KIRKBY SIGSTON
Sigheston (xi cent.); Siggeston (xiv cent.); Kyrkebesiggeston (xv cent.).
The parish of Kirkby Sigston lies east of Northallerton and covers about 3,400 acres. It consists of
three townships, Kirkby Sigston itself, Sowerby under
Cotcliffe to the south of it, and Winton Stank and
Hallikeld to the north. In none of these townships
is there a village properly so called. The population
is scattered through the parish in farm-houses, the only
industry being agriculture. About 1,200 acres are
in cultivation, the chief crops being wheat, barley,
oats and peas; the greater part of the land, however,
is devoted to pasture, the amount of woodland being
very small. (fn. 1) The subsoil of this parish is Lower Lias.
The great high road from Thirsk to Yarm runs
through the south-east corner of Kirkby Sigston
township, and where it meets the eastern boundary
a lane branches westward. At this point stands
Jeater Houses, a hamlet partly in Kirkby Sigston
parish and partly in Osmotherley. It was once the
home of jet workers. From Jeater Houses the road
leads to another small hamlet, Sigston Smithy, where
is the post office for the whole parish, and still
running westward the road crosses the Cod Beck at
Sigston Bridge. On the right bank of the river is the
moated site of the old castle of Sigston, the residence
of the lords of the manor in the 14th century. To
the south of the castle is the church of St. Lawrence,
built on a slight ridge and approached by a raised
pathway from the rectory, which is situated a little to
the west amid a clump of trees. Near the church is
the school. Sigston Manor House is a square stonefaced 18th-century building standing on the road half
a mile to the east of the church. From the rectory
a lane runs south to the grange of Sowerby.
A field-path leads north-west to Stank Hall, once
the residence of a branch of the Lascelles family.
The present farm-house is but a small portion of
the original building, the foundations of which have
been met with under the adjoining yard. It is a
rectangular structure two stories high, having an
arched doorway in the centre, with an ornamental
key and moulded imposts and jambs. The windows
were originally mullioned and transomed, but with
one exception these have been replaced by modern
sashes. The walls are finished with a stone cornice
and stand on a plinth. Above a blocked door at one
end of the house is a carved stone bearing a shield
with mantling and crest and the date 15(8)5. The
arms are: Sable a cross paty or, for Lascelles, impaling Or a cheveron gules a chief vair, for St. Quintin
of Harpham, with the crest of a muzzled bear's
head. These are the arms of Thomas Lascelles (died
1618). On the opposite side of the building are
traces of a large walled garden, with what were
probably small circular pavilions at the angles.
Manors
KIRKBY SIGSTON at the time of
the Domesday Survey was soke of the
royal manor of Northallerton (fn. 2) (q.v.),
with which it passed to the Bishops of Durham. The
bishops held the overlordship of half a knight's fee till
it fell into abeyance. Courts were held in Kirkby
Sigston by their sheriffs. (fn. 3)
Kirkby Sigston was divided between two holdings
as early as the beginning of the 13th century, when
a quarter of a knight's fee was held by Michael son
of Michael and a second quarter by Henry Walens.
This second quarter had been given by Hugh Pudsey,
Bishop of Durham (1153–95), to Walter de Farlington, whose daughter and heir Bishop Philip de
Poitou (1197–1208) married to Henry Walens. (fn. 3a)
Margaret daughter of Henry Walens married William
son and heir of Philip Colvill, (fn. 4) and must have brought
him this part of Sigston. William Hairun, who in or
about 1242 quitclaimed to his overlord the bishop his
claim on the manors of Sigston, Ellerbeck and Foxton, (fn. 5)
was the son of Jordan Hairun, a tenant in Thimbleby,
and presumably here also, in the 12th century. (fn. 6)
Michael son of Michael was
probably the father of John
son of Michael de Ryhill,
husband of Joan Colvill. (fn. 7) In
1284 half the vill was held
by Michael de Ryhill and
half by William Colvill. (fn. 8) The
descent of the Colvill portion
of the estate followed the descent of the manor of Dale
Town (fn. 9) (q.v.) into the possession of the Mauleverer family.
It was quitclaimed in 1478
by Edmund Mauleverer to
Ralph Pigot, the holder of
the other half of the manor, (fn. 10) and presumably followed
the descent of the latter from that date.
Colvill. Or a fesse gules with three roundels gules in the chief.
Sigston. Argent an eagle sable with two heads.
