WENSLEY
Wendreslaga (xi cent.); Wendeslay, Wandesle
(xiii cent.); Wendeslagh, Wendeslawe (xiv cent.);
Wenslawe (xv cent.).
This parish contains the townships of Castle Bolton,
Leyburn, Preston-under-Scar, Redmire and Wensley,
and covers some 8 miles of the northern slope of Wensleydale, and certain lands of the township of Wensley
on the south side of the river. Its level ranges
between 1,800 ft. in the north and about 350 ft. near
the river. Its area is about 14,445 acres, over 7,000
of these being permanent grass, nearly 825 wood
and barely 273 arable land. (fn. 1) The chief crop is hay.
A large portion of the parish consists of high moorland. The subsoil is limestone and the soil various.
Coal and lead were worked here in the 16th and 17th
centuries, (fn. 2) and old smelting-mills, quarries and limekilns abound; freestone and lime are still worked.
Stations at Leyburn, Wensley and Redmire, on the
Northallerton and Hawes branch of the North
Eastern railway, were opened in 1877. (fn. 3)
Wensley has been described as the prettiest village
in Wensleydale. It lies on the Ure, at the point
where it is crossed by a 15th-century bridge, probably
built with £40 left by Richard first Lord Scrope for
the repair of an earlier bridge. (fn. 4) It was repaired in
the 17th century (fn. 5) and was widened about 1812. (fn. 6)
The road from the bridge runs through the village
green, with its groups of picturesque cottages. This
probably represents a former market-place, for in
1202 Hugh Malebiche gave King John a palfrey
for having a market here on Thursdays. (fn. 7) James
de Wensley in 1307 obtained a market on Wednesdays and an annual fair on the eve, feast and
morrow of the Holy Trinity, (fn. 8) this grant being
renewed in 1318. (fn. 9) Leland described Wensley as
a 'litle, poore market.' (fn. 10) Both fair and market
have been long disused. The church is at the south
end of the green and there is an elementary school
in the village. On the west side of the green is
Wensley Hall, the residence of the Hon. William
G. A. Orde-Powlett, M.P., J.P.; Wensley House,
the residence of Mr. E. T. Umpleby, Lord Bolton's
agent, is in Bolton Park. Between them and faced
by a large elm is the entrance to Bolton Park, whence
an avenue leads to Bolton Hall, the seat of Lord
Bolton. The house has projecting wings on the east
and west, with steps leading to the main entrance in the
centre. Though the park is mentioned in 1630, (fn. 11)
the building originally dated from about 1655. (fn. 12)
It was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 1902
and has since then been rebuilt. Several highly
decorated lead water-pipes from the previous building
dated 1678 are fixed on the present walls. A mill
at Wensley is mentioned in 1203 (fn. 13) and 1672. (fn. 14)
A road leads north-east from the village, rising
steadily for 1½ miles until it reaches Leyburn, at first
sight a bare and unattractive town, standing on the
edge of a steep descent into the valley. It consists
mainly of two open squares. The larger, which
forms the market-place, is sloping and narrow at
the bottom, where the church, built in 1868, (fn. 15)
stands, but it widens at the western end. The
town hall, built by the late Lord Bolton in 1857,
occupies the centre of the widest part. The old
market-cross was destroyed by the fall of an elm in
1821. (fn. 16) A market on alternate Tuesdays for the
sale of goods and chattels was granted in 1684 to
Charles Marquess of Winchester, (fn. 17) who obtained a
confirmation two years later. (fn. 18) A market is now held
on every Friday for corn, vegetables, &c., and every
other Friday for cattle. Fairs for cattle are held on
the second Saturday in October and the second
Friday in February, May and December, and for
sheep on the second Friday in October.
The Roman Catholic church of St. Peter and
St. Paul was opened in 1835 in succession to a chapel
dating from 1771 (fn. 19) ; the Congregational chapel dates
from 1795. There is also a Wesleyan chapel, (fn. 20) and
in 1689 there was a Quaker meeting-house. (fn. 21) The
public elementary schools were erected in 1864 and
enlarged in 1896.
Bolton Hall, Wensley
Leyburn Hall, the property of Mrs. Arabella
Yarker, widow of Charles B. Yarker, (fn. 22) and the residence of Mr. Thomas Bolle Bosvile, lies on the west
of the town, and commands a magnificent view over
Wensleydale. The house is H-shaped on plan, and
may perhaps date from the 17th century. None of
the existing features, however, are earlier than the
18th century; a rain-water head on the north front
bears the initials A.I.Y. The wings on the south or
garden front are pedimented, and the house is entered
by a modern porch.
Near it is supposed to have stood a chapel of
St. Peter and St. Paul; in one of the out-buildings
is a pointed doorway of one chamfered order, evidently reset. A hemispherical stone bowl preserved
in the grounds is said to belong to an ancient font.
Thornburgh, formerly known as the Grove, stands
to the north-west of the town; it once contained a
secret hiding-place. It was almost entirely rebuilt
in 1873, and is now the property of Mr. E. F.
Riddell-Blount of Cheeseburn Grange. (fn. 23) It may be
the Leyburn Hall which belonged to Francis Thornburgh in 1734. The present 'Grove,' formerly
called the Mansion or Leyburn House, was built
about 1720, tradition says, on the site of a tannery.
It was bought by Mr. F. H. Riddell about 1872
from Mr. Matthew Dobson. It is now the property
of Mr. E. F. Riddell-Blount and the residence of
Mr. F. W. Riddell. (fn. 24)
Leyburn makes an excellent centre for visitors to
Wensleydale. West of the town is the 'Shawl,' a
terrace which runs for over a mile above the wooded
slopes of the dale, and commands a fine view of the
valley, with Penhill on the south-west. The Shawl
was laid out in 1841. (fn. 25)
Mills in Leyburn are mentioned in 1318, 1324,
1336 and 1362. (fn. 26)
Preston-under-Scar is a remote terrace-village lying
off the main roads to the west of Leyburn Shawl;
it consists of a single street of grey cottages backed
by a precipitous scar. The manor-house is near the
middle of the village, which contains a Church
of England mission-room, opened in 1862, and a
Wesleyan chapel. In 1854 it was chiefly inhabited
by miners. (fn. 27) Preston Mill, first mentioned about
1421, (fn. 28) lies to the south-east of the village.
Further west is Castle Bolton, another of the bleak
villages, with a single street lying along a limestone
terrace on the hill-side, not uncommon in this district.
The greyness of Bolton is, however, modified by
vestiges of a green, and most of the houses have
gardens in front. The ruins of the castle stand near
the church at the western end of the village. A mill
at East Bolton, mentioned in 1246, (fn. 29) was possibly on
Apedale Beck, which forms part of the eastern
boundary of Castle Bolton. Near the beck is Low
Bolton, now a farm-house.
Redmire is a pretty village situated by the road
between Wensley and Carperby. It is built round
an irregular green, in the centre of which is a stone
cross. The maypole was destroyed by lightning in
1849. (fn. 30) There is a Wesleyan chapel and a public
elementary school. The church is half a mile to
the south-east. Redmire, like Preston, was chiefly
inhabited by miners in 1854. (fn. 31)
The Mill Farm near the Ure probably indicates
the site of a mill mentioned in 1420 (fn. 32) and 1595. (fn. 33)
Manors
In 1086 there were two berewicks in
WENSLEY, one of 4 and another of
3 carucates, each attached to Count
Alan's manor of East Witton (fn. 34) (q.v.), the overlordship subsequently following the descent of the honour
of Richmond (q.v.).
