SKELTON
Sceltun, Scheltun (xi cent.); Scelton (xii cent.);
Sceltona, Scheltona, Skeltona (xiii cent.); Skolton
(xiv cent.).
The ancient parish of Skelton, including the townships of Great Moorsholm and Stanghow, covers
11,803 acres, of which 2,219 acres are arable land,
4,657 acres permanent grass and 578 acres woods
and plantations. (fn. 1) The soil is clay, with a subsoil of
Kimmeridge clay, and the chief crops grown are
wheat, beans, oats and barley. In the north the
parish forms a kind of peninsula between the Skelton
and Millholme Becks, which have very steep banks,
whence the land slopes downwards, rising again
towards the centre and also towards the south of the
parish, where there are wide stretches of moorland.
The greatest height is about 975 ft. above ordnance
datum. Skelton village itself is situated on the
northern slope.
The whole parish is given up to iron-stone mining,
to which the neighbourhood owes its importance, the
opening of various mines having caused a large increase
in the population since 1871. The mining villages
of Boosbeck and North Skelton, to the south and southeast of Skelton village, have stations on the North
Eastern railway; Lingdale, further south, is connected
by a special line with the Kilton Thorpe branch
railway, and Charlton Terrace or Slapewath (Slaipwath) has a tramway running from the mines to the
North Eastern railway line which passes it to the
north. Rights of mines and quarries are mentioned
in 1366 (fn. 2) and 1632. (fn. 3)
The castle is situated on high ground near the
Skelton Beck in the north of the parish, and is surrounded by park lands and woods and on three sides
by a moat. (fn. 4) The old castle was probably built by one
of the Brus family and was the dwelling-place successively of the Bruses, Fauconbergs, Conyers, Trotters,
Stevensons and Whartons. It seems to have been
used as a fortress and for keeping prisoners in the reign
of King John, (fn. 5) and in 1265 it was surrendered to
Henry III by Peter de Brus, who was suspected of
adherence to Prince Edward. (fn. 6) In 1349 it is described
as expensive to maintain (fn. 7) and in 1490 as ruinous and
of no value. (fn. 8) Here in the 18th century lived John
Hall Stevenson (1718–85), the author of Crazy Tales
and a friend of Sterne, (fn. 9) who was a frequent visitor
at the castle.
According to Ord (fn. 10) the demolition of the castle of
the Bruses began in 1788, when practically the whole
of the site was cleared and the hill on which the keep
seems to have stood was destroyed. Some terraces
which overhung the moat were also removed. Of
the old building no trustworthy account has been
preserved. Ord says it had a 'magnificent tower,'
and it is described in the Cotton MSS. as 'an ancient
castle all rent and torn, it seemed rather by the wit
and violence of man than by the envy of time.' (fn. 11)
It was its ruinous condition in John Hall Stevenson's
time that earned it the title of 'Crazy Castle.' The
new building, a large castellated mansion in the Gothic
style of the day, was erected about 1794, (fn. 12) but has
since been modernized; it is now the residence of
Mr. William Henry Anthony Wharton. Internal
alterations were made in 1892 and in 1908. Near
the castle is the old church of All Saints, which
stands in a low well-wooded situation at the northwest end of the village, while the rectory is close at
hand. North of the castle is a mill on the Skelton
Beck, probably representing the site of one of the
mills appurtenant to the manor in 1272, (fn. 13) and to
the east is a fish-pond also mentioned at that date. (fn. 14)
Skelton Castle: Principal Front
The older part of the village is that nearest the
castle. Boroughgate Lane approaches the western
end from the south. The newer village stretches
towards the east and is straggling and uneven; in the
north-east on high ground is the new church of All
Saints. There are Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist
chapels about the centre of the village, and in the
south is the hospital, with Skelton High Green to
the west, and to the east Skelton Green, where there
is a public elementary school built in 1887 and enlarged in 1892 and 1900. New Skelton lies to the
east of Skelton and has a school. Further east is
North Skelton, where there is a church mission-room,
Primitive Methodist chapel and a Friends' burial
ground. Boosbeck lies due south of Skelton village;
it was constituted an ecclesiastical parish in 1901
with its church of St. Aidan. There are Primitive
Methodist chapels and a public elementary school
which was built in 1881 and enlarged in 1894.
