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History of Steeton

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BY

John Clough, Jr.

KEIGHLEY:

PRINTED BY S. BILLOWS, HIGH STREET.

1886.

History of Steeton

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The village of Steeton is very ancient. This is proved from various old records, though we do not find that the Romans ever had a settlement in this immediate neighbourhood. Their stations at Colonia (Colne) on the one hand, Olicana (Ilkley) on the other, and Cambodumum (Slack in the parish of Halifax) were at no great distance; and it is most probable that a Roman road passed through the township. The Roman road is supposed to have crossed the river at the Streams, a little above the present bridge; it went straight up the hill, in the direction of the Old Bank. Nearly at the top of Old Bank there is a straight piece of road nearly paved; this is supposed to be part of the old Roman road. Traces of it were met with in the beginning of the present century, when the commons were enclosed; its direction evidently pointed at the Roman station of Slack. We have no Druidical remains to shew that the Ancient Britons were settled in the locality, though no doubt they would frequently pass through these parts on their hunting excursions. It is not till the Saxon period that we have anything reliable.

The early name of Steeton, Dr. Whitaker conjectures, is derived from its first Saxon possessor being called Stephen, and hence Stiveton or the Town of Stephen. At what period it was first inhabited, it would at this distance of time be impossible to come to a reliable conclusion. One thing is almost certain, that it must have been inhabited several generations before the conquest; perhaps not later than the reign of King Alfred. What adds strength to this conjecture is, that at the taking of the Domesday Survey, a.d. 1080-86, Steeton and Eastburn are said to contain 550 acres in cultivation. This is rather a large amount, considering that the area of the township of Steeton-with-Eastburn is 2065 acres. This proves that the township had been long inhabited previous to that period.

We are now arrived at the Norman conquest. At that time Steeton was held by a great Saxon Thane, named Gamelbar, who held eight other manors in the neighbourhood besides. He was displaced to make room for Gilbertus or Gilbert Tyson who came into England with William the conqueror, and was standard-bearer at the Battle of Hastings. This distinguished person sprung from the powerful house of Tesson, who ruled in Normandy a tract of country in the department of Calvados known as Le Cinglais, of which Thurry Harcourt was the capital. For his services at the Battle of Hastings he had twenty-nine manors granted to him by the Conqueror. He having in the reign of William Rufus joined with Robert Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland, in a rebellion, his lands, along with the lands of several other Norman Lords, were forfeited to the Crown. However, in the reign of Henry I he regained favour, and had part of his estates restored to him. He had a son Adam, who was living 31st Henry I (a.d. 1131).

The next Lords were the Percys, who had already become possessed of some of the forfeited lands, but by what means we have no account. As early as a.d. 1168, a return of the Knights enfeoffed in their honour was made, and the estates of the Tysons form part. The Percy estates in Craven continued in the hands of that family for nearly four centuries after this period; it was not till the reign of Henry VII that the Percy-fee was obtained by the Cliffords through a marriage between the two families. During these four eventful centuries, could the forays, the battles, and other warlike achievements be enumerated, volumes would be filled. It certainly would be interesting to know how oft the inhabitants of Steeton were participators in these encounters; perhaps some of them were present at the Battle of Otterburne, which is so celebrated and almost immortalised in the ancient Ballad of Chevy-Chase; it is probable that some of them were engaged at the Battle of Shrewsbury. It was at the Battle of Shrewsbury, in 1403, that young Hotspur, son of the Earl of Northumberland, had joined Owen Glendower, a Welsh Chieftain, in his rebellion against Henry IV, and in which battle young Hotspur was slain. In one old document it is mentioned that the manors of Steeton and Glusburn were in 1403 in the king's hands; this was in consequence of the Earl of Northumberland taking part in rebellion. A few years after this, son of this Hotspur had the family estates restored to him, and he became the second Earl of Northumberland.

And now we come to the Stivetons, who lived at Steeton, and were mesne lords under the Percys. A mesne lord owed suit and service to his superior, had to attend him in any of his wars, and had to pay him a small sum resembling a quit-rent yearly; but in other respects the mesne lord may be considered as full proprietor of the soil. He parcelled out the land to his under-tenants, received the rents and profits; and these under-tenants held under him similarly to the tenure he held under his chief lord, and had to go to battle with him when he attended his superior. In other respects the rents of the inferior tenants were not high, - it might almost be said they were little more than nominal; and further, they appear to have been stationary, for the rent-roll of the Plumptons of both Steeton and Eastburn, in 1418, was £29 17s. 6d., and the same rent-roll to Sir Ingram Clifford about a century later was £30 18s. 10d. The difference, £1 1s. 4d. is little, and may be accounted for by encroachments on the common, which are frequently mentioned in the court-rolls. The perquisites of courts were included in the above sums, and they form more than one-third of the whole amount. It seems strange that the tenants were charged considerably more per acre for land taken from the common than they were paying for their old enclosed land. This is evidence that their farms were held at a low rent.

The first of these mesne lords under the Percys were the Stivetons; one of them Raino de Stiveton, was witness to a grant of land by the family of Allerton to Kirkstall Abbey; this deed is without date, but it is supposed by Dr. Whitaker to be about the year a.d. 1190. We have no particulars about his next successors Elias and William, but of the next, another Elias, which it is supposed was the son of William, we have some record; he had a charter from Thomas Prior of Bolton, to celebrate divine service in his chapel at Steeton, he (Elias) granting to the said prior a certain garth called Chapel-yard. Dr Whitaker conjectures that, though the chapel seems to have been detached from the house, it was merely a domestic oratory, and it is only remembered by these transactions. Robert de Stiveton, successor and probably son of the aforesaid Elias, deserves special notice - it is his recumbent statue which is to be seen in Kildwick Church at the present time. From the appearance of the statue he was a Knight-Templar, and it is probable that he would accompany Edward I to the Holy Land in 1271. King Edward made frequent excursions to Scotland, which partly accounts for the many knights he created in the northern counties. Sir Robert de Stiveton was one of these knights; he died in 1307, in the same year as his sovereign, and was buried in Kildwick Church. His funeral was a magnificent one judging from its cost; according to an article in the compotus of Bolton Abbey, there was upwards of £2 paid for fish, etc.; since more than two centuries after this time a dairy-cow could be bought for eight or nine shillings, £2 was a great sum. It was a custom in those days at a funeral of any person of note, to apply to a neighbouring monastery for extra things.

