AINDERBY STEEPLE
Andrebi, Eindrebi (xi cent.); Aynderby Fourneux
(xiii-xv cent.); Aynderby with Stepil (1316–xvi
cent.); Ainderby with the bell-tower (xv cent.).
This parish contains the townships of Ainderby
Steeple, Morton, Thrintoft and Warlaby, the hamlet
of Low Sowber and the farmsteads of Near and Far
Fairholme. The area is 4,708 acres, of which rather
more than half is permanent grass. (fn. 1) The chief crops
raised are wheat, oats and barley. The soil is alluvial,
on a subsoil of Red Sandstone and Marls with recent
Alluvium in the bed of the Swale. The brick and
tile works at Ainderby and Morton are now disused.
The parish as a whole lies low, being about 100 ft.
above ordnance datum.
The village of Ainderby Steeple is built on ground
rising about 30 ft. above the surrounding country, and
is built round and to the north and south of a triangular
green. The houses are mostly of brick with tiled
roofs. The church stands on a mound at the eastern
entrance to the village, and its tower, visible for miles
around, has since the beginning of the 14th century
given the place the appellation of Ainderby with the
Steeple. Across the small green, and standing back
from the road, is Ainderby Hall, now the residence
of Mr. A. Cecil Lupton, J.P. The site of the
capital messuage is mentioned in 1392, (fn. 2) and a mill
belonged to the manor in 1341. (fn. 3) The National
school here was erected in 1851. On leaving
Ainderby the main road leads westward to Bedale,
passing through Morton where a line of red brick
houses lies close to the road. At the eastern end of
this village a short lane leads north to Ainderby
station on the extension of the North Eastern railway
from Northallerton to Hawes. The Wesleyan chapel
here was built in 1815, that of the Free Methodists
in 1870.
Morton Hall and the manor-house lie near one
another by the Swale; the capital messuage here
is mentioned in 1346 and 1359, (fn. 4) when a common
oven and a windmill were appurtenant to the manor.
Morton Grange lies among the fields to the south
of the main road; it was claimed by the family of
Roos in the 17th century. (fn. 5) The Swale is crossed
just west of the manor-house by Morton Bridge,
probably the successor of the manorial ferry mentioned in 1317. (fn. 6) Leland records that Morton Bridge
was of wood, (fn. 7) and in 1551 Robert Thompson of this
place left 'a yonge collte stage' towards mending it. (fn. 8)
In 1747–8 the raising of the battlement of Morton
Bridge and the amendment of the causeway leading
west for 300 ft. were referred to the justices of the
wapentakes of Hang East and Gilling East. (fn. 9) In 1086
Count Alan had the onset of a fishery here. (fn. 10) A
ballad, of no poetic value, called 'The Banks o'
Morton o' Swale,' is printed in Ingledew's collection. (fn. 11)
North-west of Morton is Thrintoft, a straggling
village lying by the Swale at the point where it is
joined by Mill Beck; the present Mill Lane no
doubt led to the water-mill standing at Thrintoft in
1539–40. (fn. 12) The capital messuage mentioned in
1616–17 (fn. 13) must have been in existence in the 13th
century. (fn. 14)
On the south-west side of the village are the
remains of a chapel, apparently of the 15th century,
now used as a barn. It is a rectangular building
of rubble much patched, with buttresses at the angles
having ashlar quoins, the best preserved being at the
north-west angle. The interior is 37 ft. 3 in. by
18 ft. 3 in. The east window is about 4 ft. wide
and contains fragments of 15th-century tracery. In
the north wall are the remains of two windows,
between which is the north door showing on the
outside an abacus and a label above the head. The
west window has a flat lintel and sill and splayed
jambs. The south door is 5 ft. wide and 10 ft. high
to the head of the four-centred arch. East of this
door are two unusual windows about 3 ft. 10 in.
wide and 7 ft. high, with flat heads and sills, splayed
jambs and the remains of mullions dividing each into
two lights. The windows are all about 6½ ft. above
the present floor, which appears to be approximately
the original level, as the doors are in position. There
is said to be a piscina on the south wall. The roof
beams are modern.
Warlaby, a hamlet by the side of the Wiske, which
forms the easterly boundary of the parish, is the
breeding-place of the famous Warlaby Shorthorns.
