DALBY with SKEWSBY
Dawby (xvii cent.); Scoxeby (xi cent.); Scousebi
(xiv cent.).
Dalby with Skewsby is a small parish with two
hamlets. It covers a little more than 1,000 acres of
ground on the lower slopes of the Howardian Hills,
east of Brandsby with Stearsby. In the northern half
of the parish the ground is well wooded; it slopes
down to open pasture and arable land in the south.
The soil is sand and clay on a subsoil of Middle Lias,
Upper Lias, and Inferior Oolite, and about 480 acres
are under cultivation. (fn. 1) The chief crops raised are
corn and turnips.
The whole parish lies in the loop formed by two
little streams which meet in its south-east corner.
One rises in Brandsby, the other in the wood in the
north of Dalby parish called Dalby Bush. The first
was described by Dodsworth in the 17th century:
'A spring begineth in Brandsby Conywarrand, runneth
to Steresby, by Skewsby, by Dalby church to
Northinges, then by Tyverington grounds, and so
between Moulthorp and Stitnam.' (fn. 2) It thus forms
the western and southern boundary of Dalby with
Skewsby parish, describing a large curve and then
running north to Ings Farm. Here it is joined by
Dalby Bush Beck, which forms the boundary on the
north and east. The two become a stream which
flows south-east under the name of Ings Beck.
The high road from Gilling to Terrington enters
the parish in the north-west and runs south-east and
then east down to the village under the name of
High Lane. It becomes 'the Avenue' as it passes
the rectory, the old church of St. Peter, and the Hall
standing together on the summit of a 'bank' 350 ft.
high. The road then leaves the village, which consists of these buildings only, and runs eastward down
a steep hill to the ford across Dalby Bush Beck and so
into Terrington parish.
About half a mile to the west of the village a lane
branches off from the road and runs down to the
hamlet of Skewsby, which consists of a few cottages
and a house called Manor House Farm. Another
lane leaves this one at a point half-way to Skewsby,
and runs eastward in a direction nearly parallel to
High Lane, but on much lower ground, to St. Peter's
Church.
In the south of the parish in the loop of the stream
are Witherholme Hall and the hamlet of Witherholme.
Manors
A 'manor' with 3 carucates at DALBY
was held before the Conquest by
Gamel. (fn. 3) It was given by William the
Conqueror to Berengar de Toni, (fn. 4) who in 1086
had already granted it to the Abbot and convent of
St. Mary's at York. (fn. 5)
In 1131 Geoffrey, Abbot of St. Mary, with the
convent, granted to Hugh de Flamvill to hold of
them the vill of St. Mary called Dalby, at an annual
rent of 25s. (fn. 6) There was a dispute pending at this
date between Hugh and the abbot with regard to 'a
part of the land between Scoreby (fn. 7) and Dalby,' and
the abbot declared that Hugh 'ought to prove his
claim on oath with his twelve men swearing with
him.' (fn. 8)
St. Mary's Abbey, York. Argent a cross gules charged with a bezant.
In the middle of the next century Ellis de Flamvill
gave to Simon, Abbot of St. Mary, all his tenement in
the town of Dalby with the
dowry of his mother, (fn. 9) and
Imania widow of Alan de
Flamvill gave up to the Abbot
of St. Mary all her right in
the wood of Dalby called
Dalby Bush, which she held
as her dower. (fn. 10)
The Abbots of St. Mary
continued to hold the manor
till the dissolution of the
monastery in 1540. (fn. 11) In 1301
Alan de Harton was their
chief tenant. (fn. 12) Richard III
himself, as lord of the duchy
of Lancaster, held in farm of
the abbot certain lands in the lordship of Dalby, (fn. 13)
and in 1524 Geoffrey Procter left to his son Robert
all his right and interest in the farmhold of Dalby,
which they had of the grant of the Abbot and convent
of St. Mary's Abbey in York. (fn. 14)
At the Dissolution a family named Whalley were
holding the manor as tenants of the abbot. (fn. 15) They
retained it till the reign of Elizabeth, (fn. 16) presumably
leasing it from the grantee of the Crown. This was
William Lord Eure, who received Dalby 'for his
services' in 1545. (fn. 17) The manor then followed the
descent (fn. 18) of New Malton (fn. 19) (q.v.) until it came in 1617
into the possession of William fourth Lord Eure, (fn. 20)
who sold several of his father's estates to pay his
debts. (fn. 21) Dalby was transferred in 1618 to Robert
Naunton, chief secretary of state, (fn. 22) who in the next
year conveyed it to George Nandyke of Scackleton,
Jordan Metham of Wigganthorpe, and Richard Darley
of Buttercrambe. (fn. 23) Thomas Nandyke was holding
land here in 1629, (fn. 24) but in 1638 the manor was in
the possession of Sir Arthur Ingram. (fn. 25) It came
shortly afterwards with Huntington (q.v.) into the
hands of his son Sir Thomas. (fn. 26) After this no information is forthcoming as to its history till 1798, when
Thomas Lumley, clerk, whose family had been for
some time presenting to the church, was lord of the
manor. (fn. 27) It next appears in 1856 in the possession
of Mr. William Ewbank. Before 1890 it was acquired
by William Garforth, (fn. 28) with whose other estates it
passed to the Hon. William Henry WentworthFitzwilliam, the present lord.