One fee in Wensley was held by a family which
was also enfeoffed of land in Lincolnshire under the
honour, (fn. 35) and subsequently took its name from
Ingoldsby in that county. Towards the close of the
12th century the lord of Wensley was Niel son of
Alexander. (fn. 36) He was succeeded by a son Osbert,
who from 1203 to about 1207 was engaged in disputes concerning Wensley Church with Hugh Malebiche. (fn. 37) Osbert followed the barons in their rising
against John, and was taken prisoner, but liberated in
1217. (fn. 38) He is last mentioned in 1231, (fn. 39) and
four years later his son Roger de Ingoldsby was in
possession. (fn. 40) In 1246 he sub-enfeoffed Wischard de
Charron of 3 carucates in Ulshaw, Thomas son of
Hugh holding a mesne lordship and granting to
Roger 60 acres of land in Wensley. (fn. 41) Roger had
been succeeded by his son of the same name by
1275–6, (fn. 42) and he in 1280 held direct of the honour
half a knight's fee of the value of £20 2s. In 1285
he agreed to divide certain lands, chiefly wood, with
Nicholas de Wensley son of Thomas de Ulshaw (see
below). (fn. 43) Roger de Ingoldsby died in 1313, (fn. 44) when
a portion at least of his lands passed to Ranulph de
Paris, (fn. 45) who with Elizabeth his wife in 1331 sold
rent in Wensley and quitclaimed the manor and
advowson to Henry le Scrope. Meanwhile Geoffrey
Luttrell, of Irnham, Lincs., as trustee granted the
manor in 1317 to Henry le Scrope, to be held of
Walter de Gloucester son of Walter de Gloucester,
defunct, who quitclaimed his right in the manor to
Henry in the same year. (fn. 46) It henceforth followed
the descent of Bolton.
The name of Peter son of John de Wensley occurs
in 1285, (fn. 47) and it is said to have been as guardian
of his son, but probably as trustee for the Scropes,
that Geoffrey Luttrell of Irnham paid the subsidy
here in 1301, (fn. 48) and was returned as joint lord in
1316. (fn. 49) John Wychard paid subsidy here in 1327–8, (fn. 50)
his assessment of the same sum as that of Henry le
Scrope being possibly for land in Ulshaw. (fn. 51)
Of the early history of the second fee little is
known, but it seems evident that in the 12th century
it was in the hands of the family of the lords of
Thornton Steward (q.v.). Wymar son of Warin
appears to have left a daughter Beatrice, who married
Hugh Malebiche. (fn. 52) Hugh was in possession here
in 1202, (fn. 53) but by 1213 this land was held by Hugh
son of William, who had married Helewise widow
of Wymar without royal licence. (fn. 54) In 1240 John
de Monmouth settled 3 carucates here, probably as
trustee, upon Thomas son of Hugh on his marriage
with Beatrice daughter of Wymar, lord of Thornton (fn. 55)
(q.v.). The arrangement made by Thomas with
Roger de Ingoldsby has already been mentioned.
Nicholas de Wensley, son of Thomas de Ulshaw,
held half a knight's fee valued at £16 3s. 1d. in
1280. (fn. 56) Five years later he was holding 1 carucate
5 oxgangs here and at Ulshaw in demesne and directly
of the honour; sub-tenants held of him 1½ carucates
and 5 oxgangs respectively. (fn. 57) Nicholas was living in
1295, (fn. 58) but James de Wensley was the tenant in
1301 (fn. 59) and was joint lord in 1316. (fn. 60) It was possibly
a portion of this fee that Henry le Scrope bought
from Stephen Turpyn and Cecily his wife in 1301 (fn. 61) ;
he at least in 1318 bought from Nicholas de Wensley
4 oxgangs leased for three years to Robert de Swinithwaite. (fn. 62) In the same year Henry le Scrope's land in
Wensley was called a 'manor,' (fn. 63) and in the following
year he bought four messuages, land and 5s. rent here
from Robert Hastangs and Emma his wife. (fn. 64) John
and James de Wensley each paid 1s. subsidy in
1327–8, (fn. 65) while Henry le Scrope was assessed for 2s.
Finally, about 1459 Henry le Scrope obtained from
John Wensley a third of certain tenements and 16
oxgangs here in exchange for the office of bailiff of
Eston. (fn. 66)
The whole of Wensley, thus acquired from divers
sources by the Scropes, followed the descent of the
manor of Castle Bolton (q.v.), Lord Bolton being the
present owner.
At CASTLE BOLTON (Bodelton, xi and xii cent.;
Bouelton, Estbolton, (fn. 67) xiii cent.) before the Conquest
the four sons of Balt had four 'manors' and 6 carucates.
Castle Bolton was afterwards granted to Count Alan (fn. 68)
and became a member of the honour of Richmond
(q.v.). One moiety of 3 carucates was given by a
lord of Richmond (probably Earl Conan) to the
Tunstall family in drengage; their service of carrying
the earl's wine from the castle to the forest and feeding his dogs and birds was commuted by the time of
Henry III for an annual rent of 9s. (fn. 69) Acharis de
Tunstall gave a house and land here to Rievaulx Abbey,
and this grant was confirmed by Richard his son, who
added land and rent. Imaynia daughter of Richard
confirmed his grants. (fn. 70) In 1231 she and her husband
Reynold de Bolton gave further lands, (fn. 71) and in 1246
Imaynia and her second husband, Peter son of William
de Bolton, gave the abbey a mill here. (fn. 72) She survived
Peter, (fn. 73) but apparently died without issue, whereupon
her cousin Roger son of Roger de Tunstall quitclaimed
to Richard son of Wymar de Leyburn all the lands
she had held, (fn. 74) and Richard conveyed them to Rievaulx
Abbey. (fn. 75) Among the lands granted to Rievaulx by
Acharis were 25 acres, portions of which were held
by five tenants. (fn. 76) These Acharis compensated with
other land elsewhere in Bolton. William son of Unfrid
and Dolfin both released their claims to the abbey. (fn. 77)
The heirs of William the Clerk were subsequently
tenants of 1 carucate. (fn. 78) William le Scrope was paying
the rent of 9s. in 1285, (fn. 79) and was probably in possession of the land, though it was not until 1315 that
William's son and successor Henry effected a formal
exchange with the abbey, taking the whole of their
Bolton lands in exchange for land in Newsham
and elsewhere. (fn. 80) Sir Henry was at different times
Chief Justice of England and chief baron of the
Exchequer. (fn. 81) He died in 1336, having previously
settled his lands, to avoid division, upon his three
sons, William, Stephen and Richard, successively.
