher Nicholson, labourer, on 21 March, in the parish church of Burton, he being one of the churchwardens, the said parish church being then and there open for the celebration of Divine Service, did make an assault upon one Charles Phillips, strike, beat, push, drag, wound and ill treat to the great damage of the said Charles Phillips. He pleaded Not Guilty and entered into two recognizances of £40 each to traverse the same at the next Sessions. K. Indict. Book, 1817–24.

1827 12 January. An order with plan annexed for widening and enlarging part of a certain highway leading from Burton to Dalton, of the length of 737 yards through the lands of John Hebblethwaite, the Devisees of Eleanor Shaw, Thomas Willacy, John Williams and land belonging to the Incumbent or Vicar for the time being of the parish church of Burton. K. Indict. Book, 1724–34.

1843 7 April. The Rev. Robert Morewood on being instituted to the vicarage of Burton took and subscribed the usual oaths and Declaration. K. Indict. Book, 1839–52.

1911 7 February. A question has been raised by the Ordnance Survey Department as to the boundary stone between Westmorland and Lancashire. The township of Dalton was transferred under an Order of the Local Government Board, dated 6 May, 1895, to the County of Westmorland, but the position of the boundary stone does not agree with the Ordnance plan as to the point at which the County boundary line crosses the road. The stone being 46 yards south of the line shown on the Ordnance plan. On 17 February it was resolved:— That the County Surveyor be authorised to move the stone and place it in the position shown on the Ordnance Survey map. C.C. Minutes, 1910–11.