NUNNINGTON
Nonninctune, Noningtune (xi cent.); Nuninton
(xiii cent.).
Nunnington is a parish covering about 2,000 acres
in the valley of the Rye. The Rye itself flows
through the centre of the parish from west to east,
while its tributary the Riccal, flowing south-east, joins
the Rye about 3 miles east of Nunnington village.
The southern bank of the Rye at this point is a
long, gentle slope up from the river to a hill called
Cauklass Bank, which is crowned with an avenue of
firs; this avenue forms the southern boundary of the
parish. From the hill there are wide views over
the moors to Cleveland, and on a clear day over the
valley of Pickering towards the sea. A 17th-century
map of Nunnington shows an old race-course marked
out along the ridge. (fn. 1)
At its eastern end Cauklass Bank is crossed by
the road from York to Kirkby Moorside, which runs
directly north down the hill and over the Rye by
Nunnington Bridge. It passes through a fine avenue
of limes and sycamores which extends the whole way
down the slope.
The village of Nunnington lies on the lower
slopes of the hill, on the west of the York road, and
between the Rye and a second high road which runs
from west to east through the parish connecting
Oswaldkirk and Salton. On the latter road, and at
the highest point of the village, stands the church of
All Saints and St. James.
From the church a steep street slopes down to the
river parallel to the York road. The village has a
Wesleyan chapel dating from 1876.
On the east side of the York road is the hospital and
school founded by Ranald Graham before 1678, and
lower down on the river bank is Nunnington Hall, (fn. 2)
a two-story stone building with attics in the roof
lighted by dormer windows. The original hall was
erected in the early part of the 17th century, possibly by John Holloway, and appears to have been
built round a central court, the east and west wings
of which projected a little beyond those on the north
and south; but late in the century this building was
considerably altered by Richard Graham, first Viscount
Preston, who apparently pulled down the north wing,
rebuilt the south front and made several additions and
internal alterations, while in more recent years many
minor alterations have been made to the house.
Through the pulling down of the north wing and
the subsequent additions the plan of the house now
takes the form of an H fronting the south, with the
side wings projecting considerably on the north.
The connecting block originally formed the south
side of the central court, but in the 18th century
offices were added on the north, with the result that
the original external wall to the courtyard is now a
central division wall dividing it lengthwise into two.
The principal entrance is in the centre of this block
through a square-headed doorway surrounded by a
moulded architrave, over which is a broken triangular
pediment containing a shield bearing the interlacing
initials 'R. G.' The doorway opens into a large
hall occupying the full width of the original front
block and extending on the west as far as the west
wing, but on the east between the hall and the west
wall of the eastern wing is a late 17th-century
panelled room. The hall has also panelling of this
date, and in the centre of the north wall is a fireplace
over which are the arms (fn. 3) of Graham of Esk impaling
Howard, while opening from the north-west is a large
17th-century staircase which ascends to the first floor.
At the south end of the west wing, entered off the
hall and panelled with late 17th-century panelling, is
the dining room. On the north of the dining room is
the gun room, which has a fireplace on the west with
transomed and mullioned windows, each of three
lights on either side. Behind the gun room is an
original oak staircase in two flights with moulded
balusters, handrail, and square newel posts surmounted
by finials. A modern porch has been built on the
west side of this staircase. The southernmost room
in the east wing is similar to the corresponding room
in the west wing, though a modern corridor has
been taken out of it on the west side. Behind this
room is another, lighted from the east by two transomed and mullioned windows with a doorway
between them, which probably formed one of the
main entrances to the house. To the north is a
smaller room and behind it another original twoflight staircase. This marked the extent of the
original east wing.
The addition on the north side of the hall is roofed
over at the first floor level, but the main staircase is
carried up and stops at the landing, although both
the smaller staircases are continued up to the attics
in the roof. Over the greater part of the hall is a
large drawing room with a smaller room opening out
of it at the east end, while the side wings accommodate the bedrooms. The south or principal front,
which is entirely the work of the first Viscount
Preston, is symmetrically designed. It is lighted by
square-headed sash windows with moulded architraves and sills and is crowned by a moulded cornice.
