NEW MALTON
New Malton comprises the two ecclesiastical
parishes of St. Michael and St. Leonard. It was
until 1855 a part of the parish of Old Malton, and
the general description of this latter parish includes
that of its former member.
South of Old Malton the York road passes through
New Malton. The town is built on undulating
ground, which falls very rapidly towards the Derwent
where it bounds the settlement to the south. There
are modern extensions of the town on the west and
north, and Norton, on the east bank of the Derwent,
practically forms a suburb. The main road from
Whitby enters New Malton as Old Malton gate, and
further south, as Yorkersgate, forms the principal street
of the town. This road is crossed by a street called
Wheelgate and its continuation Castlegate. A road
from Castlegate leads over the bridge of Derwent to
Norton, and the river is again crossed by another
road further south from Yorkersgate to the railway
station at the junction of the branches to Thirsk,
Driffield and Whitby with the York and Scarborough
branch of the North Eastern railway. The town was
once surrounded by walls, their course being now
marked by the parish boundary. (fn. 1) The four gates were
in the keeping of the burgesses. (fn. 2) The walls probably
determined the shape of the market-place; this lies
between Yorkersgate (York house gate, 1784) and
Wheelgate, which is connected with Old Malton gate
by Greengate. The market-place is divided into two
squares, the church of St. Michael (fn. 3) standing in the
western and the town hall in the eastern square, the
ground rising sharply from south to north. The town
hall is a stone building of the 18th century with
various modern additions. The Black Swan Inn on the
northern side of the market-place is a good specimen
of an 18th-century house and possesses a fine wooden
cornice. On the same side of the market-place is a
fine stone house, now known as St. Michael's House,
much repaired but of about the same date. To the
north and outside the wall is the modern cattle
market. On the north side of Finkle Street, which
leads from the market-place to Wheelgate, are some
old two-story houses with overhanging first floors. In
Wheelgate, as the lower part of the Helmsley road is
called, is a 15th-century crypt, now forming portion
of the cellars of the Cross Keys Inn, an 18th-century
building. It is of three bays, with vaulting shafts,
ribbed cross vault, and carved bosses at the intersection
of the ribs. It is situated on some land which once
belonged to Malton Priory. At the south end of
Yorkersgate is York House, a fine stone building of
late 17th or early 18th-century date, consisting of a
centre and two gabled wings, having large windows
with moulded architraves and double-hung sash-frames.
In the centre of the garden front, overlooking the
River Derwent, which runs at the foot of the sloping
terraced garden, is an arched recess, with rusticated
quoins and voussoirs, within which is the large staircase window. The plan is symmetrical, consisting of
a large square hall with rooms on either side.
St. Leonard's Church stands within a large churchyard adjoining the grounds of the Lodge which border
upon the road leading to Pickering and Whitby, at the
northern extremity of the town. South of the Lodge is
the site of Malton Castle. Malton Castle was erected
probably in the early part of the 12th century. It was
granted by Henry I to Eustace son of John, (fn. 4) that 'oneeyed, wicked traitor,' who, after having long secretly
favoured King David, in 1138 marched with the
Scots into Yorkshire, planning to deliver Malton into
their hands. (fn. 5) After the Scottish defeat at the battle
of the Standard Malton was destroyed and its castle
was besieged by the king's men in revenge for the
burning of several villages by its garrison during the
war. After a truce of eight days, however, the siege
was abandoned. (fn. 6) It was probably at this castle that
Richard I and the King of Scotland held an interview in 1194, (fn. 7) and Malton was visited by King John
in February 1213 (fn. 8) and afterwards by Edward II. (fn. 9)
A royal grant of the custody of the castle was made
in 1317 to John de Mowbray, but 'certain illdisposed persons' occupied the castle and refused to
admit him. (fn. 10) In 1322, after the hasty flight of Edward
from Byland Abbey and the defeat of the royal army,
Malton fell into the hands of Robert de Brus and
formed a centre for Scottish depredations on the
surrounding country. (fn. 11) Brus probably stayed at the
castle, but wrecked it before his retreat northwards
at the end of October. (fn. 12)
Leland spoke of the castle as a ruin, (fn. 13) but it was
besieged in the Civil War, (fn. 14) though this time its
garrison was for the king. In 1643 the member for
Malton refused to attend Parliament, (fn. 15) but in 1644
Newcastle's forces were defeated here by Sir William
Constable, one of the regicides. (fn. 16)
York House, Yorkersgate, New Malton
Of the house built by Ralph Lord Eure in the
17th century only the lodge remains. This has been
converted into a modern residence and added to on
the east and west, and is now occupied by the
Hon. G. N. Dawnay. It is a rectangular Jacobean
building two stories in height built of stone, and
stands about 50 yards back from, and on the east side
of, the Pickering road, on the border of New
Malton, the grounds being divided from the roadway by a screen wall of apparently the same date as
the building, but so much weathered that all the
detail is lost. The principal gateway was placed in
the middle of the wall in an axial line with the lodge.
