THORNTON-LE-STREET
Torentum, Torentone (xi cent.); Thorneton in
Strata (xiii cent.); Thornton in the Strete (xiv
cent.).
Thornton-le-Street ecclesiastical parish includes the
townships of Thornton-le-Street and North Kilvington, the latter now a separate civil parish. The area
of the whole is about 2,323 acres, of which 705 are
arable land, 1,246 permanent grass and 175 woods
and plantations. (fn. 1) Wheat, barley, oats and turnips are
the chief crops grown. The upper soil is loam on
a subsoil of Lower Lias, except near the Cod Beck,
where it is alluvium. The land lies generally from
150 ft. to 200 ft. above ordnance datum, but rises
to the west of Kilvington Hall to 225 ft.
The hamlet of Thornton-le-Street is situated by
the Cod Beck and on the road from Northallerton to
Thirsk. It consists of little more than the church,
the vicarage and the school. There is a ford across
the beck near the school and two others lower down.
A little higher up is a corn-mill, and above that
Brawith Bridge. Between the road and the beck are
some old inclosures. Thornton-le-Street Hall stands
among woods in a large park about half a mile southeast of the village. It is a modern mansion belonging
to Lord Cathcart, and is now the residence of
Mr. G. J. Murray.
The Old Hall stands on the main road a short
distance to the north of the village. The house,
which is L-shaped on plan, is built of faced stone two
stories high and may date from the late 17th century.
The windows are all modern, but the two chimney
stacks of three flues each are original. The building
stands on a steep bank above the Cod Beck.
Further north is the old mill, part of which is of
the 16th-century date. The wing containing the
water-wheel is built of stone up to the first floor and
at the north and south ends has a tabled string-course
at the top of the stone work. On the east face is a
flat pointed door with a single-light window, and at
the south-west angle are two sundials, one having a
pierced iron gnomon. The upper story is of brick,
as is the adjoining house, which dates mainly from
the 18th century.
A short distance away to the east stands a farmhouse of late 17th-century date, but much patched
and altered. It is built of stone, as are several of the
adjoining farm buildings.
Colvis Hall, 1 mile to the south of Thornton-leStreet, is now a farm-house. The rear portion of the
house dates from the 17th century and has a large
chimney stack at the west end. A wing projecting to
the north has been reconstructed with old materials,
including strings and window openings. The house
is two stories in height and built of stone, with the
exception of the 18th-century brick south front.
The south-east boundary of North Kilvington
civil parish is formed by Spittal Beck, which flows
into Cod Beck just below Kilvington Old Hall with
its moated inclosure. This house appears to date
from early in the 18th century. It is two stories
high and rectangular in form, the front and returns
being faced with stone with a plain band dividing the
stories. The back is of brick, and on this side the
northern end is occupied by the Roman Catholic
chapel of St. Anne, which dates from 1690. Though
not now used, it is still fitted up with altar and pews,
and is lit by large square-headed windows, with flush
frames, in the west wall. The brick walls of an
extensive garden remain to the south and appear to
be considerably older than the house.
North Kilvington consists of the Old Hall and one
or two cottages built on Moorhouse Lane. The
modern Kilvington Hall, which commands picturesque
scenery, was built in 1835 by the late Mr. Thomas
Meynell about a mile north-east of the site of the
Old Hall. It is now the property of Mr. Edgar
Meynell and the residence of Mr. William Henry
Mott, J.P.
Manors
In 1086 Thornton-le-Street was soke
of the 'manor' of Northallerton (fn. 2) (q.v.),
the descent of which the overlordship
followed, being held by the bishops in chief for half a
knight's fee. (fn. 3) The vill in 1284–5 consisted of 6 carucates, of which 5 were held by Richard de Wassand and
1 by Richard de Thornton. (fn. 4) John de Wassand and
John de la Mare were the tenants in 1316. (fn. 5) John de
Wassand was in 1340 granted free warren here. In
1349 Alice widow of Sir John de Wassand, kt., claimed
dower in the manor and mill (fn. 6) of Thornton-le-Street
from Robert de Wadesley. (fn. 7) Robert de Wadesley,
probably the grandson of Robert, (fn. 8) was in possession of
the vill, which in 1433 was settled on his son
Edmund and Alice his wife. (fn. 9) They appear to have
left two daughters and co-heirs, Eleanor, and
Katherine, who married Sir John Everingham of
Birkin. (fn. 10) John (fn. 11) son and heir of Katherine at his
death in 1528 was seised of half the manor and
was succeeded by his son Henry (fn. 12) ; he died before
1546 and left three daughters, of whom Eleanor was
eventually his sole heiress. (fn. 13) The share of Katherine
Wadesley seems to have reverted to the descendants of
her sister Eleanor, who married Henry Everingham
of Stainbrough. (fn. 14) Thomas Everingham died in
1517 seised of half the manor of Thornton-le-Street, (fn. 15)
and was probably the son of Eleanor. (fn. 16) He left a
son Henry, (fn. 17) probably the Henry Everingham of
Stainbrough (fn. 18) who held the manor of Thornton in
1539. (fn. 19) From this Henry (fn. 20) and his son Henry (fn. 21)
the manor of Thornton-le-Street was acquired by
John Talbot, who died before 1540, and his son
John, (fn. 22) who died in 1573 seised of three-fourths of
the manor. (fn. 23) The remaining portion seems to have
been represented in 1587 by a third part then held
by Roger Meynell, (fn. 24) lord of North Kilvington (q.v.),
and it is uncertain whether it
was ever reincorporated in the
manor, though John, son of
John Talbot's son and successor Roger Talbot, (fn. 25) is said
to have held the manor of
Thornton-le-Street. He died
in 1638, leaving a son and
successor John, (fn. 26) who at his
death in 1659 was succeeded
by his son Roger. (fn. 27) Roger
Talbot died in 1680. (fn. 28) The
manor descended to Roger
Talbot, who was lord in
1734. (fn. 29) In 1793 it was conveyed to Samuel Crompton by Henry Maister, Peter
Acklom and Caroline his wife, and Henry Boldero
Barnard and Sarah Elizabeth his wife. (fn. 30) Sir Samuel
Crompton, created a baronet in 1838, had no son. (fn. 31)
His eldest daughter Elizabeth Mary married her cousin
Earl Cathcart in 1850, and brought him the manor of
Thornton with other Yorkshire estates. (fn. 32) The present
Lord Cathcart is now lord of the manor.
