GILLING
Ghellinges, Gellinges (xii cent.).
Gilling parish in the 14th century included the
present parishes of Forcett, Hutton Magna, South
Cowton and Eryholme, besides the chapelries of
Barforth and Mortham. (fn. 1) In 1831 it included the
townships of North and South Cowton, Eppleby,
Eryholme, Hartforth and Sedbury, although these
places were geographically detached from it. North
and South Cowton now form the ecclesiastical parish
of South Cowton, and Eppleby was united to Forcett
parish before 1857. The area of the present parish
is 2,072 acres of land, more than half of which is
laid down to permanent grass, and 6 acres of land
covered by water. In 1810 300 acres of land were
inclosed in Gilling. (fn. 2) The subsoil is Yoredale Rocks
with alluvium near Dalton and Gilling Becks. Eryholme is on Keuper Marl.
Lead used to be worked at Hartforth, and there
are some old smelting and saw-mills. There are also
several stone quarries in the parish
The village of Gilling lies at the bottom of the
valley between Gatherley Moor and the moors and
hills to the west. It extends along the Melsonby and
Richmond road, which is here crossed by Gilling
Beck. The village street is still partly cobbled. At
the north end of the village the road turns up the
valley and leads to Hartforth. About 1¼ miles distant
is Hartforth Hall, a modern house built in the classical
style, with the remains of a chapel in the grounds. A
four-centred arch 12 ft. wide spans the avenue close
to the house. The arch is of two chamfered orders
springing from much-worn capitals, perhaps of 15thcentury work, with chamfered jambs and part of a
moulded label. In the wall above is a square light
with splayed sides and the remains of a trefoil in the
head. To the east of the arch are the ruined walls of
the chancel; in the east wall is a square opening with
rebates and holes for shutters and wooden pegs. On
the west of the arch are some shorter portions of wall
and part of a 15th-century crocketed pinnacle. The
remains are much overgrown with ivy, but from the
position of the arch, which stands north-east and
south-west, as well as from the appearance of the
masonry, it seems that most of the present remains
have been moved from their original site, which,
however, is reported to have been close to the hall.
At the north end of the village, about a mile up a
by-road running south-east, is Sedbury Hall, the seat
of the lords of Sedbury Manor (q.v.). Behind it
the land sloping up towards the north forms a large
and well-wooded park. The house consists of a
large rectangular block in classical style with an
older west wing and a small modern court on the
west. The oldest part now standing is an embattled
tower about 45 ft. square, of three stories, with
windows of two or three trefoiled lights under square
heads, mostly modern; but on the west side are a twolight cinquefoiled window and some small single
trefoiled windows which appear to be original. On
the ground floor the original division wall which
carried the kitchen fireplace still exists. In this stage
of the tower are doorways east and west, opening to
a small hall and the stable-yard respectively. In the
south wall is a shield bearing quarterly (1) Darcy,
(2) Aske, (3) Conyers and (4) Nevill, differenced
with a molet; over all is a molet for difference. In
the south-east angle of the tower is a newel stair
entered from a small hall, apparently of the same
date as the tower, which joins it on the east and
connects it with the later buildings.
In general design the building may be compared to
Mortham Tower. Over a door into the modern
buildings is a painted leaden figure of a boar about
2 ft. long, brought from the Blue Boar Inn in Holborn when it was dismantled about the end of the
18th century.
Gilling was always said to have been the Ingetlingum
of Bede, where Oswiu king of Deira was slain by
Oswi king of Bernicia; but the scene of Oswiu's
death and the site of the expiatory monastery raised
by Eanfled has now been shown to be Collingham,
6 miles from Barwick in Elmet in the West Riding. (fn. 3)
Gilling was, however, the chief seat of Edwin Earl of
Mercia, and possibly for a time the head of the
castlery (castellaria) of Count Alan, (fn. 4) though the day of
its greatness was already over in the 12th century;
this stronghold may have stood on 'Castle Hill.' (fn. 5)
A quarter of a mile beyond the parish boundary is
Scotch Corner, and the earthwork which is to be
seen south of the village, and again for nearly half a
mile to the north, is known as Scot's Dike. From
Scotch Corner a branch of Watling Street cuts through
the north of Gilling parish on its way to Barnard
Castle. It skirts the extensive woods of fir, pine and
larch adjoining Sedbury Park and Hall, and crosses the
road that runs from Richmond to Lucy Cross through
Gilling. At this point the land reaches a height of
605 ft., and a fine view is commanded over Gatherley
Moor (now cultivated land) to the north; Gilling lies
300 ft. below in the valley, with the woods and hills
of Aske to the south. Further on the Roman road
is crossed by the high road that runs from Richmond
to Staindrop through Gilling. The hamlet of Hartforth lies in a well-wooded valley by Hartforth Beck.
Jagger Lane, one of the oldest roads in the country, (fn. 6)
connects the Hartforth lead mines with Watling
Street. A road runs from South Cowton through
North Cowton to Yarm, and is joined at Atley Hill
by the road from Catterick Bridge to Yarm.
Eryholme, situated on the Tees at the Durham
border, commands fine views. The church is placed
on rising ground above the vicarage at the north end
of the village. The vicar's well at the roadside in
front of the vicarage was formerly the sole water
supply for the village. Eryholme station on the NorthEastern railway main line is the junction for the
Richmond and Darlington section.
North Cowton village is grouped round a rightangled turn of the road, on the edge of a slight rise,
and commands a considerable view to the east. The
main street is wide with a small grass hollow and
stream at the corner. The houses are of brick and
rough-cast and extend closely along the street, those
at the west end having small gardens in front. An
iron church in the village was built in 1894 as a
chapel of ease to South Cowton.
South Cowton, said to have been a resting-place of
the bones of St. Cuthbert in their 'wanderings' during
the 9th century, (fn. 7) lies about a mile to the south of
the northern village and consists of a church and
farm, lying in flat and rather swampy ground, with
Cowton Castle standing on the end of a prominent
ridge or plateau, a short distance to the south-east.
This building is a single rectangular embattled tower
60 ft. by 25 ft., standing north and south on the end
of a high ridge, overlooking low-lying ground to the
north and north-west. There are projecting turrets
at the north-east and north-west, the former being
the larger, 15 ft. 6 in. by 6 ft. 6 in. as against 9 ft. by
6 ft. 6 in.; both turrets rise above the level of the
tower roof and carry a slightly projecting embattled
parapet of the same type as those on the tower.
The whole is rubble built with wrought stone
angles, and has a low modern roof covered with stone
slates. The original arrangement of its floors and
rooms has been destroyed, the present floors being
modern and at different levels from the old ones,
and the main entrance to the tower is now by a
doorway in the east wall, the original doorway opening
to a newel stair in the north-east turret, being now
blocked. On this turret are the Conyers' arms
surrounded by an inscription in black letter smalls,
which though fairly well preserved is very difficult to
read. Over the present entrance doorway in the east
wall are the Conyers' arms impaling Wycliffe, a
cheveron between three crosslets. The north end of
the building is chiefly taken up with a large fireplace,
and has small square-headed windows. In the east
wall the windows appear to be modern copies of the
originals, single cinquefoiled lights in the turret and
larger three-light windows on the main wall. The
south side has also large modern windows. On the
west side several original windows are preserved, one
of three cinquefoiled lights under a square head and
another of two lights.
The turret has a single uncusped light on the
ground floor with a triangular head, and in the
upper part a single cinquefoiled light with a square
head. In the main wall to the north of the turret
are four two-light windows one above another, the
lower three square-headed and the fourth of two
cinquefoiled lights.
