ICH 4.01.07 go to end // back to previous page // back to homepage Manor Court Roll, 1450

This is a translation (©Ian Hancock, 2005) of a court roll recording the proceedings of two manor courts for Crakehall, held by the Lord of Middleham's reeve in Crakehall, Thomas Rand. The original document, which is in latin, is in the West Yorkshire Archives, Leeds, reference WYL163.
Abstracts of the bailiff's accounts for the manor, for 1466 and 1474, can be found HERE.
Abstracts of a manor court roll of 1610, 1611 and 1614 can be found HERE
Abstracts of later court rolls can be found HERE.

Note that the spelling of some peoples' surnames varies through the document. I have transcribed the spellings of the original, so an internal search for a particular spelling of a surname may not produce all references to that person. For that reason I have highlighted the names of people directly connected with Crakehall and nearby villages in bold text, so that variants of names are easier to spot.

Sections in italics in square brackets are my additions.


Record of the Crakehall Manor Court of Richard, Count of Salisbury, Tuesday, the day after the Conception of the Blessed Mary [December 8th], the 28th year of the reign of Henry VI [1450]


[There follows a list of the Count’s tenants and feudal dependents in other parts of the Lordship of Middleham who “owe suit of court and are fined for non attendance according to the agreement ...”. I have omited this from the transcript.]

Richard Weltden, one of the feofees of Christopher Conyers in a tenement in Little Crakehall ....., Thomas Cole who took Agnes, elder sister and one heir of John Drury, chaplain, ...John Dale of Fencotes, who took Alice, other sister and heir of John Drury, as wife, ..... and Emma third sister who was the wife of Thomas Burton and heir of the same John Drury, are now in court and make suit of court.
The same Thomas Cole, John Dale and Emma pay separate fines for homage....

Thomas Barker junior, free tenant, who owes suit of court, did not attend ......later to pay suit ofcourt for homage and relief.

It is presented that Lord Ralph Cromwell, Sir Miles Stapleton his captain, Lord John le Scrope, Lord Henry le Scrope, Thomas Nevill de Pykhall, John Wichys, Ralph Doddesworth, William, Bishop of Salisbury, and the other following acknowledged feofees ...... William Routh, Richard Burack who the said Agnes the other daughter and heir of the said Thomas Rotom took in marriage and including her begotten offspring; John Thomson; John Malson; Roland Thornton; Adam Metcalf; and feofees of the said Christopher Conyers, are to pay separate homage to the Lord.

Presented also are Lord Ralph Cromwell, Miles Stapleton, Lord John le Scrope, Lord Henry le Scrope, Thomas Nevill, Canon Aske, Ralph Doddesworth, William Routh, William Tailboys, Marjorie his wife, Richard Burgh, Roland Thornton, Thomas Cole and John Dale, for paying to the Lord their fines for the tenements which they hold from the Lord for Military Service.

Presented Robert Whitham and John Kirkeby, for the unjust detention against William Helmsley for debt.
The same William for trespass against Robert Whitham whereof he is amerced for the injury.

It is presented by the warrener that Robert Symondson, Simon Smyth, John Smyth, Thomas Sickling, John Robynson, Richard Symondson, Richard Sandston, William Whitwell, Robert Whithorn, John Kirkby, John Cote, William Whithorn, William Baker, William Hyndson, Ralph Chaloner, Thomas Henryson, Thomas Tailler, William Colson, Thomas Mason, William Symondson, John Colson, Thomkas Tippyng, Richard Henryson, John Pinderson, cut green wood in the demesne ....

John Bakerson, William Collyng, Richard Crakhall, William Sclat, Robert Hornby of Langthorne, Robert Kirkby of Langthorne, and William Webster broke hedges and fences around the Est Hagg belonging to the Lord. They are to be present at the next court.

Robert Symondson, Thomas Sickling, John Robynson, Richard Symondson, Richard Houndstane, William Whitwell, Robert Whithorn, John Cote, William Whithorn, William Hyndson, Thomas Henryson, Thomas Taille, Thomas Tipyng and William Baker were sworn as to presentments made against William Ascogh, as in the preceding court.

Ralph Chalon took timber from the demesne called Wathyng, lately in the possession of William Henryson, to the value of one half-penny, without license.....

Robert Wade, chaplain, pastured 20 sheep, and Robert Mason 2 cows, within the demesne without licence....

Thomas Mason had 2 bulls in the oxpasture beyond his stint without permission...

Simon Robinson and William Sclat of Little Crakehall and Robert Cart of Brompton used the winter moor of the Lord without licence ...