Talbot of Thornton. Argent three leaping lions purpure.
NORTH KILVINGTON is not distinguished in
the Domesday Survey from South Kilvington (q.v.).
Before 1200 it had become part of the fee of the
Bishops of Durham, as in that year Bishop Philip of
Poitou sold the whole vill for 100 marks to Gilbert
de la Ley to hold by service of one knight's fee. (fn. 33)
Gilbert soon afterwards conveyed the manor of
Kilvington to the Abbot and canons of Egglestone, (fn. 34)
to hold by the same service. (fn. 35) In confirming this
grant the bishop commuted the knight's service for
5 marks. (fn. 36) Philip de la Ley, son of Gilbert, afterwards
claimed the knight's service from the abbot, who had
refused to recognize it. In 1251 an arrangement
was made by which the abbot and church should hold
the manor of North Kilvington of Philip and his
heirs for one knight's fee, while Philip and his heirs
should have the right to present nine canons. (fn. 37) By
1284–5 the Abbot of Egglestone held North Kilvington for half a knight's fee directly from the Bishop of
Durham. (fn. 38) Of the 7 carucates in the vill 5 carucates
3 oxgangs were held by the abbey in demesne and
the remainder was in the hands of various tenants. (fn. 39)
North Kilvington remained with the Abbot and
convent of Egglestone until the Dissolution. (fn. 40)
In 1544 the manor was granted by the king to
William and John Sewster, (fn. 41) and they obtained a
licence in the same year to alienate it to Henry and
Anthony Meynell, (fn. 42) two younger sons of Robert
Meynell, who had bought some land here in 1522. (fn. 43)
At this time Anthony Meynell was by far the largest
tenant in North Kilvington. (fn. 44) Henry Meynell died
in 1557, his eldest brother Robert, serjeant-at-law,
being heir to his property, including half this manor. (fn. 45)
Half seems to have passed, probably under his will, (fn. 46)
to his brother Anthony, who died in about 1576 seised
of the manor of North Kilvington, which in 1572 he
had settled on his son Roger and his heirs. (fn. 47) At the
death of Roger the estate was inherited by his son
Thomas, whose lands were sequestered for recusancy,
but after his death in 1653 were recovered by
Anthony (fn. 48) his son. Anthony died in 1669, and was
succeeded by his son Thomas, who was succeeded by
his second but eldest surviving son Roger, who died
in 1683. His son and heir Thomas, who had no
children, is said to have died in 1708. (fn. 49) His brother
Roger, however, possessed the manor of North
Kilvington in 1703, (fn. 50) and had a son and heir Roger, (fn. 51)
who held the manor. His successor was his eldest son
Roger, whose heir was his brother Thomas. (fn. 52) Thomas
Meynell was seised of the manor of North Kilvington
in 1758. He was a Jesuit, and assigned his estates
to his younger brother Edward, (fn. 53) at whose death in
1808 North Kilvington passed
to his second son Thomas,
his eldest son Edward having
died young. (fn. 54) Thomas died
in 1854, leaving four sons, the
youngest of whom, Edgar
John Meynell, was afterwards
heir to his nephew. Thomas,
the eldest son, who inherited
North Kilvington, died childless in 1863, his heir being
his nephew Edward Thomas
Meynell, the son of his brother
Edward, who had died in
1856. Edward Thomas died
without children in 1879, and was succeeded by
his uncle Edgar John Meynell, J.P., Recorder of
Doncaster from 1870 to 1901, whose second son,
Mr. Edgar Meynell, is now lord of the manor. (fn. 55)
Meynell of Kilvington. Azure three gimel bars and a chief or.
