LOFTUS
Loctushum, Locteshusum (xi cent.); Lofthusum
(xii cent.); Lofthus (xii-xv cent.); Loftous, Loftos
(xiii cent.); Lofthouse (xiii–xix cent.).
The parish contains the market town of Loftus,
and to the south the isolated farms of High and
Low Wapley, (fn. 1) with Gallihowe, Deepdale and Street
Houses to the north. Its area is 3,744 acres, of
which 137 acres are foreshore, 6 acres are covered by
inland waters, (fn. 2) 885 acres are arable land, 1,741
acres permanent grass and 457 acres woods and
plantations. (fn. 3)
The whole township is called Loftus, but, as in
1308–9, it is divided by a stream into North Loftus
and South Loftus. (fn. 4)
Between 1615 and 1633 all the arable, meadow
and pasture land in the common fields and 'ings' of
North Loftus was partitioned among the farmers who
had purchased the manor. (fn. 5) The land of the old
inclosures in the south of the parish is said to be of
superior quality; here there is a considerable amount
of ancient woodland, and in 1791 Thomas Richardson of Handale Abbey was rewarded by the Society
of Arts for having planted 40 acres of land with mixed
timber (fn. 6) which still flourishes. The subsoil is inferior
oolite, lower, middle and upper lias, the soil strong
clay. Hard white sandstone is obtained for building
purposes (fn. 7) ; alum rock was mentioned in a letter to Sir
Thomas Chaloner in 1603–7, (fn. 8) and alum works had
been started shortly before 1657–8 when the mine
was let on a lease by the lord of the manor, (fn. 9) who
leased it to the Crown for £400 yearly in 1665 (fn. 10) and
refused to abate the rent to £300 per annum, despite
the threats of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper. (fn. 11) The
workings were temporarily suspended in 1673, and as
a consequence the pier and staithes built for the workmen were then being destroyed by the sea. (fn. 12) Appurtenant to the manor of North Loftus in 1717 were
the alum houses, mines and rocks, all other mines,
wreckscarrs, pits, pans, cisterns, coal-garths, havens
and staithes. (fn. 13) A decrease of 140 in the population
in 1831 was ascribed to the depreciated state of the
alum works and consequent emigration to America. (fn. 14)
The population is said to have more than doubled in
1861–71 owing to the commencement of the iron
industry. (fn. 15) The ironstone was at first sent to Middlesbrough for smelting, but the Skinningrove Iron
Foundry is now established here. In 1874 the
royalty of the North Loftus mines belonged to
Mr. Anthony Lax Maynard of Skinningrove, that of
the South Loftus Mines to the Earl of Zetland. (fn. 16)
There are at Loftus timber-yards and saw-mills.
The Yorkshire coast-line recedes due west in this
parish, forming the great Hummersea Cliff, which
varies from 300 ft. to 625 ft. in height. At its highest
point is Gallihowe. Middle Gill rises by High
Wapley in the south at a height of 650 ft. and flows
north by the site of the Cistercian priory of Handale
or Grendale. (fn. 17) There are now no remains, but in
1808 the west end of the chapel was to be seen;
skeletons were found here in about 1830. (fn. 18) A
cotton manufactory had been established on the site a
few years before that date, but owing to the decreased
demand during the European war the works were at
a standstill, (fn. 19) and by 1846 they were demolished. (fn. 20)
After leaving the priory the stream flows north
through Wapley, Handale and Loftus Woods, passing
Holywell Farm and Cottage, and joining Liverton
Mill Beck west of Loftus Mill. A tributary rises by
Far and Near Foulsyke in the east of the parish,
divides the village of Loftus into two parts and turns
Loftus Mill (fn. 21) before uniting with the chief beck, which
then, as Kilton Beck, descends in a small well-wooded
valley to the sea between Loftus and Skinningrove.
Loftus, 1½ miles inland on the Whitby and Saltburn
road, has a station on the Whitby and Saltburn line
of the North Eastern railway. The urban district
formed under the Local Government Act of 1894 (fn. 22)
comprises the parishes of Loftus, Liverton and Skinningrove. A pretty town, in spite of its mining
industry, it has grown up round its old High Street,
in the centre of which are the Town Hall and church
of St. Leonard. Trees everywhere abound. It was
stated in 1808 that a weekly market had been started
recently and was a convenience to the alum workers (fn. 23) ;
the present market for pigs, meat and vegetables, held
on Saturday, belongs to the Marquess of Zetland, who
claims under an ancient charter; it is rented by the
Loftus Urban District Council. (fn. 24) A yearly wool fair
is held in June.