John Henryson of Langthorne took...green hazelwood from Burstall without licence...

It is also presented that the mill and the house above or beyond the same mill, previously defective, has now been adequatelt repaired by the Lord; but it is noted that the “tentoria” and the house called the Warkhouse, has putrid and corrupt effusions which cause flooding in the summer.

The corn mill there in the same place is still defective with inferior millstones through the fault of the Lord. Thomas Milner of Brompton occupies the same mill from the recent feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Mary [March 25th] to the feast of Pentecost next following and the said Thomas is charged up to the next feast of the Annunciation ... and the same mill is much deteriorated, both in the walls and in the roof, and in the mill pond, through the fault of Thomas .... he is to answer to the Lord.

It is presented that concerning a certain small house, lately in the tenure of Robert Witham, and now Thomas Sicklyng, it is said that the walls are still defective through the fault of the Lord.

As regards the barn lately in the tenure of Robert Johnson, it is said that it is not yet repaired, as pleaded at the last court.

The hearth house in the tenure of Ralph Chaloner is still defective through his fault.

The common oven is still defective, through the negligence of all the farmers in the village.

It is also presented that the Nennuredyke was defective through the fault of Thomas Siklyng and the Lord and is now sufficiently repaired.

And as regards the barn called Sirrebylath and a tenement called Baldhous ... they are reported to be totally waste by fault of the Lord.

And as regards the barn in the tenure of William Henryson, deceased, it is reported that it is not yet repaired .....

And the hearth house and barn lately in the tenure of Jeyn Michelson, whose executor John Cote is obliged to repair, it is not yet fully, but partly repaired.

And the barn lately in the tenure of William Hyndson, whose repair William Baker undertook by agreement with the said William...the repairs have not yet been done. And the hearth house and hay barn of the same tenement are still defective in 2 doors and in syles... And it said that the same barn now has defective walls, watling and roofing, and the enclosure round the close and garden .....by the neglect of John Baker.

And also the hearth house and barn in the tenure of Thomas Typyng, previously defective by the fault of the Lord is now sufficiently repaired ... and the said Thomas is to be charged with repairs thereafter.

And as regards half of the hearth house lately in the tenure of Robert Symondson, which John Bakerson and Robert, son of the said Robert Symondson, executors of the said Robert held, it is not yet repaired...
And as regards the cottage in the tenure of John Pinderson, it is reported to be defective through his fault, and William Pacock, tenant, paid the same John for repairs to the said cottage 7 shillings - assessed by the Jury for the time of his occupation.

And that the hearth house in the tenure of Thomas Henryson is still defective in all its timbers, which are putrified.

And the hearth house and grange formerly in the tenure of Robert Walker, now held by William Hyndson, are still defective in walls and roof through the fault of Robert.

And that the common oven is still defective in stone through the fault of the Lord..and is to be repaired at the cost of the Lord. And since the Lord’s Forester hold freely the aforesaid, in whose tenure the timber is defective, in default of sufficient timber compensation is to be paid for the defects. These repairs are to be carried out by the time of the next court.

And as regards the watercourse called the Skourth, it is reported that it is still defective for the Lord and Christopher Conyers and the Abbot of Coverham, through everyones fault.

[The document is damaged here, and only some of the topics are readable from here onwards ] :

repairs at the fulling mill;
the enclosed garden called chapelgarth;
John Colson appointed as Constable and Thomas Rand as Reeve.


Record of the Crakehall Manor Court of Richard, Count of Salisbury, TWednesday, Feast of Ascension [May 28th], the 28th year of the reign of Henry VI [1450-51]


[The document starts with a list of the same free tenants etc that did suit at the last court (above3). There then follows an illegible portion. It continues : ]

It is presented by warrant that Robert Symondson, Simon Smyth, Thomas Sikeling, John Robynson, Richard Symonson, .....William Whitwell, Robert Witham, John Cote, .... Simon Sclat, Alice Copyngton, William Dale, William Hyndson, Ralph Chaloner, Thomas Tippyng, Thomas Tailler, Richard Henryson, John Pinderson and William Colson, tenants ...., and Thomas Mason, John Colson, John Kyrkby, William Symondson and John ..., felled the green timber of the Abbot.

Alice Copyngton, William Hyndson, Ralph Chaloner, Richard Henryson and William Colson took and carried away timber from the demesne.

