CASTERTON.

1593 Margaret Davenport, lately of Bromhall in Wrenbury, a widow, owes on account of recusancy £12 5s. and one eighth of the estate usually called Casterton Hall; and one eighth of the messuages and tenements in Casterton near Kendal and Lambrigg in Grayrigg. On account of these shenow owes £260. In the Lancaster Roll it appears that Margaret and her husband William Davenport were fined there and that they had land in Kendal in the tenancy of Edmond Potter, Leonard Stodert, Thomas Tolson, Simon Swainson and Edward Strickland. Also they had Lambrigg Park let to Richard Duckett of Grayrigg. Recusant Roll, No. 1, Michaelmas 1592 to 1593. Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer. Pipe Office Series. Westmorland, Mem. 40.

1668 The Casterton Hall estate was granted to Edward Wilson of Dallam Tower (born 1618), by Queen Catherine out of her dower lands. Sir John Otway, writing to Edward Wilson in reference to his application for a lease says: Honoured Uncle I managed yre business wth all the skill, interest and art I had with the Qu. Council after yre plic. came upp, and I prevailed with the Chancellor of the Duchy to be there who was thoroughly informed of yre case, but the result was of all after a debate of sevrall hours that they are resolved to make a lease to you and to no man else, but for the 50 lib. ffine it must be paid againe. I told them this was very severe that you should suffer either by the distraction of the times or by the neglect of yre sollicitor, or by the calamity of the late dreadfull fyre (the great fire of London), but nothing would alter them, etc. Memoirs of Carus-Wilson family.

1693 28 April. Thomas Coulthurst of Casterton, yeoman, threw down a stone wall at Barwick Hall and stopped the highway to the hurt of John Ward, gent. K. Indict. Book, 1692–1724.

1694 10 July. Presentment that whereas John Lowther, bart., was and is lawfully possessed of an ancient messuage called Casterton Hall, to which belongs an ancient pasture for sheep, called Sheepheise in Easgill, on the east side of Casterton Fell, where he and his tenants depasture their sheep; William Hardy, William Browne, John Browne, yeomen, and Hester Browne, spinster, all of Casterton, on 20 April last drove away 200 sheep of one John Garnett, farmer of the said John Lowther, depasturing there; William Hardy fined 1s. and the others 6d. each. K. Indictment Book, 1692–1724.

1704/5 12 January. Complaint made in open court that the fish in the river Lune and elsewhere in the Barony of Kendall, have been of late years and now are much destroyed by idle and disorderly persons not qualified by law either as having a free fishery or being owners thereof or otherwise lawfully authorised to fish in navigable rivers, and that several nets, pitches and other "engines" are kept by persons who are not makers or dealers thereof and that some persons qualified to keep nets keep and use for the destruction of fish unlawful nets or too straight or narrow a size, contrary to the statute; authority to William Godsalve of Casterton, gent., to search houses, outhouses and other suspected places of persons within the Barony not qualified by law to keep or use such, for nets or other "ingines" or instruments made or used for the destruction of fish and to seize the same and bring the offenders before the Justices. K. Order Book, 1696–1724.

1720 7 October. Presentment that the highway at the east end of K. Lonsdale bridge, 300 feet in length, is in great decay. K. Indictment Book, 1692–1724.

1773 19 April. Petition of the surveyor of highways within the township of Casterton setting forth that the highways are greatly out of repair and that the 6 days labour is insufficient to effectually repair the same; ordered that an assessment of 6d. in the pound be levied upon the several inhabitants owners and occupiers, and that in case of refusal or non payment within 10 days after demand, by distress and sale of goods, etc. K. Order Book, 1770–80.

1793 The last Roger Wilson of Casterton, Recorder of Kendal from 1757 to 1766, died unmarried at Gray's Inn in 1769, leaving two sisters and coheirs, viz: Anne the wife of the Rev. Marwood Place, vicar of K. Lonsdale, and Elizabeth who married in 1763 William Carus of K. Lonsdale. William Wilson Carus the son of the latter marriage, born in 1764, in accordance with the will of his late maternal aunt Anne Place, assumed the additional surname and arms of Wilson by the Royal Licence of George III, dated 1 March, 1793, and by warrant from Garter and Norroy, dated the 4th day of the same month. Memoirs of Carus-Wilson family.

1798 12 January. William Wilson Carus Wilson of Casterton, esq., produced certificates of having received the Sacrament and took the oaths of allegiance as Justice of the Peace. K. Order and Indictment Book, 1786–98.

1808 29 April. Part of the highway in Casterton called Latham or Latholme Lane, beginning from the N. side of the turnpike road from K. Lonsdale to Ingleton, where the said highway crosses the said turnpike road, and ending at the turnpike road from K. Lonsdale to Sedbergh, in length 1298 yards and in breadth 8 yards, in great decay, and ought to be repaired by the township of Casterton. K. Order and Indictment Book, 1798–1811.

1809 14 April. Part of the highway leading from K. Lonsdale to Dent, beginning from the N.E. side of the turnpike road from Sedbergh to K. Lonsdale, and ending at a water course which crosses the said highway there called Pells Sike, in length 1442 yards and in breadth 8 yards is in great decay and ought to be repaired by Casterton township. Ibid.

1812 The Act for inclosing the Commons in Casterton, comprising some 2500 acres, was passed in 52 George III, c. 98.

1820 Rev. William Carus-Wilson founded at Casterton in 1820 the school for servants and teachers, and three years later this was followed by the establishment at Cowan Bridge of the Clergy Daughter's School, where the daughters of the poorer clergy were educated at a very low cost. This school was removed to Casterton in 1833. Memoirs of Carus-Wilson family.

1833 5 October. The Bishop of Chester consecrated Casterton Church. It was enlarged by the addition of a chancel and reopened by the Bishop of Carlisle on 10 December, 1865. Restored in 1891.