MARSKE
Merske (xii–xiv cent.); Mersc (xiii cent.).
Marske parish is composed of the village of Marske
and hamlets of Skelton, Feldom, Clints and Applegarth.
The area of this parish is 6,759 acres, of which
4,521 acres are permanent grass; woods and plantations cover 252 acres and the amount of arable is
very small. (fn. 1) The subsoil is Yoredale Rocks, the soil
clay. A lead-mill at Marske is mentioned in 1590, (fn. 2)
and there were tin and lead mines (now disused) at
Skelton in 1653. (fn. 3) The village of Marske lies in a
hollow to the west of Richmond by the Swale, the
southern boundary of the parish, and is on the old road
from Richmond to Reeth with woods and hills rising
on either side of it. 'The old bridge that takes the
road to Reeth across Marske beck,' says Gordon
Home, 'was standing in the reign of Elizabeth' and
may be older. It is of a single span and has been
much renewed from time to time. 'The Huttons,'
continues Gordon Home, 'have converted what was
formerly a precipitous ravine with bare rocky scars
on either side into the heavily wooded and romantic
spot one finds to-day.' (fn. 4) Marske Hall, the residence
of Mr. Frank Stobart, J.P., is an 18th-century building
in the classical style on the site of an older house;
adjoining it is the Deer Park. A lane running south
crosses the Swale at Downholme Bridge. North of
the village Marske Moor gradually rises to a height of
1,250 ft. An inclosure award for Marske Moor or
Common was obtained in 1842. (fn. 5)
These were the boundaries of the manor of Marske
in 1294: from the stream of the forest (New
Forest) to the south to the corner of the close of
Skelton and thence to the stone standing at the east
end of Hesylhowe, thence to the similar stone on
Cockhowe, thence as the water-course divides the lordships of Skelton and Marske to Whytegate, and as
Whytegate stretches to the south to Thyrlgate and
Bratheow bek and as Bradehowe bekk descends to the
River Swale, and by the Swale to the foot of the
water of the forest and beyond by the Swale to
the foot of the water of Felbek, ascending by Felbeck
to the foot of Sowemyre, thence to Wudkeld near
the place called Chapel-greene and from Chapelgrene to the foot of Swaynemyre, and thence to the
stone on the moor to the corner of the white wall,
and by the white wall to the west to the stone
standing on the road called Clevedale Rake and
descending by the stone called Whyte-stane on
Graystane Hill to the stream of Clevedale, and as
the stream of Clevedale crosses to the water of the
forest and as the water of the forest separates the lordships of Marske and Skelton. (fn. 6)
There is a small Wesleyan chapel at Clints, close
to Marske, and a public elementary school at Marske
erected in 1841 by Mr. Hutton. This family, which
has for so long held Marske, has produced two archbishops. The first was Matthew Hutton translated
from Durham to York in 1594, three years before
the Huttons purchased the Marske estates. He is
described by Fuller as 'a learned prelate,' who 'lived
a pious man and left a precious memory.' (fn. 7) The
second, also called Matthew, was translated from
Bangor to York, and finally in 1757 to Canterbury. (fn. 8)
Manors
MARSKE is not mentioned in the
Domesday Survey. The earliest reference known is in the charter of
Conan Earl of Richmond made before 1171 to one
Harsculph, (fn. 9) granting him various liberties in New
Forest and in the manor and demesne of Marske. (fn. 10)
The mesne lordship belonged to Roald in 1286–7, (fn. 11)
and passed with the fee of Roald to the Scropes of
Bolton, who were still mesne lords in 1505. (fn. 12)
The family of Marske are the first recorded undertenants. Late in the 12th or early in the 13th
century — de Marske granted to Marrick Priory
tenements in Marske of his fee which belonged to
Ulfget the Fuller. (fn. 13) Peter de Marske, (fn. 14) John his son,
Lucas (fn. 15) and Alan Marske must all have been of about
this date. Alan was followed by a son Robert and
he by a son Roger living in 1257. (fn. 16) Robert son of
Roger (fn. 17) was lord in 1286–7, (fn. 18) as was his son Robert
in 1294. In this year began the series of transactions
by which Robert sold the manor through Philip de
Saperton, rector of Marske, (fn. 19) to his nephew the
Harsculph de Cleasby of that time. (fn. 20) In 1295
Thomas de Richmond, the mesne lord, confirmed to
Philip the whole tenement in his fee purchased from
Robert de Marske, who granted the mill to the rector
in this year and the manor and advowson in 1296. (fn. 21)
In 1302 Harsculph de Cleasby settled the manor on
Philip for life with remainders to William, possibly
a younger son of Harsculph (for Robert de Cleasby
was his heir), (fn. 22) and Margery his wife and their heirs
and then to others. (fn. 23) William de Cleasby had sons
John and Harsculph, (fn. 24) the former perhaps the John
infamous in northern parts. At this time Bruce,
aided by the Earl of Lancaster, was penetrating as far
south as Yorkshire, and during the general anarchy
Gilbert de Middleton, a knight of Northumberland,
and John de Cleasby, each with his own private band
of ruffians, imitated the example set by Lancaster.