A short distance to the north-east of the tower
and on the side of the slope is a stone-built well, and
to the west of the tower, where are now farm buildings,
a stone gateway was in existence until comparatively
recent times. There was doubtless some kind of
walled area round the castle, forming a courtyard or
cattle inclosure sufficient to give protection during a
raid. If any stronger defences ever existed here they
have been entirely destroyed.
John Arden, who lived at South Cowton in 1780,
paid the tax on seven men-servants. (fn. 8)
Eppleby lies north of Forcett Beck, and has a
green. There was a cross here in the 12th century. (fn. 9)
There was waste land of the wood of Gilling called
Scales in the 12th century, (fn. 10) and among 15th-century
place-names are Gylgarth, Benehous, Tadehale and
le Scales. (fn. 11) The following names in South Cowton
occur in the 13th century: Bethamflath, Huccheman,
Craneswellesflath, Cotheflath, Baldinehou. (fn. 12) Among
local rhymes is the weather prophecy:
'When Gilling brews,
Durham rues';
and the Power of Darkness is said to have shown an
unfair preference for Gilling:
'Have at thee, Black Hartforth
But have a care o' Bonny Gilling.' (fn. 13)
Cowton Castle, Gilling, from the West
Matthew Raine, schoolmaster and divine, was born
at Gilling in 1760. He was head master of Charterhouse School from 1791 till his death in 1811. His
father was master of a school at Hartforth. (fn. 14)
There are Wesleyan chapels at Gilling and North
Cowton and public elementary schools at Gilling
(built in 1847), Eryholme and North Cowton (built
in 1875).
Manors
Norton of Norton Conyers.Azure a sleeve ermine.
GILLING, which passed at the Conquest from the Saxon Earl Edwin to
Count Alan, was at the time of the
Domesday Survey the chief manor in the district
afterwards called Richmondshire. Count Alan held
the vill of 4 carucates in demesne. The berewicks
of Hartforth, Newton, the two Cowtons, Eryholme,
Hale, (fn. 15) Stapleton, Forcett and Barforth and the soke
of Moulton, Barton, Eppleby, Cliff, Carlton, Barforth,
Ovington, Girlington, Wycliffe, Thorp, Mortham,
Egglestone, Brignall, Scargill, Barningham, East and
West Layton, Manfield, Hutton and Stanwick were
appurtenant to this manor. (fn. 16) Count Alan had a
'castlery' of 199 'manors' (fn. 17) —Gilling perhaps the
head—but he soon made Richmond his chief seat
and the head of his honour. Gilling lost all its
old importance, but continued to be held by the
lords of Richmond in demesne until the attainder
of Richard Earl of Warwick, (fn. 18) when it ceased to
be a member of the honour of Richmond. (fn. 19) It was
granted in 1475 to Richard Duke of Gloucester, (fn. 20)
afterwards Richard III, and in 1495 to John Norton
of Norton Conyers, representative of the lords of the
adjoining vill of Hartforth,
and his heirs. (fn. 21) The Nortons
held Hartforth and Gilling
Manors until Richard Norton,
one of the ringleaders of the
rising in the north, lost his
lands by attainder in 1569. (fn. 22)
The site of the manor was in
1572 leased to William Stockdale for twenty-one years,
the manorial rights being reserved (fn. 23) ; and the manor was
finally granted to Robert
Bowes, (fn. 24) a younger son of
Richard Bowes of South Cowton, who was treasurer of Berwick and ambassador to
Scotland for nearly twenty-one years, and died in
1597. (fn. 25) His son Ralph (fn. 26) in 1609 sold it to
Humphrey Wharton, (fn. 27) from whom it has descended
to the present owner, Mr. William Henry Anthony
Wharton of Skelton Castle. (fn. 28)
In 1188 Osbert son of Fulk was surveyor of the
works at the town of Bowes, (fn. 29) and held 1 carucate
of land in Gilling (fn. 30) ; and in 1211–12 Osbert son
of Fulk and Odard de Gilling held a sixth of a fee
here. (fn. 31) William son of Fulk had lands here in
the middle of the 12th century, (fn. 32) and Alice daughter
of Fulk de Gilling, probably a member of this
family, held lands in Bowes in 1294. (fn. 33) In the time
of Richard II William Wawne and Margaret daughter
of Thomas held this sixth of a fee. (fn. 34) The Wawnes
were in possession of the manor and capital messuage
of the adjoining vill of Eppleby in the 17th century. (fn. 35)
The lord of Richmond had the profits of the court
held at Gilling; from 1280 he had the water-mill
there, (fn. 36) and in 1440 and 1473–4 a forge and
common oven, (fn. 37) and also free warren. (fn. 38)
ATLOW COWTON (fn. 39) (Atlowe-Couton, Artelhowe, xiii cent.; Atlage-Cutona, Attelou, xiv cent.;
Atlow Cowton, Atclay Cowton, xviii cent.) was held
in 1286–7 (fn. 40) by Edward Charles, lord of Brignall, as
mesne lord under the Earls of Richmond, and the
manor was still held of Brignall Manor in 1608. (fn. 41)
It comprised, perhaps, the carucate in Cowton held
by Godric the steward (dapifer) of Count Alan in
demesne in 1086, (fn. 42) but was in that case transferred
later to Wymar the steward, as he afterwards held it
in demesne. (fn. 43) Wymar was succeeded at this place
by the Askes, (fn. 44) perhaps his descendants, (fn. 45) but by
1286–7 Thomas Greathead held Atlow Cowton in
demesne. (fn. 46) By 1347–9 it had come into the possession of Thomas de Fencotes, (fn. 47) and the following transactions may throw light on the transfer: in 1300
Adam son of Robert Arundel of Eryholme (fn. 48) leased
tenements in Atlow Cowton to the Templars for
the term of thirty-one years. Adam left heirs, his
daughter Alice and his grandson Walter de Helmsley;
Alice, and Alice daughter of Walter, in 1335
petitioned the king for these lands. (fn. 49) In 1338
John Greathead of Cleveland and Elizabeth his wife
and the heirs of Elizabeth sold tenements here for
100 marks to Thomas de Fencotes, (fn. 50) who had
previously in 1332–3 paid 4s. subsidy here. (fn. 51) The
successors of Thomas de Fencotes, lords of [Little]
Fencotes in Kirkby Fleetham parish (q.v.), held Atlow
Cowton until 1558, (fn. 52) when Thomas Nevill conveyed
the manor to Richard Bowes of South Cowton, (fn. 53)
whose son Sir George acquired North Cowton. (fn. 54)
At the beginning of the 17th century these manors
with several others had been mortgaged by the Bowes
for the payment of a debt, (fn. 55) and they were evidently
compelled to part with Atlow Cowton, as it is found
later in the hands of the Woodroffs of Woolley, who
in 1605 conveyed it to Sir John Hele, serjeant-atlaw. (fn. 56) The Heles still possessed it in 1631, (fn. 57) but
Atlow and South Cowton were both subsequently
purchased by Robert Sainthill of Bradninch (co.
Devon), who in 1650 complained that, having
admitted his brother Peter as tenant to half of 'the
estate at Atclay,' it was sequestered for his brother's
delinquency. (fn. 58) Robert in 1657 granted half of these
two manors to Jonathan Keate, (fn. 59) and must at some
time have conveyed the remaining half, for in 1661
Jonathan Keate conveyed both manors to Thomas
Earl of Elgin. (fn. 60) From this time both manors follow
the descent of the manor of East Cowton (q.v.), and
by 1719 Atlow had become synonymous with East
Cowton. (fn. 61) In 1360–1 Robert Hawley had a grant
of free warren in his demesne lands of Fencotes,
Atlow Cowton and elsewhere. (fn. 62)
NORTH COWTON (Cudtun, xi cent.; Kuton,
xiii cent.; Couton, xiii–xv cent.).—The sokes of
North and South Cowton were in 1086 appurtenant
to the manor of Gilling, (fn. 63) and afterwards members
of the honour of Richmond.