Between Boosbeck and North Skelton is Groundhill or Groundwell Heads, mentioned in the 18th
century. (fn. 15) To the south-east is a house called
Glaphowe, and north of this is Glaphowe Whin,
where half a carucate was in 1272 held of Peter de
Brus by Michael de Galaphow. (fn. 16) South of Glaphowe
in the mining village of Lingdale is a church mission
room built in 1908 and a school built in 1876;
there are also Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist
chapels, and a Congregational chapel built in 1880.
Most of the south-western part of the parish was
park, which is first mentioned in 1272, (fn. 17) and occurs
as a 'park of oaks with game, called le Wespark' in
1349. (fn. 18) This district is now divided into the High and
Low Park; near the latter and close to the Skelton
Ellers Beck, where Kill Gill makes a furrow in the
hill-side, is a house called How la Hay, which seems
to show the site of an inclosure or Haia kept in his
own hands by Robert de Brus when granting lands
here to Guisborough, (fn. 19) and to which frequent references
occur. (fn. 20) Margrove Park, which as 'Maugrey park
with deer' occurs in 1349 (fn. 21) and 1361, (fn. 22) lies further
east; and beyond it are Busky Dale and Skelton
Warren Woods, which are probably the remains of
the 'chase of Westwyk with the forest as the highway
extends between Stanghow and Kate Ridding.' (fn. 23)
Stanghow forms the western part of the parish.
The village is about 2 miles south-east of Skelton
village, Stanghow House lying to the south of the
road from Guisborough, which forms the main street
and runs by Busky Dale Wood, where it is known as
Stanghow Ridge, to join the Birk Brow road further
west. There is a school built in 1876, one Methodist
chapel in the village and another at Margrove Park
to the west. South of the village is Kate Ridding
(Gaterynddynge), first mentioned in 1272, (fn. 24) when it
was brought into cultivation. Aysdale Gate further
west occurs first in the early 12th century. (fn. 25) In
the extreme west of Stanghow is Charlton Terrace or
Slapewath (Slaipwath), mentioned early in the 13th
century (fn. 26) ; alum mines here occur in 1625 and 1665. (fn. 27)
The southern part of Stanghow, like that of Moorsholm, is moorland. Here there are many tumuli, the
most important of which are Tod Howe at the extreme
south-eastern corner of Stanghow and the two Black
Howes further north near the Quakers Causeway,
which are two of the 'Tres Hoggae' mentioned in a
charter of the first Peter de Brus (fn. 28) ; while Herd How
and one of the three Robin Hood Butts (fn. 29) are in the
south of Girrick Moor in the Moorsholm part of the
parish. Lockwood reservoir is situated on the moor
in Stanghow, near the Moorsholm boundary.
Great Moorsholm forms the south-eastern part of
the parish. The manor-house is near the centre of
the village east of the main street, while St. Mary's
Church, two Methodist chapels and a school are on the
opposite side of the street. West of the village is
Swindale Beck, at the junction of which with Dale
Beck is Moorsholm Mill, probably on the site of that
mentioned in 1697. (fn. 30) Between the river and Stanghow lies Swindale, first mentioned in 1272, (fn. 31) with
which the 13th-century 'Swinelandes' may be identified. (fn. 32) Further south is Swinsow Dale, to the
south-west of which is Freeborough Hill. (fn. 33) Still
further south is Dimming Dale. The High Moor
lies in the south-west and Girrick Moor in the southeast, with the hamlet of Girrick, mentioned in 1672, (fn. 34)
further north. East of the hamlet are Petch's
Plantations on the bank of the Skate Beck which is
mentioned in 1272. (fn. 35) To the north, this stream,
under the name of the Cow Close Beck flowing
through Cow Close Wood, joins the Stubdale Beck,
which forms part of the western boundary of the
parish.
An inclosure award was obtained for Skelton (fn. 36) in
1844 under an authorizing Act of 1813, and for
Moorsholm in 1864. (fn. 37)
Brus. Argent a lion azure, which arms were also borne by Fauconbirg.