But, 'by the will of heaven,' we are told, they were
both quickly taken. John was vainly tortured, and,
refusing to confess, shortly afterwards died in prison.
Gilbert was hanged, drawn and quartered and his sections sent into diverse parts of England. (fn. 25) Harsculph
was lord in this year, (fn. 26) and was still living in
1332–3. (fn. 27) He was followed by Thomas, (fn. 28) his son,
living in 1338, (fn. 29) and he by
Harsculph, his son, who is
mentioned in 1355–71. In
1357 John de Layton, whose
father had married the heiress
of the elder branch of the
Cleasby family, (fn. 30) seems to
have held the manor of
Marske during the minority
of Harsculph, (fn. 31) but the same
year Harsculph recovered it. (fn. 32)
Cleasby. Gules two bends argent and a quarter ermine.
Thomas de Cleasby was
lord in 1394, (fn. 33) as was Robert,
his son, (fn. 34) in 1440. (fn. 35) He was
succeeded by his daughter and
heir Elizabeth. (fn. 36) Christopher Conyers of Hornby,
her guardian, married her to his fifth son William, (fn. 37)
who was living at Marske in 1463 (fn. 38) and in 1475–6. (fn. 39)
His son and heir Christopher died seised in March
1504–5, leaving a son and heir William, (fn. 40) who died
in 1554. The latter's son William (fn. 41) died in 1557,
his daughter and heir Joan, aged fifteen, having three
years previously received a settlement on her marriage
with Nicholas son of George Conyers. (fn. 42) Joan, however, was abducted immediately after her father's
death (fn. 43) by James Phillip of Brignall, who married her
to his second son Arthur. (fn. 44) James Phillip, who was
the Scropes' land agent, was a notoriously bad character.
He was not only a sorcerer, (fn. 45) but it is said to have been
owing to him that his son dissipated the Marske
estates. (fn. 46) Possibly through the influence of the Scropes
Arthur Phillip was pardoned, for he was in possession
of Marske in 1597. In this year he, with Francis
Phillip, his son and heir, sold the demesne lands
to Timothy Hutton, (fn. 47) knighted in 1606 (fn. 48) ; and in
1598 Francis Phillip and Elizabeth his wife and
William Phillip conveyed the manor to Richard
Remington, clerk, and William Gee, (fn. 49) evidently trustees
for the Huttons. Sir Timothy Hutton died in
1629. (fn. 50) He had entailed Marske in 1615 on the
marriage of Matthew Hutton his son and heir to one
of the daughters of Sir Conyers Darcy, afterwards
Lord Darcy. Matthew Hutton,
however, to pay his debts, (fn. 51)
sold Marske in 1630 to Sir
Conyers Darcy and Conyers
Darcy his son; and when
John Hutton, son and heir of
Matthew, came of age he
experienced considerable difficulty in recovering the manor,
for his father was reported
one of the most violent Cavaliers in the county. He,
however, obtained permission
to try his title at law, and so
recovered Marske. It was
again seized for some reason
by the Committee for Compounding, but in 1651 his title was allowed and the
sequestration discharged. (fn. 52) He satisfied the Darcys
with other lands and leases. (fn. 53) John was succeeded
in 1664 by his son John, who restored the hall and
died in 1730–1. His son and heir John married
the daughter and co-heir of James Lord Darcy of
Navan; he was a captain of foot in the '45 rebellion
and built the stables and otherwise renovated Marske
Hall. His son John, who succeeded in 1768, died
in 1786 and was followed by a son John, Sheriff of
Yorkshire in 1825. On his death in 1841 he was
succeeded by his brother Timothy, sheriff in 1844.