It was semicircular, and stood between coupled
columns mounted on bases and supporting an entablature; the mouldings and any ornament here and
elsewhere have, however, fallen too far into decay to
discern the order to which they originally belonged.
The centre parts of the north and south fronts project
slightly beyond the general wall face, while at the
corners of the building are flat angle buttresses rising
above the parapets and surmounted by ogee-shaped
finials. The drive to the main buildings was undoubtedly through the middle of the lodge, as shown
by semicircular archways, now blocked up, in the
centre of the north and south fronts. On either side
of the archways are detached and coupled Doric
columns, standing on bases and supporting entablatures, which break round them and are carried across
the central projection. The architrave and frieze
stop on the return, but the cornice is continued round
the building. The upper story is treated in a similar
manner to the ground stage. The original windows
were square-headed and divided by stone transoms
and mullions, but only those in the upper part of the
central front projection remain intact. The remaining
windows have sash-frames and are mostly modern.
The building has lately been carefully renovated.
At Spital Hill, Broughton, stood the hospital or
almshouse of St. Mary Magdalene. This hospital
was dissolved in January 1618–19, when it sheltered
two men and three women. (fn. 17)
In 1905 a Cottage Hospital was established for
Malton, Norton and the district. It is supported by
voluntary contributions.
The Roman Catholic church of St. Mary was
erected in 1837, the Wesleyan chapel in Savile Street
in 1811, the Ebenezer Congregational church in
Savile Street in 1815, the Baptist chapel in 1822;
and there are also a Primitive Methodist chapel in
Wheelgate, a Unitarian chapel and meeting-houses for
the Society of Friends and the Plymouth Brethren.
The Quaker John Whitehead first preached at Malton
in 1652. (fn. 18)
There has long been an industrial community in
Malton. Goldsmiths, masons and mercers are mentioned in the 13th century. (fn. 19) There were weavers
in the time of Henry II, (fn. 20) and in 1327 complaint
was made that the wool merchants of York, Hull,
Malton and other towns confederated by writings
and oaths to reduce the price of wool. (fn. 21) The
surrounding country has always been, as Leland
described it, 'plentiful of corne and pasture,' (fn. 22)
while milling, malting and brewing have been its
chief industries, and barrels and ears of corn formed
the coat of arms of the priory. Besides its two
breweries, malting and corn-mills, Malton has bonemills and nursery gardens, and is famous for its
horses. John Scott, the trainer, purchased Whitewall House stables in 1825, and lived there until his
death in 1871. Before 1862 he trained in all
sixteen winners of the St. Leger, and he trained six
Derby winners, eight winners of the Oaks and
many famous horses. (fn. 23) James Watson, the Radical
publisher (born 1799), and Godfrey Sykes, the decorative artist (born 1825), were natives of Malton. (fn. 24)
The schoolmaster is mentioned in 1392. (fn. 25)
The navigation rights on the Derwent are vested
in the North Eastern railway. There was formerly
considerable river traffic, but this has declined.