John Lofthouse of Bedale, who attended the Lords court previously on the 7th day in January, 27 Henry VI [1449], took 20 of the Lord’s farm beasts and 40 farm beasts belonging to Thomas Rand in the demesne grounds near Rand, without just cause, and from there he took them up to Bedale where he detaind them for 2 days and 2 nights ......[illegible few lines - the sense seems to be that JL had been in court then for a previous offence as follows] .... at the feast of pentecost in the 26th year of the reign of the present king [1448] in the same place, an unpounding offence by the said John Lofthouse through Thomas his son ... he did break the pound in which the said oxen were kept and took the said oxen from the pinfold and abducted them; and now John Lofthouse appears in person ... he says that, referring to the said presentment, he assumed possession of the 20 beast of the Lord and 40 beasts of Thomas Rand near Rand without just cause and led them up to Bedale and emparked them in the same place, and in the park he allowed them to graze ... he was responsible for the beasts causing damage in this place and he detained them and emparked them in the park...in this illegal act he is culpable; and as regards the aforesaid presentment, when Thomas Rand through John Marshall reported that 6 oxen of the said John Lofthouse depastured corn and herbage of Thomas Rand at Rand on two occasions and that the said John Lofthouse through Thomas his son did break the pound and took those oxen from the pound and abducted them, the same John says that of this illegal act he is culpable .... he is ordered to come to the next sitting of the court with guarantors ..... offering security are John Kirkeby and Ralph Chaloner.

William Hyndson came to the court and took from the Lord one cottage with garden and croft land and meadow adjacent, previously in the tenure of Robert Walker, for which William pays rent at the feast of St Martin, fom the lease of Thomas Rand, reeve of the Lord, for 3 years, paying per annum as much as Robert, and the said Robert [sic] is required to keep the said tenement in repair. Acting as security are William Walker of Leming...John Acafore of Snape, who are pledged to the said William Hyndson.

Richard Henryson came to the court and surrendered back to the Lord one cottage with garden and croft land and meadow adjacent, for the benefit of Thomas Wilson .... the said Thomas came and took from the Lord the said tenement, having it from the next feast of St Martin for a term of 3 years, paying as much as before ... the said Richard is responsible for repairs to the said cottage ... pledged are the said Thomas, the said Richard, and Thomas Rand.

Thomas Taillour came to the court and took from the Lord the whole holding which William Hyndson formerly held, having it from the feast of St Martin in winter next, for a term of 6 years, paying as much as before ... freely taking timber through ploughland to the south within the said tenement and this timber to be carted, and an allowance made in payment 3s 4d for burning and repairs, and that John Baker senior is responsible for repairs for the remainder.... Guarantors are the said Thomas , and Thomas Sycklyng and John Robynson.

John Cote came to the court and took from the Lord all that holding which John Cote, his father, previously held...having it from the next feast of St Martin for a term of 3 years paying as much as before....repairs to be carried out to the said holding.

It is presented that Simon Robynson cut ferns within the demesne; John Henryson of Langthorn cut thorns within the demesne; William Sclat of Little Crakehall and Robert Carter of Brompton.....are to appear at the next court.

Jury
RobertSymondson, Richard Symondson, John Cote, William Baker, Thomas Taillor, Thomas Sicklyng, Richard Houdstone, William Whitwell, William Whithorn, John Robynson, Simon Sclat, Thomas Henryson, William Hyndson, Thomas Typpyng
.

The above body of jurors serving on the inquest as regards the presentment previously made against William Ascough for the enclosure. It was said at the last court and the preceeding court, and it is said, that William is disinherited for displaying this disobedience to the Lord, from his close ....continued in force in future ...

And the jury said concerning William Barker of Newton and John Taillor, a boundary with 4 selions in the tenure of the said John Taillor, and 8 selions in the tenure of the said William Barker in the field of Newton abutting on one selion in a headland in the tenure of Robert Whithorn in the field of Crakehall which lies on the perimeter of newly broken land, and a large quantity thereupon will be sown this year ....required to attend the next court.

It is said the Richard Crakhall, through his wife, and Thomas Middleton through his son, broke and destroyed the hedge at the Esthag and took timber from there and carried it off.

It is said that Thomas Sicklyng has 1 bull, Thomas Mason 2 bulls, in the cow pasture beyond their stint.

It is said that Robert Wade, chaplain, has 10 sheep within the demesne without licence.

It is reported that “tentoria” [this refers to bleaching and dyeing equipment] and the house called the Walkhous of the fulling mill has putrid and corrupt effusions ...and that the corn mill in the same place is defective with inferior millstones through the fault of the Lord....and defective roofing through the neglect of Thomas Milner. The mill dam and walls, previously defective, are now sufficiently repaired.