The successor of Sir Robert was John1, the last of the Stivetons. Nothing remarkable is related of him, but he must have lived in some splendour, as it is related in the compotus of Bolton that £3 11s. 4d. was paid for half a piece of cloth and fur for his lady - £3 11s. 4d. being a much greater sum in those days than now.

The next mesne lords of Steeton were the Plumptons; Sir William Plumpton married Alice, daughter of Sir Henry Byaufiz, in 1322, and succeeded his father, Sir Robert, in 1324. This Sir William Plumpton bore for arms2 ar. Five fusils in fesse, with an escallop on each fusil for difference, sa. Sir William's grandfather had adopted the arms from their connection with the Percys, the Percys' arms being az. Five fusils conjoined in fesse, or. Sir Robert de Stiveton bore the same arms, except the fusils were charged with vair for difference; both the Stivetons and the Plumptons owned the Percys as their superior lords. The Hebdens, of Hebden-in-Craven, whose superior lords were the Percys, also had for their arms erm, five fusils in fesse gu.

Sir William Plumpton died in 1362. His son, Sir Robert, married Isabella, daughter of the first Lord Scrope of Masham. He had a son, Sir William, who suffered death on the scaffold for the part he took in the insurrection in 1405, which was instigated by his uncle, Richard Scrope, Archbishop of York. Sir Robert died in 1407, and was succeeded by his grandson, Sir Robert Plumpton, who was then 24 years of age; his mother was Alice, daughter of John Gisburn, Merchant of York, who was Mayor of that city in 1371, 1372 and 1380. Sir Robert3 married Alice, daughter and heiress of Sir Godfrey Foljambe, Kt., by which marriage he obtained estates in the counties of Nottingham and Derby; he died in 1421, leaving a son William, then in his eighteenth year, and who was during his minority a ward to the Earl of Northumberland. William4 married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Brian Stapilton, and had two sons, Robert and William, by this marriage. Robert5 when young was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas, Lord Clifford. Robert died when he had been married three years, and then his wife was re-married to his brother William. The issue of the second marriage was two daughters6, Margaret and Elizabeth; Margaret was afterwards married to John, son of Brian Rocliffe of Colthorpe, com. Ebor, third Baron of the King's Exchequer; Elizabeth married John, eldest son of Henry Sotehill, Esq.

The following account is extracted from papers formerly kept at Skipton Castle - papers containing the depositions of witnesses in the great law-suit which took place after the death of Sir William Plumpton between William Plumpton and Elizabeth Clifford, and Sir Robert, son of Sir William Plumpton:-

"Be it knowne to all men, that forasmuch as it is nedeful for every true Chrysten man to testify and

"bere true wytnes in every true matter or cause, therefore we, William Ratcliffe, being the age of

"VXX yeres, Nicholas iiiiXVIII yeres, and John Thorn of iiiiXX yeres, record and testify for verrey

"trawthe that the Lord Sir Thomas Clifford marryed his daughter Elizabeth unto Robert Plumpton,

"the eldest son and heyre of Sir William Plumpton when she was but six yeres of age and they were

"wedded at the chappel within the castel of Skypton and on the same day one, John Garth, bare her

"in his arms to the said chappel, and also it was agreed at the same time that if the aforesaid Robert

"dyed within age that then the said Lord Clifford should have the second son of the said Sir William

"Plumpton unto his said daughter. And they were but three yeres marryed when the said Robert

"died, and when she came to the age of twelve yeres she was marryed to William Plumpton, second

"son of Sir William Plumpton."

No particulars of these marriages are to be got from the Plumpton records; all evidence relating to them was suppressed, the reason being that Sir William Plumpton himself was clandestinely married7 to Joan Wintringham about the same time, and he was now seeking to effect a settlement of his lands on his heirs-male by his second marriage in preference to any female issue of his eldest son. Sir William had a son Robert by his second marriage; the cause of the lawsuit that followed Sir William's death was that Robert was not considered a legitimate son, and the decision was in accordance with that opinion. In 1453, Sir William Plumpton, by two enfeoffments8, entailed all his estates in the counties of York, Derby, Nottingham, and Stafford upon Sir William Plumpton and his heirs-male, with remainder to Robert Plumpton, his brother, and his heirs-male. These transactions are the origin of the lawsuit which sometimes seemed to slumber but never slept for upwards of thirty years, and ended in upsetting all the deep-laid plans of Sir William Plumpton to hand down his name to posterity.

As Sir William Plumpton was connected with the Cliffords and Percys, both of whom were zealous Lancastrians, it is easy to conclude why he was on the side of the Lancastrians in the War of the Roses. Two mandates were issued in rapid succession on the 12th and 13th March, 1461, by Henry VI to Sir William Plumpton, summoning all liege men of the Forest of Knaresborough (Sir William was Master Forester of Knaresborough) to meet the enemy and to repair to the royal presence with his array with all haste possible. On the 29th of the same month, being Palm Sunday, he was present at the decisive Battle of Towton; his son and heir-apparent, William, was slain, and he himself was made prisoner by Edward. He suffered imprisonment for a short time, but was released by paying a fine of £2000, which he gave bond to pay before the Feast of Pentecost following.

At the Battle of Towton, 37,000 men lost their lives, amongst whom were the Earl of Northumberland, Lord Clifford, and the flower of Craven; and it is but reasonable to suppose that Steeton had its full share among the victims of this sanguinary battle, and that the blood of many of her brave sons helped to crimson the flood of the Wharfe, which, tradition says, ran blood for three days after the battle.

Sir William Plumpton was afterwards restored to his office of Constable of Knaresborough Castle and Master-Forester of the Forest of Knaresborough; and the infant daughters of his son William, who was killed at Towton, were disposed of in marriage by him. By an indenture, dated November 26th, 1463, covenants that the governance and marriage of Margaret, being then about four years old, the eldest daughter of William Plumpton deceased, were granted to Brian Rocliffe, of Colthorpe, com. Ebor, third Baron of the King's Exchequer, to the intent that John, son and heir of the said Brian, shall take to wife the said Margaret at convenient and most speedy time, at the cost of the said Brian, and who has also to pay four hundred marks; Sir William agreeing to settle the manor of Nesfield upon them, but retaining part of the rents for first ten years. In like manner, Elizabeth, the younger co-heiress, was contracted to John, eldest son of Henry Sotehill, Esq., which Henry agrees to pay to Sir William Plumpton £333 0s. 0d., Sir William making over to them an estate of forty marks per annum.