The cattle breeder Thomas Booth, owner and farmer
of the estate of Killerby near Catterick, removed to
Warlaby in 1819. He was succeeded in the stock
and estate at Warlaby by his second and equally
celebrated son Richard, who died at Warlaby in
1864. (fn. 15) Thomas Booth, son of Richard, enjoyed a
like reputation and died at Warlaby in 1878; his
son, Mr. Richard Booth, is the present owner. The
cross at the head of the town and the capital messuage are mentioned in the 13th century. (fn. 16)
The names Lindale and Calderes in the demesne
lands of Thrintoft occur in 1251–2 (fn. 17) ; the names
Mekildaleyng, Turnepitends, Thretyrodes and le
Chapelcroft in Warlaby in February 1397–8. (fn. 18)
Manors
All the lands in the parish of Ainderby
belonged to Count Alan in 1086, (fn. 19) and
continued to be held of the honour of
Richmond, (fn. 20) except 9 carucates in AINDERBY itself
which were in the soke of the neighbouring manor of
Northallerton (q.v.), but did not subsequently become
part of the liberty of the Bishop of Durham there.
Before the Conquest Torchil held 6 carucates and a
'manor' and Ulchil 3 carucates. (fn. 21) In 1086 Anschitil
held 1 carucate and the church. (fn. 22) This Anschitil was
probably an ancestor of the family of Furneaux, Furneys
or Furnells, as an Anschitil de Furneaux gave to
St. Mary of York and to St. Martin's Priory near Richmond two sheaves of his demesne lands in Ainderby
and Morton and the third sheaf in Thrintoft. (fn. 23) A
Robert de Furneaux was among the men of the Count
of Britanny in 1130–1, (fn. 24) and a Robert de Furneaux
held lands in Morton (q.v.) in 1196. In 1211–12
Geoffrey de Furneaux held one knight's fee of the
honour of Richmond. (fn. 25) Michael de Furneaux was
lord of Ainderby in 1252, (fn. 26) in 1268 (fn. 27) and 1281 (fn. 28)
and Simon in 1282, (fn. 29) but he had been succeeded in
1286–7 (fn. 30) by Robert de Furneaux, lord in 1302–3. (fn. 31)
The marriage of Richard son and heir of Sir Robert
de Furneaux, kt., was in 1310 granted to Lady
Christina widow of Nicholas de Meinell (fn. 32) of Whorlton,
but in 1316 (fn. 33) and 1317 a John de Furneaux (fn. 34) was
referred to as lord, (fn. 35) possibly owing to the minority
of Richard.
Scrope, Lord Scrope of Masham. Azure a bend or with the difference of a label gules.
Strangways. Sable two lions passant paly argent and gules.
Roos of Ingmanthorpe. Azure three water-bougets or.
Lascelles, Earl of Harewood. Sable a cross paty in a border or.
Geoffrey le Scrope, founder of the family of Scrope
of Masham (q.v.), succeeded
to the Furneaux's possessions
—the lordship of Ainderby
and mesne lordship of Morton
—in this parish, but by what
title does not appear. He
obtained a grant of free warren
in Ainderby in 1321, (fn. 36) and
in 1339 settled his manors of
Masham, Constable Burton
and Ainderby, with rents in
Warlaby, on himself and the
heirs of his body, (fn. 37) and
Ainderby descended with
Masham (fn. 38) (q.v.) until, on the
attainder of his great-grandson Henry third Lord
Scrope of Masham, in 1415, (fn. 39) these lands came into
the hands of the Crown and were granted to
Sir Henry Fitz Hugh. (fn. 40) John brother of Henry
le Scrope in 1424 made a successful petition for the
restoration of the entailed lands—including Masham
and Ainderby (fn. 41) —but, in spite of a royal grant,
'by the great and voluntary delaies made by different
persons he could not recover them.' (fn. 42) He, however, died seised of Ainderby, (fn. 43) and it descended in
his family (fn. 44) until 1517, when Geoffrey, the eleventh
and last Lord Scrope of Masham (q.v.), died without
issue. (fn. 45) In 1520 his estates were parcelled out among
his co-heirs, his sisters Alice, Margaret and Elizabeth
or their descendants, (fn. 46) the manor and advowson of
the vicarage of Ainderby being allotted to Sir Thomas
Strangways of West Harlsey, (fn. 47) son and heir of Sir James
Strangways and Alice. (fn. 48) Sir James, son of Sir Thomas,