Sywardby. Argent a bend cotised between six lions sable.
From the Ryhills is traced the descent of the family
of Sigston, lords of the manor here in the 14th century.
In 1313 John son of John son of Michael was lord of
Sigston, (fn. 11) and it seems probable that he was the
grandson of the Michael de Ryhill who was holding
3 carucates in 1284–5. (fn. 12) He married Joan daughter
of Henry Maunsell, (fn. 13) and had a son John de Sigston,
tenant of the manor in 1327. (fn. 14) 'John son of John,'
lord of Sigston in 1348, (fn. 15) died without issue and the
estate passed to his sister Joan wife of Thomas Place. (fn. 16)
Her son John died without heirs, and, after passing
through three generations in the family of her second
son William, the manor was inherited by the family of
Sywardby through William's sister Margaret wife of
William Sywardby. (fn. 17) In 1433 an assize was brought
against William Sywardby, son of Margaret, by
Robert Wadesley, who was descended from the Sigstons through Agnes, a sister of John de Sigston, lord
of the manor in 1327, on the ground that the reversion of the manor belonged after the Place family to
the Wadesleys and not to the Sywardbys. (fn. 18) The
verdict was given against him, and the Sywardbys
remained in possession, the manor being inherited by
Margaret daughter of William Sywardby the younger,
who married Geoffrey Pigot. (fn. 19) They were succeeded
by their son Ralph Pigot, to whom the other moiety
of the manor was quitclaimed in 1478. (fn. 20) Ralph
Pigot died childless in 1503, (fn. 21) and his estates were
divided among the three daughters of his brother
Thomas, Margaret wife of James Metcalfe, Joan, who
married first Sir Giles Hussey and afterwards Sir
Thomas Folkingham, and Elizabeth, who married successively Sir James Strangways, Sir Charles Brandon,
and Francis Nevill. (fn. 22)
Slingsby of Scriven, baronet. Argent a griffon sable with a fesse gules athwart him.
That part of Kirkby Sigston which fell to the share
of the second sister Joan was inherited by her son
Thomas Hussey, (fn. 23) who was attainted for his part in
the Rebellion of the Earls in 1570. (fn. 24) He was 'stoutly
and manfully apprehended in the field' by George
Lamplough, (fn. 25) to whom his lands were subsequently
granted as reward. (fn. 26) George Lamplough was succeeded in 1588 by Edward his son. (fn. 27) Edward died
in 1594, leaving Kirkby Sigston to his son George, (fn. 28)
who was still in possession in 1622. (fn. 29) In 1641
Benjamin Tiffin, possibly a mortgagee, released the
manor to Lord Fauconberg. (fn. 30) The manor appears
among the lands of Lord Fauconberg when they
were registered as those of a delinquent in 1648, (fn. 31)
and in 1652 when they were sequestered by a
Parliamentary Committee. (fn. 32) In 1654 he sold the
manor to John and William Turner, (fn. 33) and it was
settled on the latter in 1674. (fn. 34) This family remained
in possession till the middle of the 18th century.
William Turner was lord of
the manor in 1736, (fn. 35) John
Turner in 1738. (fn. 36) The latter
had four daughters and coheirs, the eldest of whom
married Charles Slingsby. (fn. 37)
The shares of all four came
by purchase into the possession of Sir Thomas Turner
Slingsby of Scriven, son of
Charles, and eighth baronet. (fn. 38)
His grandson Sir Charles
Slingsby was drowned while
crossing the River Ure with a
hunting party in 1869. His
sister and heir Emma Louisa Catherine, wife of
Captain Leslie, took the name of Slingsby, as did her
cousin the Rev. Charles Atkinson, who succeeded on
her death in 1899. (fn. 38a) He was killed in a hunting
accident on 14 November 1912. His heir is his son
Charles Reynard Slingsby.
Laton. Argent a fesse between six crosslets sable.
Frewen. Ermine four bars azure with a demilion in his proper colours in the chief.