As regards the little house lately in the tenure of Robert Whithorn, and now Thomas Sicklyng, previously defective through the fault of the Lord, it is said that the timber therein is now erected and the walls made in a condition equal with the rest.

The barn in the tenure of William Ascough is now defective through the fault of the Lord, as reported in the previous court.

Concerning the barn lately in the tenure of Robert Johnson, it is said that it is not repaired as pleaded in the previous court.

The hearth house in the tenure of Ralph Chaloner is still defective through his fault.

The common oven is still defective through the fault of all the farmers...not fully repaired.

The barn called Assebylath and tenement called Baldhous are nolw completely devastated through the Lord’s neglect.

The barn lately in the tenure of William Henryson senior, who is departed, is not repaired as pleaded in the previous court.

The hearth house and barn lately in the tenure of Jeyn Michelson is still defective in its walls, through the fault of Marjorie, who was wife of John Cote, and John, son of the same John.

The barn lately in the tenure of William Hyndson...repairs are not full completed by William Baker. And it is reported that the hearth house and hay barn of the same tenement is still defective as said in the last court through the fault of John Baker.

One half of the hearth house lately in the tenure of Robert Symondson, which John Baker senior and Robert son of Robert Symondson hold, is still defective through the fault of the executors......

The cottage in the tenure of John Pinderson is still defective through his neglect.

The hearth house in the tenure of Robert Henryson is still defective in all timbers which are rotten.... the walls and roof are sufficiently repaired.

The common oven is still defective in stonework through the fault of the Lord, and the house above the same oven has a defective roof through the fault of the Lord.

The hearth house and barn lately in the tenure of Robert Walker and now in the tenure of William Hyndson still has defective walls and roof through the neglect of Robert’s guarantors. John Acaste and William Walker of Lemyng are to take over and value it through Thomas Rand, on pain of seizure of the goods of the said Robert.

It is reported that the grange in the tenure of Robert Symondson is defective in two syles and doors, and since the forester of the Lord freely holds the property as said before, in whose tenure it was found defective in timber, in default of sufficient timber compensation is to be paid for these defects... and repairs to be carried out by the time of the next court.

As regards the watercourse called the Skourth, it is said that it is still defective for the Lord and Christopher Conyers and the Abbot of Coverham, through everyones fault.

Injunction to all tenants on behalf of the Lord - that it is illegal to restrict any road up to the garden called the Chapelgarth and the close beyond annexed to the same ... on pain of a fine of 6d. And it is illegal to cut thorns at the Ranes .....on pain of a fine of 6d.

It is affirmed that from the “grege”[ ] of the demesne towards the Crakhall Cote 41 mutton sheep have died between the feast of St Peter, 27 Hen VI [ 29 June,1449] and the feast of St Michael following [29th September], and from this feast up to the end of .... following 48 mutton sheep, and from this feast up to the feast of St Peter following [29 June 1450] 46 mutton sheep, 2 female sheep and 4 rotted sheep, from Redenyll....

Presented to the jury are tenements in the possession of the Lord through default of tenants
The tenement called Dogesonhous ... 4s 8d per annum
The tenement called Baldhous ... 12d
The grange first in the tenure of William Baker junior ... 44d
The tenement formerly in the tenure of .... and after in the tenure of William Henryson ... 14s 8d
One messuage with land adjacent called Jackland, first in the tenure of Robert Johnson ... 26s 6d
The fulling mill ... 40s
The house called the Walkhous with “tentoria” ... 20d
Garden called the Chapelgarth ... 44d
1 cottage formerly in the tenure of John Moreman ... 3s 6d
Garden called Bristgarth ... 2d
16 acres of meadow called Tadeholme ... 16s
12 acres of meadow called The Lound ... 13s
Meadow called oxendale ... 4s 6d
Meadow called Cannylholme ... 12d
Meadow called Muryels ... 3s 4d
2 acres meadow in the Myrefalls ...
A meadow close called Saundsonclose ... 17s 3d
A close called Esthag ... 14s

In the possession of the Lord through the entire year through lack of tenants
Tenement called Stanhous nearest to William Ascough, with 2 acres and 1 rood of land pertaining to the same. 3 acres of land pertaining to the same tenement, lately leased to Richard Honiston at 4s 6d per annum, and 2 acres of land therein leased to Robert Whithorn for 3s. Which tenement and land adjoining is worth 23s 4d per annum. Now is built upon the same tenement one stable and one barn for horses and hay in the Lord’s custody.
Tenement called Crakhalcote, 66s 8d per annum, in the possession of the Lord this year, used for pasturing sheep therein.




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ICH 4.01.07