in January 1540–1 settled the manor of Ainderby and
half the manor of Warlaby with others on himself and
his heirs with contingent remainder to Leonard son of
William Lord Dacre. (fn. 49) He died childless in 1541,
and Robert Roos, son and heir of Robert Roos of
Ingmanthorpe by Mary, one of the daughters and
heirs of Sir James Strangways the elder, was awarded
by Act of Parliament Upsall and other manors and
the reversion of the manors of Ainderby with Warlaby
and Morton Grange, which Dame Elizabeth, widow
of Sir James Strangways the younger, held for life. (fn. 50)
Elizabeth afterwards married Francis Nevill and joined
with him in 1562 in conveying her life interest to
Leonard Dacre, (fn. 51) on whose
attainder in 1569 Ainderby
like West Harlsey (q.v.) was
seized by the Crown and
afterwards leased out for terms
of years. (fn. 52) The 'manors' of
Ainderby, Thrintoft and
Morton formed part of a
settlement made by Edward
Lascelles in 1800, (fn. 53) and the
Earl of Harewood still owns
a considerable portion of the
land, but the manorial rights have fallen into abeyance. (fn. 54)
The claim of the Roos family, however, was not
for a long time dropped. Bridget daughter and heir
of Robert Roos married Peter Roos of Laxton, Notts.,
and had a son Gilbert, who died in 1610, leaving a
daughter and heiress Elizabeth wife of William
Thomas; they were the claimants in 1636. (fn. 55) Five
years later the claim was said to be represented by
Rose widow of Richard Best, as daughter of Richard
Roos of Ingmanthorpe grandson of Miles great-uncle
and next heir of Robert Roos. (fn. 56)
MORTON-ON-SWALE (Mortun, Mortune, xi
cent.; Marton, xii–xiii cent.).—Before the Conquest
Gospatric had one 'manor' and 9 carucates here, and
Grim and Gospatric held 3 carucates soke of Fleetham.
Afterwards Gospatric held his lands in demesne of the
count, while a certain Walter had the land of Grim
(2 carucates). (fn. 57) By 1316 the family of Furneaux
were mesne lords (fn. 58) and were succeeded as such by
the Scropes. (fn. 59)
The early history of the tenants in fee is somewhat
confused. In 1196 Roger son of Ralph paid a fine to
the Crown for a judgement that Robert de Furneaux
should render him relief for lands in Hornby and
Morton, (fn. 60) from which it would appear that Robert
de Furneaux held of Roger son of Ralph. In 1199,
however, Richard Malebiche recovered a rent in
Morton which the Crown had seized as part punishment for Richard's attack on the Jews of York, (fn. 61)
and in 1201 conveyed his possessions in Morton to
his uncle William son of Hugh Malebiche. (fn. 62)
Hugh Malebiche in 1205 claimed the vill of
Morton for himself and his wife against Robert
Baynard, who had possibly acquired Robert de
Furneaux's interest and called to warrant Roger
son of Ralph and on his death Wymar son of Roger,
then a minor. (fn. 63) The matter seems to have been
compromised in 1220 by Hugh Malebiche and Beatrice
his wife quitclaiming a knight's fee in Morton to
Wymar and Robert Baynard in return for lands in
Leyburn that had once been held by Bartholomew
Baynard and Aldred the Reeve. (fn. 64) Emma widow
of Bartholomew in 1274 granted to Robert Burnell
all her lands here after her decease. (fn. 65) In 1273
William Esturmy quitclaimed the manor to Robert
Burnell together with the manor of Ryston, once held
by Joan widow of his brother Richard Esturmy. (fn. 66)
Robert Burnell was the confidential friend and
chaplain of Edward I before his accession and was
subsequently made chancellor and promoted to the
bishopric of Bath and Wells (fn. 67) ; while being largely
responsible for the great legislative measures of this
reign he also acquired large estates. The bishop
obtained a grant of free warren in Morton in 1281 (fn. 68)
and died in 1292. (fn. 69) In 1275 he had made elaborate
arrangements for the marriage of one Joan Burnell
to John son and heir of William son of Thomas de
Greystock or other heirs of William, (fn. 70) and, although
Philip son of his elder brother Hugh Burnell was the