The private life of Sir William Plumpton, after his wife's death, caused scandal in the neighbourhood; and when he received money for the marriage of his grand-daughters it must have been his fixed resolve to deprive them of their inheritance. He died in 1480, aged 76. Sometime before his death, May 1st, 1478, he made an absolute deposition of all his property, all his personal effects both movable and immovable, in favour of his son, Sir Robert Plumpton.

Sir Robert married firstly in January, 1478 (marriage covenant 13th July, 17 Edward IV. 1477) Agnes, daughter of Sir William Gascoigne, Kt., of Gawthorpe, near Harewood. She had issue William, besides other children, and died in 1504. Sir Robert married secondly before 18th September, 21st Henry VII. 1505, Isabel or Eliza, daughter of Ralph, Lord Nevill, son and heir-apparent of Ralph, Earl of Westmoreland, but they had no issue. She married secondly on March 20th, 1528-9, Lawrence Kighley, Esq., of Newhall, near Otley. Sir Robert's will is dated 10th April, 14 Henry VII. 1523, and he died the same year, aged 70.

The heirs-general and their guardians, seeing the steps that Sir William Plumpton had taken to alienate the property which they considered belonged to themselves, even as far back as the year 1453 they had to interfere in his daughter's behalf, Sir William being then attempting to make away with some property which he had previously settled in a marriage settlement; and finding that he had made such a deposition of his property as nearly if not entirely to disinherit them, saw no other means of redress than going to a court of law.

In 1482, John Roucliffe and Margaret his wife, grand-daughter of the late Sir William Plumpton, and John Sotehill and Elizabeth his wife, the other grand-daughter, entered into a bond of £2000 that Joan Plumpton and Robert Plumpton junr., that they and all others having right or title through the said Margaret and Elizabeth their wives, should abide by the decision; it was also inserted in the same bond that the Prince Richard Duke of Gloucester, the Earl of Northumberland, and others, were the arbitrators chosen by both parties. Subsequently, February 14th, 1482-3, the conditions of the bond were altered, and the agreement was to abide by the award of the king, to be given in writing before the 7th of July ensuing. However, Edward IV died April 9th, 1483, consequently the bond was renewed on September 12th, and judgement9 was given on the 16th of that month by the king, Richard III. The result was that sixteen manors, producing a nett rent of £149 6s. 8d., were awarded to the heirs-general. This was considered an equitable decision; the litigants lived in harmony for a time, until another lawsuit was begun. Henry, son of John Sotehill, married a daughter of Sir Richard Empson; Empson, along with Dudley, were tyrannical and unscrupulous ministers of Henry VII. Of these it is written in the History of England by Hume and Smollett:-

"The king had found two ministers, Empson and Dudley, perfectly qualified to second his rapacious and tyrannical inclinations, and to prey on the defenceless people - these instruments of oppression were both lawyers; the first of mean birth, of brutal manners, of an unrelenting temper; the second better born, better educated, and better bred, but equally unjust, severe, and inflexible. By their knowledge in law, these men were qualified to pervert the forms of justice to the oppression of the innocent; and the formidable authority of the king supported them in all their iniquities. It was their usual practice at first to observe so far the appearance of law as to give indictments to those whom they intended to oppress: on which the persons were committed to prison, but never brought to trial; and were at length obliged, in order to recover their liberty, to pay heavy fines and ransoms, which were called mitigations and compositions. By degrees the very appearance of law was neglected, etc."

Through the instrumentality of Sir Richard Empson, another lawsuit was commenced against Sir Robert Plumpton, it was tried at York Assizes, and the verdict was against Sir Robert. He refused to abide by the verdict; he forcibly kept possession of the property; he wrote a petition to the king, who made him a Knight to protect him from arrest10; but the inexorable Empson still persevered, and it was put into the hands of Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester and Lord Privy Seal. His award was that Steeton with seventeen other manors should go to the heirs-general, and only the manor of Plumpton, near Knaresborough, be assigned to Sir Robert.

Sir Robert Plumpton11 was the last of the Plumptons who owned Steeton; he died a.d. 1523, aged 70. Sympathy cannot but be felt for him - he was a different man to his father - more upright in his dealings. When the first award was made assigning nearly one-half of his property to his nieces, the heirs-general, he quietly submitted to the mandate; it was when the second verdict came which awarded nearly all his remaining property to the same persons, that he made resistance to such an unjust decree.

Steeton now, the beginning of the sixteenth century, became the property of the heirs-general of the Plumptons, and it is necessary to go into the following particulars to shew how the manor first became divided into two halves and afterwards into one half and two quarters. Though the manor was apparently divided it was not really so, one farmer lived under three landlords each receiving their portion of the rent; Anthony Garforth, who was the principal tenant12 at Steeton, had a lease granted him for eighty years dated November 21st, 1562, by Ingram Clifford for one moiety of lands there specified, and by Anthony Thorold and William Bevercoates for the other two quarters, half the rent is covenanted to be paid to Sir Ingram Clifford, and the other half to Thorold and Bevercoates in equal proportions.

It has been before stated that William, son and heir of Sir William Plumpton, Kt., was killed at the Battle of Towton, 1461, leaving two infant daughters his heirs; the eldest, Margaret, was married to John, son of Brian Roucliffe of Colthorp in Yorkshire, and one of the Barons of the Exchequer. They had a son, Brian, who married Margaret daughter of Sir Thomas Metham; they had a son John Roucliffe, who had an only daughter and heir, Ann13 who is supposed to have married Sir Ingram Clifford, second son of Henry the first earl of Cumberland. Sir Ingram Clifford, who had an only daughter who died young, left the half of the manor of Steeton which he owned to his nephew, George the third earl of Cumberland. This nobleman sold half14 of the manor of Steeton in 1604-5 to two land speculators of the names of Slater and Midgeley, who in 1607 sold this half to William Garforth.

Whitaker, in his history of Craven, says:- "George, Earl of Cumberland was a great but amiable man. His story admirably illustrates the difference between greatness and contentment, between fame and virtue. If we trace him in the public history of the times we see nothing but the accomplished courtier, the skilful navigator, the intrepid commander, the disinterested patriot. If we follow him into his family we are instantly struck with the indifferent and unfaithful husband, the negligent and thoughtless parent. If we enter his muniment room we are surrounded by memorials of his prodigality, mortgages and sales, inquietude and approaching want. He set out with a larger estate than any of his ancestors, and in a little more than twenty years he made it one of the least. Fortunately for his family, a constitution originally vigorous, gave way at forty-seven to hardship, anxiety and wounds."