Timothy died childless in 1864, when his heir was
his cousin James Henry D'Arcy Hutton, son of James
Hutton of Aldbrough, and heir of Sedbury in
Gilling parish (q.v.). James was followed by his
son John Timothy D'Arcy, who died in 1874; his
son Mr. John Timothy D'Arcy Hutton is the present owner. (fn. 54)
Hutton of Marske. Gules a fesse between three cushions argent having fringes and tassels or with three fleurs de lis gules on the fesse.
The charter of Earl Conan, previously mentioned, (fn. 55)
gave to Harsculph common in all his lands in the
New Forest and the manor and demesne of Marske
within specified boundaries, liberty of holding a
three weeks court in all his lands and of fishing in
the earl's waters of the forest, suit of his mills,
hunting in all woods, wastes and pastures in the
lordship of Marske and liberty of inclosing all his
lands of Marske. In return he was to pay, if
required, to the earl and his heirs three roots of
ginger at Christmas. The lords of the manor still
had free fishing in the New Forest in 1590. (fn. 56) A
mill belonged to the manor in 1294, (fn. 57) and there
were two water-mills in 1599, (fn. 58) one of which existed
in 1777. (fn. 59)
The Earl of Richmond had free chase here in
1310. (fn. 60)
APPLEGARTH (Appelgar, Appelgart, xiii cent.;
East and West Appulgarth, xv cent.).—West Applegarth belonged to the Fitz Hugh family in 1251,
when Henry son of Ranulf received a grant of free
warren there, (fn. 61) and it descended with the manor of
Ravensworth (fn. 62) till 1814, when it was purchased by
James Hutton of Marske. (fn. 63)
East Applegarth was held immediately of the Earl
of Richmond in the 14th century by the family of
Applegarth by fealty and the serjeanty of carrying
as marshal a rod before the overlord, if at Richmond,
at Christmas and Easter. (fn. 64) Geoffrey de Applegarth
was succeeded by his son Robert, (fn. 65) bailiff of the Earl
of Richmond in 1274 and 1281. (fn. 66) Thomas son of
Robert (fn. 67) paid 8s. subsidy in 1301–2, (fn. 68) and in 1304–5
brought a plea against Robert de Cleasby and Amabel
his wife, who evidently included Applegarth in their
claim to Marske and seem to have seized Thomas's
'manor of West Applegarth.' (fn. 69) Thomas died in
1326–7 and his son Robert succeeded him. (fn. 70) The
Fitz Hughs, however, were owners by the end of the
15th century, (fn. 71) and this land afterwards coalesced
with West Applegarth and passed to the Huttons.
FELDOM (Feldon, Felton, xiii cent.), composed
of 1 carucate of land, was held of Roald de Richmond
in 1286–7 (fn. 72) ; the mesne lordship passed from this
family to the Scropes of Bolton, of whom it was held
in the time of Henry VII. (fn. 73)
From 1227 until the 16th century the Mountfords, later of Hackforth, were enfeoffed of Feldom
under the Roalds and the Scropes, (fn. 74) and under them
Jervaulx Abbey held this land in demesne. In 1581
Nicholas Metcalfe (fn. 75) is said to have died seised of
the manor of Feldom. He left no children, and was
succeeded in turn by his brothers, Mark vicar of
Northallerton (fn. 76) and Matthew, who died in 1593,
leaving a son and heir Francis. (fn. 77) This is the last
trace of this family here.