Church
The church of ST. LEONARD consists of a chancel 27 ft. 5 in. by 13 ft.
5 in., with a small vestry on the north
side, and a nave 47 ft. by 15 ft. 9 in. with a porch on
the south side. These measurements are all internal.
The thickness of the north wall of the nave and
the zigzag ornament on the label over the south
doorway seem to indicate 12th-century work, but this
is the only evidence of this date, and not perhaps
reliable. The chancel and all the details of the nave
are of late 14th-century date except the nave north
window, which is early work of the same period.
The vestry is a much later addition, and the whole
of the west end, with the porch, was built about 1855.
A sketch in the porch taken from the south-west
shows the church as it stood before this work was
done. The three windows shown to the east of the
porch are unchanged, but there was a window to the
west of it which has gone. The west wall was blank,
and the roof was apparently hipped and had a wooden
bell-turret; these features have been replaced by a
gable end and a stone bell-turret partly supported by
a buttress. The corbel table round the eaves has also
been added.
Thornton-le-Street Church from the South-east
The east window of the chancel, which has been
much renewed, has three cinquefoiled lights. In the
gable above is a small trefoiled circular light. There
is a single trefoiled light in the north wall of the
chancel and two windows in the south wall, each of
two cinquefoiled lights. Between these windows is
a low priest's doorway, apparently modern, with a
shouldered arch. Near the east end of the south
wall of the chancel is a piscina with chamfered jambs
and a segmental head. The basin is multifoiled.
The whole has been covered with brown paint by
the continuation across it of the painted dado of the
chancel. The vestry is entered from the north-west
of the chancel by a doorway with a shouldered arch.
In one corner is a fireplace and in the east wall is a
modern window. The 14th-century chancel arch is
two-centred and of two chamfered orders, the inner
springing from small shafts carried upon corbels.
The lower parts of the jambs have been renewed
and all the stonework has been retooled.
The north wall of the nave contains one 14thcentury window of two slightly trefoiled lights with
a pierced spandrel between. The head is of one
stone, and there is no arch. Between this window
and the west wall is the north doorway, now blocked,
although there is here a modern door. The jambs
are chamfered, and are evidently old, but the arch,
which is semicircular, is apparently of later date.
The first window in the south wall of the nave is
a wide single cinquefoiled light partly restored, with
a label of 15th-century section. The rear arch is
square. The second window is similar to the south
windows of the chancel. The third is a single
trefoiled light with a square rear arch, and is apparently of the same date. To the west of this is the
south doorway, which has chamfered jambs and a
drop arch, above which is the label, which has already
been referred to as probably belonging to a 12thcentury doorway. The south porch has low angle
buttresses and a doorway with jambs and arch of
two chamfered orders. The west wall has two
modern tall windows with cinquefoiled heads.
The font, which is placed near the south doorway,
is possibly of late 16th-century date It has a circular
bowl with a fillet round the top, and stands on a
circular shaft with moulded capital and base.
The roofs are modern and are covered with large
stone slates.
On the east wall of the chancel is a stone monument of Renaissance design with an inscription in
brass to Roger Talbot, who died in 1680, eldest
son of John Talbot, who married Elizabeth sister
of Ambrose Pudsey of Bolton in Craven. Above
the inscription and between the broken pediment
are shields bearing the arms: Three leaping lions
impaling a cheveron between three molets. On the
floor of the sanctuary on the south side is a small
brass to his wife Elizabeth, who died in 1694.
On the south wall of the chancel and near the east
end is a stone panel with ornament in low relief
surrounding a square brass, which is inscribed to
Lady Bridget daughter of William Pennington, who
married firstly Ambrose Pudsey of Bolton in Craven,
and afterwards Thomas Laton. She died in 1664.
There are two shields, the first Pudsey impaling
Pennington, the second Laton impaling Pennington.
There are two modern bells.
The plate consists of a silver cup, paten and flagon.
The cup, of 1784, is inscribed 'I Cto Sacrum' and
'In usum Parochiae de Thornton.' The paten and
flagon are dated 1852 and 1856 respectively.
The registers begin in 1598.
Advowson
In 1247 Geoffrey de Upsall granted
the advowson of the church of Thornton-le-Street to the hospital of St.
James near Northallerton, (fn. 56) and it remained in the
hands of the hospital until the Dissolution. (fn. 57) By
1291 a vicarage had been ordained. (fn. 58) In 1540 (fn. 59) the
rectory and advowson of Thornton-le-Street, with the
other possessions of the hospital, were granted to
Richard Morrison, (fn. 60) who in 1545 exchanged them
with the Crown for other property. (fn. 61) In the following year they were granted to the Dean and Chapter
of Christ Church, Oxford, (fn. 62) to whose successors they
still belong.
Charity
A sum of £1 1s. a year out of an
estate in this parish, formerly known as
the Talbot property, now belonging to
Earl Cathcart—supposed to represent a gift of Lady
Fagg—is distributed at Christmas among the poor.