William Slater lived in the parish of Bradford and William Midgeley in the neighbourhood of Halifax; they held lands in Steeton for about three years during which period it is thought they sold several small quantities of land. This was the origin of freeholders in Steeton for it is expressly stated in 1583 that there were no freeholders. At this time 1604-7 the property afterwards belonging to the Currers, Davys, Hustlers etc., would in all probability be purchased.

The second daughter of the aforesaid William Plumpton killed at Towton, Elizabeth, married John, son of Henry Sotehill, Esq., of Stockfaston, Herts; they had a son Henry, who when very young married the daughter of Sir Richard Empson, Kt., which has been alluded to. Two daughters were the issue of this marriage, Jane and Elizabeth. Jane, who married John, son of Sir John Constable, Kt., of Flamborough, had issue Ann and Cecilia; Ann married Sir Anthony Thorold, of Marston, Lincolnshire, whose only daughter Winfred married George, son of Sir Gervase Clifton, Kt., of Clifton, Nottingham; Sir Gervase Clifton, Bart, their son, sold one quarter14 of the manor of Steeton to William Garforth in 1613. Cecilia married firstly William Bevercoates, Esq., and secondly Clement Oglethorp, Esq., of Roundhay, near Leeds; William Oglethorp, of Roundhay, sold in the year 1600 one quarter14 of the manor of Steeton and Glusburn to William Garforth for £460, which was the first purchase made by the Garforths. Elizabeth, second daughter of Henry Sotehill, married Sir William Drury.

A survey of the manor of Steeton was taken in 1583, a few years previous to the Garforths purchasing it; it is interesting to read an account about Steeton as it was three hundred years ago. After tracing the boundaries of the township, which appear to be nearly the same as they are at present, it thus proceeds:- The Lordship or Manor of Steeton was sometime the lands of Sir — Plumpton, and before that (as is said) it was the inheritance of Sir Robert de Stiveton, Kt., who died in 1307, and whose monument or gravestone is still to be seen in Kildwick Church, the parish church of the said Lordship. The half of the said Lordship is now lawfully descended and conveyed unto George, Earl of Cumberland, and the remainder to Anthony Thorold, Esq., and dame Ann his wife, and William Bevercoates, gentleman, and Cecilia his wife, in equal proportions. The said Manor is situated in the Wapentake of Staincliffe in Craven, and thereupon is called Steeton-in-Craven, and is distant from the market-town of Skipton four miles upon the river of Aire. A great part of the lands of the said Lordship lye upon the banks of the river Aire, and are of very fertile and fruitful soil, and would yield the occupier great plenty of corn and grass, save that the river will, sometimes in summer, but very oft in winter, overflow the most part of the ground, to the great damage and loss of the inhabitants.

The Manor-house called Steeton Hall, standeth at the north end of the said town upon the banks of a brook called Steeton Beck; the same is now in convenient repair for the use of the farmer that holdeth the same. The demyne lands that belong to the said Manor are indifferently large and great, and the soil for the most part is very fertile and good, except when the river Aire overflows its banks, at which times the ground will be so degged with mud that the cattle will not feed thereupon, nor will hunger force them.

Privileges

The lords of the said Manor have had, and used to keep within the same, a Court Baron once a year, and also have had, and now hath, Waives and Estrays, with such like privileges incident, and of right or custom, belonging to the said Manor. They have also the free liberty of fishing and fowling, hunting and hawking within the limits aforesaid, and at the death of each tenant, or the most of them, their best goods for a Heriot (that is, the best horse, cow, plate, or other valuables).

Courts

There is a Court held in Craven called the Wapentake Court, or commonly the Running Court, because it is held here and there at the discretion of the officers. The same is sometimes appointed to be holden at Steeton, where the ferme of the demayne (chief tenant) yields to the officers their demands or six and eightpence in money. There is also paid out of the said Lordship thirteen and fourpence for wapentake fines; there is also another custom due to the bailiff of the Percy-fee in Craven, namely, that every husbandman shall yield him yearly a bushel of oats in respect of their services at the Gisburn Court.

Remarks

The aforesaid things should be further looked into; formerly the inhabitants owed their services to the Manor of Gisburn, then they need not suit the Wapentake Court; or otherwise if they must of necessity appear at the Wapentake Court, then they need not pay any duty to the Percy Bailiff in consideration of their appearance at Gisburn. The most likely way is that they hold of Gisburn, and that in respect of the wapentake fine they are not only to be discharged from their appearance at the Wapentake Court, but also to have in respect thereof all things incident unto the Leet of the Wapentake within the limits and bounds of the said Lordship.

Woods

There are no woods within the Lordship to make any great account of; the same is not sufficient for the maintenance of the tenant' houses, if they were kept only for that purpose. Neither is there any underwood of value, save in one parcel of the demayne there are some ellers.

There is also on the banks of the south side of the town certain Schroggs which, the inhabitants do affirm, was new copied; neither could the tenants well spare the herbage of these grounds and if they could, it is to be doubted if there would be any wood of value, as the place lieth so cold.

Commons

There is within the said Lordship one great Common called Steeton Moor, containing by estimation 300 acres, wherein the tenants of Steeton and Eastburn have common of pasture for their cattle without stint. The said common is very wild, lingy, and heathy ground, and lieth on the south side of the said towns of Steeton and Eastburn, and the tenants of the said towns do pay yearly for moor-rent twenty shillings; in consideration thereof the tenants allege that the lords of the said Manor have promised in times past to make no improvement there.

Boons

There is an ancient custom that every husbandman within the said Lordship shall yield unto the lord of the Manor of Steeton or to his Ferme for the time being, one day's ploughing, two sickle boons, one scythe boon, and one hedge boon, in which respect the lord or his said Ferme did yield to them a Dymd at Christmas, which said custom continues unto this day and is of the value of 104 shillings annually.

N.B.— The Ferme means the principal tenant who always resided at the hall, and was the representative of the lord of the Manor, and appears to have received all his homages and services.

An Out Rent, etc.

There is yearly paid out of the Lordship of Steeton to the bailiff of the lands, late St. John of Jerusalem, 12d. by three of the lord's tenants, Robert Hall, John Hall and Anthony Fox, 4d. each out of their tenements in Steeton, in consideration of which the said tenants shall have their last will proved by the officer of the said lands at the Redj Hall in the parish of Glusburn (perhaps Royd15 House in the township of Glusburn) at a certain reasonable rate, and that they should also be free in certain fairs. They also appear at the court holden at the said Redj Hall, and pay their money to the owner of the said house. John Eastburn, the lord's tenant in Eastburn, doth likewise pay to the bailiff of the lands aforesaid, 14d. per annum, and by the like cause and consideration aforesaid.