Borough
The mesne borough of New Malton
appears to have grown up about the
castle, and its overlordship follows the
manor (q.v.) in descent. Henry II refers to it as a
demesne borough, (fn. 26) and it may have come into being
while the greater part of the land here was in the
hands of the Crown. (fn. 27) It paid £49 14s. 4d. as tallage in 1184. (fn. 28) The town was governed by two
bailiffs with two under-bailiffs and a borough clerk to
hold the court. (fn. 29) No other bailiff might make an
attachment or summons in the borough without the
sworn bailiff. The burgesses were only to do suit
twice a year at the court, except at gaol deliveries;
no other court was to be held in the borough, and
all complaints in this court were to be judged by
the suitors of the court, and all fines taken except
those belonging to the lord, such as those touching
the common oven or the assize of bread. Every
burgess but those dwelling in the knight's fee or
belonging to the priory should give to the lord
gabellage (gaffelege) for his tenement yearly, the
amount depending on his occupation and the number
of doors of his tenement. They might sell, give or
will their tenements. (fn. 30) The lord of the fee had no
rights of wardship. Twelve of the burgesses answered
before the justices of the peace in all sessions and
before the sheriff when his tourn was held within
their liberty. The burgesses had a free prison, a
pillory and 'a thew lawful and strong.' They were
quit of toll on their merchandise, and in dealings
with merchants who lived outside the borough the
latter were to pay the toll. Common butchers,
however, gave toll daily 'of old custom,' and burgesses selling herrings in Lent gave 1d. on each
1,000 herrings or else 4d. as the 'Skattegild.' They
might grind corn at the mill of the lord at a fixed
multure, and the commonalty chose two sworn
millers and one page, who might not be appointed or
removed without their consent. All the inhabitants
of the borough might grind their corn or malt where
they would except in their own houses. Measures
used were to be proved in the court twice a year, the
burgesses having the standard, which should agree
with the king's; bakers and butchers were to be
sworn twice a year; no baker who baked white bread
should bake brown bread and vice versa; similarly
no fishmonger ('groser of fysche') might cut his own
fish by himself, nor the tanner and shoemaker
encroach on each other's crafts. The burgesses might
sell their malt and ale at pleasure, in their own
houses and at their own price; and all inhabitants
of the borough might sell bread and ale at what price
they would at Michaelmas and from Christmas to
the next court. Every common brewer who wished
to sell ale outside his house had to make fine once a
year with the bailiff, but brewers who held of the
knight's fee or of the Prior of Malton paid no fine.
The burgesses chose in their court two ale-tasters
who with one sub-bailiff tasted the ale of all common
brewers weekly.
These privileges were in 1596 claimed by the
burgesses as immemorial (fn. 31) In 1624 the townsmen,
supported by Lord Eure, petitioned for a charter of
incorporation. This petition was referred to the
attorney-general, (fn. 32) but nothing was done, and in the
early 19th century the borough survived only for
Parliamentary purposes. The burgages (the electors)
then numbered about 100, and the bailiff was
appointed at the court leet of the lord of the
manor. (fn. 33) In 1854 New Malton, Old Malton and
Norton were constituted a district under the Public
Health Act of 1848. (fn. 34) The town is now governed
by an urban district council formed under the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1894. (fn. 35) Norton
was made a separate parish in 1889.
Malton returned two members to Parliament in
1295 and 1297, but not again until 1640. It had
two representatives from 1640 until 1868. It was
until 1832 a Whig pocket borough, but by the
Reform Act of 1832 its limits were extended to
include Old Malton and Norton, and the elective
franchise was conferred on the inhabitant householders. (fn. 36) Malton was deprived of one member in
1868, and lost its separate repesentation under the
Redistribution of Seats Act of 1885. It now forms
part of the Thirsk and Malton division of Yorkshire.
Among its representatives have been Robert Lilburne, the regicide, who was returned to Richard
Cromwell's Parliament, but was unseated on a petition, (fn. 37) Burke and Grattan, the lawyers Lord Cottenham and Lord Abinger, (fn. 38) Henry Gally Knight the
writer on architecture, (fn. 39) and Viscount Ossington,
speaker of the House of Commons. (fn. 40)
The market and fair, prescriptive like the borough,
seem to have been always retained by the lords. They
were acquired by the Hon. Thomas Wentworth in
1713 (fn. 41) with the manor, and now belong to Lord
Fitzwilliam. The first mention found of the market
is in 1283, (fn. 42) of the fair 1295. (fn. 43) The market rights
extend over the whole town, so that tolls are claimed
upon sales in the streets or inn yards, and there is
said to be no restriction as to special days for a
market, though it is the custom to demand toll only
on the Saturday before and on fair days and in the
cattle market on Tuesday. The corn market is held
every Saturday; the corn exchange is not, however,
used, as the farmers prefer doing business in private.