Although the west front has been a good deal
disturbed and added to, a few of the original transomed
and mullioned windows still remain. The east
elevation, however, has been left comparatively untouched. In the centre is a doorway, the jambs and
head of which are composed of large rusticated blocks
of masonry of a convex section, while over the head
is a small hood mould or cornice. On either side
of the doorway is a three-light transomed and
mullioned window, and above these, lighting the
room on the first floor, are window openings of a
similar kind, although their mullions and transoms
have been taken out and sashes have been inserted.
There is no window to the first floor immediately
over the entrance doorway, but the wall is carried up
above the cornice to form a central gabled dormer
which is surmounted by a ball finial. Lighting the
staircase and the rooms beyond the northernmost
chimney are some original windows; four original
lead rain-water pipes with ornamental heads are also
on this side of the house. The back of the building,
though by no means beautiful, is interesting as
exhibiting records of the destroyed north wing. On
the east wall of the principal staircase are two
blocked-up original windows at the first floor level,
while the roof to the kitchen comes across the middle
of another original window in the west wall of the
east wing. The hall is approached from the west
through wrought-iron gates with rusticated piers
surmounted by ball finials and adjoining the south
end of the west wing.
A lane runs along the river bank from the hall to
the old mill, passing through an avenue of limes and
beeches. The mill of Nunnington was worth 3s. at
the time of the Domesday Survey (fn. 4) and has since
descended with the manor (fn. 5) (q.v.).
From Nunnington Bridge, which is built of stone
and has three arches, the York road runs north across
the Riccal and Riccal Moor. There was at one time
a vill of Riccal with a water-mill appurtenant (fn. 6)
held by the lords of the manor of Nunnington of
the Lord Roos of Helmsley for 2 lb. of pepper. (fn. 7)
Both have now disappeared.
The Gilling and Pickering branch of the North
Eastern railway has a station at Nunnington, about a
mile west of the village.
In the early 19th century much fruit was sent to
Leeds and other markets from this parish, (fn. 8) which is
noted for its fertility. The subsoil is Kimmeridge
clay and corallian beds. There are quarries in the
south, but the chief occupation of the inhabitants is
agriculture. 1,317 acres are under cultivation, (fn. 9) and
wheat, barley and oats are grown. There are still
many orchards.
An inclosure award for Nunnington, Ness and
Stonegrave was made in 1776. (fn. 10)
Manor
In 1086 NUNNINGTON was extended at 12½ carucates; of these 6 were
in the hands of the Count of Mortain, (fn. 11)
half a carucate was a royal 'manor' formerly
held by Gamel, (fn. 12) and the remaining 6 carucates
formed a waste 'manor,' in the possession of Ralph
Paynel, with soke in Stonegrave, Ness, Holme and
'Wichum.' (fn. 13)
This manor formed part of the Paynel (fn. 14) fee, and at
the beginning of the 13th century was held by the
Stonegrave family, lords of Stonegrave (q.v.), who
held Nunnington and its soke for 2¼ knights' fees. (fn. 15)
It remained in their hands till the death of John de
Stonegrave in 1295, when it passed to his daughter
Isabel wife of Simon de Pateshull. (fn. 16) Simon was dead
in 1295–6, (fn. 17) leaving a son John by Isabel, who married
as her second husband Walter de Teye, (fn. 18) 'king's
yeoman.' Together they made a settlement of the
manor in 1297 on themselves and the heirs of Isabel. (fn. 19)
Walter died in or about 1325 and was succeeded by
his step-son John de Pateshull. (fn. 20) John died seised in
1349, (fn. 21) leaving a son and heir William. (fn. 22) In 1358–9
the manors and advowsons of Nunnington and Stonegrave were settled on William de Pateshull for life