William succeeded (fn. 82) and died in 1344. Stephen
being then dead, (fn. 83) Richard was his heir. (fn. 84) He
fought at Crecy and was knighted at Nevill's
Cross. He vindicated his right against Sir Richard
Grosvenor to bear the arms, 'Azure, a bend or.' He
was summoned to Parliament as the first Lord Scrope
of Bolton in 1371. (fn. 85) Dying in May 1403, he was
succeeded by his son Roger, who died in December
of the same year. (fn. 86) His son Richard, a minor, fought
at Agincourt and died in 1420. (fn. 87) He was succeeded
by an infant son Henry, who proved his age in 1440. (fn. 88)
He died in 1458–9, his heir being his son John, (fn. 89) who
took part in the siege of Norham Castle and died in
1498. The sixth Lord Scrope, Henry son of John,
died in 1506. His son, another Henry, who fought at
Flodden, (fn. 90) with 'all Richmondshire its total strength,' (fn. 91)
died in 1533; his heir was his youngest but only
surviving son John, to whom in 1549 succeeded a
son Henry, Warden of the Western Marches, who died
in 1592. (fn. 92) His heir was his son Thomas, who, dying
in 1609, was succeeded by his son Emmanuel,
eleventh Lord Scrope. (fn. 93) He was created Earl of
Sunderland in 1627, and died in 1630 without
lawful issue, having previously settled all his available
estates on his illegitimate children, John, Mary,
Elizabeth and Annabel, with remainder to his right
heir. (fn. 94) John Scrope alias Jeanes alias Sandford, who
succeeded, held the castle for the king and suffered
sequestration; he died in London of the Plague in
1646. (fn. 95) Of his three sisters and heirs Mary married
first Henry Carey, son and heir of the Earl of Monmouth, and secondly Charles Paulet Lord St. John,
afterwards Marquess of Winchester; Elizabeth
married Thomas Savage, third Earl Rivers; and
Annabel married John Grubham Howe, ancestor of the
Earls Howe. (fn. 96) Castle Bolton
appears to have been divided
for a time between the three
co-heirs, (fn. 97) but ultimately it
became the sole property of
Mary. Mary's second husband, the Marquess of Winchester, was created Duke of
Bolton in 1689, and five of
their descendants in the male
line were successively lords of
the manor. The fifth duke
died in July 1765, having
previously bequeathed Castle
Bolton, should his brother and
successor die without male
issue, to his illegitimate
daughter Jean Mary. The
title became extinct when the
sixth duke died in 1795, and the manor passed
under the settlement to Jean Mary wife of Thomas
Orde of Hackwood, Hampshire. Thomas took the
additional surname of Powlett, and was created Lord
Bolton of Bolton Castle in 1797. (fn. 98) His greatgrandson is now lord of the manor.
Orde-Powlett, Lord Bolton. Sable three swords argent set pilewise with their hilts or and a quarter argent with a scutcheon sable therein charged with a salmon rising.
In 1286–7 the second moiety of 3 carucates was
divided into two equal portions, both held in demesne
by William le Scrope. (fn. 99) The first he held direct of the
honour; of the second he was tenant under the
successive mesne lordships of the lords of Spennithorne, Middleham and Thornton Steward. (fn. 100) The
whole 3 carucates followed the descent of the first
moiety.
Castle
Bolton Castle has played but a slight
part in the history of the country. The
principal event with which it is connected
is the imprisonment of Mary Queen of Scots, who
was confined here for some six months from July
1568 to January 1569. (fn. 101) Though at night either
Lord Scrope or Sir Francis Knollys kept the keys,
plans were proposed for her rescue, (fn. 102) and tradition
relates that she once escaped and was recaptured
upon Leyburn Shawl, at the spot known as the
Queen's Gap.
During the civil wars John Scrope the Royalist
was besieged in the castle in 1645, and it was only
after considerable trouble that the Parliamentary
forces took it. (fn. 103)
The castle was built by Richard le Scrope, who in
1379 obtained licence to crenellate his manorhouse. (fn. 104) It is one of the finest extant examples of a
fortified house of the 14th century, a great rectangular
stone building, with square towers projecting at its
four angles, and inclosing a courtyard 91 ft. by 54 ft.
By a fortunate chance the building contract for the
eastern and part of the southern range of the house
is preserved, being now in the hands of Lord Bolton,
owner of the castle. It is dated 14 September 1378,
and suggests by its terms that it is a continuation of
other work, an idea which is borne out by the architectural evidence; it seems that the western and
northern ranges, with part of the southern, were first
built, i.e. shortly before 1378, and the rest followed
with little or no interval. In 1399 the chapel in
the castle was dedicated to the honour of St. Anne, (fn. 105)
so that the completion of the work may possibly be
assigned to about this date.
The contract, which is in French, is made
between Sir Richard le Scrope and John Lewyn,
mason. It makes provision for a 'tower for a
kitchen' (evidently the north-east tower, the measurements of which closely approximate), to be vaulted
and embattled, and to be 50 ft. in height below the
battlements, 10 yds. long and 8 yds. wide, with outside walls of the thickness of 2 yds.; between the
kitchen-tower and the gate-tower a building (meson),
vaulted and embattled, 40 ft. in height below the
battlements, having above the vault three rooms, one
above another, each 12 yds. long and 5½ yds. wide,
the outside walls of the building to be of the thickness
of 2 yds. and the inside walls (i.e. on the bailey side)
4 ft.; an embattled tower, 50 ft. in height below
the battlements, containing a vaulted gateway, and
above the gateway three rooms, one above another,
each 10½ yds. long and 5½ yds. wide; in the same
tower, to the south of the gateway, a vaulted room,
and above it three rooms, one above another, each
13 yds. long and 7 yds. wide, the outside walls to be
of the thickness of 6 ft. and the inside walls 4 ft.;
adjoining the tower, on the side towards the west, a
room vaulted and embattled, 40 ft. in height below
the battlements, (fn. 106) with a second vaulted building
over it, and above this again another room, each
10 yds. long, inclusive of the entrance passage, and
5½ yds. wide, the outside walls to be of the thickness
of 2 yds. and the inside walls 4 ft. All these buildings
and rooms were to be provided with entrances, fireplaces, doorways (huyses), windows, privies and all
other necessaries; and there were to be three staircases (vices), one within the kitchen and two for the
gate-tower. All the internal partition walls were to
be either 3 ft. or 4 ft. in thickness. John Lewyn was
to execute at his own cost all works appertaining to
the masonry and to provide all stone and lime, while
Sir Richard was to find wood for burning the lime
and for centres and scaffolds, and to pay the carriage
for all stone, sand and lime. John Lewyn was to be
paid 100s. for each perch of masonry, the perch to
be 20 superficial feet, one yard thick, and the arches
and vaults to count as wall masonry. The sill of the
gateway was to be taken on the datum, or point from
which the height of the walls was to be measured.
He was to receive over and above this 50 marks in all.
The castle consists of four lofty ranges of building
standing round an oblong courtyard, with projecting
towers at the outer angles and turrets midway on
the north and south sides. The principal entrance is
from the east, and the disposition of the rooms is that
the ground story, stone vaulted, is given up to
kitchens, bake-houses, brew-houses, stables, &c. The
great hall is on the first floor of the north range, with
the principal living rooms adjoining it to the west and
in the western range, while the chapel is on the third
floor of the south range. The west range alone
retains its roof, but a great deal is left of the rest of
the castle, nothing except the north-east corner tower,
the kitchen tower and part of the east range being
seriously ruined. The whole is built of excellent
stone, the ranges being three stories in height, while
the towers have or have had four and five stories.
The detail is simple, and the castle, though not
primarily a fortress, is well adapted for defence, and
has portcullis grooves not only at the entrance gate,
but at each of the doorways opening to the courtyard.