There are three fairs, viz. the whole week before
Palm Sunday, at Michaelmas (11 and 12 October)
and on the Saturday before Martinmas. Each combines a pleasure fair with the sale of cattle, but the
two things are now kept distinct. A pleasure fair held
on Shrove Tuesday, and known as Crucalty Fair, has
almost entirely lapsed. Some complaint is said to be
made of the old manorial privilege of taking toll at
fair time on all merchandise which comes into or goes
out of Malton. (fn. 44) In 1661, in consequence of complaints concerning the uncertainty of the keeping of
Malton fair, an order was issued that if any alehousekeeper within 5 miles of Malton entertained any
person bringing a horse to the fair before 20 September
he should be disabled from keeping a common alehouse for three years; if any person not licensed to
keep a common alehouse within this distance entertained such a person and took anything for horse or
man he should be proceeded against as an unlicensed
alehouse-keeper. (fn. 45)
Manor
At MALTON, before the Conquest,
Siward and Torchil held 8 carucates as
two 'manors,' Colebrand 3 carucates as
one 'manor,' Ulf 1 carucate as one 'manor,' and
Oudefride 1½ carucates. In 1086 the Archbishop
of York held the land of Ulf and the Count of
Mortain that of Oudefride, (fn. 46) the rest being in the
king's hands. The Count of Mortain's possessions
subsequently escheated to the Crown, (fn. 47) and both
Maltons became members of the fee of Mowbray. (fn. 48)
The king denied the right of John de Mowbray to
the overlordship in 1314–15, granting him at the
same time its custody during pleasure, (fn. 49) and in the
following year granted the manor to Joan (or Isabel) (fn. 50)
widow of Alexander Comyn of Buchan during
pleasure. (fn. 51) The Mowbrays, however, continued to
assert their right, (fn. 52) and New Malton was in 1539
said to be held of their head manor of Thirsk (fn. 53) ;
though in a return of 1487 it was said to be held of
the king in chief as of the honour and manor of
Pickering. (fn. 54)
Vescy. Gules a cross paty argent.
Henry I granted the castle with appurtenances to
Eustace son of John, who founded Malton Priory. (fn. 55)
Besides Malton Eustace held the fortress of Alnwick,
and played an important part in the rebellions
against King Stephen. By his second wife, Beatrice
daughter of Ivo de Vescy,
Eustace had a son William,
known as Vescy. (fn. 56) Eustace
son of William had livery of
the manor of Malton in
1189–90, (fn. 57) and was killed at
the siege of Barnard Castle in
1215. (fn. 58) He left a son William,
who died in 1252, (fn. 59) leaving
a widow Agnes, one of the
co-heirs of Walter Marshal,
fifth Earl of Pembroke. (fn. 60) The
manor of Malton was assigned
to her in dower. (fn. 61) William's
eldest son John ranged himself with the barons in the
Civil War. He was summoned to the Parliament of
1265. Wounded and taken prisoner at Evesham, he
again rebelled in 1267, but was forced to submit by
Prince Edward. (fn. 62) He died without issue in 1287, (fn. 63)
and was succeeded by his brother William, (fn. 64) who in
1289 was one of the claimants to the Scottish throne
as grandson of Margaret daughter of William the Lion.
On the death of his mother Agnes in 1290 (fn. 65) he
succeeded to Kildare and other of the Marshals' lands
in Ireland. His only legitimate son John having died
in 1295 (fn. 66) he in 1296 (fn. 67) settled Malton on his bastard
child William, known as 'William de Vescy of Kildare,' who was slain at Bannockburn and left no issue. (fn. 68)
In 1315, on the death of the elder William's widow
Isabel, who had held Malton in dower, Gilbert de
Ayton was declared the rightful heir. (fn. 69) Gilbert claimed
through Warin de Vescy,
brother of the Eustace who
was killed at Barnard Castle.
Warin's daughter Margery
married Gilbert de Ayton (fn. 70)
and had a son William, who
had a son Gilbert who died
without issue and another son
William, father of the above
Gilbert de Ayton. (fn. 71) The king
took advantage of the disputed succession to allow Joan
Comyn to quarter her household at Malton and take £50 yearly (fn. 72) from its issues,
but in 1318 it was ordered to be delivered to Gilbert
de Ayton. (fn. 73) In 1327–8 Gilbert de Ayton settled
the manor on himself for life with remainder to his
son William and his heirs by his wife Isabel. (fn. 74) Gilbert
was alive in 1332, (fn. 75) but William had succeeded by
1349. (fn. 76) William died in 1387, leaving three
daughters and co-heirs—Katharine wife of Sir Ralph
Eure, Anastasia wife of Sir Edward St. John, and
Elizabeth, who married first William Place and
secondly Sir John Conyers of Sockburn. (fn. 77) They
divided New Malton between them, though the
Eures had the whole of Old Malton (q.v.).
Ayton. Barry or and azure a quarter gules with a cross paty argent thereon.
Eure. Quarterly or and gules a bend sable with three scallops argent thereon.