with remainder to Sir Henry Green, kt., of Green's
Norton, Northants. (fn. 23) Henry Green had livery in
1359 (fn. 24) and died seised in 1370, leaving a son and
heir Thomas, (fn. 25) who died in 1392–3. (fn. 26) A settlement
of the manor was made in 1393 on John son of
Thomas, with remainder, should he die without
heirs, to his elder brother Thomas. (fn. 27) Sir Thomas
Green, kt., died seised in 1418, leaving a son and heir
Thomas, (fn. 28) who lived till 1462–3. (fn. 29) A Sir William
Green, possibly brother of Thomas, held this fee in
1428. (fn. 30) In 1507 Sir Thomas Green, son of Sir
Thomas, died, leaving two daughters and co-heirs—
Anne, married to Sir Nicholas Vaux, kt., afterwards
Lord Vaux of Harrowden, and Maud, married to
Sir Thomas Parr of Kendal. (fn. 31) The elder daughter
had the hundred and manor of Green's Norton. In
1512 the heiresses and their husbands settled the
manors and advowsons of Nunnington, Stonegrave
and Ness on Sir Thomas Parr and Maud. (fn. 32) Maud
died in 1532, leaving a son and heir William, (fn. 33)
afterwards Marquess of Northampton. (fn. 34) He was
attainted for his share in Lady Jane Grey's rebellion (fn. 35)
and never recovered the manor of Nunnington. (fn. 36)
Nunnington remained in the possession of the
Crown for about seventy years. (fn. 37) The family of
Norcliffe had a long lease of the manor-house (fn. 38) and
was resident here in the late 16th and early 17th
centuries. (fn. 39) A lease of the whole manor was granted
in or about 1572 to a Dr. Huicke, who disposed of
his interest to John Butler. (fn. 40) The three daughters of
John Butler claimed the profits of this lease in 1582
against their stepfather Robert Eland, declaring that
their father had left it by will to his wife Agnes in
trust for his children. (fn. 41)
In 1603 George Watkins and others obtained a lease
of the manor for thirty-one years. (fn. 42) Twenty-five years
later, however, it was granted to Edward Ditchfield
and the other trustees of the City of London. (fn. 43) It
was sold 'by the Londoners' in the same year for
£3,687 7s. 6d., (fn. 44) the purchaser being the John
Holloway who held the manor in 1630. (fn. 45) Before
1655 the manor had come into the hands of one
Humphrey Thayer, (fn. 46) who sold it for £9,500 (fn. 47) to
Ranald Graham of Lewisham. (fn. 48)
Ranald Graham was dead before December 1685,
when his will was proved. (fn. 49) He was succeeded by
his nephew Sir Richard Graham of Netherby, (fn. 50) who
was created Viscount Preston in 1681 and married
Anne second daughter of Charles Howard Earl of
Carlisle. (fn. 51) Viscount Preston was attainted in 1689
for attempting to join James II in France, and his
manors were granted four years
later to the Earl of Carlisle,
Sir George Fletcher and
Thomas Bendlowes, junior. (fn. 52)
A pardon was afterwards
granted to Viscount Preston, (fn. 53)
who recovered his lands. He
was succeeded by his son and
heir Edward, (fn. 54) whose heir was
his son Charles last Viscount
Preston. (fn. 55) The heirs of the
latter, who died in 1739, were
his aunts, Mary Graham and
Catherine Lady Widdrington. (fn. 56) They had joint possession of the manor of Nunnington in 1748. (fn. 57) Mary
died unmarried, (fn. 58) and Lady Widdrington left her
estates to trustees, with reversion after various other persons
to Sir Bellingham Graham,
bart., of Norton Conyers. (fn. 59)
Graham of Netherby. Or a chief sable with three scallops or therein.
Graham of Norton Conyers. Graham quartered with Or a fesse checky argent and azure with a cheveron gules in the chief, for Stewart of Strathearn.
In 1785 Sir Bellingham
Graham held the manor, (fn. 60)
which followed the descent of
Norton Conyers (fn. 61) till 1839. (fn. 62)
It was then purchased from
Sir Bellingham Reginald
Graham, seventh baronet, by
William Rutson of Newby
Wiske. (fn. 63) The late Mr. Henry
Rutson was the lord of the
manor at the time of his
death.