Manors
In the reign of Edward the Confessor
Uctred had a 'manor' and 13 carucates
at SKELTON (fn. 38) which in 1086 were
held of the Count of Mortain by Richard. (fn. 39) They
afterwards became part of the Brus fee (fn. 40) and followed
the descent of Danby (q.v.) until the division in 1272
of the lands of the third Peter
de Brus, (fn. 41) when the castle and
manor of Skelton with five
knights' fees (fn. 42) passed to Walter
de Fauconberg and his wife
Agnes. (fn. 43) Walter died in about
1304 and was succeeded by
his son Walter, (fn. 44) who died in
about 1318, (fn. 45) his heir being
John his son. (fn. 46) John settled
the manor on himself with
remainder to his son Walter,
in tail, in 1344 (fn. 47) ; he died
in 1349 and Walter succeeded
him. (fn. 48) Walter died in 1361 and was succeeded by
his son Thomas, (fn. 49) one-third of the manor, however,
being assigned as dower to Isabel widow of Walter. (fn. 50)
Thomas granted his two-thirds of the castle and manor
and the reversion of Isabel's third, for his lifetime, to
Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland, (fn. 51) who held
the whole manor on the death of Isabel in 1401. (fn. 52)
Thomas de Fauconberg suffered from intermittent
insanity and in 1403 the custody of the castle and
manor were from this cause in the hands of the king,
who granted their custody to Robert and John
Conyers. (fn. 53) Thomas in 1407 settled the manor in feetail with successive remainders to Walter son of Sir
Roger Fauconberg, kt., and his heirs, and in default to
the right heirs of Thomas. (fn. 54) He died in the same
year, (fn. 55) his heir being his infant daughter Joan, (fn. 56) while
his widow Joan had one-third of the manor in
dower. (fn. 57) The elder Joan appears to have died in
March 1408–9 (fn. 58) ; the custody of the lands was
granted by the Crown to Richard Cheerowe and
Thomas Strickland. (fn. 59) Joan was an idiot from birth,
but before she was sixteen she married William Nevill (fn. 60)
son of Ralph Earl of Westmorland. (fn. 61) William Nevill
and Joan made a conveyance of the manor in
1428. (fn. 62) William Nevill was summoned to Parliament as Lord Fauconberg in 1429, (fn. 63) and was created
Earl of Kent in 1461. (fn. 64) He died in January 1462–3
seised of Skelton in right of his wife, (fn. 65) who being of
unsound mind held no lands after his death. (fn. 66) At
Joan's death in 1490 (fn. 67) the heirs were her grandsons
James Strangways, son of her daughter Elizabeth, wife
of Sir Richard Strangways, (fn. 68) and William Conyers,
son of her daughter Alice who married Sir John
Conyers (fn. 69) of Hornby. Apparently Skelton came to
the Conyers, although the Strangways seem to have
held some interest in the manor, (fn. 70) which followed the
descent of the manor of West Harlsey (fn. 71) (q.v.). From
William Conyers this manor descended with Hornby
(q.v.) to John Lord Conyers, (fn. 72) on whose death in
1556–7 it was divided among his daughters and
co-heirs, (fn. 73) three of whom, Anne wife of Anthony
Kempe, Katharine wife of John Atherton and Elizabeth wife of Thomas Darcy, survived the fourth
daughter, Joan (fn. 74) (or Margaret), who died a minor in
1560. (fn. 75) Anne Kempe's share
of the manor followed the descent of her third of Hornby (fn. 76)
(q.v.) until 1575, and was
bought in 1577–8 by Robert
Trotter. (fn. 77) He died in 1611
and was succeeded by his son
Henry, (fn. 78) who died in 1623. (fn. 79)
Henry's son and heir George (fn. 80)
was succeeded by Edward, (fn. 81)
who married Mary daughter
of Sir John Lowther, bart., of
Lowther, (fn. 82) to whom he conveyed the manor in 1659. (fn. 83)
Edward Trotter was lord of
the manor in 1681. (fn. 84) He died in 1708, (fn. 85) and was
succeeded by his grandson Lawson Trotter, son of his
son John. (fn. 86) Lawson Trotter still held the manor in
1721 (fn. 87) and in 1729, (fn. 88) but afterwards sold it to
Joseph Hall, his sister's husband, (fn. 89) probably before
1732. (fn. 90) Joseph Hall died in 1733 (fn. 91) and was succeeded by his son John Hall, who assumed the name
of Stevenson in addition to his own. (fn. 92) John Hall
Stevenson was lord of the manor (fn. 93) till his death in
1785 (fn. 94) ; his son Joseph William, who succeeded him,
died a year later, (fn. 95) his heir being his son, another
John Hall Stevenson, who assumed the name of
Wharton. (fn. 96) John Wharton
made a conveyance of the
manor in 1796 (fn. 97) ; he died in
1843 (fn. 98) without issue and was
succeeded by his nephew John
Thomas Wharton, (fn. 99) who died
in 1900, his heir being his
son William Henry Anthony
Wharton, the present lord of
the manor. (fn. 100)
Trotter of Skelton. Argent a chief ermine with a lion azure over all.