The vaults of the ground stage were all plain barrel
vaults and remain intact in the west and part of the
south range. The first floor of the latter range,
beneath the chapel, is also stone vaulted. The most
interesting part of the ground floor is in the south
range, where the brew-houses and bake-houses were
placed, parts of the ovens and vats, and shoots from
the floor above (perhaps for malt) being yet to be
seen. The ground floor of the south-west tower was
perhaps a threshing-floor. The rooms under the
hall are cellars, and under the butteries at the east
end of the hall is a well, from which water could be
drawn at the first-floor level. The stairs from the
cellars to the hall open to a lobby which gave on to
the screen and has had a ribbed vault of more elaborate character than usual in the castle. Below it is a
vaulted chamber, having in its floor a trap-door,
through which another chamber is reached, which,
from the garderobe in its east wall, has clearly been a
prison, lighted only by a narrow slit high in its north
wall. The hall has been a fine room, with tall,
narrow windows having a wall passage at their sills.
There is no fireplace, but there was a hearth in the
middle of the hall, the smoke from which, as Leland
noticed, escaped through wall-flues in the heads of
the windows, instead of through a louvre. The roof
was open and of flat pitch, but none of it remains
beyond the corbels, showing its spacing. A curious
feature here and in most of the rooms of the castle is
the narrow stone brackets, always built into the walls
at a considerable height from the floor. They seem
too narrow to have been shelves for cressets, but their
use must have been to carry lights of some sort. The
larger fireplaces, as those in the west range, which are
in perfect condition, have the usual corbels for lights
on either side of their chimney-pieces,
and in the middle chamber in the
south-west tower, part of the set used
by Mary Queen of Scots while here
as a prisoner, is an opening in the splay
of the fireplace communicating with a
square opening in the wall-face close
by and making an L-shaped passage.
There is a similar feature also in the
great chamber. The whole castle
is amply provided with garderobes in
the thickness of the walls and the
passages and stairways are planned
with great ingenuity. The projecting
turret on the south face is also a garderobe tower in its lower part, but above
it opens to the chapel, its story on the
chapel level being a vestry, with two
living rooms over it for the priest.
The chapel, in the third floor of the
south wing, was lighted from the
north and south only by tall cinquefoiled windows and has at the west a
narrow stone gallery carried over an
arched recess. The battlements at the
north-west corner of the south-west
tower, to which the chapel adjoins,
were carried up as a small turret, and
doubtless contained the chapel bell.
The situation of the castle, high on
the north slopes of the dale, backed
by still higher wooded ground, is very
fine, and the great height of the walls
most imposing. Very little alteration
has been made in the original features,
the most noticeable being some 16thcentury windows in the south-west
tower. Leland refers to it as a very
fair castle, (fn. 107) and Sir Francis Knollys
wrote from Bolton in 1568, 'This
house appeareth to be very strong, very fair and very
stately after the old manner of building and is the
highest walled house that I have seen and hath but
one entrance thereinto.' (fn. 108) The rooms in the west
range have been fitted up by Lord Bolton as a
museum.
A park at Little Bolton is mentioned in 1314,
when Henry le Scrope obtained licence to close a
road running through it, provided he made as good
a way on the north side. (fn. 109) In 1377 Richard le
Scrope complained of poachers. (fn. 110) Leland speaks of
a pretty park walled with stone. (fn. 111)
In Domesday Book LOW BOLTON (Little Bolton,
xiii cent.; Midelboulton, Bolton Kellok or Kellow,
xiv cent.) was apparently assessed with West Bolton. (fn. 112)
Count Alan (fn. 113) then had the 'manor' once held by
Ghilpatric, Ribald holding it of his brother.
Bolton Castle: Interior of the Chapel of St. Anne, showing the South-east Tower
The tenancy of Ribald (fn. 114) followed the descent of
Middleham (q.v.), a further mesne lordship being
held by the lords of Constable Burton (fn. 115) (q.v.). The
3 carucates in Low Bolton were held by one Cecily
de Harmby in 1286–7, when William le Scrope
was holding of her in demesne. (fn. 116) The fee followed
the descent of Castle Bolton. (fn. 117)
The two 'manors' and 7 carucates in LEYBURN
(Leborne, xi cent.; Layboun, xiii cent.) held by
Aschil and Andulf before the Conquest had passed
by 1086 to Count Alan, (fn. 118) whose successors retained
the overlordship.
The tenant of Count Alan was Wymar ('Wihomac') (fn. 119) his steward, who gave tithes in Leyburn to
St. Martin's, Richmond, while his descendant Ralph
son of Roger of Thornton Steward gave a toft here
to St. Leonard's, York. The mesne lordship followed
the descent of Thornton Steward (q.v.). Of the
several tenancies under this fee in the 13th century one
at least was held by a family bearing the territorial
name. Michael de Leyburn, son of Robert and lord
of Downholme (q.v.), was living in 1184–5; he gave
two-thirds of the tithes of his lordship of Leyburn
to St. Mary's Abbey, York, 'when he recovered his
land.' His son Richard was living in 1220 (fn. 120) and
Wymar son of Richard de Leyburn gave land to
Easby Abbey. (fn. 121) In 1236 Wymar and Elias de
Leyburn were two of five lords (fn. 122) here, and Wymar
in 1241 obtained a quitclaim of land in Harmby
and Leyburn from Gilbert son of Alan, parson of Ali
Saints, York. (fn. 123) Wymar was succeeded by William (fn. 124)
his son, who in 1286–7 was holding a mesne lordship
over 4 oxgangs in Leyburn; John son of William is
mentioned a few years later. (fn. 125) In 1286–7 a second
fee of 13 oxgangs was held by an unnamed tenant,
and 1 carucate was held under John de Aldburgh by
four sisters, Cecily de Leyburn, Alice, Isabel and
Agnes, (fn. 126) in common. They were sisters and co-heirs
of Richard de Ryboef, and were also the tenants of
6 oxgangs under the mesne lordship of the lords of
Middleham (fn. 127) (q.v.).
This mesne lordship seems to have comprised
at least 2½ carucates beyond these 6 oxgangs, though
the jurors of 1286–7 did not say of whom these
2½ carucates were held. (fn. 128) In 1318 this fee consisted
of 2 carucates, only one of which paid foreign
service. (fn. 129) Some, if not all, of this land must be that
which Ranulph son of Robert acquired, as heir of
his mother Helewise, about 1205 from William de
Stutville, after the death of William's wife Berta. (fn. 130)
In 1286–7 this fee was held by two tenants. The
2 carucates held by Richard de Wodington (fn. 131) passed
to his daughter Agnes, who alienated tenements here
while under age and subsequently recovered seisin. (fn. 132)
She may be identified with the Lady of Leyburn
who held the vill in 1316. (fn. 133) In 1325 she with her
husband Thomas de Yarm conveyed one-third of a
mill and messuage with tenements in Leyburn to
William de Swinithwaite. (fn. 134) This moiety, described
afterwards as 'a third of the manor,' was settled
about 1334 on Thomas de Swinithwaite, jun., with
remainder to his brother William and sister Ivetta
successively and final contingent remainder to William
de Swinithwaite. (fn. 135) In 1336 Henry le Scrope died
seised of a messuage, lands and a water-mill in Leyburn, (fn. 136) and Richard le Scrope in 1362 obtained a mill
and lands from William de Lakenby and Jane his
wife, Walter de Erghon (? Eryholme) and Margaret
his wife, Thomas de Harlsey and Agnes his wife,
and Walter Kerwoure and Cecily his wife, (fn. 137) the
four wives being obviously co-heiresses. The Scrope
property, called in 1420 the 'Manor of Leyburn,'
followed the descent of Castle Bolton (q.v.).