Early in the reign of Henry III Adam de Mounchesny was mesne lord of both, (fn. 64) but by about 1260
he was succeeded by the Fitz Alans. (fn. 65)
Brough. Argent a saltire sable with five swans argent thereon.
In 1260 Alan de Layton of East Layton was
under-tenant by right of his wife Lettice, heiress of
Walter son of David Barry of North Cowton. (fn. 66)
John son of Alan (fn. 67) succeeded him, (fn. 68) and was followed
by his son Thomas, who held these lands in 1316. (fn. 69)
In 1333 Thomas de Layton had a grant of free
warren, (fn. 70) but after this time the Laytons seem no
longer to have held lands here. In 1435–6 John
Brough was returned as holding one knight's fee
in North and South Cowton. (fn. 71) From him the
manor descended through his son William, his
grandson and great-grandson
of the same name to his
great-great-grandson William
Brough, (fn. 72) who left daughters
and co-heirs Anne and Elizabeth. (fn. 73) Anne was married to
Thomas Tempest, who died
seised of North Cowton
Manor about 1544, leaving
a daughter and heir Anne
wife of Sir Ralph Bulmer. (fn. 74)
Sir Ralph Bulmer died seised
in 1558 in right of his wife,
leaving daughters and heirs
Joan, Frances and Millicent, Joan being married to
Francis Cholmley in her father's lifetime. (fn. 75) In 1564,
1565 and 1566 the co-heirs and their husbands
granted severally one-eighth of the manor to Sir
George Bowes, (fn. 76) to whose son Sir William the whole
manor came at his death. (fn. 77) The manorial rights
seem from this time to have descended with the
other manors of Cowton until the close of the 18th
century, (fn. 78) though North Cowton was not registered
among Papists' estates in 1719 as the others were. (fn. 79)
In 1820 this manor was in the possession of the Earl
of Tyrconnel, (fn. 80) and is believed to have been in the
possession of the late Admiral Carpenter of Kiplin
Hall, Catterick (q.v.), but the manorial rights have
been allowed to lapse. (fn. 81)
A return of 1275–6 states that the Abbot of
Fountains held 6 carucates of land in Magna Cowton
by grant of Alan the Wild Earl, formerly Earl of
Richmond. (fn. 82) No mention is made of any lands
belonging to Fountains Abbey in any of the Cowtons
in the return of 1286–7, but, as this abbey was
enfeoffed in North Cowton, 'Great Cowton' must
in this case have meant a wider district, comprising
North Cowton. In 1316 the Abbot of Fountains
was returned as joint lord of the vill of North
Cowton. (fn. 83) In 1319 he obtained relief from taxation
on account of the place having been burnt by the
Scots, (fn. 84) and at the time of the Dissolution the abbey
received 73s. 11½d. rent from North Cowton. (fn. 85)
SOUTH COWTON (alia Cudtun, xi cent.) was
held under the Earl of Richmond in 1286–7 by
Brian Fitz Alan, (fn. 86) whose successors, the lords of
Bedale, still retained a mesne lordship in 1562. (fn. 87)
In 1286–7 William de Lascelles, probably as
descendant of Conan son of Elias, (fn. 88) held the 6 carucates of South Cowton in demesne; Robert Lascelles
was lord of the vill in 1316, (fn. 89) as in 1363 was
John de Lascelles. (fn. 90) John in 1375 conveyed this
manor and all his lands in North Cowton to Sir
Thomas Surtees, kt., and others, their heirs and
assigns, (fn. 91) apparently as trustees. John de Brough
in 1435–6 was returned as holding it with North
Cowton (q.v.), but possibly there may be some other
explanation of this return, for the manor seems to
have escheated to the overlord and become, like the
other demesne lands of the honour, a member of the
fee of Middleham. (fn. 92) Joan Countess of Westmorland
held it in dower in 1440–1, (fn. 93) and, like the other
Middleham lands, it was in the possession of the
Crown in 1473–5. (fn. 94) The Earl of Westmorland
perhaps bestowed it upon his kinsman by marriage,
Richard Conyers, who was its next lord. Sir Ralph
Bowes of Streatlam, Durham, married Margery
daughter and co-heir of Richard Conyers, and from
this time South Cowton became a frequent residence
of the Bowes family. (fn. 95) Margery died seised in 1523
and was succeeded by her son Sir Robert Bowes, on
whom she had settled the manor. (fn. 96) He was Warden
of the East and Middle Marches in 1550, a Privy
Councillor in 1551, Master of the Rolls in 1552, and
inherited Streatlam on the death of his nephew
Sir George Bowes. On his death in February 1554–5
without male issue he was succeeded according to the
above settlement by his elder brother Richard, captain
of Norham in 1548 and 1550, who married the heiress
of Aske and had a daughter who married John
Knox. George, the eldest surviving son, was very
prominent in the suppression of the rebellion of the
north in 1569. When it was found expedient to
remove the Queen of Scots further from the borders
he escorted her to Bolton Castle, and on his death
in 1580 Christopher Rokeby of Mortham wrote:
'He was the sureste pyllore the Quens Majestie had
in thes partes.' (fn. 97) His son William, crippled by his
father's devotion to the queen, (fn. 98) seems to have parted
with all his property. From this time South Cowton
followed the descent of Atlow Cowton (fn. 99) (q.v.).
The family of Russell or Rosseuel had tenements
in South Cowton in the 13th century, (fn. 100) but these
were forfeited for the rebellion of John de Rosseuel
and in 1306 given to Robert Hastangs for his good
service. (fn. 101) In 1314 Robert Hastangs and Emma his
wife and Amabel mother of Emma (fn. 102) and their heirs
obtained a grant of free warren in their demesne
lands in Cowton and other places. (fn. 103)
EPPLEBY (Aplebi, xi–xvii cent.; Eppleby, xv
cent.; Appleby alias Eppleby, xvii cent.).—The soke
of 7 carucates in Eppleby belonged in 1086 to
Count Alan's manor of Gilling, (fn. 104) and the manor was
still held of Richmond Castle in 1631. (fn. 105)
Eppleby belonged to what was known as the
'fee of the chamberlain' of the lords of Richmond
(two and a half knights' fees in Eppleby, Askham,
Fencotes and Killerby), (fn. 106) and was assessed at half a
knight's fee. (fn. 107) Robert, chamberlain in the 12th
century (son of Odo, chamberlain in 1086), (fn. 108)
had a son Theobald, whose son Fulk had lands in
Eppleby, apparently as lord of the vill in 1204, (fn. 109) but
from this time the chamberlains seem to have been
only mesne lords. Gale suggests that the chamberlain's fee was now divided between three sisters and
co-heirs, as it was split into three parts. (fn. 110) The place
of the chamberlain in Scolland's Hall in Richmond
Castle came to Conan de Kelfield (fn. 111) about this time. (fn. 112)
Conan was ancestor of the Fitz Henrys of Liverton (fn. 113)
and Manfield (q.v.), who were afterwards enfeoffed
in Eppleby and Fencotes. (fn. 114) Conan son of Henry had
an interest in Eppleby in 1227 (fn. 115) ; Henry son of
Conan was one of three mesne lords of 8 carucates
of land here in 1286–7 (fn. 116) ; and in 1304 Richard son
of Roger younger brother of Henry son of Conan
brought a suit against the under-tenant, but obtained
leave to recede from it. (fn. 117) Thomas Fitz Henry held
this portion of the fee in the time of Richard II, (fn. 118)
after which it cannot be traced.