bishop's heir, (fn. 71) Morton descended to Ralph Fitz
William, Baron de Greystock, who (fn. 72) in 1310 received
a grant of free warren here. (fn. 73) Ralph grandson of
this Ralph was in 1316 returned as lord of Morton, (fn. 74)
and from this time until at least 1726–7 it followed
the descent of the manor of Henderskelfe, the Yorkshire seat of the Greystocks and afterwards of the
Howards. (fn. 75) In 1800 it belonged to Edward
Lascelles, (fn. 76) from whom it has descended to the
present Earl of Harewood. (fn. 77)
At THRINTOFT (Tirnetoste, Tirnetofte, xixii cent.; Cyrneton, xiii cent.; Tyrnecoff, Thirnetowghe, xvi cent.) in 1086 there were 5 carucates
soke of Fleetham; before the Conquest Grim and
Chetel had two 'manors' there, while Hundegrim
held 6 oxgangs of the soke of Morton. (fn. 78) In 1086
the vill was held in demesne by Picot, (fn. 79) from whom
it descended to the family of Lascelles. (fn. 80)
Adam de Pontoise (Punteyse) and Avis de Lascelles
his wife lived here in the middle of the 13th century, (fn. 81) and in 1253 Avis obtained a grant of free
warren. (fn. 82) The lordship of the Lascelles descended
from them to the Constables of Halsham. (fn. 83)
In 1251–2 Picot de Lascelles granted a carucate and
certain pasture in Thrintoft to Roger son of Hamo
de Falesham, (fn. 84) to whose family the manor now came.
Nicholas de Falesham in 1275–6 exchanged this
manor with Robert Burnell for one in Suffolk, (fn. 85) and
from this time Thrintoft like Morton followed the
descent of the Greystock estates until the middle of
the 18th century. (fn. 86) It was still held by the family
of Howard in 1744, (fn. 87) but was sold by them to Edwin
Lascelles, created Baron of Harewood in 1790, (fn. 88) the
owner in 1754 (fn. 89) ; from him it has descended to the
Earl of Harewood, the present owner.
WARLABY (Warlauesbi, Werlegesbi, xi cent.;
Waslakeby, xiii cent.; Warlauby, Warlaghby, xiiixvi cent.) was held before the Conquest by Siward
as one 'manor' of 4 carucates. In 1086 Count
Alan held Warlaby, and Hervey, lord of Sutton in
Nottinghamshire, was his under-tenant. (fn. 90) This holding, with land in Coverham, was held as one knight's
fee by Hervey de Sutton in 1211–12. (fn. 91) From the
Suttons a mesne lordship descended to the family of
Coverham. Floretta wife of Richard de Sutton was
holding in 1258 when Stephen de Coverham and
Margaret his wife owed service to her. (fn. 92) By 1272
Stephen de Coverham had become the mesne lord (fn. 93) ;
his son parted with this lordship in 1310 with that
of Coverham (q.v.) to Geoffrey le Scrope, the tenant
in 1316. (fn. 94)
The ownership in fee of the manor seems to have
become divided into two holdings of 3½ carucates.
About the middle of the 13th century Walter son of
Ranulf de Maunby granted to Esperverius de Welles
certain services and lands in Warlaby for which he
was to do the services due to the heirs of Richard de
Sutton, the mesne lord, for half a knight's fee of
7 carucates. (fn. 95) In 1286–7 Roger le Sperver (Spernore, Caperner) and Geoffrey de Hewick each held
3½ carucates. (fn. 96) Roger Sperver was tenant in 1304
and Nicholas in 1310; before 1397–8 their moiety had
passed to William Lascelles, upon whom it was settled
with remainder to Maud wife of John Barneby of
Allerton in tail and further remainder to the right
heirs of John Sperver. (fn. 97) In 1419 William son and
heir of William Lascelles was lord, (fn. 98) but in 1441
William Barneby, clerk, who probably held under
the settlement of 1397–8, conveyed his right to
James Strangways the elder and Joan his wife. (fn. 99)
In 1487 Richard Strangways died seised of 4 carucates of land in Warlaby and was succeeded by his
son and heir James, (fn. 100) whose grandson James made a
settlement of Warlaby with Ainderby in January
1540–1. (fn. 101) From this date the manor followed the
same descent as that of Ainderby (q.v.).
Arthington of Hewick. Or a fesse between three scallops gules.