The second fee, consisting of half a carucate, was
held in 1286–7 by Richard de Ryboef, (fn. 138) probably
identical with the Richard de Ryboef who was a
tenant of the Stutvill fee in Derbyshire. (fn. 139) He was
succeeded by a son of the same name, (fn. 140) but his lands
were divided between his sisters, and no mention of
the family in connexion with Leyburn has been found
after 1305. (fn. 141) Some land was certainly held in
demesne by the lords of Middleham (q.v.), which it
followed in descent.
Various leases of the manor and capital messuage
of this fee were made between 1534 and 1586. (fn. 142)
In 1555 it was leased to John Waite, (fn. 143) whose father
John Waite had died in 1548 seised of the capital
messuage of the Scrope manor. (fn. 144) John Waite surrendered his Crown lease before 1570, and in 1628–9
Leyburn 'Manor' was in the tenure of Thomas
Penereth of Middleham. (fn. 145)
The above John Waite, jun., made various settlements of his 'manor of Laybourne,' (fn. 146) and James
Waite died seised of the capital messuage in 1587,
leaving an infant son George. The Waite (or
Wayte) property in Leyburn passed early in the
18th century to the Thornburghs through the marriage in the 17th century of Frances Wayte to
Francis Thornburgh of Selside, and to the Riddells
through the marriage in 1769 of Mary Thornburgh
with Ralph second son of Thomas Riddell of Swinburn Castle. The house is now known as Thornburgh,
and is the property of Mr. E. F. Riddell Blount. (fn. 147)
A 'manor' and 3 carucates in PRESTON-UNDERSCAR (Preston, xi–xiii cent.) formed part of the land
of Count Alan in 1086, this lordship following the
descent of Richmond (q.v.).
Under the Confessor Torphin was tenant, and under
Count Alan Bodin. (fn. 148) This mesne lordship was subsequently divided equally between the successors of
Bodin, (fn. 149) the lords of Ravensworth and of Bedale (fn. 150)
(q.v.). The fee was held before the division by subtenants, whose family afterwards bore the territorial
name. Robert son of William de Preston held land
here in 1204, and sub-enfeoffed Laurence de Preston
of 36 acres, (fn. 151) and in 1286–7 William de Preston
was tenant of the whole fee. He had 1½ carucates
in demesne, the remainder being held under him by
Thomas de Preston, (fn. 152) perhaps son of Henry son of
Laurence. (fn. 153) In 1316 Gilbert Haunsard, who had
clearly married a co-heiress of the Prestons, was returned as lord of Preston. (fn. 154) The Lettice de Nodariis
('Nowers') who, as subsequently appears, had an
interest in the manor, was descended from another
co-heir. (fn. 155) In 1318 the 'manor' of Preston was
settled upon Lettice de Nodariis and her brother-inlaw John Mawe of 'Thurgalby' for life, with remainder to William son of Gilbert Haunsard, and
contingent remainders to the sisters of William (Alice,
Lettice, Elizabeth and Joan) successively, and finally
to the right heirs of Lettice de Nodariis, who left a
daughter Alice wife of William de Place. (fn. 156) John
Layton and Lettice his wife (possibly Lettice Haunsard)
sold the manor in 1365 (fn. 157) to Richard le Scrope of
Bolton, to whom Geoffrey son of William de Swinithwaite released all his right in it, (fn. 158) and henceforth the
manor followed the descent of Castle Bolton.
Before the Conquest two 'manors' and 5 carucates
in REDMIRE (Ridemare, Ridmere, xii cent.; Ryddemare, Ridmer, xiii cent.) were held by Gamel and
Ghilpatric. In 1086 they formed part of the land of
Count Alan and subsequently followed the descent of
Richmond. (fn. 159) One fee Count Alan retained for a
time, the other, consisting of 3½ carucates in 1286–7, (fn. 160)
he granted to Ribald of Middleham (q.v.).
The chief tenancy was that of a family bearing the
territorial name. Osbert son of Copsi of Redmire
was living in 1166–9, (fn. 161) and had a sister Cecily. (fn. 162)
In 1253 Imaynia daughter of Richard de Tunstall
and her husband Peter de Bolton gave half a carucate,
a capital messuage and one-third of a mill of this fee
to Richard son of Reynold de Redmire, (fn. 163) and he
granted them to Coverham Abbey. (fn. 164) In 1336
Henry le Scrope died seised of a messuage and lands
here held of the abbey. (fn. 165) These lands subsequently
followed the descent of Castle Bolton, (fn. 166) and Lord
Bolton is now lord of the manor.
Richard de Preston in 1270 held a further carucate
of this fee, (fn. 167) possibly that subsequently held by Robert
Sutton and his heirs, Thomas de Brynsal, Thomas de
Swinithwaite, Ralph Harpour and Beatrice widow of
John atte Townend. (fn. 168)
Count Alan's demesne was granted to a lord of
Barden (q.v.). In 1286–7 it was held of Jervaulx
Abbey. (fn. 169) Agnes daughter of John de Staveley and
wife to John de Walkingham (fn. 170) was tenant in 1262,
when she gave it to her son Alan, (fn. 171) who died seised of
it in 1284, his heir being his infant son Adam. (fn. 172) In
1286–7 it was held by the heirs (fn. 173) of Alan. In 1294
Sir Thomas de Colvill granted his manor of Redmire
to Robert son of William de Holtby. (fn. 174) In 1303
Nicholas and Robert sons of William de Holtby
divided lands here; Nicholas received the more important share, (fn. 175) and in 1316 was lord of Redmire. (fn. 176)
Sir Nicholas de Cantlow, kt., and Joan his wife
settled land here and elsewhere in 1354 (fn. 177) on their
grandson William son of William, with contingent
remainder to his brother Nicholas. William the
younger survived his only son until 1391 (fn. 178) ; his
heirs were distant relatives, who had apparently no
connexion with Redmire. Meanwhile the manor
had been granted by William de Holtby to William
Darell and Joan his wife, who conveyed it to their
sons Thomas and John. (fn. 179) In 1364 Sir Richard le
Scrope obtained all the demesne lands which John
Darell had, and in 1365 Marmaduke Darell son of
Sir William Darell of Sessay quitclaimed to Sir
Richard all his right in the manor of Redmire, which
manor the said Richard had of the gift of Thomas
and John Darell his brothers. (fn. 180) Redmire afterwards
followed the descent of Castle Bolton, and Lord
Bolton is now lord of this manor.
Richard le Scrope obtained free warren in Castle
Bolton and 'Little Bolton' in 1296; James de
Wensley in February 1306–7 received the same
liberty in Wensley, and this was confirmed in 1318. (fn. 181)
Churches
The church of the HOLY TRINITY, Wensley, consists of a chancel
42 ft. 6 in. by 18 ft., with a north
vestry 13 ft. by 11 ft., nave 50 ft. by 18 ft., north
aisle 9 ft. 9 in., and south aisle 10 ft. 3 in. wide, both
as long as the nave, south porch and a western tower
17 ft. 6 in. by 17 ft., all the measurements being
internal.
Plan of Wensley Church
The church dates from about 1240, the south
chancel wall being almost intact of that date. The
chancel was then of the same size as at present, but
the east window and the piscina appear to be somewhat later, and the north wall of the chancel has
evidently been rebuilt upon the old foundations.