Sir Ralph Eure, husband of Katharine de Ayton, was
at various times Sheriff of
Northumberland and Yorkshire, was governor of Newcastle-on-Tyne and constable
of York Castle, and died in
1422. (fn. 78) His son William,
also Sheriff of Yorkshire,
fought at Agincourt, and was
buried in Malton Abbey, (fn. 79)
his wife Maud, daughter of
Henry Lord Fitz Hugh, (fn. 80)
leaving directions in 1422 to
be buried by his side in the
quire. (fn. 81) Their son Ralph,
who succeeded, was killed at
Towton in 1461 and left a son William, Sheriff of
Yorkshire in 1497; his eldest son Ralph was Sheriff
of Northumberland in 1504 and of Yorkshire in 1506
and 1510. (fn. 82) Sir Ralph Eure, described as 'of
Ayton,' (fn. 83) died in 1539 seised of one-third of the
castle and borough of New Malton; he left a son and
heir William, (fn. 84) Sheriff of Northumberland in 1527,
captain of Berwick-on-Tweed, warden of the East
Marches towards Scotland, who was created Lord
Eure of Witton, co. Durham, in February 1543–4 (fn. 85)
and died in 1547–8. William son of his son Ralph
was his heir, (fn. 86) Ralph having been slain by the Scots
at Ancram Moor in 1545. (fn. 87) William second Lord
Eure died in 1593–4, leaving a son and heir Ralph, (fn. 88)
who died in 1617. Ralph's heir William (fn. 89) completed
the acquirement of the whole of Malton. (fn. 90) He was a
recusant, (fn. 91) and after some resistance his house at
Malton was seized. In 1625 Lord Clifford reported
to the council his proceedings in disarming Lord
Eure at Malton, (fn. 92) and seven years later the sheriff
again stated that he had met with resistance in
attempting to seize the house. (fn. 93) Ultimately, while
the house at Malton was in the charge of his second
son William, during Lord Eure's absence in London,
the sheriff procured ordnance, battered the mansion
and made a breach in the wall, whereupon the
defenders left secretly and the sheriff took possession. (fn. 94)
At the same time the unfortunate owner was overwhelmed with debts. He seems to have been immediately put back in possession of Malton, but in 1635
complained that the trustees to pay his debts had sold
most of his estate and leased the rest, and yet many
debts remained unpaid. He offered to make any
settlement, provided he retained Malton House, the
honour of the family, and its park. (fn. 95) On receiving
the king's summons when the Civil War broke out
he replied that £32,000 had been taken out of his
estate, 'whereby my ability is made far unable to
show that obedient duty which I owe to his Majesty's
service, and as the justness and fitness of this cause
requires. Therefore I dare not presume to offer
particulars of myself unto my sovereign, considering
that all that I am or have is his Majesty's due. Therefore I freely offer my estate, house and life'; and, as
he was lame and his elder son Ralph a prisoner, he
sent his second son to take his place and attend the
king with horse and arms at York. (fn. 96) In 1642 Malton
was held by a Royalist garrison, (fn. 97) and Lord Eure's
estates were sequestered. He died in 1646, having
survived both his sons. In 1650 William, only son
of his elder son Ralph, petitioned for his grandfather's
estates. He died without issue in 1652, and the
sequestration was removed in favour of his heirs, his
uncle William Eure's daughters, Margaret and Mary,
who had been bred Protestants. (fn. 98) It is said that these
sisters could not agree as to the partition of Malton,
and in 1675 the family mansion was pulled down and
divided stone by stone between them. (fn. 99) Margaret
married Thomas Danby of Farnley, first mayor of
Leeds, and Mary married William Palmes of Lindley. (fn. 100)
In 1713 William, Mary, and others conveyed the
manors of Old and New Malton to Thomas WatsonWentworth. (fn. 101) Thomas, who died in 1723, was succeeded by his son Sir Thomas Watson-Wentworth,
created Lord Malton in 1728, Earl of Malton in
1733 and Marquess of Rockingham in 1746. He
was father of Charles Marquess of Rockingham, who
succeeded him in 1750, was twice prime minister,
and died childless in 1782. (fn. 102) By the marriage in
1744 of Charles's sister Anne with William Fitzwilliam, third Earl Fitzwilliam, Malton came to their
son William, who took the additional surname Wentworth and died in 1833. His son Charles William
died in 1857 and was succeeded by his younger son
William Thomas Spencer, (fn. 103) who died in 1902 and
was succeeded by his grandson William Charles de
Meuron Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, the seventh earl, (fn. 104)
the present owner.
Wentworth. Sable a cheveron between three leopards' heads or.
Fitzwilliam. Lozengy argent and gules.