With regard to the other moiety of the manor of
Warlaby it would seem that in 1213 Adam de
Munceau (fn. 102) and Beatrice his wife, widow of William
de Warlaby, claimed lands in Warlaby against Ralph
de Warlaby, but the suit came to nothing on
account of the death of Adam. (fn. 103) In 1285–6, however, Geoffrey de Hewick petitioned for lands as son
of Beatrice daughter of Roger
son of the above Beatrice. (fn. 104)
Nicholas de Hewick was
joint lord of Warlaby in 1310
and 1316, (fn. 105) and obtained a
grant of free warren here and
in Hewick and Copt Hewick
in 1328–9. (fn. 106) In the 16th
century the Arthingtons, lords
of Hewick in Ripon parish,
held what they sometimes
called half the manor of
Warlaby, sometimes the manor
of Warlaby, and sometimes
tenements in Warlaby. (fn. 107) Cyril
Arthington granted the manor to John Lumley in
1587, (fn. 108) and in 1601 the said Cyril and Rosamond
his wife granted tenements to Robert Lumley and
John Salkeld. (fn. 109) In 1615 Giles Widdowes and Margery
his wife conveyed the manor to Thomas Ward, (fn. 110) and
this seems to be the last mention of this part of
Warlaby as a manor. Richard Lumley died seised
of tenements only here in 1637–8. (fn. 111)
Church
The church of ST. HELEN consists
of a chancel 41 ft. 11 in. by 19 ft. 9 in.
with a modern north vestry, nave
39 ft. 9 in. by 20 ft. 1 in., with an engaged west tower
10 ft. east to west by 11 ft. 3 in., north aisle 11 ft. 6 in.
wide, south aisle 13 ft. wide, both aisles inclosing the
tower, and a south porch.
A church of the 12th century or perhaps of earlier
origin appears to have occupied the site; the nave
was of the size of the present one, without aisles but
probably with a south transept and western tower, the
chancel being much smaller than the existing one.
The first addition, a north aisle with the arcade of
three bays, appears to have been made about 1230,
followed shortly afterwards by the south aisle. The
south transept was retained, the eastern bay of the arcade
being made of a wider span across its mouth. The
chancel was entirely rebuilt about 1320, being made
longer than the existing nave. The tower was rebuilt
and the aisles both widened and lengthened westwards
to include the tower. The tower appears to have
required rebuilding late in the 15th century, and the
mark of the junction of the later work with the
earlier can be traced on either side of it. It is
possible that it fell, as a similar line of broken jointing
in the south wall suggests that the western part of the
aisle was also re-erected. The clearstory was also
added in the 15th century. Some of the windows
and a good deal of the external walling have been
restored during the past century. A general restoration took place in 1870; the organ chamber is a still
later addition.
The east window has five trefoiled lights under a
pointed head filled with modern tracery. The rest
of the stonework is early 14th-century work; the
mullions and jambs are moulded, the latter with two
filleted rolls on the inner angles and one outside. On
either side of the window are the remains of a
canopied niche. In each side wall of the chancel
are two windows of two ogee-headed trefoiled lights
under a pointed traceried head. The inner stones
of the tracery of the north windows are modern. A
large modern archway opens into the organ chamber
and vestry in the middle of the north wall. The
vestry is lighted by a north window of two lights and
has an outer doorway in its east wall.
There are a piscina and three sedilia in the south
wall. The piscina has a cinquefoiled ogee arch with
a moulded label. The sedilia are flanked by moulded
wall shafts topped with crocketed pinnacles; the
jambs and intermediate mullions of the sedilia are
moulded; each bay has a trefoiled ogee head above
which is a blank trefoil within an arched and
crocketed label. These stop on carved corbel heads,
the one of a king and the other of a bishop. The
small priest's doorway in the middle bay of the south
wall is also original and has two continuous wavemoulded orders to the jambs and pointed arch; the
label is moulded; its western stop is gone and the
eastern is modern. Near the chancel arch is a lowside window of one trefoiled ogee-headed light of
detail similar to that of the other windows. A scrollmoulded string-course runs around the chancel inside,
leaping the sedilia, south doorway, and low-side
window and terminating in a beast's head from whose
mouth the string issues. The walls of the chancel
are ashlar faced inside and out. The north and south
walls are divided into three bays externally by three
heavy buttresses, and the east wall is also strengthened
by three, the middle one stopping below the window.
The parapet is plain and of modern date, as also is
the wood roof, which has a pointed barrel ceiling.