The second parcenary of the chamberlain's fee was
the family of Fitz Hugh of Ravensworth. Ranulf
son of Henry (fn. 119) is mentioned in connexion with
Eppleby in 1227, (fn. 120) and Hugh son of Henry was one
of the three holders of the chamberlain's fee in
1281–2, (fn. 121) and, with Henry son of Conan, one of
the mesne lords of the above-mentioned 8 carucates
of land in Eppleby in 1286–7. (fn. 122) Henry Fitz Hugh
held one-third of the chamberlain's fee in the time of
Edward III (fn. 123) and Richard II (fn. 124) ; and of George
Lord Fitz Hugh the whole 8 carucates were said to be
held in 1487. (fn. 125) The third mesne lordship in Eppleby
was held by the family of Coleman. John Coleman
is mentioned here in 1227. (fn. 126) Eustace Coleman was
one of the three mesne lords of the 8 carucates of
land above mentioned in 1286–7, (fn. 127) and in 1301
John Coleman conveyed half a knight's fee in
Eppleby to Henry le Scrope. (fn. 128) Sir Richard le Scrope
of Bolton was the third holder in the time of
Richard II, (fn. 129) but his grandson (fn. 130) only held a yearly
rent of 12d. from 20 acres of land here. (fn. 131)
Maud daughter of Robert the Chamberlain was
tenant of at least a carucate of land in Eppleby, and
was dead by 1204. (fn. 132) She married Alexander Breton (fn. 133)
(brother of Hamo the Chancellor), at one time lord
of Colburn, (fn. 134) who in 1191 had mortgaged Eppleby
to Aaron the Jew of Lincoln. (fn. 135) In 1204 Maud's
nephew Fulk, son of her brother Theobald, granted
a carucate of land in Eppleby that formerly belonged to her to Geoffrey le Breton (fn. 136) (called
Chacemoyne), (fn. 137) son of Alexander Breton. (fn. 138) Geoffrey's
possessions in Eppleby descended to his son and heir
John, and from John, who died without issue, to
Roald his brother and heir. Roald left a daughter
and heiress Sibyl, married first to a member of the
family of Maunby, (fn. 139) by whom she had a son
Thomas, and secondly, by 1268, to Henry de
Ripon (fn. 140) ; Sibyl was apparently dead by 1282, when
Henry de Ripon was in sole possession. (fn. 141) Sibyl's son
Thomas de Maunby was lord in 1286–7, (fn. 142) in 1306 (fn. 143)
(when he is called knight) and 1316, (fn. 144) and paid the
subsidy in 1327–8. (fn. 145) Possibly Thomas de Maunby
left a daughter and heir, for in 1341 Richard
Alman of Newsham and Julia his wife and her heirs
quitclaimed to Edward Saltmarsh and Ellen his wife
and the heirs of Ellen tenements in Eppleby. (fn. 146) In
1347–9 the heir of Edward Saltmarsh, a minor in
the custody of the Earl of Richmond, was tenant of
a quarter of a fee in Eppleby. (fn. 147) The Saltmarshes of
Saltmarsh held Eppleby (fn. 148) until, in 1593, Thomas and
Robert Saltmarsh granted it to John Gregory, senior,
of Kingston-on-Hull, and his son John Gregory,
junior, of Clerkenwell, Middlesex. (fn. 149) John Gregory,
senior, died seised in 1595 and his son John died
without children in 1601–2, his heir being Alice wife
of James Gray of Cottenham, Cambridge, daughter
of Joan Brat, daughter and heir of his uncle Lawrence
Gregory. (fn. 150) But his father had made provision by
his will that failing lawful issue of John his son and
heir two thirds of the manor were to remain successively to Gregory Armitage, second son of his
daughter Emma Armitage, and his heirs, and to
Edward Armitage, her third son, and one-third was
to remain to Edward and then to Gregory. (fn. 151) In
1602–3 James Gray and Alice his wife quitclaimed
Eppleby to Gregory and Edward Armitage. (fn. 152)
There is now a break in the descent. Thomas
Wawne of Aldbrough (fn. 153) died in or after 1613, leaving
his capital messuage and tenements in Eppleby to
Richard son of his brother Christopher, deceased. (fn. 154)
Richard died seised of the manor, capital messuage,
&c., in 1631 and was succeeded by his son and heir
Marmaduke. (fn. 155) Marmaduke and Richard Wawne
conveyed the manor in 1666 to Nicholas Shuttleworth (fn. 156) of Forcett. Richard Shuttleworth of Forcett
(q.v.), Philip and Edward Saltmarsh and Philip son
and heir of Edward joined in conveyances of the
manor to trustees in 1676–7. (fn. 157) Robert Shuttleworth
in 1785 sold this manor with those of Carkin and
Forcett to Frances Michell and her heirs (fn. 158) ; and
Eppleby has since descended with Forcett (q.v.).
William brother of Ulf de Eppleby paid 2 marks
and Robert son of Ulf 20s. in 1174–5 for warranty
of the lands which they held of the honour of Earl
Conan. (fn. 159) Members of the family of Breton still held
under Alexander le Breton's descendants in the 13th
and early 14th centuries. Geoffrey Chacemoyne
enfeoffed Philip son of John (le Breton) in lands
here for a term, John le Breton was enfeoffed in
1268, (fn. 160) and a John le Breton held 4 carucates of
land here of Henry de Ripon in 1286–7. (fn. 161) His son
Philip le Breton obtained a quitclaim of these lands
from John de Leyburn, possibly a trustee, in 1301. (fn. 162)
Philip died in February 1305–6, leaving a son and
heir John, (fn. 163) against whom Thomas de Maunby claimed
them in 1322–3, as the term had expired. (fn. 164)
Six carucates in ERYHOLME (Argum, xi cent.;
Ergum, Eryham, Ereholme, xv cent.; Erholme alias
Engholme alias Harram alias Arram, 1784; Eryum,
Naryholm) formed in 1086 a berewick of Count
Alan's 'manor' of Gilling (q.v.), and were still
held of Richmond Castle in 1528. (fn. 165)
Robert son of Tenay held lands in Eryholme 'of
old feoffment' (fn. 166) about the end of the 12th century,
and in 1211–12 Ralph son of 'Teyngus' held one
knight's fee here. (fn. 167) For this knight's fee Roger
Tenay owed ward at Richmond Castle in the reign
of Henry III, (fn. 168) and in 1283 it was in the hands of
John de Romanby. (fn. 169) There is no record of the
passing of the Tenay fee to the Romanbys, but the
latter had received many grants from St. Agatha's
Abbey which had been enfeoffed by the family of
Eryholme. John de Eryholme, (fn. 170) Philip de Eryholme (fn. 171)
and Adam son of Philip de Eryholme (fn. 172) must have
been under-tenants of the Tenays in the 12th and
early 13th centuries. Adam de Eryholme sold his
mill of 'Hales' in the territory of Eryholme, except
one-third which Hucelina his mother held in dower,
to Robert Arundel, who granted his share of the
mill to St. Agatha's Abbey; Robert's son Adam held
it and other lands of the abbey. (fn. 173) Wischard de
Charron also granted to the abbey his part of a mill
in Eryholme that Walter de Hurworth gave him. (fn. 174)
Abbot John granted all the right of the abbey in the
mill and the land near to John de Romanby. (fn. 175)
Master Richard de Eryholme paid 8s. subsidy here in
1332–3, (fn. 176) but this family was no longer of importance
in Eryholme.