The chancel arch and the capitals and bases of the
two nave arcades are also work of this date. The
arcades are unusually lofty; the aisles were rebuilt
about 1330, when these arches seem to have been
raised to the same height as the chancel arch. The
north vestry, with priest's lodging above, and the
north and south porches are work of the 15th century.
The tower and the west ends of the aisles were
rebuilt in the 18th century. The east window is
of five trefoiled lights. The only suggestion of
tracery is in the pierced trefoils over the outer
lights with a sunk spandrel over them, all under a
two-centred arch. It has two chamfered orders and
a double chamfered label. The cusping of the
heads springs from the soffit only, and has no sunk
face; the arch and head are early 14th-century work
and the jambs of the 13th century. In the north
wall the only window is a plain lancet of about the
same date; it has been partly restored, and is of a
single chamfered order, with a segmental rear arch
and wide splayed jambs internally.
The north door into the vestry is old and has a
two-centred single chamfered head. The three south
windows are good work of about 1240. They are
large lancets of two orders on both sides, those
outside being plainly chamfered; inside the outer
order is square with a detached shaft in the angle,
the shafts having moulded capitals and bases. The
edges of these outer orders are enriched with dogtooth ornament between the capitals and bases; the
arches are richly moulded and have a moulded label.
The sill of the easternmost is raised for the piscina
which is set below it. The western one has its sill
much lower and is divided by a transom to form a
low-side window. The middle window formerly
had its sill at the same level as that to the west of it,
but it has been raised since for the insertion of a
small doorway below it. The large piscina has
a trefoiled head to the recess; its mould is a small
fillet between two rounds. On either side of the
head are small trefoiled circular sunk panels, slightly
differing in form. The projecting basin has been
broken off. The sedilia are of three bays with twocentred heads, and are divided by free shafts with
moulded capitals and bases, the outer jambs and the
arches are all enriched with dog-tooth mould. In
the west wall of the vestry is a similarly enriched
recess with a pointed head. It stands but 11 in.
above the floor. It is presumably not in its original
position, but whether it was formerly a piscina (for
which it would be large) is uncertain, but it is
certainly in keeping with the sedilia, with which
the present piscina forms a strong contrast. There is a
two-light square-headed trefoil window and a piscina
drain in the east wall of the vestry. The priest's
chamber above has a similar east window. A fragment of string-course breaks over the sedilia and
appears to have inclosed the piscina, but it is now cut
back level with the wall. The chancel arch has
semi-octagonal responds with capitals and bases of 13thcentury character; the lower roll of the base, which
is of the usual deep hollow between two rolls, appears
to have been cut away to a chamfer, probably because
of the damage it has suffered. The arch is two-centred
and of two chamfered orders.
The arcades on both sides of the nave are of three
lofty bays, the octagonal piers have 13th-century
moulded bell capitals and bases, the arches are of
the same height and similar to the chancel arch and
have plain double chamfered labels. The western
responds are probably restorations of the time when
the tower was rebuilt, as was likewise the tower arch,
which matches the others more or less in style and
size.
The north aisle has an east window of about 1330
of three trefoiled lights with pierced spandrels under
a two-centred head of two orders, the outer with a
half-round hollow in a chamfer, and the other similar
but with another hollow on the innermost edge.
The two north windows are of like character and
details, but are of two lights each. The 13th-century
north doorway has two orders, the inner having a
plain chamfer, the other a hollow, while in the angle
are small shafts with large moulded capitals of 13thcentury section. The arch is moulded, and at its
apex it is trefoiled, while its outer mould is carried
up above the arch to form a gabled head. The west
window of the aisle is an 18th-century round-headed
light.
The north porch is later than the aisle; it has
original diagonal buttresses which appear to have
been once topped by pinnacles. The doorway has a
continuous hollow sunk in a chamfer and a moulded
label with large head stops. Over the doorway is a
rectangular moulded panel in which is a shield of the
arms of Scrope.
The south aisle has east and west windows similar
to those of the north aisle, and its two side windows
are also like those opposite. The south doorway has
a two-centred drop arch with a continuous hollow
chamfer. It is probably late 14th-century work.
The south porch is later than the aisle, the plinth
of which appears inside the porch. It has an outer
doorway with a continuous moulding of a hollow
and an ogee and a two-centred arch with a moulded
label.
An important work of the 15th century was the
raising of the eight aisle buttresses, the lower parts of
which appear to be contemporary with the early
14th-century walls of the aisles. The upper parts
have, below their square embattled copings, niches
under ogee heads, each containing a shield of arms of
the Scropes and the families with which they were
allied. These shields are Scrope, De la Pole (twice)
for Blanche wife of Richard first Lord Scrope, Roos
(twice) for Cecily wife of Sir William Scrope his
brother, Nevill of Raby (twice) for Margaret wife of
Richard the third lord, Nevill of Raby impaling an
indented fesse, perhaps for Ralph second Earl of
Westmorland her nephew, who married Elizabeth
Percy, Scrope of Masham for Elizabeth wife of Henry
fourth Lord Scrope, and Fitz Hugh for Joan who was
married to John fifth Lord Scrope in 1447. This
shield would seem to fix the date after which the
raising of the buttresses was undertaken.
The tower is of three stages with shallow clasping
buttresses at the corners. The lowest stage contains
a west window of two lights with segmental heads in
a semicircular arch with projecting abaci and keystone. In the tympanum is the date 1719. The
second stage is lighted in its west and south faces by
small rectangular piercings. The belfry stage has in
each wall a single large light with a round head.
The staircase rises in the south-west corner and is
lighted by slits on the south side.
The roofs of the church are all modern; the old
steep-pitched chancel roof has been replaced by one
of much lower pitch with braced tie-beams. The
nave roof is low-pitched and the aisle ceilings are
plastered.
The carved wooden quire screen is 15th-century
work. The quire stalls are dated and named by a
carved inscription on a series of shields as the gift of
Henry Richardson, rector, in 1527. The poppy
heads are supported by magnificently carved beasts
and heraldic monsters, among which the crowned
leopard, the dragon and the greyhound of the Tudors
are to be observed. The two principal stall ends
are carved respectively with a shield of Scrope and
Tiptoft supported by two eagles and surmounted by
a helm with the Scrope crest of a bush of ostrich
feathers coming out of a crown, and Scrope and
Tiptoft impaling Dacre quartering Vaux.
Near the north door of the church is a wooden
aumbry of a rare type, work of about 1400. It
was perhaps used as a cupboard for relics, and has a
money-box attached to it.
On the chancel floor is the famous Flemish brass
of Simon of Wensley, rector of the parish 1361–94,
who gave evidence in the Scrope and Grosvenor trial
in favour of his patron Henry Lord Scrope. This
well-known memorial shows him in mass vestments,
with his hands crossed and a chalice upon his breast,
his head upon a cushion and his feet on two small
hounds. The inscription which surrounded the
figure has long been lost.