Sir Edward St. John, who married the second of
the Ayton co-heirs, died seised of one third of the
Malton property in 1388–9, leaving a daughter and
heir Margaret married to Thomas de Brounflete. (fn. 105)
Their son Henry in 1448–9 was summoned to
Parliament as Baron de Vescy, and in 1456 obtained
dispensation from further attendance in Parliament
because of his services in the wars of Henry V and
his advanced age. (fn. 106) He died without male issue in
1468–9. His only daughter Margaret, then wife of
Sir Lancelot Threlkeld, (fn. 107) had previously married John
Lord de Clifford of Skipton, Yorks. Her first
husband's estates being confiscated after the battle
of Towton, she concealed the heir Henry in the wilds
of Cumberland and is said to have had him brought
up as a shepherd. She died in 1493, but on the
accession of Henry VII her son's attainder was
reversed. Henry Lord de Clifford commanded at
Flodden, where he won honour and died in 1523. (fn. 108)
His son and heir Henry was in 1525 created
Earl of Cumberland (fn. 109) and died in 1542. He was
succeeded by his son Henry, who died seised of a
third of the castle and manor of Malton in 1571,
leaving a son and heir George, (fn. 110) who in the spring
of 1599–1600 conveyed his third part to Ralph
Lord Eure. (fn. 111)
Elizabeth daughter and co-heir of Sir William
de Ayton married William Place, who died seised of
a third of the manor in 1387. (fn. 112) By her second
husband John Conyers Elizabeth had an only daughter
Isabel; she married Sir Robert Conyers, lord of Sockburn, (fn. 113) whose successors retained (fn. 114) it until George
Conyers in 1611 conveyed his third part of New
Malton to Sir William Eure, junior. (fn. 115)
The carucate of land held by the Archbishop of
York at the time of the Domesday Survey was in the
Liberty of St. Peter in 1284–5 (fn. 116) ; it afterwards
became part of the prebend of Knaresborough. (fn. 117)
In 1276 Agnes de Vescy, lady of the manor, had
gallows and assize of bread and ale in Malton. (fn. 118) In
1283 the Prior and convent of Malton complained
that, though they had done no wrong, Agnes de
Vescy and others assaulted some of their canons and
lay brothers near St. Leonard's Church, imprisoned
them, took their cattle, of which the greater number
died of hunger, and by public proclamation in her
full market at Malton prohibited any persons from
supplying the priory with victuals. (fn. 119) William de
Vescy, however, in 1295 granted the canons freedom
from distraint for debt and quittance for themselves
and their tenants of toll, pontage, stallage, passage,
suits of court and mills, and all customs of the market
and fair of Malton and elsewhere, with liberty to have
their own breweries and amerce their brewers. (fn. 120)
Churches
The church of ST. MICHAEL
consists of a chancel 31 ft. by 18 ft. 5 in.,
north vestry, north transept 18 ft. 3 in.
by 17 ft. 7 in., south transept 15 ft. 8 in. by 16 ft. 11 in.,
nave 56 ft. 4 in. by 23 ft. 2 in., north and south aisles
of the same length, the north aisle being 8 ft. 9 in.
wide at the west end and 9 ft. wide at the east, and
the south aisle 6 ft. 7 in. wide at the west and 7 ft. 7 in.
wide at the east, and west tower 11 ft. 8 in. by
10 ft. 11 in. These measurements are all internal.
The nave is the earliest part of the church, and has
arcades which date from the middle of the 12th century.
The width of the south aisle suggests that it is of the
same date as its arcade; the north aisle was probably
rebuilt at some subsequent date, but this and most of
the later history of the church have been completely
obscured by modern restorations. The tower was
built in the 15th century, and in its addition the
nave was slightly shortened. The chancel was rebuilt
in its present form in 1858, and the chancel arch and
east wall of the nave, together with the piers of the
south arcade, whose original capitals remain, were
rebuilt in 1883, when the present north and south
transepts were erected.
The chancel is lighted on the east by three grouped
round-arched windows of Norman design with a
circular window over. In the eastern part of the
south wall is a round-arched light ; a similar window
in a corresponding position in the north wall now
borrows light from the vestry added at the last restoration. The south transept opens into the chancel by
a plain round arch, and is lighted from the south by
two windows designed in the style of the 12th
century with a circular window above, and there are
windows of similar type in the east and west walls.
The north transept is occupied by the organ chamber
and quire vestry.
St. Michael's Church, Malton, from the South-west
The north arcade of the nave is of four bays with
arches of two square orders carried by circular
columns and responds with moulded bases, scalloped
capitals and square-chamfered abaci. Above the
arcade is a chamfered string-course. The modern
clearstory windows, four in number, are of 12thcentury design. The exterior of the clearstory has
been entirely refaced. Under the eaves is a corbel
table, one or two of the corbels of which may be
of the 12th century. The rebuilt south arcade resembles the north, with the exception that it is about
1 ft. lower, and the columns have no bases above the
present floor level. The clearstory is similar to that
in the north wall. The 15th-century tower arch is
of two segmental orders, the outer order plain and
the inner chamfered. The tower being placed slightly
to the north, this arch is out of centre with the nave.