A public elementary school has been built by the
Marquess of Zetland, and a Roman Catholic school
was opened in 1906. There is a Roman Catholic
church dedicated to the honour of SS. Joseph and
Cuthbert; there are also Congregational, Wesleyan
and Primitive Methodist chapels.
The capital messuage at Loftus was given by
Thomas Humet to Guisborough Priory in the 13th
century, (fn. 25) and from the 17th (fn. 26) to the 19th century
the lords of the manor lived here. Sir Robert
Dundas, who greatly improved the town, built Loftus
Hall. (fn. 27)
The rectory-house was built in 1844 and is in the
Italian style.
A cist and skeleton were found in a tumulus on
Wapley Moor (fn. 28) ; Cockpit Hill, for many years
planted with trees, has been supposed to contain
sepulchral remains. (fn. 29)
Rosecroft, now a farm, is mentioned in the 12th
century, (fn. 30) and may have some connexion with the
11th-century place Roscheltorp. (fn. 31) Other old names
in the parish are Boythorp, Brakynwath, Selandes,
Midilheveth, Fulfredale, Warthouflates, Wartesecteflates, Crudescroft, Croseflat, Blakestayndale, Grundlous, Grenhals super Raclyfes, Westmyewra, Blaberimorgate, Hellerdaleheved, Swarthouflat, Turf pits,
Langbrotes (fn. 32) (xiii cent.); Tibthorpe (fn. 33) (xvi cent.);
Alamclose, Lathefield, Scawes, Castle Cliff, (fn. 34) and a close
called Scotgate (fn. 35) (xvii cent.); Radcliffe Close, Marrs,
Micklehow and Longtailles closes (fn. 36) (xviii cent.).
Manors
There were two vills of LOFTUS (fn. 37)
in 1086, each composed of 4 carucates of
land. Before the Conquest Siward Earl
of Northumberland held 4 carucates here as a 'manor,'
then worth £48, but in 1086 waste. To the manor
belonged the soke of 'Roscheltorp,' Hinderwell,
Boulby, (fn. 38) Easington, Liverton, Guisborough, Rockcliff, Upleatham, Marske, West Leatham, (fn. 39) Lazingby
and Lackerby, (fn. 40) in all 46½ carucates at geld, and all,
with the exception of Easington, laid waste. (fn. 41) Before
1074 all these lands had been granted to Hugh Earl
of Chester, (fn. 42) and a fine was still paid from Loftus for
ward at Chester Castle at the close of the 13th
century, (fn. 43) although Earl Hugh's lands had long before
passed to the Percys who were afterwards overlords. (fn. 44)
From the first Peter de Brus (fn. 45) a mesne lordship
descended (fn. 46) to the Fauconbergs of Skelton (fn. 47) and from
them to the subsequent lords of Skelton. (fn. 48)
An under-tenant Richard Barde was said in the
13th century to have been the first lord (of both
North and South Loftus) after the Conquest. (fn. 49) With
the consent of Roger his brother and heir he subenfeoffed Guisborough Priory of the services of Robert
de Butterwick for 3 carucates of land here, (fn. 50) but died
leaving a son and heir Geoffrey, (fn. 51) perhaps the Geoffrey
to whom Loftus belonged in 1179–80. (fn. 52) Geoffrey was
succeeded by his kinsman and heir (fn. 53) William de
Sauchay, (fn. 54) who in 1201 farmed Loftus to William de
Stutevill (fn. 55) and crossed the seas. Taking part with the
king's enemies, he lost his English lands, and in 1205 the
mesne lord Peter de Brus paid a fine for having seisin
of Loftus. (fn. 56) The Brus lords retained the manor and
part of the vill in their own hands (fn. 57) until the third
Peter de Brus apparently subenfeoffed his uncle Simon
de Brus, to whom he at all events granted lands, the
mill, and suit of the mill. (fn. 58) Afterwards Peter, who
died in 1272, (fn. 59) left these tenements to Guisborough
Priory to find a chaplain to pray for his soul and
those of his ancestors and heirs. (fn. 60) The manor and
mill subsequently belonged to Guisborough Priory
until the dissolution of that house. (fn. 61)
The mill was appurtenant to the manor in the time
of William de Sauchay, (fn. 62) but both before and after
was in the hands of under-tenants. It is said to have
been held in the time of Henry II with 3 carucates
of land here by one Tybaud who left daughters and
co-heirs Emma and Maud. (fn. 63) In 1230–1 Roger de
Butterwick, descendant of Emma, and Roger son of
Peter, (fn. 64) descendant of Maud, disputed as to these tenements. (fn. 65) Then came an Alexander de Butterwick
who left daughters and heirs, Maud, married to Peter
son of Humphrey de Lazingby, and Cecily married to
Thomas de St. Martin, who granted in fee to Peter
de Lazingby 6s. 5d. rent from the mill. (fn. 66) In 1278
Peter son of Humphrey granted the capital messuage,
close and mill beside the capital messuage to Guisborough Priory, (fn. 67) and Cecily and her son William
quitclaimed all her right. (fn. 68) The pound of John son
of Robert de Lazingby at South Loftus is mentioned
in 1305. (fn. 69) According to a pleading of 1465 'the
manor of South Loftus' was granted in 1327 by
William de Embleton (Elmedon) to Richard de
Thornton and Denise his wife and their issue, with
remainder failing such issue to William son of Roger
Terry in tail-male with contingent reversion to the heirs
of William. (fn. 70) On the failure of heirs to the Thorntons
and Terrys the manor was claimed by Thomas
de Embleton as great-grandson of the grantor. (fn. 71) No
further history of this holding has been found.