At the east end of the north aisle is the Bolton
pew, made up of woodwork of two dates, the later
of the 17th century, the earlier of c. 1510. The
latter is said to have been brought from Easby Abbey at
the Dissolution; it has seven bays along the north wall
and four against the east, and across the west two
whole bays and parts of others. These bays have ogee
crocketed heads and are divided into two openings
with multifoiled heads and tracery above. On the
lower panel of the west face of the pew are carved
these shields: (1) Scrope and Tiptoft quartered and
impaling Scrope of Masham, for Henry fourth Lord
Scrope of Bolton and his first wife Elizabeth daughter
of John fourth Lord Scrope of Masham; (2) Scrope
and Tiptoft in a garter, for John fifth Lord Scrope
of Bolton, K.G.; (3) Scrope and Tiptoft impaling
Fitz Hugh and Marmion, for John fifth Lord
Scrope of Bolton and his first wife Joan Fitz Hugh;
(4) Scrope and Nevill impaling Percy quartering
Lucy, for Henry sixth Lord Scrope of Bolton and
his wife Elizabeth Percy; (5) Scrope and Nevill
impaling Dacre with these quarterings, Grey of
Greystock, Greystock, Boteler of Wem, Morvile and
Vaux, for Henry seventh Lord Scrope and his second
wife Alice daughter of Thomas second Lord Dacre
of Gillesland.
Inside the pew is another shield, similar to those
on the west face, of Scrope impaling Fitz Walter, for
Sir Henry Scrope, chief justice, d. 1336, and his
second wife Margaret Fitz Walter. The old doorway of the pew, now set up against the north wall,
has a magnificent carved shield of Scrope and Tiptoft
impaling Dacre of six quarterings, supported by two
eagles. The south front of the pew is Jacobean work
of red pine. In the cornice is an inscription now
imperfect; it originally read as follows: 'Here lyeth
Henry Scrope, Knight, the vii of that nayme, the
ix Lorde of Bolton ande Mabell his wife, daughter to
the Lorde Dakers de Greys. Here lyeth Henry
Scrope, the thirde of thate name, ande the righte
Lorde Scrope of Bolton, and Elizabeth his wiffe
daughter of Henry Earl of Northumberland.' On the
mid rail inside are these words remaining: 'Henry
the first . . Phylip the fyrst Symonde the first
Henry the . . Wyllyam the fyrste Henry the
thyrd Henry the fyrst the forlt lord scrop.' The
chancel seats are good examples of 16th-century
work. The west doorway has 18th-century doors,
and the pews and the south front are of the same
date.
In the east window are four shields of old painted
glass. They are (1) France quartering England;
(2) Scrope quartering Tiptoft impaling Dacre quartering Vaux; of (3) only a Tiptoft quarter remains;
(4) Scrope and Tiptoft impaling Fitz Hugh quartering Marmion. (fn. 182)
Two bells from the York foundry were provided
in 1725. They bear the inscriptions: (1) 'Sursum
corda I. Clayton rector 1725'; (2) 'Ut tuba sic
sonitu domini conducto cohortes 1725.' A third
bell was recast in 1847.
The plate consists of two flagons, a cup and a
paten, all with London marks and date letters for
1678, and maker's mark O.S. They are all inscribed
'Ex dono honorandae feminae Dominae Mariae
Marchionessae Wintoniensis.' A cup and paten are
lent to Leyburn Church.
The registers begin in 1538.
The church of ST. OSWALD, Castle Bolton,
consists of chancel and nave of equal width, measuring
internally 60 ft. by 20 ft., south porch and west
tower 8 ft. 8 in. by 6 ft. 3 in.
The whole building is of one date, c. 1325, and
in spite of mutilations retains a good many features
of its original work. The windows in the chancel
and nave are of two trefoiled lights with leaf tracery,
all except the south-east window of the chancel having
transoms; the heads of the main lights are half cut
away, apparently to save the glazier the trouble of
fitting his glass to the tracery.
The chancel has an east window, on either side of
which is a trefoiled niche for an image, a single north
window and two on the south, besides a small blocked
low-side window of the same date. The sill of the
south-east window is kept up to allow for a piscina
and three sedilia below it, all original. The piscina
recess has a trefoiled ogee head and a moulded label,
and in its east side is a small niche, perhaps to hold
the cruets. The sedilia are triple and have trefoiled
ogee heads, the divisions between the seats being
pierced with trefoiled openings. There is no chancel
arch, but the corbels for a rood-loft remain.
The nave is lighted by a single window on the north
and south, of the same type as those in the chancel,
and is entered from the south by a pointed doorway
of one moulded order with a label of original date.
The porch is comparatively modern, but its outer
entrance is spanned by a moulded wooden lintel of
15th-century date, carved with a line of four-leaved
flowers, and evidently brought from some more important position; it may have been in the castle. In the
north wall of the nave is a stone inscribed 'Thomas
Ro . . .,' apparently a corbel for a former west gallery.
The tower is small and without buttresses or
strings, and ends like the nave and chancel, with a
plain coped parapet. It has a west belfry window of
two trefoiled lights, and in the ground stage a west
window now without tracery. On the south side is
a single lancet light with its head just below the level
of the sill of the west belfry window.
The font is plain, having an octagonal bowl with
beaded angles on an octagonal stem, and may be as
early as the 14th century. The interior of the
church is whitewashed and has a flat plaster ceiling;
none of the wooden fittings are ancient.
There is one small modern bell in the tower and
also a disused bell in the vestry. It is uninscribed
but ancient.
The plate includes a cocoa-nut cup with silver rim
and stem, a pewter paten with the mark of John
Harrison of London and a pewter paten.
The registers, including those of Redmire except
for the modern period when separate marriage books
have been used, begin in 1684.
The church of ST. MARY THE VIRGIN, Red
mire, consists of a chancel, nave and south porch, the
total length internally being 62 ft., the chancel 25 ft.,
and the nave 37 ft.
The walls of the church are probably contemporary
with the south doorway, which dates from the middle
of the 12th century. The east window is of two
trefoil-headed lights with a square head, and to the
south of it is an image bracket. In the south wall of
the chancel are two plain lancets with wide internal
splays and a recess, which may have once contained
a piscina. On the north wall of the nave close to
the angle where it meets the chancel is a projecting
corbel to carry a rood beam. In the upper part of
this wall is a square splayed window with an external
hollow chamfer. There are three lancets in the
south wall of the nave; they are somewhat larger
than those in the chancel, and have been much
renewed, while the westernmost is set low in the
wall. The south door has a round-headed arch of
one order with zigzag moulding and a plain tympanum, c. 1150. The arch rests on square chamfered
abaci with lightly scalloped capitals; the shafts are
covered with a diamond pattern, the one on the east
being a modern copy of the other.
There are no windows in the north wall except
one at the north-west inserted to light the gallery now
taken down. There is a low-pitched timber roof,
probably of the 15th century, continuous over chancel
and nave. In the north-west angle of the nave close
to the roof is a stone with portions of interlaced
flower decoration. The royal arms of the Georgian
period hang from the east beam of the nave. The
font is an irregular octagonal bowl without stem on a
round base.
On the exterior of the south chancel wall is a
square low-side window, blocked, and close to it a
sundial stone. At the west end is a small gable containing one modern bell dated 1853.
The plate includes a cocoanut cup similar to that
at Castle Bolton, and two fine pewter flagons.
The registers are as at Castle Bolton.
The church of ST. MATTHEW, Leyburn, was
built in 1868 and consists of a chancel 22 ft. by
17 ft., a nave 48 ft. by 21 ft., a north aisle 11 ft. wide,
and a west tower 10 ft. square containing one modern
bell and a south porch in the style of the 14th century.
The plate is wholly modern and without interest,
but an ancient cup and paten belonging to Wensley
are in use here.