Markenfield. Argent a bend gules with three bezants thereon.
Sir Richard de Romanby, who was warden (custos)
of the city of York in 1279–
81, held in 1286–7 6 carucates of land in Eryholme. (fn. 177)
Very shortly afterwards, however, the Romanbys disposed
of the manor to the Markenfields. The king in 1311
confirmed to John and Andrew
de Markenfield and their heirs
free warren in their demesne
lands of Eryholme. (fn. 178) In 1312
John de Markenfield, clerk,
settled two-thirds of the manor
on Thomas de Romanby,
clerk, for life, with reversion
to himself and his heirs, (fn. 179) and in 1315 Thomas de
Romanby conveyed the manor (one-third of which
Richard de Kirkbride and Christina his wife held as
her dower with reversion to Thomas and his heirs)
to John de Markenfield, clerk, and Andrew de
Markenfield, to hold to John for his life, with successive remainders to Andrew and his heirs and to
the lawful heirs of John. (fn. 180) John was returned as
joint lord of the vill in 1316. (fn. 181) In 1319 the king
ordered that the eighteenth was not to be levied
from John de Markenfield and Richard de Kirkbride, nor their men and tenants of Eryholme,
owing to the ravages of the Scots. (fn. 182) Andrew de
Markenfield paid the subsidy in 1327–8, (fn. 183) and was
lord of the vill in 1329. (fn. 184) Thomas de Markenfield
was the representative of the family in the time of
Richard II. (fn. 185) In 1394 Thomas son of Thomas de
Markenfield, kt., was pardoned for killing a man at
Eryholme. (fn. 186) Sir Thomas de Markenfield, kt., died
seised in 1497, and was succeeded by his son and heir
Ninian, (fn. 187) who died seised in 1528, (fn. 188) leaving a son
and heir Thomas. Thomas died in 1550 (fn. 189) ; his son
and heir Thomas as one of the chief instigators of
the rising of the north (fn. 190) was attainted and executed
in 1569.
Calverley of Eryholme. Sable a scutcheon in an orle of owls argent.
Queen Elizabeth made various leases of the site
and various parcels for terms
of years, (fn. 191) and in 1580
granted the manor to Thomas
Calverley, his heirs and assigns. (fn. 192) The Calverleys held
Eryholme (fn. 193) until Timothy
Calverley of Eryholme fought
on the king's side in the Civil
War. It had apparently been
entailed, and on its sequestration by the Parliament John
Calverley the heir petitioned
for licence to compound for
his interest. (fn. 194) He represented
in 1648 that Timothy's fine
for compounding was so heavy and he was so deeply
in debt that he had left the kingdom and gone to
fight against the Turk. John begged and obtained
discharge of the estate that he might pay the
creditors. (fn. 195) Henry Calverley of Eryholme was
knighted in 1675, (fn. 196) and Mary his widow and others
settled the manor in 1696 on Bennet Sherard
and Mary his wife, daughter and sole heir of Sir
Henry Calverley. Bennet as Lord Sherard in 1714
conveyed Eryholme and its appurtenances to Sidney
Wortley alias Montague. His descendant the Hon.
Mrs. Wellesley in 1906 conveyed the manor to
Sir Thomas Wrightson, bart., of Neasham Hall,
Darlington, the present owner and a direct descendant
of the Richard Wrightson who was holding messuages
and lands here in 1570. (fn. 197)
Walter de Musters was said to hold one-twelfth of
a fee (1 carucate of land) in Eryholme in 1283, (fn. 198)
and John de Musters held 2 carucates here of the
Earl of Richmond in 1286–7. (fn. 199) A John de Musters
was returned as joint lord of the vill in 1316, (fn. 200) and
paid the subsidy in 1327–8. (fn. 201) This family seems to
be no further mentioned in Eryholme.
HARTFORTH (Herfort, xi cent.; Hertford,
xii–xv cent.; Herefordsira, xiii cent.), a berewick of
3 carucates, was appurtenant to Count Alan's 'manor'
of Gilling (q.v.) at the time of the Domesday Survey,
and was still held of Richmond Castle in 1490. (fn. 202)
Tempest. Argent a bend between six martlets sable.
Wigan de Hartforth son of Cades is the first
recorded underlord. He married Garsia daughter
and heir of Alexander Musard, (fn. 203) and was dead by
1175–6. (fn. 204) In 1206 his son Wigan gave the king
10 marks and a palfrey for prohibiting the holding
of a plea between himself and Warin de Fremington
of 3 carucates of land in Hartforth whereof Wigan
had the charter of Earl Conan (fn. 205) ; he mortgaged part
of his land to the Jews in 1208, the year after
King John took a thirteenth, and during the time of
the mortgage gave this land to the Abbot of Jervaulx
to hold, his other land having long since been mortgaged. (fn. 206) One Simon was then said to be the rightful
tenant. (fn. 207) In 1230 Alan son of Wigan was lord. (fn. 208)
He was succeeded by Robert de Hartforth, (fn. 209) father of
the Thomas whose son John de Hartforth (fn. 210) was lord
in 1283 (fn. 211) and still held Hartforth in 1316. (fn. 212) In
1296, at the instance of Edward Charles, he had a
grant of free warren in his demesne lands of Hartforth. (fn. 213) He was succeeded by
his son (fn. 214) Sir Thomas de
Hartforth, kt., who was lord
in 1328–9, (fn. 215) and in 1342
settled Hartforth on himself
for life with remainder to his
daughter Joan and her husband Richard Tempest and
their issue. (fn. 216) Five years later
Richard Tempest was lord of
Hartforth. (fn. 217) The Tempests
held the manor until the
middle of the next century.
In 1347–9 (fn. 218) and in 1428 (fn. 219)
the Prioress of Marrick and
the Abbot of Coverham each held a carucate of
land in Hartforth as part of the fee that John de
Hartforth formerly held; but at the end of the
century the descendants of John again held the whole
vill. (fn. 220) A William Tempest, kt., followed the above
Richard, and was succeeded by his son William, who
died in 1443, leaving a son and heir John, aged 1½ years. (fn. 221)
By 1451 John was dead, and John Norton, son
and heir of John's aunt Isabel, and William Malory
and Denise his wife, John's other aunt (both daughters
of Sir William Tempest), were in this year parties to
a settlement of the manor on John Norton and his
issue, with various remainders. (fn. 222) The Nortons of
Norton Conyers (q.v.) held the manor until 1569,
when Richard Norton was attainted. (fn. 223) Richard had
previously, in 1562–3, settled Hartforth to the use
of his wife Philippa. (fn. 224) He died in 1585, and in the
following year Elizabeth recognized Philippa's title
in it for life. (fn. 225) In 1587 the queen granted the reversion to Anthony Radcliffe and William Gerrard (fn. 226) ;
but the same document recites that in 1580 (fn. 227) she
had leased the site of the manor to Robert Bowes for
twenty-one years, and Robert Bowes or his son Ralph
subsequently acquired the manor. Robert Bowes had
held it at farm from Richard Norton's attainder until
the recovery by Philippa, (fn. 228) and he was popularly regarded as lord of the manor. Report said in 1604
that Robert Bowes had mortgaged the manors of Hartforth and Gilling to Alderman Radcliffe of London,
and had redeemed them in his own lifetime, and that
since that time Ralph Bowes had sold Hartforth to
Sir Cuthbert Pepper, kt. (fn. 229) Sir Cuthbert Pepper
seems to have been an agent for the Whartons, and
by conveyances in 1604 and 1612 the manor was
assured to Humphrey Wharton. (fn. 230) In 1720 Evelyn
Duke of Kingston-on-Hull, Charles Earl of Carlisle
and Nicholas Lechmere conveyed it to William
Cradock, (fn. 231) from whom it has descended to the present
owner, Major W. S. K. Cradock, D.S.O.