Of the 6 carucates held by
the Count of Mortain for
two 'manors' in 1086, (fn. 64) 3 carucates seem to have
come soon afterwards into the hands of Turgis de
Radeham; he granted them to the abbey of St. Mary,
York, which had an overlordship at WEST NUNNINGTON till the 15th century at least. (fn. 65) Alexander
de Nevill held 2 carucates 2 oxgangs under the
abbot in 1249. (fn. 66) This had passed to John de
Stonegrave before 1284–5, when he held 3 carucates
of the liberty of St. Mary (fn. 67) ; henceforth it followed
the descent of the chief manor of Nunnington. (fn. 68)
Walter de Teye had a 'capital messuage' there in
1325. (fn. 69)
The Ingram de Folenfaunt who granted yearly
rent from his manor of Nunnington to John de
Bossevill in 1324 (fn. 70) was probably a tenant of Walter
de Teye and the Pateshulls. His daughter Margery
quitclaimed her right here to John de Pateshull in
1344. (fn. 71)
The rest of the Count of Mortain's holding
appears to have been granted to the Brus family.
Adam Torny held 3 carucates of the fee of Brus in
1284–5 (fn. 72) and paid subsidy in 1301. (fn. 73) The 'heirs of
William Torny' were still holding in 1428, (fn. 74) but
their estate is not again mentioned.
The family of Maltby held from the beginning of
the 13th century an estate here of this fee. (fn. 75) Gilbert
de Maltby, a contemporary of Simon de Stonegrave,
granted land here to Rievaulx Abbey. (fn. 76) John de
Maltby held 1 knight's fee in Maltby and Nunnington in 1284–5, (fn. 77) and this descended in his family
till the 15th century at least. (fn. 78)
Half a carucate, possibly the half-carucate which
had been in the king's hands in 1086, was held from
the 13th century onwards of the family of Roos of
Helmsley by the lords of the manor. (fn. 79)
The vill of RICCAL, which in 1086 was held
like this half-carucate by the king as the successor of
Gamel, (fn. 80) also passed to the Roos family. It was held
under them by the Stonegraves, (fn. 81) and followed the
descent of the manor of Nunnington. (fn. 82)
The priory of St. Mary of Keldholme held 4 oxgangs
in Nunnington, 2 of which were granted by Robert
de Maltby and Emma his wife. (fn. 83)
Simon de Stonegrave obtained a grant of free
warren in his demesne lands in Nunnington in 1257. (fn. 84)
Fisheries in the Rye and the Riccal were privileges
of the manor in the 17th century. (fn. 85)
Church
The church of ALL SAINTS consists
of a chancel measuring internally 21 ft.
by 17 ft., modern north vestry and organ
chamber, nave 43 ft. 9 in. by 22 ft., west tower
10 ft. 7 in. by 10 ft. 9 in., and a modern south porch.
From the general resemblance to the church at
Oswaldkirk it is possible that the nave dates from the
latter part of the 12th century, but the earliest details
at present existing are of late 13th-century date. The
tower appears to have been rebuilt in 1672. The
whole church was restored and refitted in 1884, when
the present vestry and organ chamber were erected in
place of a dilapidated vestry added about 1824.
The east window of the chancel is of late 13thcentury date, and consists of two trefoiled lights, with
a quatrefoiled circle within a two-centred head.
There are now no windows in the north wall of the
chancel, but the small lancet now reset in the north
wall of the modern organ chamber originally occupied
the position of the organ opening formed at the northwest of the chancel. In the south wall are the
remains of an original piscina with a projecting bowl
beneath a modern shouldered arch. To the west of
this is an original window with tracery similar to
that of the east window. To the westward of this,
again, is a priest's door with shouldered head, the
jambs and lintel of which appear to be original.
Next to this is a small lancet with shouldered rear
arch, also of original date. The chancel arch, which
is also original, is of two chamfered orders. The inner
order is stopped upon semi-octagonal corbels, and the
chamfer of the outer orders is continued down the
responds and stopped about 4 ft. from the floor level.
The north wall of the nave is lighted by three late
13th-century windows of two trefoiled lights with
uncusped spandrels within two-centred heads. The
north doorway at the western end of this wall is of
the same date and has a two-centred head with a label
and head stops externally, and a segmental rear arch.
Externally a string-course runs beneath the sills of
the windows, broken by the label of the north doorway. The string-course is not returned round the
angles of the wall, but is cut off flush with the east
and west walls. The tower arch is modern and of
two chamfered orders. The south wall is lighted by
three two-light windows of similar date and character
to those of the north wall. The south doorway is
also of the same date and has a two-centred head.