The Humets perhaps held under these families.
The first Peter de Brus is said to have granted part
of the vill to 'the ancestors of William Humet and
other tenants,' (fn. 72) who held 4 carucates here in 1272. (fn. 73)
Before this, however, Thomas son of Eudo de Humet
had granted to Guisborough Priory the chief dwellinghouse and mill beside the garden with its suit and
pool. (fn. 74) The Humets still held tenements in South
Loftus in 1428. (fn. 75)
The Crown seems to have retained the manor after
the surrender of the priory until 1602 when the mill,
the close called Tibthorpe, various messuages and 32
oxgangs of land, lately belonging to Guisborough
Priory, were granted to Richard Burrell of London
and William Allen. (fn. 76) These tenements were afterwards known as the manor of NORTH LOFTUS, (fn. 77)
South Loftus becoming attached to Handale. Richard
Burrell sold the manor in 1615 to William Duck, (fn. 78)
one of three trustees appointed for the purpose by
the farmers of North Loftus, to whom the trustees
conveyed each his own land in severalty, Philip
Wheath, clerk, acquiring the manor. (fn. 79) Philip died
about 1633 and his son Philip (fn. 80) in 1651 conveyed
the manor to Zachary Steward, (fn. 81) D.D., brother
and heir of John Steward of this place, (fn. 82) in fee. (fn. 83)
Zachary by 1655–6 had been succeeded by his son
Zachary (fn. 84) (living 1666), whose daughter and heir
Mary (fn. 85) must have married Thomas Moore, for in
1694 and 1695 Thomas Moore, Mary his wife and
Zachary Steward Moore made settlements of the
manor with a warranty against the heirs of Mary. (fn. 86)
The manor, as the possession of Zachary Steward
Moore, brother of Thomas Moore of Angram
Grange, (fn. 87) was registered among 'Papists'' estates in
1717. (fn. 88) A gamekeeper was appointed for the 'manor
of North and South Loftus' in 1738 by Zachary
Harmage Moore (fn. 89) 'of squandering memory.' (fn. 90) He
sold Loftus to Sir Robert Dundas, (fn. 91) ancestor of the
present owner the Marquess of Zetland. (fn. 92)
Beckwith of Handale. Argent a cheveron gules fretty or between three hinds' heads razed gules and a chief gules with a saltire engrailed between two roses and as many demi fleurs de lis all or.
The priory of Cistercian nuns at HANDALE
(alias Grendale, xii-xiv cent.; Grindale, xvi-xviii
cent.; Handle, xviii cent.) is said to have been
founded in 1133 (fn. 93) by William
son of Richard de Percy of
Dunsley, (fn. 94) younger son of the
Domesday tenant in chief. At
the Dissolution the site and
appurtenances were valued at
40s. (fn. 95) The manor was leased
in 1540 to Ralph Beckwith,
goldsmith, of York, (fn. 96) and the
reversion of the site and the
mill beside the nunnery were
sold by the Crown in 1543
to Ambrose Beckwith, (fn. 97) whose
family established themselves
here. Ambrose died seised of
'the manor or capital messuage' in or before 1575 leaving
a son and heir Leonard, (fn. 98) who
died in 1624, and was succeeded by Newark son of his brother Roger. (fn. 99) Newark
died in 1656. His son and heir Leonard (fn. 100) made a
settlement of the manor and mill as the manor of
'South Loftus' early in 1660–1. (fn. 101) Leonard's sons Roger
and William (fn. 102) died childless, but Roger son of his
son Newark was living at Handale Abbey in 1741, (fn. 103)
and appointed a gamekeeper for his 'manors' of
Handale Abbey and Wapley in 1748. (fn. 104) Roger, who
apparently died childless (fn. 105) in 1758, (fn. 106) sold it to a Mr.