The eastern angles of the abaci of the columns of the
nave arcades have been cut off on the aisle sides, probably in the 18th century, for some reason connected
with the galleries, which were removed at the last
restoration.
The north aisle is lighted on the north by four
windows similar in style to the other modern work in
the church. The westernmost window is about half
the height of the other windows in the same wall and
suggests that a north doorway may have occupied this
position at one time. In the west wall is a similar
round-arched modern window. The sills of these
windows are about 5 ft. 6 in. from the floor level.
The exterior of the aisle has been entirely refaced, if
not rebuilt. The south aisle is lighted by a similar
number of modern windows, their sills being only
about 1 ft. 6 in. above the floor level. This fact and
the absence of visible bases to the columns of the
south arcade of the nave suggest that originally this
aisle was floored at a lower level than the north aisle,
following the slope of the site from north to south.
The 15th-century west tower is in three stages with
diagonal buttresses on the west and buttresses running
north and south on the east. The parapet is plain.
The west door and three-light west window over are
modern 'perpendicular' insertions. The belfry is
lighted by windows of two cinquefoiled lights under
square heads in the north, west and south walls; in
the east wall is a single-light square-headed window.
The roofs throughout are modern. At the west end of
the south aisle is a font of uncommon design, probably
of 12th-century date. The outside of the bowl is
sculptured with incised patterns in four compartments,
and stands on a square chamfered base, beneath which
is a modern plinth. Traces of colour are still to be
seen on the incised ornament of the bowl.
The bells are four in number. The sanctus bell
has no inscription, date, or maker's mark, but a
similar bell is known to have been in existence before
1676; the treble bell is modern, cast by Mears &
Stainbank of London in 1877; the second bell is
inscribed, 'Gloria in excelsis Deo, 1676'; the third
bell, 'Beatus est populus qui exaudiunt clangorem,
1676.'
The plate consists of two silver cups and a paten,
a base metal cup and flagon and a pewter plate.
One cup of 1702 bears the inscription, 'The Gifte
of Christopher Percehay of New Malton, Esq., and
Susannah his wife to the church of St. Michael's,
1705.' The other cup is modern and the gift of
James and Margaret Smith, 1860. The silver paten
is of 1702 and is inscribed similarly to the old cup.
The base metal cup and flagon and the pewter plate
are undated.
The registers date from 1571.
The church of ST. LEONARD consists of a chancel
measuring internally 46 ft. by 21 ft. 2 in., north
chapel 26 ft. 10 in. by 12 ft., nave 53 ft. 4 in. by
23 ft. 11 in., north aisle 51 ft. 1 in. by 8 ft. 7 in., and
west tower 12 ft. by 12 ft. 8 in.
The earliest portion of the building is the 12thcentury north arcade of the nave. The arcade
which separates the chancel from the north chapel
appears to be slightly later in date. The tower is of
the 15th century, and was formerly surmounted by a
stone spire, removed some time in the 19th century,
and replaced by a spire of timber and slate. In 1907
the church was restored, when the south wall of the
chancel was taken down and entirely rebuilt and the
south wall of the nave refaced, new windows being
inserted in both. A photograph now hanging in the
vestry shows the interior before restoration. From
this it appears that the new windows follow more or
less the design of the former, which seem to have
been of late 15th-century date.
The east window of the chancel, which is of five
uncusped lights with uncusped tracery under a twocentred head, is a modern copy of a late 16th-century
insertion. To the south of the altar in the east wall
is a 15th-century piscina with projecting basin. The
arcade dividing the north chapel from the chancel is
of three bays with semicircular arches of two chamfered orders, supported by circular columns, with
circular abaci and moulded capitals and bases, of late
12th-century character. In the south wall of the
chancel are three modern two-light windows of
late 15th-century design. At the south-east of the
chancel is a niche of late 16th-century character, with
an elliptical head, projecting key-stone, and square
projecting impost mould. The chancel arch is
modern and is designed in the style of the 15th
century.
The north arcade of the nave is of three bays
with semicircular arches of a single chamfered order,
carried by circular columns and responds with circular
bell capitals and moulded bases, the varying levels of
which point to a fall in the nave floor from east to west.