The share of Margaret Pigot was inherited in
1531 by her son Christopher Metcalfe. (fn. 39) One of
his sisters married Thomas Laton of Sexhowe, (fn. 40)
and Sir Christopher conveyed to him the various
tenements and lands in Sigston, which constituted
his share of the estate. (fn. 41) Charles Laton, the son and
heir of Thomas Laton, acquired also the share of the
youngest Pigot sister, Elizabeth, who with her third
husband Francis Nevill conveyed to him the reversion
of it in 1578. (fn. 42) Thus the Laton family had a considerable estate here, which they continued to hold
till the latter part of the 17th century. Charles
Laton settled it in 1613 (fn. 43) on his son and heir Thomas,
who with his second wife Bridget was in possession in
1650. (fn. 44) Their grandson Charles son of Thomas held
the manor ten years afterwards, (fn. 45) but died without
issue, and it was inherited by his sister and heir Bridget,
who married Thomas Frewen. (fn. 46) Their son Laton
Frewen inherited his mother's lands and left them to
his son Laton Frewen, who took the name of Turner
when he inherited the estates of the Turners of Cold
Overton. (fn. 47) At his death his lands in Kirkby Sigston
passed to his cousin Thomas Frewen, (fn. 48) and still
remain part of the family estates. (fn. 49)
WINTON was among the lands of the Bishop of
Durham in 1086, (fn. 50) when it was waste. Down to
the middle of the 14th century no one tenant seems
to have held the whole manor. In 1284–5 Stephen
Maunsell held half a carucate of Henry Maunsell,
who held of the bishop. Four oxgangs were held of
Richard de Romanby and Richard held them of the
bishop. The remainder of this vill and Hallikeld,
5 carucates and 2 oxgangs, were 'held similarly of
the said bishop.' (fn. 51) The land held by the Maunsells
probably came soon after this into the hands of John
Sigston, who married a daughter of Henry Maunsell. (fn. 52)
In 1323 this John had a grant of land here from
John Wassand, (fn. 53) who had settled tenements in 1316
on himself and his wife Joan with remainder to her
right heirs. (fn. 54) A third landholder in the vill, John
de la More, settled tenements on himself and Beatrice
his wife in the next year, with remainder to John
son of John of Sigston. (fn. 55) In 1327 John Sigston and
John Wassand (Waxand) were the tenants in Winton, (fn. 56)
and apparently the Sigston family finally acquired the
whole manor, which followed the descent of their
manor of Sigston (fn. 57) (q.v.), and came into the possession
of the Laton family. (fn. 58)
The castle of Sigston, called variously Berford (fn. 59) or
Bereshend, (fn. 60) seems to have formed part of the manor
of Winton. It had the same descent throughout.
The land on which it was built was acquired by John
son of John son of Michael de Sigston in 1313 on his
marriage with the daughter of Henry Maunsell, (fn. 61) and
the castle seems to have been built shortly after this.
In 1336 John de Sigston had licence to crenellate
'his manor of Beresende.' (fn. 62) The castle probably
began to fall into decay at the time of the division of
Ralph Pigot's estates. No traces of the building
remain, but the earthworks or foundations are visible. (fn. 63)
Lascelles, Earl of Harewood. Sable a cross paty and a border or.
STANK or WINTON STANK appears to have
formed part of the manor of Winton down to the
16th century. It is first mentioned as a separate
'manor' in 1561, when Sir Christopher Metcalfe,
who must have inherited it as part of his share of
Winton, was in possession. (fn. 64) He sold land in Winton
Stank in 1569 to Thomas Laton, (fn. 65) who conveyed
part of it shortly afterwards to Christopher Nodding. (fn. 66)
Robert Meynell also purchased land here from Thomas
Laton, (fn. 67) and messuages with
land in Winton were settled
on him and his wife in 1579
and 1582. (fn. 68) Laurence Meynell, the son of Robert Meynell
and Christopher Nodding's
daughter and heir Margaret, (fn. 69)
was in possession in 1608, (fn. 70)
when he sold the manor to
Francis Lascelles. (fn. 71) Francis
grandson of Francis Lascelles
died in 1667, leaving a son
Daniel. (fn. 71a) Henry the second
son of Daniel was his heir. (fn. 71b)
His son Edwin was created Lord Harewood in 1790. (fn. 72)
The present Earl of Harewood is now the owner.