Sanderson of Staithes; his daughter and heir married
Thomas Richardson, from whom the priory was purchased by Thomas Stephenson, owner in 1808. (fn. 107) The
manor was conveyed by John Buckton and Ann his
wife in 1819 to Thomas Jackson, (fn. 108) and in 1846 was
the property of John Bell. (fn. 109) It has since followed the
descent of Thirsk (q.v.).
The vill of WAPLEY (Walplo, Walepol, Wapelhou,
Walplwe, xiii cent.; Walplowe, xiii–xvi cent.;
Wapley, Whaplowe, xvi cent.; Wayplay, xvii cent.;
Waupley, Woapley, xvii cent.) passed with Loftus
from William de Sauchay to the first Peter de Brus,
who gave it to the nuns of Handale. (fn. 110) After the
Dissolution in March 1544–5 the manor was granted
to the Archbishop of York (fn. 111) and has since descended
with the manor of Marske (fn. 112) (q.v.).
Church
The church of ST. LEONARD was
rebuilt in 1811, the former building
being described by Graves about 1808
as a 'mean and humble edifice' in a neglected condition. (fn. 113) Ord in 1846 describes the church as a
'plain but capacious edifice, built chiefly by Bonomi, on
whose architectural genius it confers no great lustre.' (fn. 114)
With the exception of the west tower, which remains
as erected in 1811, the church was almost wholly
rebuilt again in 1901, some portions only of the old
west and south walls remaining, and now consists of
a chancel 33 ft. 6 in. by 24 ft., north vestry and
organ chamber, nave 60 ft. by 24 ft., north aisle
10 ft. wide, and west tower 9 ft. square, all these
measurements being internal. There is no structural
division between the chancel and nave, both being
under one continuous red-tiled eaved roof. The
new building is in the Gothic style with a large
pointed window of five lights and perpendicular
tracery at the east end, and an arcade of four pointed
arches to the aisle. There is a clearstory on the north
side and the aisle has a flat-pitched leaded roof. The
building is of no architectural interest. The tower
finishes with an embattled parapet and has a clock
dial on the north and west sides towards the town.
The font and fittings are all modern, and the organ
dates from 1902. There are two bells, one dated
1811, and the other a modern recasting of an old
bell with the inscription in Gothic letters 'Ave Maria
gratia.'
The plate consists of a silver cup without marks and
quite plain in design, and a paten with four marks
very much worn (the date letter is possibly that for
1713), inscribed 'The Gift of the Revd. H. S. Hildyard M.A. Rector of the Parish, Lofthouse, A.D. 1859.'
There is also a pewter flagon and plate. (fn. 115)
The registers begin in 1697.
Advowson
There was a church without a
priest (fn. 116) in 1086. (fn. 117) William de
Sauchay gave the church to Guisborough Priory, (fn. 118) and since the Dissolution the
advowson has been retained by the Crown. (fn. 119) The
living is a rectory.
Charities
In 1735 Thomas Woodill by his
will devised land in Ugthorpe, containing 5 acres or thereabouts, for the
poor of this parish and Ugthorpe. The sum of £2,
being a moiety of the rent, is distributed, together
with a rent-charge of 12s. paid in respect of Ralph
Robinson's charity, among the poor, in sums of 2s.
to each recipient. In 1864 Thomas Earl of Zetland
gave £1,666 13s. 4d. consols, the dividends to be
applied for the day and Sunday schools.
The Wesleyan chapel and burial ground were
conveyed by deeds of 1814 and 1841, and a school
building was acquired by deed in 1836.
The chapel known as the Ebenezer Chapel,
comprised in deeds of 7 June and 19 October 1828,
was by an order of the Charity Commissioners of
23 July 1907 authorized to be sold, and the proceeds
applied towards defraying the cost of the Congregational chapel now erected upon a site in West Road,
which has been conveyed upon trusts approved by
the Charity Commissioners.