Before the Norman Conquest SKEWSBY was in the
hands of Godred, who had two 'manors' there of
8 geld carucates. In 1086 they were in the hands of
Robert of Mortain and were waste. (fn. 29)
These manors must have been granted later to the
Mowbray family, for the overlordship of both followed the descent of the Mowbrays' manor of
Thirsk. (fn. 30)
One of the manors was held at the beginning of
the 14th century by John de Thornton (fn. 31) for a
quarter of a knight's fee. It must have been granted
by him or his heirs (fn. 32) to the de la Rivers of Brandsby. (fn. 33)
In 1529 Thomas de la River held the manor, which
was settled on his wife Katherine. (fn. 34) It descended
with Brandsby and Stearsby Manors to his son and
heir Thomas de la River. (fn. 35) In 1557 this Thomas
settled Skewsby on his illegitimate daughters Thomasina and Elizabeth, with remainder to the issue of
Thomasina, and failing such to Roger and Jane
Cholmeley, the heirs of Brandsby. (fn. 36) Thomasina
married Richard Cholmeley and had a son Richard,
who was her heir. (fn. 37) He quitclaimed the manor in
1611 to John and Margery Cholmeley. (fn. 38) It seems
next to have passed to Christopher Ayscough, who
charged it in his will of 1626 with annuities for his
younger grandsons. (fn. 39) The manor of Skewsby was
sequestered in the middle of the 17th century for the
delinquency of Christopher's son Alan, whose son
Robert compounded for the estate in 1653 as heir of
his father and his brother James. (fn. 40) Alan lived, however, till 1672, (fn. 41) and with his sons made a settlement
in 1659 (fn. 42) by which John Ayscough, son and heir of
Robert, seems to have released his right in Skewsby
in return for a sum of money. (fn. 43) Francis Ayscough,
third son of Alan, was described as 'of Skewsby-cumDalby' when he was presented for recusancy in
1690. (fn. 44) Thomas, the fourth son, had a son Alan,
who was in possession in 1708 (fn. 45) and possibly sold the
manor to the 'Mr. Cracroft' who held it nine years
later. (fn. 46) John Cracroft and Cecilia his wife conveyed Skewsby in 1718 to John Dyneley, Richard
Pyke and others. (fn. 47) No more is heard of the manor,
and it was probably absorbed by purchase into the
other manor of Skewsby. Both were owned in the
19th century by the lords of the manor of Whenby.
In the reign of Henry III Simon de Stonegrave
was holding tenements in Skewsby. (fn. 48) By the
marriage of Isabel daughter of John de Stonegrave with
Simon de Pateshull they came in 1295 to the latter (fn. 49)
and were in the possession of his family during the
reign of Edward III. (fn. 50) They were held of Matthew
de Louvayn (fn. 51) and included a water-mill worth 20s. (fn. 52) ;
they are described in the 14th century as the 'manor
of Skewsby.' (fn. 53) In 1354 they were settled on John
Perth and Ellen his wife. (fn. 54)
The water-mill appears later as an appurtenance of
the manor held by the Cholmeleys and Ayscoughs till
the middle of the 17th century. (fn. 55)
The other manor of Skewsby followed continuously
the descent of the manor of Whenby (q.v.). It is
not mentioned in Kirkby's Inquest, but in 1301–2
Robert Haget, the lord of the manor of Whenby,
was also a tenant in Skewsby. (fn. 56) The manor came
later with Whenby into the hands of John Moryn, (fn. 57)
from whom it passed by descent to James Radclyffe
Earl of Derwentwater, attainted and beheaded for
high treason in 1716. (fn. 58) The commissioners for forfeited estates sold Skewsby with Whenby to William
Garforth in 1722. (fn. 59) The manor is now owned by
the Hon. William Henry Wentworth-Fitzwilliam.
Plan of Dalby Church
Church
The church of ST. PETER consists
of a chancel 21½ ft. by 12 ft., nave
30½ ft. by 18½ ft. and south porch. The
early 12th-century church consisted of a nave and
chancel, much on the present lines, and of these the
east, west and south nave walls remain standing. In
the 15th century the north nave wall was rebuilt,
the western buttresses were added and the west
window inserted. During the same century the
chancel was entirely rebuilt, the east window being
an insertion of the 16th century. The modern
work includes the south porch and two windows in
the south nave wall.