In 1278–9 Halnath de Halnaby, lord of the
neighbouring vill of Skelton and of Halnaby (q.v.) in
Croft parish, was sued by the Abbot of Jervaulx for
permission to reconstruct a bridge over the Eske
between Feldom and Skelton that Halnath had
pulled down in the time of Thomas de Allerton, a
former abbot. (fn. 78) Jervaulx Abbey held half a carucate
of land in Feldom of Roger Mountford in 1286–7, (fn. 79)
and in the time of Henry VII was said to hold
1 carucate. (fn. 80) Property in Feldom was granted to the
Earl of Lennox with the site of Jervaulx Abbey in
1540. (fn. 81)
SKELTON.—The lordship of Skelton is first
mentioned in the boundaries given by Conan Earl
of Richmond in his charter to Harsculph of
liberties in Marske. It was afterwards a member of
the honour of Richmond. (fn. 82)
The mesne lord in 1286–7 was Roald de Richmond, (fn. 83) from whom the mesne lordship passed to
the Scropes of Bolton. (fn. 84) In 1278–9 (fn. 85) and 1286–7
Halnath de Halnaby held it in demesne of Wischard
de Charron under Roald, and it continued to follow
the descent of Halnaby until 1653, (fn. 86) when Sir
Francis Boynton, bart., sold it to William Bower (fn. 87)
of Bridlington Quay, merchant, who died 1671–2. (fn. 88)
He was succeeded by his son John and he by his son
William, both merchants of Bridlington. (fn. 89) William
died in 1702, leaving two sons, William, (fn. 90) who settled
the manor on his brother Leonard in 1714 (fn. 91) and
died without issue, and Leonard, described as 'of
Scruton, gent.' Leonard died in 1763, leaving a son
John, who released Skelton in 1782 to Miles Stapleton
of Clints. (fn. 92) Miles Stapleton in 1800 conveyed it to
Thomas Errington, and in 1842 Michael Errington
of Clints conveyed the manor to Timothy Hutton,
from whom it descended to the present lord of
Marske. (fn. 93)
CLINTS is a member of the manor of Marske,
with which it descended until 1590, when Arthur
Phillips and his son and heir Francis conveyed it to
John Bradley of Beetham in Westmorland, who left
daughters and heirs. One daughter married Sir
Francis Duckett of Grayrigg, Westmorland, who sold
his portion to Timothy Hutton in 1605. Another
daughter may have conveyed her share to John Sayer
of Worsall, who sold part to Timothy Hutton in 1615.
The greater part passed to Robert Willance, the hero
of 'Willance's Leap' (see Grinton). Robert, an
important merchant of Richmond, became alderman
of that town and bequeathed an ancient piece of
plate in the shape of a bowl to his successors. His
nephew and successor Brian, son of Nicholas Willance,
left daughters and heirs, of whom Elizabeth carried
Clints to her husband, Dr. John Bathurst. Charles
Turner of Kirkleatham purchased Clints from the
other Bathurst representatives (see Arkengarthdale) in
1761. He made the stables at Clints very well known,
but sold the estate in 1767 for £7,000 to John Viscount
Downe, who parted with it in 1768 for the same sum to
Miles Stapleton of Drax. In 1800 it was purchased
from trustees of the Stapletons by Thomas Errington
of London, who came to live here. His son Michael
in 1842 disposed of the estate for £12,250 to Timothy
Hutton, who removed the manor-house. Its site is
now occupied by new buildings. (fn. 94)
Church
The church of ST. EDMUND KING
AND MARTYR consists of chancel
30 ft. by 15 ft. 6 in. with a north chapel,
nave 32 ft. by 14 ft. 9 in. with a north aisle 11 ft. 3 in.
wide, and a south porch, and an open bell-turret at
the west end. Part of the nave is of the 12th
century, but large alterations were made in 1683,
and the chancel was entirely rebuilt in the early part
of last century.
The chancel arch is of two chamfered orders and
roughly semicircular, having been altered in the 17th
century, but it evidently replaced one of the 13th
century, as a capital of that date still remains on the
north jamb with a classical baluster underneath it as
a corbel, and on the south jamb a similar capital
has been cut down. The north arcade of the
chancel has elliptical arches resting on square piers
with classical abaci. The east window is modern, of
three trefoiled lights, and in the south wall are two
similar two-light windows and a four-centred south
doorway, all modern. In the nave on the south
side are two two-light windows with elliptical heads
and a circle over. The south doorway is 12th-century
work, round-headed, with scalloped capitals to the
outer order and old moulded bases; the jamb shafts
are modern and too big. Over it is a square-headed
window formerly lighting a west gallery. The north
arcade is in three bays, with chamfered roundheaded arches, plastered and probably of 17thcentury date, resting on octagonal shafts with
13th-century foliated capitals and moulded responds
resting on small corbel heads.
The north aisle has a lancet window on the west,
two plain square-headed two-light windows on the
north, and one on the east square-headed with two
cinquefoiled lights. There is an arched recess for a
tomb in the north wall close to the western window.