N.B.— The aforesaid money is paid by the tenants besides their accustomed rents.

Town Terme and Heriots

The lord's tenants within the said Manor of Steeton are, and have been accustomed time out of memory of man, to pay unto the Lord at every ten years' end, one whole year's rent besides their accustomed rent. This is commonly called Town Terme, the which, together with other Heriots hereafter mentioned, is paid in consideration of the fines on the Grassemes of their tenements

The same tenants, or the most part of them, do also pay unto the lord Heriots, viz., at the death of him or her, that is the lord's tenant, and the principal of every household, the best goods they have at the said house for a Heriot, and some 6d, as they have been accustomed; and in order that it may appear the clearer from what tenements the same is now paid, the names, rents, and Heriots will be found in the following account, being the rents paid by the tenants of Steeton and Eastburn, a.d. 1583.

Demaynes

  

  

Rents

  

Heriots

£

s.

d.

Anthony Garforth,               Manor House &c

1

12

0

0

                "                              Corn Mill 24s., Cottage and                )

                                                Improvement 2s. 4d.                            )

1

1

6

4

Tenants in Steeton

  

  

 

  

John Garforth,                       Lands and Tenements

3

2

12

4

Thomas Smith                                       "

1

0

4

6

Dennis Cockshott                                "

1

0

8

4

Richard Harper                                     "

1

0

5

4

John Barrett                                          "

1

0

7

8

            "            for one close called Atpool

1

0

1

8

Richard Hustler,                   Lands and Tenements

1

0

9

9

Elizabeth Mitchell                                "

1

0

9

9

Elizabeth Lund                                      "

1

0

9

9

Thomas Coate                                      "

1

0

8

4

William Davy                                        "

1

0

8

4

William Garforth                                   "

1

0

9

4

William Smith                                        "

1

0

18

11

Anthony Smith                                     "

1

1

0

0

Robert Hall                                            "

1

0

5

0

John Hall                                               "

1

0

5

0

Anthony Fox                                        "

1

0

5

0

William Whitaker                                 "

1

0

17

9

Robert Denton                                      "

1

0

0

6

John Theaker                                        "

1

0

1

0

Thomas Parkinson                               "

1

0

1

0

Richard Ambler                                    "

1

0

3

4

Robert Eastburn                                   "

1

0

0

4

Jane Barrett                                           "

1

0

0

4

Anthony Wilson                                  "

1

0

0

4

William Smith                                        "

1

0

5

8

Tenants of Eastburn

 

 

 

 

John Eastburn,                     Lands and Tenements

1

0

17

0

Henry Ripley                                         "

1

0

13

8

Alice Parkinson                                    "                                              )

John Parkinson                                     "                                              )

1

0

13

8

William Parkinson                                "

1

0

11

3

Christopher Eastburn                          "

1

0

11

3

Thomas Mason                                    "

1

0

1

8

Anthony Eastburn                               "

1

0

1

0

Mrs Moorhouse                   pays a Mallard or Drake for a Heriot

 

0

0

0

 

 

£27

13

1

Formerly, in the sixteenth century, Steeton would be the second township in point of size in Kildwick parish, for we read that in 1513, the number of men that were summoned by Lord Clifford from the parish of Kildwick to attend him to the wars which culminated in the battle of Flodden Field were as follows:

Steeton, 8 men

Kildwick, 3 men

Cowling, 4 men

Sutton, 2 men

Cononley and Farnhill, 4 men

Glusburn, 2 men

Bradley, 4 men

Silsden, no return

Besides, it is found in the Court Baron Rolls for the year 1545 that 40 persons paid suit and service, and in 1591 there are 45 persons performing the same offices. But after the Garforths got possession of Steeton there appears to have been a considerable decrease, unless the other towns in the parish had been rapidly progressing in the interval which is improbable. This will be more apparent from a document which was in the possession of Miss Currer of Eshton Hall. This document mentions that in the year 1658, a general meeting was called at Kildwick to make an assessment for the relief of the poor of the parish, and in which all the rate-payers of each township are separately mentioned, and the money each has to pay. The following extract shows that Steeton at this time, instead of being second on the list is now placed in the back position of one-sixth.

 

£

s.

d.

Silsden                                     has 130 persons paying cess amounting to

4

6

8

Cowling                                    has 97 persons paying cess amounting to

1

14

2

Cononley and Farnhill               has 45 persons paying cess amounting to

1

11

6

Bradley                                    has 34 persons paying cess amounting to

1

6

10

Steeton                                     has 31 persons paying cess amounting to

1

4

6

Sutton                                      has 49 persons paying cess amounting to

1

24

4

Kildwick                                  has 16 persons paying cess amounting to

1

0

Glusburn                                   has 29 persons paying cess amounting to

0

19

6

Total

£13

5

Steeton receding from its position of second to the sixth place in the parish appears strange, as there does not appear to have been any particular mortality here more than in any other part of the parish. On examining the Kildwick Parish Registers, it is found that the plague was prevalent in 1604, and again with greater severity in 1623-4, when 114 persons were buried in seven months, the yearly average being about sixty; but in both these cases it seems to have been spread generally about the parish, each village was more or less affected by it. The probable solution of the cause of the decrease is, that under the Cliffords in 1683, there were a great many tenants with small holdings, and that the Garforths, after they came into possession of the estate, thought it more advantageous to throw two or, perhaps three of these little farms together. The Garforths and Currers, the two largest owners of land in Steeton, kept a great proportion of their land in their own possession, which will be seen by the following:- that Mr. Garforth paid 5s. 4d., and Mr. Currer 2s. 8d., out of a total of £1 4s. 6d., nearly one-third of the whole township. The population of Steeton with Eastburn in 1881 was 1497, being now the fourth township in point of population in the parish, Silsden, Cowling, Glusburn being larger.