Wharton of Skelton. Sable a sleeve argent.
Katharine Atherton, third
daughter and co-heir of John
Lord Conyers, died seised of
her third of the manor in
March 1625–6 (fn. 101) and was succeeded by her granddaughter Anne wife of Sir William
Pennyman, bart. (fn. 102) The Pennymans made various conveyances of their third of the manor, (fn. 103) but Anne
Pennyman was still seised at her death in 1644 when
her kinsman Conyers Darcy Lord Conyers (first Earl
of Holderness) succeeded to her estates. (fn. 104) By the
following year this third had apparently come to the
Trotters, following the same descent as the first third
of the manor. (fn. 105)
Of the remaining third Thomas Darcy died seised
in 1605 and was succeeded by his son Conyers Darcy (fn. 106)
Lord Conyers, who made a conveyance of his third
of the castle and manor in 1619, (fn. 107) and in 1622 conveyed one-third of the castle and lands in Skelton to
Henry Trotter. (fn. 108) In 1650 and 1651 Conyers Darcy
and his son made conveyances of the estate, (fn. 109) and soon
afterwards it was in the hands of Henry Stapylton of
Myton, possibly through his marriage with Elizabeth
daughter of Conyers Darcy, first Earl of Holderness,
and granddaughter of Conyers Darcy Lord Conyers. (fn. 110)
In 1654 it was sold by Henry Stapylton and his wife
Elizabeth and others to Mary widow of George
Trotter and her heirs, (fn. 111) after which it followed the
descent of the first third of the manor.
The lord's court is first mentioned in 1272 (fn. 112) ; the
perquisites in 1318 amounted to 6s. 8d. (fn. 113) Free
warren was granted to Walter de Fauconberg in
1280 (fn. 114) ; it occurs again in 1292 (fn. 115) and 1380 (fn. 116) and
is last mentioned in 1650. (fn. 117) Rights of gallows,
infangenthef, pillory and tumbrel occur in 1292. (fn. 118)
Frankpledge is first mentioned in 1599. (fn. 119) One-fourth
of the wreck of the sea between Runswick and Yarm
descended with Skelton to the Fauconbergs in 1272 (fn. 120) ;
Walter de Fauconberg was accused of abusing this
right in 1275. (fn. 121)
In the reign of Edward the Confessor Uctred had
a 'manor' of 3 carucates at GREAT MOORSHOLM (fn. 122)
(Morehusum, xi cent.; Magna Moresum, Moryshum,
xiii cent.; Michell Morison, xiv cent.) which in
1086 was held of the Count of Mortain by Richard.
The half carucate among the king's lands in 1086 (fn. 123)
shortly afterwards became part of the Brus fee (fn. 124) to
which the Mortain lands were added later. (fn. 125) The
whole followed the descent of Danby (q.v.) until
1272, when Great Moorsholm passed to Lucy wife
of Marmaduke de Thweng of Kilton (fn. 126) (q.v.), which
it followed in descent (fn. 127) until 1609, when John Lord
Lumley died seised, his heir being his nephew
Splandrian Lloyd. (fn. 128) After this the manor seems to
have been in the hands of the Crown for a time,
various estates here being held in chief by different
people. (fn. 129) The estate held here by Philip Wheath in
1633 (fn. 130) is called a manor in 1636 when his son Joseph
had livery of it. (fn. 131) In 1696 William Tullie and his
wife Anne, who held Kilton, made a conveyance of
lands in Great Moorsholm to Samuel Diggle, (fn. 132) which
seems to indicate that the manor again followed the
descent of Kilton. In 1806 John Wharton of
Skelton and Kilton was lord also of this manor, (fn. 133) after
which it follows the descent of the manor of
Skelton (q.v.).