SEDBURY (Sadberge, xii-xiv cent.; Sadbery, Sadberk, xv-xvi cent.; Sedber, Settbarre, xvi cent.) is
not mentioned until the 12th century, but in 1286–7
there was a Nether Sedbury and, coupled with Gilling,
an Over Sedbury. Nether Sedbury at this date was
composed of 1 carucate, half held by John de Scargill
of William de Scargill and the other half by William
de Scargill of Roald de Richmond and by Roald of
the earl. (fn. 232) Towards the end of the 14th century
John Gracedale held this carucate of Lord Scrope of
Bolton as of the fee of Roald. (fn. 233) A century later this
place had merged in Over Sedbury, but the Scropes
of Bolton were still mesne lords. (fn. 234)
Over Sedbury in 1286–7 was held under the earl
by William de Barningham. In 1289 Richard de
Barningham granted tenements and half a mill in
Barningham, Sedbury and other places to William de
Barningham and his heirs, with contingent reversion
to himself and heirs. (fn. 235) Richard de Barningham
was lord in 1319, (fn. 236) and in 1328 Richard de Barningham and Katharine his wife gave 10s. for licence to
grant tenements in Sedbury to Robert de Mortham,
chaplain. (fn. 237) Roger de Welles and Joan his wife and
the heirs of Joan, presumably a co-heir of the Barninghams, (fn. 238) granted 2 carucates of land and other tenements in Sedbury in 1349–50 to Sir William le Scrope
and Katharine his wife. (fn. 239)
Scrope of Masham. Azure a bend or with the difference of a label argent.
Sir Henry le Scrope of Masham died seised of the
manor in 1392, (fn. 240) and Elizabeth his wife was still
holding it in dower when his son Sir Stephen le
Scrope, who married Margery daughter of John
Lord Welles, (fn. 241) died in 1406. (fn. 242) Thomas Clarell of
Aldwark (fn. 243) in 1427 held Sedbury by right of his
wife. (fn. 244) Then follow the Boyntons. Sir Christopher
Boynton, kt., whose father Christopher was called
'of Sedbury,' (fn. 245) married Agnes daughter of Henry
Lord Scrope of Bolton. (fn. 246)
Christopher and Agnes in
1468 made an agreement with
John Lord Scrope of Masham
by which they granted lands
in Easby and Newton to St.
Agatha's Abbey and received
in return all the lands of the
abbey north of Gilling Beck
towards Sedbury. (fn. 247) Sir Christopher died seised of both
vills. (fn. 248) His son Henry, (fn. 249)
knighted in 1497, (fn. 250) left a
daughter Isabel wife of Henry
second son of Sir William
Gascoigne of Gawthorpe. (fn. 251) Isabel and Henry had a
son Henry, who was succeeded at Sedbury by his
son Richard, his grandson Sir John, and his greatgrandson Sir William Gascoigne. (fn. 252) Sir William
Gascoigne had a grant of free warren in Sedbury in
1619–20. (fn. 253) He died in or about 1641, having
thirty-four years previously settled the manor on
his daughter and heir Isabel and her husband
Marmaduke Wyvill of Constable Burton, who succeeded to the baronetcy in 1618. (fn. 254) Isabel their
daughter married the Hon. James D'Arcy, younger
son of Conyers Lord D'Arcy and Conyers, (fn. 255) and
although in 1666 and 1688 this manor was settled
with that of Constable Burton, (fn. 256) it was ultimately
acquired by Isabel's son James D'Arcy, (fn. 257) called of Sedbury Park, by purchase. (fn. 258) James D'Arcy had no
male issue, and was created 13 September 1721
Lord D'Arcy of Navan, co. Meath, for life with
remainder to James son of his daughter Mary by
William Jessop. He died in 1731, being buried at
Gilling, as was also his grandson James, who died
childless (fn. 259) in 1733, having devised Sedbury to his
cousin Henry D'Arcy of Colburn (Catterick) (q.v.).
Henry D'Arcy left an only daughter Maria Catherine,
who married in 1738 Sir Robert Hildyard, bart., of
Winestead and had issue Robert D'Arcy Hildyard.
Henry D'Arcy by will dated 18 December 1750
demised Sedbury to trustees for his grandson Sir
Robert D'Arcy Hildyard and his heirs male with
contingent remainders (1) to Matthew second son
of John Hutton and Elizabeth eldest daughter of
James Lord D'Arcy and his heirs male, (2) to James
third son of John and Elizabeth and his heirs
male. Sir Robert D'Arcy Hildyard the grandson died
6 November 1814 without male issue. Matthew had
died unmarried in 1782, and James D'Arcy Hutton
succeeded to Sedbury on the death of his father. (fn. 260)
The manor was sold by him in 1826 to the Rev. John
Gilpin, vicar of Stockton-on-Tees, (fn. 261) whose grandson
Mr. George Thomas Gilpin Brown is now lord.
D'Arcy Lord D'Arcy. Azure crusilly three cinqfoils argent.
Hildyard of Winestead, baronet. Azure three molets or.
Churches
The church of ST. AGATHA has
developed from an early aisleless nave
about 37 ft. by 18 ft. 6 in., with a
chancel probably 16 ft. wide and a west tower oblong
in plan, measuring 12 ft. by 9 ft. within the walls,
its east wall being built beyond and not over the
west wall of the nave. Of this building the tower
and parts of the nave walls still stand and date,
perhaps, from the end of the 11th century. The
present chancel has been so much refaced and renewed
that its history is doubtful, but a blocked 12th-century
arch at the west end of its north wall proves the
former existence of an aisle or chapel here. In the
14th century a vaulted vestry was added to it at the
north-east and about the same time a good deal was
being done to the nave. The present chancel arch,
south aisle and arcade were then built and a few
years later an aisle was built on the north side; in
each case the aisles were continued westward beyond
the old west wall of the nave and the space between
the old and new west walls filled in, forming great
blocks of masonry on each side of the tower arch.
If any older aisles existed there is now nothing to prove
it. In the 15th or 16th century the tower was
heightened and the old belfry windows blocked up,
and windows were inserted in different parts of the
church. In 1845 a second north aisle was added,
and the church now consists of a chancel 33 ft. by
14 ft., a north-east vestry 14 ft. by 7 ft. with a
modern extension westward, a nave 37 ft. by 20 ft.,
a west tower 14 ft. by 10 ft., a south aisle 43 ft. by
12 ft. with a porch which has been rebuilt, and two
north aisles 43 ft. by 20 ft. and 43 ft. by 9 ft. 6 in.
respectively.
The chancel has very little old work to show.
In its east wall are three modern windows of 12thcentury style and there are four more and a doorway
of the same sort in the south wall. The chancel
arch is of two chamfered orders with a double
chamfered label, and the inner order rests on corbels
of the same design as those of the responds of the
south arcade. Over it on the west face are two
corbels to carry the rood-loft. The north wall of
the chancel is old, but has been refaced internally,
and the 12th-century arch already mentioned at its
west end can only be seen from outside. It is 6 ft.
wide, and in the masonry which blocks it is a small
lancet window, perhaps 13th-century work, and now
itself blocked. The vestry door has a moulded label
stopped with grotesques of a man and a beast, and is
of the 14th century. The vestry is covered with a
stone vault, and has a two-light east window and a
modern west doorway opening to a modern building
which contains the sexton's tools, &c. The nave is
of three bays, with north and south arcades with
octagonal columns, moulded capitals and arches of
two chamfered orders; the details are slightly different
in the two arcades, but they cannot be far apart in
date.