We have now got to the time when the Garforths have got to be proprietors of land in Steeton; as has before been stated, they purchased the manor of Steeton and Glusburn from the heirs-general of the Plumptons. The first Garforth in connection with Steeton on record is Richard Garforth, who was probably born in or about 1470. This Richard was at the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513; he went with horse and harness, which is almost a certain proof that he was a gentleman, and lived at the Manor House. There was a John Garforth, who is supposed to be his brother, and six other persons that accompanied him. Dennis Garforth, or, as he is called in the court-rolls, Dyonisius Garforth, who married a Thornhill of Burley, near Otley, and who died in 1579 aged 80, is supposed to be the son of the above Richard; he lived at Steeton Hall, and his name appears first with the title of officer prefixed on the court-rolls for more than thirty years. Anthony, his son, married Alice, the daughter of Sir Edmund Mauleverer, of Arncliffe, near Northallerton; by this marriage the pedigree of the Garforths can be traced to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, son of Edward III, King of England. This Anthony died in 1587. The son of Anthony16, William, married Rosamund Rawson, of Shipley; he purchased the manor, which has been previously alluded to. Though the Garforths had lived at the hall a century before this, they were tenants, not the owners of the property. The first purchase made by the Garforths was in 1600, when they bought one quarter of the manor of Steeton and Glusburn for £460 10s. 0d., of William Oglethorpe, Esq., of Roundhay, near Leeds. It is not known what the Garforths gave for three quarters of the manor, but if it be reckoned at the same rate as was given for the one quarter that we do know, the total would be £1842. It is known that there was only a small quantity of land that went with the manor of Glusburn, so it is very probable that the manor and the lands belonging to it of Steeton and Eastburn at the beginning of the seventeenth century was bought for about £1700. What quantity of land went with the manor of Steeton is not known exactly, but it is very probable from what is known that it would be less than half the township. The reason why it is concluded that not one-half of the township was bought with the manor at the beginning of the seventeenth century is, that in 1787, J.B. Garforth's share of the expense of the enclosure of common was £306 14s. 11d. out of the total of £802 15s. 6d., and that they alienated any of their property in the interval is not known17, and is improbable.

Division of Steeton Common by Act of Parliament18 obtained in the year 1787.

–––––––––––––

                                                                                                    s.  dec.

Allowance for Roads, Quarries, &c                                      60.067

            "                  Manorial Rights                                     352.129

            "                  Proprietors below                                 3873.349

                                                                                                4285.545

 

Names of Proprietors

Value of old Inclosures

Proportion of Common

Proportion of Tax

 

s.  dec.

s.  dec.

£

s.

d.

John Baynes Garforth, Esq.

9257.764

1262.339

306

14

11

Thomas Garforth, Esq. (A late purchase)

6893.955

982.751

186

14

5

Mr. William Davy

2400.975

333.735

63

8

2

 "     William Rishworth

2177.148

302.625

57

9

1

Rev. William Norton

1817.181

252.590

47

19

10

Mr. John Driver

1561.253

217.014

41

4

8

 "     John Cunliffe

621.090

86.331

16

8

0

 "     Robert Holmes

460.890

64.480

12

5

0

Vicar of Featherston

402.220

55.910

10

12

5

Mr. Samuel Smith

350.600

48.732

9

5

2

 "     T. Garforth for Henry Stirk

348.220

48.402

9

3

11

 "     Thomas Brigg

317.750

44.167

8

7

10

 "     John Cowling

308.850

42.930

8

3

2

 "     John Clapham

221.200

30.746

5

16

10

Sir John Goodrick, Bart.

158.256

22.

4

3

7

Mr. Robert Smith

120.

16.680

3

3

4

 "     William Paget

77.060

10.711

2

0

8

Miss Foulds

62.800

8.730

1

13

2

James Craven

60.

8.340

1

11

7

Sir John Goodrick, Bart., and Mr. Dixon

56.500

7.853

1

9

10

Mr. Thomas Hodgson

45.

6.255

1

3

9

Mr. Dixon

32.340

4.500

0

17

2

Mr. Netherwood

29.520

4.103

0

15

7

 "     Joseph Edwards

..

4.103

0

15

2

Mr. Parker

28.400

3.950

0

15

0

 "     Samuel Smith (leasehold)

25.

3.475

0

13

3

 

27833.972

3873.349

£802

15

6

After William Garforth, the purchaser of the manor, came another William Garforth19 his son, who married Jenet, daughter of Thomas Emmott, of Emmott Hall; he died 1669. Then there was Anthony Garforth, who was born 1610, and died 1670, son of the last William. William Garforth had, besides others, a son Edmund20, who was Vicar of Kildwick and Vicar of Gargrave 1660-73. Steeton Hall was rebuilt in 1662, and the names of the preceding are yet to be seen over the kitchen window. Anthony Garforth married Susan, daughter of Thomas Crossley, of Hullenedge, near Halifax.

Of this Garforth we have recorded the following incident:- At York on January 31st, 1664-5, John Hoyle, of Keighley, saith before Sir John Armitage "that a month or five weeks before the discovery of the late plot, he heard Mr. Anthony Garforth, of Steeton, say, ‘I desire you to lend me £10.’ The informant told him he had it not. Then Mr. Garforth said, ‘If he had it not he would have it somewhere, for he would have £10 or £20 by him, for there will be such a stir as never was yet, for the king hath declared himself to be a Roman Catholic and hath gone to mass with the queen.’ And said he held the declaration in his pocket. He would have declared the above to Mr. Justice Wade, but that he was interrupted by Lieutenant-Colonel Malham." He was fined £20, bound in £200, and in £100 each of Edmund Garforth, of Gargrave, Clerk (Vicar of Gargrave and his brother), and William Garforth, of Gargrave, Gent.

There is recorded another incident of the seventeenth century in connection with Steeton:- Jeremiah Denby, of Steeton, was indicted at York for saying at Kildwick, 26th July, 1684, to Richard Pollard, Clerk (Vicar of Kildwick 1678-97), "The king himself is a great favourer of Anabaptists, and those are the best Christians that come least to church, for all I know."

Anthony Garforth had a son William21, who married firstly a Miss Rishworth, of Morton, and then Mrs. Dixon, of Sutton. Edmund22, son of the last-named William, married Elizabeth Grandorge, of Skipton (she was buried at Kildwick 1742); he was born in 1677, and died on July 2nd, 1722, leaving two sons23, Edward and Thomas. Thomas the younger son, died a.d. 1743, unmarried.

The last Edward Garforth24, who died about 1760, left the property to his nephew John Baynes, the son of his sister Elizabeth (she was buried at Kildwick Sept. 9th, 1740), who had married Ralph Baynes, Esq., of Mewith Head Hall, near Bentham. The nephew, John Baynes, had to take the name of Garforth, which he afterwards did. He was educated at Skipton Grammar School, and articled to an attorney at Carlisle; he also became agent or steward for Sir James Lowther, under whose patronage he became member of Parliament for Appleby or Cockermouth.