The manor of HALLIKELD (Halykeld, xv cent.)
in this parish was in the possession of Thomas Colvill
at the beginning of the 14th century, and was held
of the Bishop of Durham. (fn. 73) In the 15th century it
appears in the possession of Sir Richard Strangways
of West Harlsey. (fn. 74) His great-grandson Sir James
Strangways conveyed the manor with West Harlsey
to William Lord Dacre and his sons. (fn. 75) It was thus
involved in the dispute which followed the death of
Sir James Strangways. By a royal award it was
granted to Elizabeth Strangways for life and after her
death to Robert Roos, (fn. 76) who granted his reversion to
the Earl of Rutland. (fn. 77) Meanwhile the manor had
been leased by Elizabeth Strangways to Leonard
Dacre, (fn. 78) who was attainted in 1570. The manor of
Hallikeld thus came to the Crown, but was nevertheless claimed by Lord Roos, Earl of Rutland, in right
of his grant from Robert Roos. (fn. 79) It was still in the
king's hands in 1637. (fn. 80)
Another estate in Hallikeld was in the possession
of the family of Hildreth in the 16th century. In
1524 it was held by John Hildreth, (fn. 81) who was succeeded by Christopher. (fn. 81a) In 1587 Thomas Hildreth
sold 'lands in Winton' to Edward Dunning and
probably granted him also the Hallikeld estate. (fn. 82)
James Dunning died seised of the 'capital messuage
called Hallikeld' in 1638, and left it to his son
Edward. (fn. 83)
The manor of Hallikeld has now merged in that of
Winton.
SOWERBY-UNDER-COTCLIFFE (Suleby-subKoteclyf, xiii cent.) was an appendage of Northallerton in 1086, (fn. 84) and its overlordship followed the same
descent.
There is very little evidence concerning the tenants
of Sowerby. In 1284–5 the 6 carucates here were
held by the Bishop of Durham for the most part
in demesne. (fn. 85) William de Sowerby (Suleby), Robert
de Fademore, and Hugh Stirk held land of him,
the largest holding being the 1 carucate held by
William de Sowerby. (fn. 86) In 1316 it was still in the
bishop's hands, and at the end of the 16th century
his holding was described as a manor. (fn. 87) The Sowerby
family continued to hold land here, (fn. 88) though it is
doubtful whether they ever had a manor. Richard
Strangways was holding land here in 1524, (fn. 89) and
Christopher Strangways, 'of Sowerby under Cotcliffe,'
was party to a fine in 1552. (fn. 90) Tenements were held
here in the 17th century by John Metcalfe, Oswald
Taylor and Nicholas Robinson. (fn. 91)
Church
The church of ST. LAWRENCE
consists of a chancel about 37 ft. 4 in. by
15 ft. 6 in., a nave 44 ft. 9 in. by
18 ft. 4 in., a north aisle 45 ft. 9 in. by 13 ft., a west
tower and a south porch. These measurements are
all internal.
The church originally consisted of a simple chancel
and nave built in the 12th century. About 1200
the north aisle was added and the chancel extended
eastwards. A chantry chapel was built on the north
side of the chancel in 1343, (fn. 92) but it has since been
demolished and the arches between it and the chancel
and north aisle built up. Both the tower and porch
are modern additions. In 1893 the building was
thoroughly restored under the supervision of Mr.
Temple Moore.
The present east window is of three cinquefoiled
lights with vertical tracery under a pointed head
having an external label. It was inserted in the 15th
century, the extended chancel having previously been
lighted from the east by three lancets, the two outer of
which can still be seen externally. They had doublechamfered hood moulds, one being indented in a similar
manner to the label over the nave arcade. On each
side of the window is a 15th-century image bracket.
In the north wall is the blocked arcade of two bays
which formerly communicated with the Sigston
chantry. The arches are pointed and have an internal
label terminating on carved stops, and are carried on
an octagonal pier and semi-octagonal responds having
carved capitals and moulded bases. In the south wall
is a two-light window, with modern jambs and an old
head, to the west of which are two 13th-century lancets.
Under the westernmost, the head of which has been
made slightly ogee at some later date, can be seen
externally the jambs of a priest's doorway, while to
the east is a blocked up 12th-century light, in front
of which has been built a modern buttress. To
the east of this is a second built-up 12th-century light
with its semicircular head in one stone, incised with
a kind of net enrichment, above which is a cheveron
ornament. Between the two easternmost windows is
a third, also blocked, and in the east end of the wall
is a rude piscina with the head cut into three small
semicircular arches. The chancel arch is semicircular
with plain square-edged arch and jambs.
The nave arcade is of four bays with semicircular
arches of two orders, carried on three circular piers
having simple carved capitals and moulded bases, and
carved respond corbels. The westernmost bay is
narrower than the others. In the south wall are
two modern windows with three-centred heads, to
the west of which are a square-headed doorway and a
lancet. In the west wall a modern pointed doorway
opens into the tower, and above it is a 12th-century
window.