The north aisle, with its northward extension,
from which it is divided by an arcade of three bays,
has no old features, but the walls of the south aisle
are probably of the date of the south arcade. In the
aisle are modern windows at the east and west, and
in the south wall two two-light windows with jambs
and heads probably of the 14th century, and modern
tracery. In the same wall is a small piscina recess,
without a drain, but having in its place part of a
grave slab, and to the west of this is a 15th-century
recessed tomb with a large four-centred arch cinquefoiled and having a gabled hood mould and a finial.
The south doorway is of the 14th century and is of
two continuous chamfered orders. The south porch
is modern.
The tower is in three stages divided by strings
chamfered on both sides. The walls are only
2 ft. 4 in. thick, and the masonry is of an early type,
with large irregular quoin stones and no buttresses.
The walling is of small rubble with wide mortar
joints, and the only original openings are those in the
belfry stage, below the added 15th-century work,
and a single oval light on the south side of the
second stage. The tower arch is of the full width of
the tower, a plain round-headed opening with chamfered strings at the springing, but has probably been
widened and heightened and is not original. The
old belfry windows are all blocked, but that on the
west, now hidden by a clock face, shows that they had
two narrow round-headed lights under a plain semicircular head and a central shaft. The openings
were recessed in two orders and the shafts were not
set in the middle of the thickness of the wall, so that
the presumption of a pre-Conquest date which might
be drawn from the thin walls and early masonry is
not borne out by the details of the windows. The
added top of the tower is embattled and has squareheaded windows formerly of two lights with tracery,
but now filled with wooden louvres only; the tower
stair is a modern addition on the south side, and the
west window is a 15th-century
insertion of four lights.
On the wall of the tower is
set the fine grave slab of Sir
Henry Boynton, 1531–2, and
his wife Isabel; it is about 8 ft.
by 4 ft., and bears within a raised
border with the evangelistic
symbols at the four corners the
full-length figures of the knight
and his lady. He wears complete plate armour with a shortskirted tunic reaching to the
knees, a sword hanging from his
belt, and rests his feet on a goat
or roebuck. His wife wears a
long gown with tight sleeves and
a girdle from which hangs a pair
of beads, and on her head is a
large netted headdress with a veil
falling from it on either side.
Her feet rest on a cat. Over
the figures are two shields, of the
arms of Boynton and (?) Rookes:
a fesse between three rooks. On
the raised border is the inscription 'Hic jacet dñs he[n]ricus
boyntõn myles ultim' heres de
sydbery isti' nõis et essabella
uxor ejus qui VII id januarii
obiit año dñi mocccccoxxxioquo[..] añib[us] p[ro]picietur
deus Ame[n].'
There is another slab in the north aisle floor with
the inscription 'Alys bewlay 7 Sr herre boynton
Knyght, Deus propicius esto nobis peccatorib[us].'
At the east end of this aisle is a slab with the indent
of a brass plate.
In the porch is a coffin lid with a plain cross and
a sword, a shield with three muzzled bears rampant,
and there are several pieces of other slabs and of
early crosses here and in the churchyard close by.
There are three bells; the treble and tenor of
1707 by Samuel Smith of York, and the second by
Henry Jurden of London, c. 1450, inscribed 'Sancte
Thoma, ora pro nobis.'
The plate consists of a chalice with date mark
1620 and a modern copy of it, a small paten of
1624, a modern flagon and two patens. There are
also two pewter dishes bearing the maker's name
Robert Pennington and his trade mark, a cheveron
charged with three roses between three portcullises,
and a flagon with his initials r. p.
The registers begin baptisms and burials in 1639
and marriages in 1754.
The church of ST. MARY THE VIRGIN,
Eryholme, stands back from the road through the
village, and is on higher ground. It consists of a
chancel 17 ft. by 13 ft. with north vestry, nave
41 ft. 6 in. by 15 ft. with north aisle 5 ft. 6 in. wide
and south porch, and west tower only 6 ft. square, all
measurements being internal. The north arcade dates
from c. 1200, and though the chancel and nave
probably stand on the foundations of the church which
existed at that time and were older than the arcade,
they have been entirely rebuilt in the 14th century
or later, and the tower is a 16th-century addition.
The chancel has an early 14th-century east window
of three cinquefoiled lights under a pointed arch, and
in the south wall are two modern two-light trefoiled
square-headed windows which are copied from part
of an original window now built into the porch.
The chancel arch has two chamfered orders and
half-octagonal responds with bases of 13th-century
detail.
Plan of Gilling Church
The nave has three modern copies of 14th-century
windows in the south wall, a round-headed south
doorway with 13th-century mouldings and modern
jambs, and a modern window, like those in the south
wall of the chancel, to the west of it. The north
arcade of the nave is of four bays with arches of two
chamfered orders, with chamfered labels, circular
columns and bell capitals; one of the capitals has
early 13th-century foliage. Traces of a decoration
of single roses remain on the columns and capitals.
The aisle has a two-light east window with modern
tracery copied from one now walled in the porch,
and the north doorway has a modern semicircular
head.
The tower has no plinth, strings or buttresses,
being entirely plain except for an embattled parapet.
It has a small single-pointed west window on the
ground stage and a round-headed light on each face
of the upper stage.
The porch is quite modern; into its walls are
built several pieces of 12th-century detail and parts
of mediaeval coffin slabs. In the chancel floor is a
stone to John Calverley, 1660, and his wife Margaret
Jenison, 1671.
There are two bells: the treble inscribed 'Campana
Johannis: QWB' in Gothic capitals; on the waist is
a swastika, as on a very similar bell of c. 1400 at
Terrington, Yorkshire. The second bell bears 'Jesus
be our speed, 1616.'
The plate consists of two cups, two patens, a flagon
and an almsdish, all presented in 1889 by William
Henry Allan.
South Cowton Church: South Wall of Chancel
The registers begin about 1568.
The church of ST. MARY THE VIRGIN, (fn. 262)
South Cowton, consists of chancel 30 ft. by 18 ft. 3 in.,
north vestry, nave 48 ft. by 26 ft., west tower 13 ft.
8 in. by 10 ft. 8 in. and south porch, the whole being
apparently of one build c. 1450.
The east window of the chancel is of 15th-century
date and has three cinquefoiled lights with tracery in
a pointed head. The external label has a head
carved at the apex and the rear arch is three-centred.
On each side of this window is an image corbel, that
on the south carved with a head. In the north wall
are a three-centred doorway to the vestry and a
square-headed window of two cinquefoiled lights.
In the south wall are two similar windows and a
priest's doorway with four-centred arch, having an
external head-stopped label and a segmental rear arch.
octagonal moulded basin at the east end of the wall.
The chancel arch is of a low pointed form and rests
on engaged shafts.
In the north side of the nave are three squareheaded windows, two of two cinquefoiled lights and
the third of three lights. To the west of these is the
four-centred north doorway, with a returned label.
The south side of the nave is similarly lighted, and
has a pointed doorway with continuous mouldings
and returned hood mould. The tower arch is chamfered and pointed, and the west window is threecentred with three cinquefoiled lights and an external
hood mould.
The walls are of rough rubble. The tower is in
three stages, with an embattled parapet and chamfered
plinth, but no buttresses. The bell-chamber windows
are square-headed with two cinquefoiled lights and a
label with returned ends. Over the west window is
a sunk moulded panel shield charged with the sleeve
of Conyers impaling a bend between three crosslets.