Plan of Ainderby Steeple Church
The chancel arch has jambs and a pointed arch of
two chamfered orders, the outer continuous, the inner
with moulded capitals and modern bases; it appears
to be contemporary with the south nave arcade. The
north arcade has three bays of equal span with pointed
arches of two chamfered orders with double-chamfered
labels; they spring from octagonal columns and
responds. The top member of the bases is of two
rounds, except to the east respond, which has a single
roll at the top and square and chamfered plinths
below. The capitals are moulded, of a simple section,
and are octagonal below and circular above.
The south arcade has three bays, the easternmost
being about 2 ft. wider than the others. Both
responds are of two chamfered orders with roll and
hollow bases. The first pier has a semi-octagonal
respond facing north against a thicker piece of wall
which evidently was once part of the earlier transept
west wall. The respond has a 13th-century base of
two filleted rounds and a deep hollow. The second
column is octagonal with a base of plainer section.
The capitals are all moulded with well-formed bells,
those of the east respond and the first pier being
enriched with a narrow band of nail-head ornament.
The arches are all plain pointed, of two chamfered
orders.
To the south of the first pier can be seen
the outline of the former moulded corbel which
supported the inner order of the cross arch to the
13th-century narrow aisle, also the springing stone of
the continuous chamfered outer order.
The clearstory of the nave is lighted by two
windows to the north and three to the south, each of
two lights under square heads with moulded labels;
all are of late 15th-century date. The plain moulded
parapet is a later restoration, its date, 1594, being
inscribed on the south side. The roof is modern.
A modern vesica window has been inserted in the
east gable of the nave.
The north aisle has an east window of three
trefoiled lights under a pointed head filled with
flowing tracery of mid-14th-century date. The first
north window has two lights, the second one, each
having trefoiled ogee heads without any piercings
above. Both windows are 14th-century work, except
the mullion of the former. The third and fourth
windows are modern. At the third window, and
partly cut into by it, is an old blocked doorway with
a two-centred drop arch; its mouldings are buried in
the wall, but it may be assumed to be the 14th-century
north entrance. The west window of the aisle is a
single light resembling the others; it has been much
repaired in modern times but retains its old head.
The east window of the south aisle has three trefoiled sharply-pointed lights with intersecting tracery
above. The jambs are of two wave-moulded orders
inside and out. In the south wall is a small partly
mutilated piscina basin set in the sill of a small
opening low in the wall. Its splay is outwards, and
its outer face is closed up; a rebate shows that it once
had a shutter opened only from the outside. There
is a legend extant that an anchorite's cell was once
attached to and communicated with the church, and
the presence of this little window would appear
to confirm the story. The three south windows of
the aisle have been much restored outside but are
evidently of 14th-century date; each has two
trefoiled pointed lights with a quatrefoil above, in
a pointed head. The south doorway is almost at
the extreme west end of the aisle, it and the porch
having been moved one bay further west at the
restoration of 1870; it appears to contain 13thcentury work re-used in the 14th century. Its jambs
are of two orders, the inner chamfered, the outer
square, with old bases and moulded capitals, but
modern shafts, in the angles. The pointed arch is of two
chamfered orders and has a pointed segmental rear arch.
The porch, which evidently belongs to the same
century, has a pointed barrel-vaulted roof of stone
divided into three bays by plain chamfered ribs; it is
lighted by a small window to the east and has an
outer arch of two chamfered orders, the outer dying
on the side walls of the porch and the inner finishing
with a flush corbel. The west window of the aisle
has two plain pointed lancets, above which is a
quatrefoil piercing; the window is 13th-century
work re-used in later times.
The tower has archways opening into the nave and
both aisles, with two-centred drop arches of two
chamfered orders dying on to square jambs; square
projecting portions of walling on either side of the nave
archway evidently form part of the former west wall
of the nave. The west doorway in the tower has jambs
of two chamfered orders and a four-centred arch
also of two chamfers but with a hollow cut in each;
it is of 15th-century date. The window above has
three cinquefoiled lights under a two-centred drop
arch; the window is old but its label is modern.
The tower is divided into two stages externally; the
stair rises in the south-west angle and is entered from
the church by a four-centred doorway. The first
floor is lighted by small trefoiled lights. The bellchamber has windows each of two cinquefoiled
lights under three-centred arches. The parapet is
embattled.