A 'manor' of 1 carucate at LITTLE MOORSHOLM, held by Uctred before the Conquest, (fn. 134) was
afterwards held of the Count of Mortain by Richard. (fn. 135)
By 1257 this manor was in the hands of Marmaduke
de Thweng, (fn. 136) and followed the descent of Great
Moorsholm.
Marmaduke de Thweng obtained a grant of free
warren in Moorsholm in 1257, (fn. 137) which was confirmed
in 1292 (fn. 138) and last occurs early in 1666–7. (fn. 139)
There was a manor in STANGHOW (Stanhou,
Staynehou, xiii cent.) of which the first mention
occurs in 1241 when the whole except one toft was
conveyed to John Romanus, afterwards Archbishop
of York, by Henry Abbot of Byland, (fn. 140) who was
probably a mesne lord under the Bruses; in 1272 it
was among the lands of the third Peter de Brus and
descended with Skelton to Walter de Fauconberg. (fn. 141)
It followed the descent of Skelton and Mr. Wharton
is the present lord of the manor.
Free warren in Stanghow was granted to Walter
de Fauconberg in 1280 (fn. 142) and is again mentioned in
1292. (fn. 143) Rights to coal mines and quarries and view
of frankpledge were appurtenant to the manor in
1632. (fn. 144) In 1304 there were twelve tenants called
gresmen in Stanghow holding 10 oxgangs. (fn. 145)
Various grants of land in Skelton and Moorsholm
were made to the priory of Guisborough in early
times by the lords of the manor and their undertenants. (fn. 146) These lands may have constituted the
grange granted in 1600 to Edward Carey by Queen
Elizabeth (fn. 147) ; its further history has not been traced.
Borough
The mesne borough at Skelton
probably arose under the castle shortly
after the castle was built. It is mentioned in 1272, when it descended from Peter de
Brus to Walter de Fauconberg (fn. 148) ; it henceforth
followed the descent of the manor, the last mention
occurring in 1366. (fn. 149) The amount of the farm is not
stated. The lord kept the perquisites of a separate
borough court, (fn. 150) which was probably presided over by
a borough bailiff chosen in the lord's court; the tolls
of the borough amounted to 5 marks in 1304. (fn. 151)
The lords were jealously guarding their rights in the
borough in 1335. (fn. 152) A market on Sunday was
appurtenant to the manor in 1227 when Peter de
Brus obtained licence to change the day to Monday (fn. 153) ;
it was, however, again held on Sunday in 1292. (fn. 154)
In 1319 John de Fauconberg had a grant of a weekly
market on Saturday and a yearly fair on Whit Monday
and the two following days in place of the weekly
market, hitherto held on Sunday. (fn. 155) The lords kept
the tolls of both market and fair, (fn. 156) which have long
ceased to exist.
Churches
The old church of ALL SAINTS
is a plain structure erected in 1785,
consisting of chancel 26 ft. 9 in. by
18 ft. 6 in., nave 61 ft. 6 in. by 25 ft. 6 in., and west
tower 9 ft. square, all these measurements being internal.
There is also a kind of transept, forming a pew, in
the middle of the north wall, 16 ft. deep by 9 ft. 6 in.
wide, with a fireplace at its north end. No record of
the former building has been kept. (fn. 157) In 1891 part
of a dial stone with an inscription in Anglo-Saxon
uncials and in runes, probably of 11th-century date,
was found in the churchyard, (fn. 158) and Ord, writing
about 1846, mentions 'a vast number of stone coffins'
having been found to the north-west of the church. (fn. 159)
Three of these, one a child's, are preserved, but the
others have disappeared.