The stair turret is at the south-east angle.
The porch has a pointed doorway with a returned
label, and over it is a trefoiled niche, above which
again is a panel having a label, and containing the
inscription 'Orate pro anima Ricardi Conyers et
Aliciae uxoris suae.' Over the porch is a parvise with
a flat gabled roof, running north and south, with
gabled crosses. The parvise has square-headed trefoiled lights in these gables, and is entered by a flight
of stone steps from the nave leading up to a threecentred doorway.
There are no buttresses on the south side of the
church, which has a parapet and chamfered plinth.
Over the priest's doorway to the chancel is a roundheaded niche, formerly a trefoiled window, with a
hood round three sides, and over this are two sunk
and moulded panels, one bearing a lion passant on a
fesse between three crescents, impaling a bend between
two saltires engrailed, the other the same impaling
two leopards. Over each shield is 'Xpofer Bontō'
(Christopher Boynton).
The north vestry was originally in two stories, and
on the west side are two plain square-headed windows,
one above the other.
There is a late 15th-century chancel screen with
tracery in the heads, and some of the bench ends in
the chancel are old and curiously carved.
There is some old glass in the east window, collected
from various windows, and including the head and
clasped hands of our Lady with her monogram over,
and below a shield Azure a sleeve or supported by an
angel and bearing the inscription 'Cristofer Cōyers.'
The font has an octagonal bowl, on which are
shields, and an octagonal stem and base; it is similar
to many in the neighbourhood erected about 1620.
There are three interesting effigies, all of the late
15th or early 16th century. In the south-east of the
chancel is that of a knight in plate armour, wearing a
collar of roses and SS, his head resting on a mantled
helm, his hair long and in a thick curl over the ears,
his feet resting on a dog. A small shield behind the
head of the figure bears traces of gold. On the
opposite side of the chancel are the effigies of two
ladies. All three show strong Italian influence,
though there is no real renaissance ornament in the
composition.
Outside the porch is part of the pedestal of a tomb
bearing shields, on one of which is the sleeve of
Conyers, on the other are three bows.
There are three bells: the first inscribed 'Venite
exultemus Domino 1700 (S S Ebor),' by Samuel
Smith; the second 'Gloria in altissimis deo 1712.
John Welban, George Cust churchwardens (E Seller
Ebor)'; and the third recast in 1883.
The plate, which is silver, consists of two cups,
two patens, two salvers, one with a foot, and a flagon.
The flagon, presented by W. Webb in 1858, is of
1784; one cup and one salver are of 1843 and the
others of 1858; the patens are of 1902.
The registers begin in 1568.
Advowson
The church of Gilling, mentioned
in 1086, (fn. 263) was given before 1093 (fn. 264)
by Count Alan Niger to the abbey
of St. Mary, York, (fn. 265) and held by that house until
the dissolution of the monasteries. (fn. 266) It was appropriated to the abbey in 1224. (fn. 267) The Crown afterwards presented until 1585, from which time the
advowson has been in the hands of the Whartons. (fn. 268)
The living is a vicarage, the vicar being mentioned
in the 12th century. (fn. 269)
The church is dedicated to the honour of St.
Agatha, but formerly, it is said, of St. Peter. (fn. 270)
The chapels of Forcett, Hutton, Barton (now
independent parishes), Cowton (South), Barforth (in
Forcett parish), Eryholme and Mortham (in Rokeby
parish) were dependent on the church of Gilling in
1396, (fn. 271) as those of them that remain are at the
present day. In 1547 there were six priests in the
parish at the finding of the vicar, besides two chantry
priests. (fn. 272) A chantry of St. Nicholas in the parish
church was founded by Richard Barningham and
Sir Henry Boynton, (fn. 273) lords of Sedbury.
The chapel at South Cowton, according to Prior
Wessington of Durham, was one of those chapels
under the invocation of St. Cuthbert erected to
commemorate the temporary resting-place of the
saint's bones. (fn. 274) A chantry of our Lady in the chapel
of South Cowton was founded in the 15th century (fn. 275)
by Sir Richard Conyers, kt., for the saying of prayers
for his soul and assistance of divine service in the
chapel. (fn. 276) South Cowton, until 1880 a perpetual
curacy, is now a new vicarage. (fn. 277) It is in the gift of
the vicar of Gilling, and the chapel is dedicated to
the honour of St. Mary.
In the time of King John Master John de Mallerstang, vicar of Gilling, held tenements in Eppleby of
Geoffrey le Breton by fealty and the service of finding
a chaplain for three days every week, on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday, to celebrate divine service in
the church of St. Wilfred of Eppleby. (fn. 278) This chapel
existed, although in ruins, in 1586, when it, with
its yard and appurtenances, was granted by the
Crown to John Awbrey and John Ratcliffe. (fn. 279)
In the late 12th or early 13th century Philip de
Eryholme granted to St. Mary's Abbey, York, all his
right in the advowson of the chapel of Eryholme, (fn. 280)
and in 1575 there is an allusion to the curate of 'the
parishyng' of this place. (fn. 281) Eryholme, formerly a
perpetual curacy, is now a vicarage and is in the gift
of the vicar of Gilling. Its church of St. Mary is
the old chapel.
A chapter of Gilling is mentioned in the 12th
century, (fn. 282) a dean and chapter in the 14th. (fn. 283)
Simon Birchbeck, the divine and writer of
pamphlets, was made vicar of Gilling in 1616.
'During the troubles of the Civil War he "submitted to the men in power," and therefore "kept
his benefice without fear of sequestration."' (fn. 284)
Charities
Hartforth School was founded by
Sir Thomas Wharton, 1678. See
article on Yorkshire Schools. (fn. 285)
In 1704 the Rev. Matthew Hutchinson by his will
demised land at Richmond and Reeth, income from
which was to be applied in teaching two boys to read
and write and in improving two other boys who could
read, write and say the Church Catechism and binding
them apprentices, and in giving money and clothes
to four poor widows attending church. The trust
property now consists of a house, 2 a. 2 r., and a plot
of land at Richmond, and 12 a. 2 r. at Reeth, producing about £90 a year. In 1906 £80 was
distributed among poor widows, and £4 a year is
applied for the educational benefit of boys qualified in
accordance with the donor's will.
This parish is entitled to benefit from Dame Mary
Calverley's charity under her will, dated 1715.
George Wilson, by will proved at York 19 May
1821, left £200, interest to be distributed at Christmas to poor labouring men with families, and
widows and old spinsters. The legacy was invested
in £199 3s. 5d. consols (with the official trustees).
In 1906 £5 was distributed to twenty poor people in
sums of 5s. each.
Hartforth: Philip Swale, by will dated 29 September 1683, left £60 to augment a legacy of £40 by
his aunt Ann Etherington, the income to be applied
in apprenticing or otherwise for the poor of the township. The sum of £100 forms part of the funds of
Philip Swale's charity, under the care of the Richmond Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends, in
respect of which £5 a year is paid to the poor of
this hamlet.
Hartforth is also entitled to benefit under the
charity of Matton Hutton at the Richmond Dispensary, and at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Infirmary, and
in the discretion of the trustees to share in the
portion of the charity applicable in apprenticing.
Township of North Cowton: In 1659 Thomas
Matteson, by will, gave to the poor 40s. yearly;
this is paid by Mr. John Hawksby out of land in his
occupation, and is distributed among the poor of the
township of North Cowton, with the rent of the
Poor's Garth, containing 3 r., producing £3 a year.
In 1904–5 money was given to ten recipients.