He was displaced to make way for the celebrated statesman, William Pitt. Sir James Lowther, hearing that William Pitt, then a promising young man, had been defeated in a contest for the representation of the University of Cambridge, caused an attorney in the north, John Baynes Garforth, to vacate his seat to make room for him. To be superseded by one who afterwards became such a celebrated statesman can hardly be considered a discredit. John Baynes Garforth, up to middle life, lived in Cumberland, and afterwards in London, where he was a solicitor. It is not certain that he ever lived at Steeton25. He left an only son Thomas, who married26 Catherine, daughter of the Rev. Robert Graham, of Netherby, and aunt to Sir James Graham, the statesman. The Grahams were then, and are now, a family of great estate in Cumberland; their seat was at Netherby, and are often alluded to by Sir Walter Scott, the Grahams being a Border Clan. The Grahams are alluded to in the following poem:-

Young Lochinvar.

Oh! Young Lochinvar is come out of the west,

Through all the wide border his steed was the best;

And save his good broadsword, he weapon had none,

He rode all unarmed, and he rode all alone;

So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,

There never was knight like the young Lochinvar.

He stayed not for brake, he stopped not for stone,

He swam the Eske river where ford there was none;

But ere he alighted at NETHERBY GATE,

The bride had consented, the gallant came late:

For a laggard in love and a dastard in war

Was to wed the fair Ellen of young Lochinvar. etc.

By his marriage with a Graham, he is said to have got a considerable fortune. Soon after his marriage he made fortunate purchases at Steeton. He bought land at Redcar and at Eastburn, and he bought the Upper Hall and property with it which had been the property of the Currers, and which about thirty years after sold for more than three times its cost. By this purchase the Steeton estate was nearly doubled in size and value. The following is an account of the purchase27:-

Particulars of Land, formerly the possessions of the Currers, bought by Thomas Garforth, Esq., of Steeton Hall, from the devizes of the late Mrs. Hudson, about 1784-5

Names of Occupiers

Names of Fields

Day's Work

Rental

£              s.             d.

 

Little Wise

2

 

 

Great Wise

4

 

 

West Royd

2

 

 

Great Maw Redding

4

 

William Greenwood

Little              "

 

 

Paddock

˝

 

 

Pott

4

 

 

Great Scaleholm

7

 

 

Little            "

5

 

 

Lavarac Holme

4

 

 

 

35

33            4              0

 

Kelk

10

 

 

Harewood Hill

 

 

Lower and Upper Closes

5

 

William Smith

Moor Close

 

 

Brows

7

 

 

Rough Ing

4

 

 

Edge Croft

 

 

 

33˝

30            5              0

 

Little Barrows

 

 

Great          "

6

 

 

Little Coppy

8

 

 

Great        "

12

 

Christopher Witton

Little Rough

2

 

 

Great        "

8

 

 

Moor Close

7

 

 

In the West Ings

8

 

 

Sheep Pastures

6

 

 

Great Fowl Syke

6

 

 

 

65˝

55            0              0

 

Back Side

˝

 

 

Upper Cote Close

2

 

 

Lower            "

3

 

 

Colonels Close

4

 

Stephen Wade

Gully Grass

 

 

Little Cote Close

2

 

 

Near Close

2

 

 

Orchard End

3

 

 

In the Stone Bridge

4

 

 

Thornholme

2

 

 

 

24

19            3              0

 

Upper Horstead and Garth

3

 

 

Yawmires

6

 

John Asquith, junr.

Trankers Butts

2

 

 

Jane Ing

 

 

Crofts and Mill Croft

 

 

 

17

16            13            0

 

Croft

3

 

 

Kid Croft

1

 

 

Larelands

1

 

 

Stonebrigg Head

2

 

 

New Close

5

 

 

Great Broady Lands

6

 

John Lund

In Little           "

3

 

 

Pudding

5

 

 

Great Summer Hill

 

 

Little            "

1

 

 

The Two Heads

 

 

Pighills

 

 

Redding

 

 

 

42

34            10            0

Brian Dale

Lower Horstead

5

 

 

Crofts and Mill Croft

1

 

 

 

6

6              6              0

 

Jane Croft

3

 

 

Great Bent Close

4

 

 

Little and Low Bent Close

4

 

John Asquith, senr.

Backside

˝

 

 

Little Fowl Syke

3

 

 

In the West Ings

 

 

In Bridgeholme

 

 

 

18Ľ

17            0              0

John Longbottom

Yawmire Legs

7

6              15            0

 

Blind Pool

 

 

Widow Whitaker and John Moorhouse

Two Cottages

 

2              8              0

Devizes of the late Mrs. Hudson

Great Wood, Low Close Wood, Shroggs Wood, Redding Wood, House, Garden, and sundry Outbuildings.

 

 

 

                                                      Total

248Ľ

£221        4              0

This estate with a rental of £221 4s. 0d. was bought for £7500 in 1784-5-6.

Also soon after the marriage, they took up their residence at Steeton Hall, where they continued to live until the time of his death in 1811. It was he that made alterations about the hall. About this time (1780-90) the ornamental wall on Hawkcliffe top was erected; the carriage drive going in at the Chinese gates was made; the cascades were laid out, which were then teeming with fish; he pulled down several cottages in the field in which the church now stands; he also pulled down several cottages on each side of the brook below the bridge, near the corn-mill; he laid out the Flats, and he planted a great many trees in the village.

Before then, the Flats28 consisted of a lot of two or three acre fields, but after then it consisted of one piece of fifty-nine acres. It was bounded by the river, the hall, and the Elm Farm; the present Park House Farm was part of the Old Flats, and that row of trees going down to Park House are supposed to have been planted with the intention of have an entrance to the hall there. However, Steeton Hall was sold to the Sugdens in 1819, who afterwards carved down the Flats to its present dimensions of about 29 acres. Park House was built by Mr. William Sugden about 1832, and derived its name from the park of the hall extending so near to it. Park House, with 22 acres of land, was bought by the late Mr. Joseph Craven, of the Exors. of Mr. William Sugden in 1840.

Most people have heard the old people talk of the Chinese Gates; they were the principal entrance to Steeton Hall, and were situated between the Star Inn and the beck. The drive went from the road to the hall parallel to the beck; it is now grown over with grass, but it can be traced by looking over the wall. Soon after the new road was made to the station, about the year 1828, the drive leading from the Chinese Gates was done away with, and the present one that enters the road opposite the Summerhill Lane was made.