The building is of wrought stone with green slated
roofs overhanging at the eaves, but is of no architectural interest. The windows are round-headed
openings of the usual 18th-century type and the
entrance is on the south side of the tower, which
serves as a porch. The roofs were repaired and re-slated
in 1911. There is a 'three-decker' pulpit against
the south wall and a wide west gallery (fn. 160) approached
from a staircase in the tower. The chancel is separated from the nave by a semicircular arch, and contains mural monuments to members of the Trotter
family and others. (fn. 161) In the floor is a large stone slab
with the matrices of brasses representing a man and
wife and several children, probably of 15th-century
date. (fn. 162) The tower is quite plain and terminates in
an embattled parapet, below which are round-headed
belfry windows. It contains two bells, both without
date or inscription.
The new church of ALL SAINTS was built in
1884–5, and consists of chancel, nave with north and
south aisles, and south-west tower forming a porch.
It is a very good example of modern Gothic work,
and the tower, which was the gift of Mr. J. T.
Wharton of Skelton Castle, forms a prominent landmark. The building is in the 14th-century style,
and is of stone with red-tiled roofs.
The plate consists of a cup of 1680 made by
Marmaduke Best of York, inscribed, 'The gift of
Madame Jane Thwenge of Kilton to ye Church of
Brotton 1681'; a paten of 1660, with the maker's mark
N. W., probably for Nicholas Wollaston (London);
and a pewter flagon. (fn. 163)
The registers begin in 1573.
The church of ST. AIDAN, Boosbeck, built in
1900, is of stone in 12th-century style, and consists
of chancel, nave, transepts, west porch and turret
containing two bells. The site was given by Mr.
W. H. A. Wharton of Skelton Castle. The living
is a vicarage in the gift of the Archbishop of York.
The church of ST. MARY, Moorsholm, was built
in 1892 by Mr. J. T. Wharton. It is of stone in
12th-century style, and consists of chancel, nave and
west tower containing one bell. It is a chapel of ease
to St. Aidan's.
Advowson
The church of Skelton was part of
the foundation endowment granted
to Guisborough Priory by Robert de
Brus early in the 12th century, (fn. 164) the grant being
confirmed by Archbishop Thurstan, by Henry I and
Henry II, (fn. 165) and recognized by Peter de Brus in
1239. (fn. 166)
The church was appropriated to the priory and
was served by a chaplain. (fn. 167) After the Dissolution
the church and tithes were granted to the see of York
in exchange in 1545, (fn. 168) the grant being afterwards
confirmed by Queen Mary. (fn. 169) The Archbishop of
York is still patron of the living, which became a
rectory in 1866. (fn. 170)
A chantry in Skelton Church was founded by Adam
de Skelton in 1325, (fn. 171) and there was a domestic chapel
in the castle mentioned in 1546. (fn. 172)
Charities
The poor of Skelton receive certain sums paid in respect of the
charities of Thomas Conn and others,
amounting together to £3 2s. 8d., which in 1905
were distributed in doles of money by the vicar and
churchwardens to fourteen widows and two men,
cripples, in sums varying from 3s. to 5s. each. The
poor of Skelton also receive £6 13s. a year, being
the dividends on a sum of £266 5s. 5d. consols, held
by the official trustees, derived from the will of Medd
Scarth, 1818 (see parish of Carlton, Langbaurgh West).
The poor of the townships of Moorsholm and
Stanghow likewise receive £6 13s. a year respectively
from the charity of Medd Scarth. The official
trustees hold a sum of £20 9s. 5d. consols, producing
10s. 4d. a year, in respect of John Calvert's dole for
the poor of Moorsholm, and £28 6s. 7d. like stock,
producing 14s. a year, in respect of a charity by the
same donor for the poor of Stanghow. The poor
of Moorsholm also received 17s. a year known as
Barwick's charity, paid by Messrs. Pease & Partners.
The church repair fund charity consists of church
rents amounting to 12s. a year and a sum of £474 3s. 6d.
bank stock, with the official trustees, representing
investment of the proceeds of sales of land producing
a dividend of £44 18s. 4d. a year, applied by the
rector and churchwardens in repairs, insurance, &c.,
of the church.