Externally the south wall of the nave is built of
rubble, which is plastered at the west end; it is
probably of the 12th century and has a chamfered
plinth with a later embattled parapet and a clasping
buttress at the south-west angle. The porch is
modern with a shield of the arms of Hutton over the
door, but within it is a 12th-century doorway of two
chamfered orders and a label, the outer order resting
on circular shafts with chamfered abaci, scalloped
capitals and crude bases; the square-headed window
above it is of the 17th century, but that to the west
is modern. The two two-light windows have hoods
resting on imposts and the mullions have a square
grooyed face. The heads of the lights of that to the
west are ornamented with dog-tooth and the date 1683
above, while those of the other are plain with the
inscription 'iohn hvtton sqvir'; over the latter
window is a sundial dated 1700.
The west end of the church is plastered; there is
a buttress at the junction of the aisle and one of
three stages in the centre of the nave. The bellturret has openings for two bells, but only contains
one, which was recast by Taylor of Loughborough
about 1880.
The north wall is quite plain, having no parapet or
plinth, and is all plastered. Near the west end is a
blocked round-headed 12th-century door.
The east window of the aisle has a label with
returned ends. The east and south walls of the
chancel are modern, built of rubble with no plinth
and having labels to the doors and windows.
The font has a tapering octagonal bowl on a fluted
circular shaft resting on a large square base. On
four of the faces are rough carvings, a cross and a lily,
a cross with a paten (?), the date 1663, and the initials
[T H M]; the other sides are blank.
In the churchyard opposite the porch is a square
stone with the corners chamfered off and a square hole
in the top, apparently once the base of a churchyard
cross.
The plate includes a cup inscribed 'For Marske
Church 1665' and a paten inscribed 'Iese Mason
Born in the Parish of Marske July ye 20 Anno Dom.
1642' with the arms of Mason. There are also a
pewter flagon and almsdish.
The registers begin in 1578.
Advowson
According to the charter cited
above Conan Earl of Richmond
granted the advowson to Harsculph. The Marskes were in possession of it
at the end of the 13th century and alienated it
with the manor, (fn. 95) with which it has ever since descended. (fn. 96)
There was a mediaeval chapel of St. Cuthbert at
Marske, marking one of the spots where St. Cuthbert's
body rested. (fn. 97)
Charities
In 1655 Thomas Hutchinson
charged his capital messuage with
the appurtenances in this parish
called Clints and 16 acres belonging thereto called
Crofts with a rent-charge of £5, which is divisible
among the poor.
The Rev. John Jackson, rector of Marske, by
deeds of 1645 and 1648 gave to certain trustees a
rent-charge of £100 and another rent-charge of £40,
both redeemable upon the terms therein mentioned,
upon trust for such charitable and pious uses as the
lord of the manor and parson of Marske should direct.
The rent-charges were subsequently redeemed. In
1698 certain closes within the township of Marske
and in the borough of Richmond, and in 1730 about
80 acres of land in the parish of East Harlsey, known
as Syddall Grange Farm, were purchased. In 1881
the last-mentioned property was sold, and the proceeds invested in Metropolitan Consolidated 3½ per
cent. stock with the official trustees. The stock
with certain accumulations in 1907 amounted to
£1,695 0s. 1d. stock, producing an annual income
of £59 6s. 4d., which with the rent of the remaining
land is administered under a scheme of the Charity
Commissioners of 9 August 1881, by the provisions of
which £30 a year is applicable for educational purposes and the residue for the benefit of deserving poor.
There is an ancient payment of 10s. a year for
the poor of this parish, issuing out of a farm called
Riddings in the parish of Grinton.
This parish is entitled to benefits under the charity
of Matton Hutton at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Infirmary, and at the Richmond Dispensary, and in
the discretion of the trustees to a grant for the school,
and to share in the residuary income of that charity
applicable in apprenticing. In 1906 a grant of £20
was made to the school.
Robert Baldwin, by will proved 1884, bequeathed
fifteen shares in the Railway Passengers' Assurance
Company to be applied towards an annual school
treat, subject to the repair of a grave in the churchyard. The shares were realized and the proceeds
invested in £91 13s. 3d. India £3 per cent. stock,
the annual dividends of which, owing to the trust for
repair of the grave being invalid, are applied towards
the expenses of a school treat.