The north aisle is lighted from the north by two
modern three-light windows and from the west by a
14th-century one of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil under a pointed head. In the south end of the
east wall is the blocked up pointed archway which
originally opened into the Sigston chantry, while at the
west end of the north wall there is a modern doorway.
The modern tower is in three stages, and has an
embattled parapet and plain square-headed bellchamber windows. The west gable of the nave
originally had a bell-turret and was divided by a
central buttress through which a small light was
pierced; this and the clasping angle buttresses still
remain.
The lower courses of the chancel walling are of
wide coursed regular rubble, while the upper portion
is 14th-century work, including on the south side a
parapet with two grotesque gargoyles, and the remains
of the eastern gable cross. The north aisle is of
irregular coursed rubble, and at the east end is a
blocked original light above the arch which formerly communicated between the aisle and chantry.
The font consists of an octagonal bowl on a round
shaft and base, and bears the initials E C, T, C, 1662.
There is in the north aisle a recumbent effigy of a
lady dressed in a long gown and mantle with tightfitting sleeves ornamented with beadwork, large headdress, widow's veil and wimple over the chin, dating
from c. 1330. There are several 13th-century incised
slabs and part of the head of a Saxon cross ornamented
with knot work; there is also a fragment bearing two
shields, one of which is charged with a cross with
two crescents in chief and the other with a cross paty.
The tower contains two bells.
Plan of Kirkby Sigston Church
The communion plate consists of a cup with the
London date letter for 1570 and cover with the York
letter for 1635, a paten of about 1805 presented in
1875 by Thomas Atkinson, rector, a flagon of 1878,
a pewter flagon and two pewter plates.
The registers begin in 1574.
Advowson
The church of Kirkby Sigston belonged from a very early date to the
Prior and convent of Durham. It
was taken from them in the late 11th century by
Bishop Ralph Flambard, but was subsequently restored
by his charter. (fn. 92a) An agreement was made in 1174
between the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of
Durham, which acknowledged that jurisdiction in the
church of Sigston had belonged to the Priors of
Durham, and provided that the bishop should have
the same jurisdiction in future. (fn. 93) The agreement was
not respected by the successors of this archbishop, and
in 1330 the Bishop of Durham appealed to the pope
to support his jurisdiction in Sigston and elsewhere. (fn. 94)
The advowson belonged to the prior and convent.
A difficulty arose in 1344 as the result of a papal
provision to the living. By arrangement with the
prior Edward III claimed the patronage for one
turn and made good his claim in his own courts. (fn. 95)
He presented John de Halnaby to the vacant benefice,
issuing a mandate to the sheriff and others to arrest
anyone who intruded upon the church, 'as one Thomas
de Carleton and others are now striving to do.' (fn. 96)
Thomas de Carleton had been presented to the church
by the pope, and was in peaceful possession until
he was 'despoiled of the church by the Prior and John
de Halnaby his kinsman,' for whom the prior procured
the presentation from the king. (fn. 97) He presented a petition by which it is recorded that 'the king's conscience
was deservedly stirred.' Thomas de Carleton was
taken into the royal protection till further inquiries were
made, (fn. 98) and was afterwards confirmed in the benefice. (fn. 99)
After this date the advowson remained in the possession of the prior and convent till the Dissolution. (fn. 100)
The Crown then presented till 1642, when the advowson was granted to Lord Fauconberg. (fn. 1) He sold it in
1654 to John and William Turner, (fn. 2) and from that
date it has followed the descent of the manor. (fn. 3) The
present patron is Mr. C. R. Slingsby.
A chantry was founded in the parish church in
1343 by John Sigston for the daily celebration of divine
service. Licence was given him to alienate a messuage
and land for that purpose. (fn. 4) In 1424, however, it was
found by inquisition that Sir John Sigston granted in
mortmain without licence a messuage in Sigston to
the chaplain of this chantry. The king therefore
granted the premises to his informant, John Somerseth,
'for the defence of the kingdom of England.' (fn. 5)
In 1458 the chantry was refounded as that of John
Sigston by Elizabeth Sywardby and her daughter
Margaret wife of Geoffrey Pigot. (fn. 6) Elizabeth Sywardby
left to it various ornaments (fn. 7) by will.
There are no endowed charities in Kirkby Sigston.