Advowsons
The church of Wensley is first
mentioned in 1199, and the first
known patron was Niel son of
Alexander. (fn. 183) In 1203 the right of presentation was
successfully claimed by Osbert son of Niel, lord of a
moiety of Wensley, against the representative of Wymar
son of Warin, whose daughter Beatrice seems to have
married Hugh Malebiche. (fn. 184) Two years later Hugh
alleged that seven of the twenty-four jurors had
committed perjury, (fn. 185) but he failed to establish his
claim. (fn. 186) The patronage was still disputed, (fn. 187) however,
and in 1231 the Abbot of Crowland called on Osbert
son of Niel to warrant the advowson to him. (fn. 188) Roger
de Ingoldsby was in possession at a later date, and
the advowson (fn. 189) appears to have remained in the hands
of his family after the alienation of the manor, for in
1318 it was granted to Henry le Scrope by Walter de
Gloucester, and quitclaimed with the manor (q.v.) by
Ranulph de Paris and his wife Elizabeth. (fn. 190) From this
time it followed the descent of Bolton, Lord Bolton
being the present patron.
In 1400 Richard le Scrope had licence to make the
church collegiate under a warden and as many fellows
as might seem expedient. They were to find chaplains
for his chapels at Bolton, (fn. 191) and he bequeathed to
them the residue of his goods. (fn. 192) Richard le Scrope in
1420 made a bequest for erecting and endowing a
college of the Annunciation for five priests, five clerks
and three poor men (fn. 193) ; nothing further is known of
this.
The chantry of our Lady in the church of Wensley
was apparently also founded by Richard le Scrope.
The chaplain was supplied by Easby Abbey. (fn. 194)
The chapel of St. Oswald of Bolton, first mentioned in 1399, (fn. 195) had rights of baptism and was
dependent on Wensley. (fn. 196) The living now forms with
Redmire (fn. 197) a vicarage in the gift of the rector of
Wensley. In the castle was a domestic chapel,
dedicated to St. Anne, (fn. 198) and mentioned in 1393,
when Sir Richard le Scrope obtained licence to found
in it and endow a chantry of six chaplains. (fn. 199)
The chapel of St. Mary of Redmire, though said
in 1547 to be without foundation, was not without
endowment. (fn. 200) About 1572 Queen Elizabeth leased
the chantry and the mansion-house of Redmire to
James Philips, (fn. 201) and nineteen years later she granted
them in fee to Edmund Downing and Roger Rante (fn. 202) ;
their descent cannot be traced further.
The church at Leyburn occupies a site presented
by the third Lord Bolton and the Hon. W. T. OrdePowlett, and forms a chapel of ease to Wensley.
Charities
In 1759 William Hammond by
will left £500 to be invested, and the
income applied for the benefit of the
poor of the parish in such manner, shares and proportions as the trustees should think proper. The legacy
was invested in £648 0s. 9d. consols. The dividends,
amounting to £16 4s., were in 1904 distributed
among ten recipients in Wensley, eight in Leyburn,
six in Preston, and eight in Redmire.
In 1772 Peter Hammond by will directed his
executors to place out £500 on government or real
securities, the income to be paid to the rector of
Wensley, the curate of Redmire, and the churchwardens, to be applied on Easter Monday in every year
in apprenticing as follows; namely, two fifth parts
thereof for one or more poor boys or girls born in the
township of Wensley, one fifth for the like purpose
in the township of Leyburn, one fifth for the like
purpose in the township of Preston, and the remaining
one fifth for the like purpose in the township of
Redmire and Castle Bolton. The trust fund, with
accumulations, now amounts to £1,040 18s. 8d.
consols. The dividends, amounting to £26 a
year, are in practice not restricted to apprenticing.
In 1904 £10 was given in money to four recipients.
In 1905 the Hon. Amias Lucien Orde-Powlett,
by will proved 29 May, bequeathed £936 7s. 11d.
consols for the salary of the organist of Wensley
Church, and a like sum of £936 7s. 11d. consols for
the salary of the organist of Leyburn Church. The
two sums of stock are held by the official trustees, and
by order of the Charity Commissioners of 5 January
1906 the rector and churchwardens of Wensley were
appointed to be the administering trustees, to whom
the annual dividends of £23 8s. for each sum of stock
are remitted.
Parham's Charity.—It appears from an inscription
on a tombstone in the churchyard that William
Parham, gardener to the Duke of Bolton, left to
the poor of Wensley the use of £100 for ever, on
20 March 1670. The produce arising under this gift
is an annual sum of £7 16s. 8d. (subject to deduction for land tax) paid out of the manor of Walburn,
now the property of Mr. J. T. D'Arcy Hutton.
In 1904 the sum of £6 6s. 8d. was distributed among
seven recipients. There is also a sum of £15 deposited in the Leyburn Savings Bank representing
three benefactions of £5 each by—Foss,—Metcalfe,
and—Bearpark, the interest of which is periodically
distributed among the poor.
Township of Leyburn.—The Poor's Estate formerly consisted of land acquired in 1817 by exchange
with the then Lord Bolton for lands previously
belonging to the poor. (fn. 203) The property has been
sold, and the proceeds invested in £1,534 4s. 8d.
consols with the official trustees. The annual
dividends, amounting to £38 7s., are administered
under a scheme of the Charity Commissioners of
25 November 1898, as varied by an order of 27 September 1904, made under the Board of Education
Act 1899, by the title of the Poor's Fund. In 1904
£20 was expended in prizes and outfit and the
balance of income in the distribution of money to
twenty-seven recipients.
The poor are also entitled to receive an ancient annual
payment of 6s. issuing out of a field called Kerbers.
Mrs. Phillis Wray, who died in 1778, gave a rentcharge of £1 15s. issuing out of Northfield Close.
By an order of the Charity Commissioners dated
7 February 1905, made under the Board of Education
Act, 1899, it was determined that under the trusts
of the charity an annual sum of £1 10s., part of this
rent-charge, was applicable for educational purposes,
the remaining 5s. having been given for the benefit
of two widows annually.
Thornburgh School is regulated by a scheme of
the Charity Commissioners, 1864, whereby the
children of the township have a preferential right of
admission and then the children of Wensley.
The sum of £30 a year is paid by the trustees of
Matton Hutton's charity (see General Charities
under Richmond) to the Dispensary for medical aid
to the poor of Reeth, Grinton and Marrick. It
receives also the interest of a legacy of £1,100
bequeathed by the late Mr. John Hammond.
The old Wesleyan Chapel founded in 1815 was
authorized by the Charity Commissioners to be sold,
and the proceeds applied towards building the new
chapel, founded 1884.
In 1902 Peter Blenkinsop, by will proved at York
on 12 April, bequeathed (subject to the life interest
of his widow) to the trustees of the Roman Catholic
Church of St. Peter and St. Paul £600, to be invested
and one moiety of the income to be paid to the incumbent of the church, and the other moiety towards
the support of the Roman Catholic school. The
charity is not yet in operation.
Township of Preston.—The Wesleyan Chapel at
Preston, founded by deed 1812, is regulated by a
scheme of the Charity Commissioners, 1881.
Township of Redmire.—For the school, founded
by will of the Rev. Thomas Baynes, 1725, see
'Schools.' (fn. 204)
The Wesleyan Chapel, founded by deeds of 1816
and 1866, is regulated by a scheme of the Charity
Commissioners, 1881.