The present porch was rebuilt in 1884 and replaces
a 17th-century porch. A string-course similar to
that on the north wall runs beneath the sills of the
windows. The tower is in two stages with an embattled parapet and modern crocketed pinnacles. The
west window of the ground stage, which was originally square-headed, is of two lights with tracery of
15th-century character and has a modern two-centred
head. The bell-chamber is lighted by two-light
windows in each face. The roofs are modern and
with the exception of that of the tower, which is
leaded, are covered with slates.
In the south wall of the nave, within a recess with
a multifoiled moulded ogee arch, flanked by gabled
pilasters of one offset, is the effigy of a knight of the
late 13th or early 14th century wearing a hauberk of
mail, with camail, surcoat and knee-cops and holding
his heart in his hands. A sword hangs by a belt;
most of his shield has been broken away, but from
what remains it appears to have borne the arms of
Teye, lord of Stonegrave: (or) a fesse between two
cheverons (gules) with three molets pierced (or) on
the fesse. The feet rest upon a lion; the lion upon
which the pillow supporting the head rested has nearly
disappeared, one foot alone remaining. Another
animal, portions of which remain, perhaps held the
bottom of the shield in his teeth. On the north wall
of the chancel is an elaborate marble mural tablet to
Richard Viscount Preston and Lord Graham of
Eske, who died at Nunnington in 1695. On the
south wall of the nave is a mural tablet of marble
to William Lord Widdrington, son-in-law of the
preceding, who died in 1743. This monument was
removed from the chancel in 1884. The pulpit is
Jacobean.
There are three bells: the first, by Samuel Smith
of York, inscribed 'Venite Exultemus Domino 1675';
the second, 'Soli Deo Gloria 1638' (no maker's
mark); the tenor, also by Samuel Smith of York,
'Gloria in excelsis Deo 1675.'
The plate consists of a silver cup and cover paten,
a paten and a pewter flagon. The cup and cover
paten, bearing the same inscription, 'Ex dono
Susanna Grahme Paro: de Nunnigton' (sic), and
the maker's mark O.S., are of 1661. The other paten
is silver-gilt, and is inscribed 'Deo Opt. Max. &
Ecclesiae de Nunington Hanc Patinam Humillime
D.D. Alexr Dunlop A.M. Rectr ibid. Natali D.N.
I.H.S. X.P.S.I. m.dccx.' The flagon is undated.
The registers begin in 1539.
Nunnington Church from the South-east
Advowson
The church of All Saints or All
Saints and St. James (fn. 86) at Nunnington
seems to have belonged to the fee
which Turgis de Radeham granted to the Abbot
of St. Mary, York. (fn. 87) The advowson of the rectory
was in the hands of the lord of the manor in 1325,
and was held of the abbot. It followed the descent
of the manor (q.v.) until 1553, since when it has
remained in the possession of the Crown. (fn. 88)
Charities
The hospital and school founded
by Ranald Graham alias Grahme,
1678, is endowed with a building
used as a girls' school, a schoolmaster's residence, let
at £4 a year, a schoolmistress's residence at £2 a
year and a rent-charge of £20 issuing out of land at
Nunnington lately belonging to Mr. Henry Rutson.
By a scheme of the Charity Commissioners dated
12 June 1906 the rent-charge of £20 is constituted
the endowment of a separate charity to be called the
Graham Pension charity, the pensioners to be three
in number, to be elected for three years (subject to
renewal) and the stipend to be at the discretion of
the trustees thereby appointed.
The charity fund consists of £290 invested on
the security of a bond of the Mersey Dock and
Harbour Board at 4 per cent. arising from gifts of
various donors set out in the table of benefactions,
including David Bedford's gift of £40 for education,
1730, and Mary Metcalf's gift of £50 for education,
1824. By an order dated 5 August 1904, made under
the Board of Education Act, 1899, the sum of £90,
part of the said fund, was constituted the Bedford and
Metcalf Educational Foundation; the income thereof
is paid to the National school erected in 1869.
In 1868 Thomas Agar, by will proved at York
17 April, left £50 to the churchwardens, the income
to be applied for the benefit of poor residents. The
legacy was invested in £40 Great Western Railway
5 per cent. stock.