On the north wall immediately under the wall-plate
of the modern roof are some wedge-shaped 12thcentury corbels, which appear to have been made out
of old voussoirs. The south wall of the nave is
lighted by three modern three-light windows with
uncusped tracery under pointed heads. The north
aisle is lighted by three modern three-light windows
with square heads. The tower arch is of 15th-century
date and is of three hollow-chamfered orders, the
inner order being stopped by carved corbels. The
tower rises in three stages, and is crowned by an
embattled parapet, surmounted by a modern timber
and slate spire. The western angle buttresses are
modern, as are also the west door and two-light
window over and the four bell-chamber windows in
the second stage from the ground, each of which is of
two cinquefoiled lights with tracery under a twocentred head. The top stage is occupied by modern
circular openings containing the clock dials.
At the south-west corner of the nave is a plain
tub font, probably of 12th-century date.
There is a ring of eight bells, cast in the year
1768 by Lester & Pack of London, with the following
inscriptions: (1) 'I hope to make it understood,
That tho' I'm little yet I'm good'; (2) 'If you have
a judicious ear, You'll own my voice is sweet and
clear'; (3) 'Such wond'rous pow'r to music's given,
It elevates the soul to Heaven'; (4) 'Good people all
who hear me ring, Be faithful to your God and King';
(5) 'Whilst thus we join in cheerful sound, May
love and loyalty abound'; (6) 'My worthy donor's
name is Finch, I'll sound his praise and never flinch';
(7) 'Tell it in Country and in Town, My patriot
tongue proclaims me "Doune"'; (8) 'Ye sons of
liberty revere my name, And glory in the sound of
"Rockinghame."'
The plate consists of a silver cup, paten and flagon
and a pewter cup. The silver cup bears the inscription, 'Peter Walmsley Minister, Robert Stockell,
Jos. Thorp Chappelwardens, Anno Christi 1742.'
The paten, flagon and pewter cup are modern.
The paten was presented by Mrs. W. Metcalfe on
Easter Day, 1873, and the flagon was presented by
Edward and Mary Rose in memory of their eldest
son Raymond Percy Rose in 1879.
The registers begin in 1600.
Advowson
New Malton was formerly in the
parish of Old Malton, (fn. 121) but before
1831 it formed the two ecclesiastical
parishes of St. Michael and St. Leonard united
in 1855. Both chapelries are mentioned in the
13th century, (fn. 122) and belonged to Malton Priory, the
advowson of both following the descent of that of
Old Malton (q.v.). St. Michael's now forms a
vicarage, with the perpetual curacy of St. Leonard's
attached.
In 1520 Robert Hansby, burgess of New Malton,
left tenements to the fabric of both these churches
or chapels on condition that the wardens should
celebrate his exequies yearly. In 1522 John Hanceby
bequeathed three burgages and £20 in Malton for
the foundation of a chantry at the altar of St. Mary
in the chapel of St. Michael. (fn. 123)
Thomas Stokesley of New Malton and others
received licence in 1444 to acquire lands to the
value of £10 yearly for establishing a corporate gild
of St. John the Baptist at New Malton under two
wardens elected yearly for the maintenance of the
roads, causeways and bridge. (fn. 124) This was perhaps the
chantry of St. John the Baptist in the chapel similarly
dedicated, said in 1545 to have been founded by
John Butterwick in 1478 to pray for the souls of
Henry V, Thomas Stokesley and other benefactors
of the chantry. The chantry was bound to repair
Malton bridge and other highways. (fn. 125) The service
in this chapel was said in 1545 to be of no foundation, but it was added that divers of the welldisposed parishioners had given certain lands towards
the maintenance of service. (fn. 126) The Crown in 1608
granted to Francis Philipps and Richard Moore
lands of the late chantry of St. John the Baptist. (fn. 127)
The service in St. Leonard's chapel was maintained
similarly to that of St. Michael. Walter de Hoton
gave to the chapel of St. Leonard for the residence
of the chaplain a house on the east of the chapel. (fn. 128)
Each chapel had its curate. (fn. 129) The Crown made a
grant in 1607 of part of the possessions of the late
chantry in this chapel. (fn. 130)
The chantry in the chapel of St. James in Malton
Castle was founded by Agnes and John de Vescy to
pray for the souls of the founders and all Christian
souls, and to say mass or divine service in the chapel
of St. Mary Magdalene in Malton parish twice
yearly. (fn. 131)
Charities
In 1903 Miss Walker, by deed
dated 23 February, settled a sum of
£205 17s. 3d. 2½ per cent. annuities,
held by the official trustees for the benefit of the
Sunday school attached to the churches of St. Michael
and St. Leonard in New and Old Malton.
Charity of Edward Barton, see under Old Malton.