Parish of Muggleswick

PARISH OF MUGGLESWICK.

The Parish of Muggleswick is bounded by the Derwent on the North and North-East, by the Parish of Lanchester on the East and South-East, by Wolsingham on the South, and by Hunstanworth and Edmondbyers on the West.

The Parish includes two Constableries: 1. Muggleswick; 2. Rowley and Roughside.

Muggleswick.

The Prior of Durham held Muggleswick at an early date in exchange for Hardwick. Boldon Book.—“The Prior holds Muglyngwyc, as is expressed in his charter, as well of the Bishop's favour, as in exchange for Herdewic.”Hatfield's Survey.—“The Prior holds the manor of Mugliswyk in exchange for the vill of Herdwyk. The estate has remained ever since vested in the Church of Durham.”

The Treasury contains a long catalogue of grievances inflicted alternately and endured by the Prior and the freeholders of Lanchester relative to the three Hopes—Horselyhope, Hysehop, and Baldynghope, which the Prior claimed as granted to his predecessor Bishop Hugh, in exchange for Hardwyk.

Right reve'nt fader in God and my Ryght goode frend I cũmaunde me to you, stefying you that when I was Justic at Durrom ther was gret varians betwyxt the Reverent fader in god John Bysshoppe of Durram on the one part, and youre last p'dyssessor lat Prior of Durram and the cõvent of the same on the other part, for y^e hoppes, whereof ye haue as fayre euydens under the sells of the p'decessors of the Byshoppe of Durram as any place may have; they were hyndred by me and by one Tempest, for whych cause I cry you marcy, and all my masters youre bredren of the cõvent, and beseke you of youre absolucion, and aft. my power I send you and to my masters youre bredren xls. for amends for my part, by the berrar of thys lett'; and I pray you to have a byll ageyne for this same matt', and oũ lorde god haue you in hys blessyd kepyng. Wrytyn at Yorke, the viii day of Apperell.

Your ffrend, Jon. Vavisour.

To the ryght reve'n' fader in God and my Ryght goode frend

The Prior of Durram.

1^a 6^æ Special.

Bishop Bainbridge confirmed the Convent's possessions in Muggleswick, and two hundred and sixteen acres of woodland and waste which he recites to have been granted to them by Bishop Kirkeham, with leave to enclose and impark the same lands (fn. 1). But this was merely an addition to the ancient Park of Muggleswick, which was enclosed by Prior Hugh, who also built a Camera, a Lodge (as it would now be termed), containing a Hall, a Chapel, &c. Some remains of this building are still in existence, with part of the Park-wall. In the reign of Charles I. Villiers Duke of Buckingham had a grant of the mines of silver, or lead mixed with silver, in or near Muggleswicke, alias Muggesley, and within the compass of ten miles, for twenty-one years (fn. 2).

The Church consists of a narrow nave and chancel, without tower or ailes.

Curates.

• Muggleswick Perpetual Curacy.—D. and C. of Durham, Patrons.—A Peculiar belonging to the D. and C.—Pays no first fruits nor tenths.—Proc. Episc. (visitanti tantum) 2s. 6d.
• Richard Staykiston, occurs 1323.
• John do Skipton, 1357.
• Galfrid le Bachiler, 1361.
• Robert de Dunelmo, 1391.
• Henry Hynton, 1410.
• Robert de Aukland, 1411.
• Robert Forrest, 1504.
• John Byndley, cl. pres. 28 May 1550 (fn. 3).
• Thomas Benson, cl. pres. 12 Mar. 1565, p.m. Byndley.
• Thomas Hawkins, cl. 10 June, 1572, p. depr. Benson.
• James Murthwaite, occurs 21 Mar. 1757, p. res. Hawkins.
• Miles Watmough, occurs 3 Feb. 1577.
• William Southwick, 1576, p. res. Watmough.
• Peter Fisher, cl. 15 May 1607, p.m. Southwick.
• Richard Bradley, A.M. 20 Nov. 1641, p.m. Fisher.
• Thomas Boyer, an intruder, depr. for non-conf.
• John Dury, A.M. 28 July 1662, p. res. Bradley.
• Christopher Smith, 20 Nov. 1684 (fn. 4), p. m. Dury.
• Francis Hunter, A. M. (fn. 5) 27 Sept. 1735, p.m. Smith.
• Thomas Coulthard, A. M. (fn. 6) 1743, p.m. Hunter.
• William Stephenson, A.M.
• James Deason, Vicar of Pittington.
• Joseph Dawson, p.m. Deason.

A terrier delivered in 22 July 1788 (fn. 7), states the glebe and whole proceeds of the living to consist of—Imprimis, a cottage-house, with an enclosure of two acres and three quarters, abutting every way on the Moor; the tithes great and small of their proper kinds of Cold Rowley, “which is a small district or township lying within the Parish of Lanchester;” two small farms, with a dwelling-house and byer on each, worth together 21l. consisting of sixteen acres, abutting to the East on a gill or beck, to the North on the high road, and on the Moor to the West and South, lying in the parish of Allendale, between Allentown and Allenheads. The glebe, tithes, and profits, are worth, communibus annis, about 44l. per annum.

Prescript-rents due halfyearly, at Whitsuntide and Christmas:—Robert Maughan, 15s.; John Jopling, 5s. 6d.; John Ward,1s. 10½d.; Thomas Dodds, 3s. 8¼d.; Steph. Stephenson, 5s. 6d.; Dean and Chapter, 1l. 13s. 4d. Total 3l. 4s. 10¾d.

Rowley and Roughside (fn. 8).—Cold Rowley, a village on the summit of the bleak heights betwixt the vale of Lanchester and the Derwent, about a mile from Allansford.

In Hatfield's Survey two villages are mentioned, East and West Rouley.

West-Rouley.—Thomas Gray holds the manor with the demesne, which used to pay 29s. now reduced to 9s. 7d. The mill at Alaynforth pays 20s. (fn. 9) The descent of the family of Gray is stated under Consett, and Rowley was one of the estates restored by Bishop Nevill to his nephew Ralph Gray.

Est-Roule.—The heirs of Hugh de Redhugh hold the vill, once of William Roule, by foreign service and 5s. 8d.

In 1371 John de Howden, of Kirkby-Sygeston, died seized of the manor of Roule, held by fealty, suit at the three chief county courts, and 6s. 8d. leaving Isabel de Howden, wife of Thomas Hewitt (in another Inquest called Howlyn), of Kirkby, and Agnes, sister of Isabel, widow of Robert Walker, his coheiresses (fn. 10). In 1396 Agnes, wife first of Hugh del Redhugh, and after of Thomas Beke, died seized of the manor, held by the same tenure, which descended to her son Thomas del Redhogh, then under age (fn. 11). The estate is not mentioned in the Inquest on Thomas, son of Thomas, in 1421 (fn. 12).

In 1590 Richard Pallicer died seized of half a close called the Maynefield, in Cold Rowley. Rowland Pallicer, his son and heir, had livery in 1614 (fn. 13). By Ind. 21 Sept. 1609, John Jopling purchased from William Fenwick, half the Maynefield (i. e. the ancient demesne) (fn. 14). Michael Jopling died seized of the same lands 1634. Andrew his brother and heir, aged 39 (fn. 15).