The chancel is a unique structure in this part of
the country. It is apparently entirely of 15thcentury date with side walls some 4 ft. thick supporting a plain pointed barrel vault curved up without
a break from the wall faces. The masonry is finely
jointed, the stones in the side walls being of unusual
massiveness (one on the south is some 8 ft. long), the
blocks decreasing regularly in size till the crown of
the vault is reached. Externally the walls are
finished with an embattled parapet and supported by
heavy buttresses, two on each side and two diagonal
ones at the eastern angles. The east window, of three
lights, is square-headed and from the mouldings is a
mid-16th-century insertion. On the south side is a
carved shield bearing two keys in saltire, and corresponding to it on the other side is a second with
the instruments of the Passion. Some distance
above the window is a horizontal drip-stone and
under it is a third shield, much defaced, but apparently fretty. In the south chancel wall are two plain
square-headed single-light windows. The chancel
arch with the adjoining wall is of early 12th-century
date. It is a plain round arch, of 5¾ ft. span, with
chamfered imposts and plinths, the latter of differing
levels on either side.
The south wall of the nave is also of early 12thcentury date, pierced by two modern windows of two
lights each. The south door is original, with a round
arch and chamfered imposts. To the north of the
chancel arch, in the east wall, is a pointed niche.
The north wall is mainly 15th-century work with
a blocked door of that date towards the western end.
Fifteenth-century diagonal buttresses support the early
west wall, in the centre of which is a two-light 15thcentury window. The nave roof retains its original
oak tie-beams.
The font has a massive bowl, almost hemispherical
in form and without ornament, standing on a modern
base. On the south nave wall is a curious mural
tablet, with Corinthian side shafts and cleft pediment,
inscribed '1675 Alans Ascough Aa uxor
obiit uterque mense Jañ 1672 año conjugii 63 aetat
vero 85 quoru. anb' ppitietur Deus.' Above is a
shield of Ayscough of Skewsby impaling Gules a
cheveron sable with three crosses crosslet fitchée or
thereon for Brathwayt of Burneshead with a crescent
or for difference. (fn. 60)
On the west gable is a restored bellcote containing
two bells, the larger inscribed 'Gloria in altissimis
Deo 1694' and the smaller (of mediaeval date)
'Campana Sancti Petri.'
The plate consists of a paten of 1694 (London),
inscribed 'F.L.,' a cup inscribed 'R.B. and A.O.,
1720,' probably the date of its repair, the cup being
much earlier, and a jug-shaped flagon, the gift of
Mrs. Ann Leybourne, 1821.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) mixed
entries 1656 to 1812; (ii) marriages 1755 to 1812.
Advowson
The right of presentation to the
church of Dalby was held of the
Abbot of St. Mary of York during
the 12th and 13th centuries by the Flamvill family.
In 1232 there was a dispute between the abbot and
Maud de Flamvill, both claiming the right of patronage as guardians of the lands and heir of Alan de
Flamvill. The nominee of the abbot was finally
installed by the Archbishop of York with the consent
of both parties. (fn. 61)
The advowson was quitclaimed back to the abbot
along with the manor by Ellis de Flamvill, (fn. 62) and the
abbots continued to present till the Dissolution in
1540, (fn. 63) when the right reverted to the Crown. (fn. 64) It was
probably leased to various persons. In 1631, 1633 and
1640 Richard Darley (fn. 65) presented for one turn. (fn. 66) In
1686 and 1692 (fn. 67) Thomas Lumley presented, and
members of the Lumley family continued to exercise
the patronage of the rectory till the beginning of the
19th century. (fn. 68) In 1831 Mrs. Leybourne presented (fn. 69) ; she was probably one of the daughters
of the Rev. B. Lumley who are mentioned as patrons
in 1842. (fn. 70) In 1849 William Gray, junior, was the
patron, (fn. 71) and in 1857 Mr. John Stephen Hall, who
was the rector. The living was in the gift of Matthew
Barrow Hall in 1879, of John Walker in 1890 and
1905; at the present day the advowson is in the
hands of the executors of the latter. (fn. 72)
Charities
William Spink, by will dated
19 February 1686, bequeathed (inter
alia) out of his estates in Ripon £3 a
year to the poor of Dalby and Skewsby for ever, and
a further sum of £1 yearly to the minister of the church
of Dalby. By a deed of covenant, dated 19 February
1686, the annuity for the minister was specifically
charged upon a close called Turnstile, £2 upon a close
called Little Bridge Ing and £1 upon a close called
Cowgate Hill. The annuities are regularly paid.
Bolton's Charity.—There is an ancient annual
rent-charge of 10s. made to the poor out of a small
farm in the parish, part of the Wigganthorpe estate.
A sum of £10 a year is also paid out of the same
estate in respect of a legacy bequeathed by the will
of Ann Leybourne (1827) and distributed in coals
among the poor of the respective townships.
Sarah Kirk Langdon, by her will proved 1826,
bequeathed £333 6s. 8d. consols, the dividends to
be applied in the distribution of flour to the poor.
The dividends, amounting to £8 6s. 8d., are applied
in accordance with the trusts.