Most of the furniture is modern. Against the wall
of the tower in the south aisle are a few pieces of
17th-century panelling and some is used up in the
back seats of the pews. There is also a little 18thcentury carved panelling used up in the Litany desk.
The octagonal stone font in use is modern, but one
dated 1662 is still preserved in the church.
The only trace of ancient painting is a little
ornamental scroll-work in the soffit of the chancel arch.
On the west wall is a brass inscription of the second
half of the 14th century to William Ealeys, rector,
and confessor to John Lord Scrope.
There are three bells: the first, of pre-Reformation
date, bears the inscription 'Raphael Archangelus
Medicina Dei dictus'; the second bell is inscribed
'Cry Aloude repent, 1636'; the third having the
legend 'Voco, veni, precare, 1706,' is by S. S. of
York.
The communion vessels are electro-plated.
The parish registers begin in 1668.
Advowson
The church of Ainderby belonged
to Anschitil in 1086, (fn. 112) and the
advowson continued to follow the
descent of the manor until the 15th century, (fn. 113) the
last record of the presentation of a rector by the
Scropes being in 1437. (fn. 114) In 1458–9 Thomas
Maungee and John Alan had licence to grant the
advowson to the Abbot and convent of Jervaulx, (fn. 115)
which obtained licence in 1472 to appropriate the
church, (fn. 116) the rectory being worth £21 6s. 8d. a year
at the Dissolution. (fn. 117) Jervaulx Abbey (fn. 118) paid a stipend
of £13 6s. 8d. to the vicar, (fn. 119) and was bound by
charter to expend 3s. 4d. annually as alms to eighteen
poor parishioners of Ainderby; the advowson of the
vicarage of Ainderby appears among the Strangways
lands in 1520 and 1540–1. (fn. 120) Either by the dissolution of the abbey or by the attainder of Leonard
Dacre the advowson came to the Crown, (fn. 121) and so
remained until 1874, (fn. 122) when it was transferred to
the Bishop of Ripon, (fn. 123) the present patron.
Various leases of the rectory were made by the
Crown after the Dissolution, (fn. 124) and in 1606 it was
granted by James I to William Harrison and Thomas
Bulbeck in fee. (fn. 125) By 1623 it seems to have come
into the possession of the Gowers of Melsonby, and
to have been settled in this year with Melsonby (q.v.)
on Christopher Philipson. (fn. 126) Later it became the property of the Wastells of Scruton in Catterick parish
(q.v.). Christopher Wastell of Scruton married a
daughter of—Smelt of Ainderby, (fn. 127) and it must
have been his descendant John Wastell who in 1780
conveyed this rectory to John Booth. (fn. 128)
In 1554 Ralph Constable of Thrintoft left directions to be buried in the Lady porch of the parish
church. (fn. 129) Adam de Pontoise (Punteyse) and Avis his
wife granted land in Thrintoft in 1253–4 to the parson
of Ainderby to find a chaplain to celebrate divine
service daily in the chapel of St. Mary Magdalene
of Thrintoft, and pray on specified days for the souls
of Picot de Lascelles, Adam and Avis, their ancestors
and heirs. For the convenience of Adam and Avis,
who were to maintain the chaplain and the chapel,
the chaplain was to say the hours as well as vespers
daily. (fn. 130) In 1547 the chantry was served by Thomas
Swyer, 'of a meane learning, of honest conversacion
and qualities.' It was then said to be of the foundation
of Picot Lascelles by deed of 1243, and the chapel to
be distant from the parish church a mile and a half. (fn. 131)
In 1571–2 and 1585–6 grants of the chapel were
made by the Crown. (fn. 132) It lies on elevated ground
west of Thrintoft Grange, a former possession of
Jervaulx Abbey. (fn. 133)
Charities
Parish of Ainderby Steeple.—An
annual payment of £1 was formerly
made out of part of a farm in the
township under the title of Scott's Dole.
Township of Morton-on-Swale.—The Poor's
Garth of about an acre was devised by will of
Robert Theasby, dated 21 November 1723, and is
let at £2 10s a year, which is distributed in coal.
John Wright, by will dated 22 July 1797 (proved
at York), devised a house and about an acre of land,
the rent to be distributed in bread among poor persons
attending church. The rent of £10 a year is, under
the provisions of a scheme of the Charity Commissioners of 1878, applied in the relief of the poor
generally, in the distribution of flour and in gifts of
money in special cases.