There must have been a house somewhere where Steeton Hall now stands for seven hundred years, as Raino de Stiveton was witness to a grant of land by the family of Allerton to Kirkstall Abbey about the year 1190; but the present house cannot go further back than a little over two hundred years. The Prior of Bolton gave a charter to Elias de Stiveton to celebrate divine service in his chapel at Steeton in the thirteenth century. This chapel is supposed to have been a domestic oratory, and probably gives rise to the tradition that a small field, now thrown into a larger field at the back of the hall, formerly was a burial ground. Upon the present house are the following inscriptions:-

The arms of the Garforth family are:- Sa. A bend between six goats passant argent; Crest, out of a mural coronet arg. a goat's head of the last. As the goat's head was the crest of the Garforths, this evidently accounts for the name of one of the public-houses. From the above dates it is evident that the hall was completely rebuilt in the seventeenth century (Michael Ogden might be the builder or the mason who worked the stone on which his name is), and it is the recollection of most people that half of it was rebuilt in 1863, when the late Mr. John Craven took it on a lease. Belonging to the house is a horn; about this horn there is supposed to be a charm. The story is that if it were taken away, the ghosts of departed owners of the place, and of suicides, of which it is known that two have taken place inside the house, would make their appearance. In the flats, in front of the house are the remains of a cock-pit, which will, no doubt, have been the scene of many a fight.

The above-mentioned Thomas Garforth was an active magistrate; he had been brought up a barrister, though it is not known that he ever practised. This training was of great advantage to him as a magistrate; he presided when present, and his decisions carried weight with them. This accounts for him being generally called "Justice Garforth." Many a culprit has received his sentence from him at the hall or at the "Goat." Then was ample scope for his abilities, for in 1793 war broke out against France. It was during these times that the village was a busy centre; enlisting and balloting was carried out with vigour the length and breadth of the land, and a great part of the balloting for the district of Craven was performed at Steeton. Ten years later, another French war broke out; Napoleon had assembled a great flotilla at Boulogne, and was threatening to invade England. Every town and village was astir; Craven mustered 1400 volunteers called the "Craven Legion," of which Lord Ribblesdale was Colonel and Mr. Thomas Garforth was Lieutenant-Colonel.

A month was spent at York every year with his regiment for training, and in the intermediate time the men were frequently called to exercise. More than once might have been seen three hundred men drawn up in the park in front of the old mansion accompanied by a band of music. At one time the whole of the officers of the Craven Legion were banqueted in the large dining-room when the band of the regiment was playing.

Mr. Garforth kept a pack of hounds, kept gamekeepers, and lived in a fashion more resembling a nobleman than a country squire; it may be said that he resembled the "fine old English gentleman, one of the olden time." His hospitality was great; strangers that called there were rarely sent empty away. Any caller was generally greeted: "sit down, friend;" a pitcher with eatables was brought, and many a thirsty person has had the jug more than once refilled. This was not an isolated case.

Instead of retrenchment he had more servants, erected hot-houses, and put two more horses to his carriage. Old Jonathan writes:- "it was a fine sight to us in our younger days to see Mr. Garforth’s carriage pass on their way to church; the footman, coachman, and postillion all in new white liveries faced with scarlet, and the carriage drawn by four beautiful bright bay horses."

This continued a short time. In 1810 property was sold of the value of £18,000, which extricated him from his difficulties. During his embarrassed circumstances his health broke down both physically and mentally. He died the following year, December 6th, 1811, aged 56 years. He was buried in the chancel of Kildwick Church, where a tablet29 is now to be read to his memory. On the same day there were two funerals from Steeton Hall - the squire and old butler; both ended their days about the same time; the master was buried inside the church in the morning, and the servant in the yard in the afternoon. He was the last of the Garforths who was Lord of the Manor of Steeton.

After his death the whole of his remaining property was sold and divided among his children, and the property that the family have since possessed was repurchased at the sale. His eldest son was John James Garforth, who married Sarah, the daughter of Mr. Thomas Pearson, of Steeton; he was born September 17th, 1791, and died December 21st, 1819. His son Thomas married a daughter of William Sugden, Esq., of Eastwood House, and was born in 1818, and died June 16th, 1853 (the present Mr. Garforth is his son). A pedigree of the family is in Whitaker’s History of Craven.

––––––––––––––

Particulars of Land sold at Steeton belonging to T. Garforth, Esq., June 19th and 20th, 1810.

Description of Property.

A.

R.

P.

£

s.

d.

Low Close Farm - Two Brows

6

2

39

 

                Little Brow

1

0

17

 

                Moor Close and 2 long fields

3

3

39

 

                Harewood Hill and Ing

6

0

14

 

                Wood Close

3

3

26

 

 

                11 Allotments

3

3

26

2450

0

0

Bought by J. Greenwood, of Keighley.

 

 

 

                Currer Wood

31

3

37

 

                Law Close Taws

4

1

34

 

                Small field adjoining wood

0

3

8

3220

0

0

                One field

5

1

2

401

0

0

Bought by J. Greenwood, of Keighley.

 

 

 

                Redding Wood

5

1

5

402

0

0

Bought by Benjamin Blakebrough.

 

 

 

                Great and Little Coppys

13

0

36

 

                Barrows and Rough Ing

13

1

36

1815

0

0

Bought by James Craven, Steeton.

 

 

 

 

 

                Little Broady Lands

1

2

21

160

0

0

Bought by James Craven, Steeton.

 

 

                Great Broady Lands

4

3

5

487

0

0

Bought by J. Greenwood, of Keighley.

 

 

 

 

                Cockshott Dam Green

107

0

4

905

0

0

Bought by E. Smith, of Keighley.

 

 

 

 

 

                Two Whitefields

15

2

21

430

0

0

Bought by Thomas Smith, of Keighley.

 

 

 

 

 

                Three Allotments

55

3

7

502

0

0

Bought by J. Greenwood, of Keighley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One-third part of the Rectorial Tithes of the parish of Kildwick, held under the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church College, Oxford, by the usual college lease renewable.

 

 

 

 

 

1571

 

 

0

 

 

0

Bought by T. Pearson, J. Bairstow, A. Binns, and J. Ellison

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nut Head Farm - 3 Nuthead Allotments

11

1

8

 

 

 

                West Bank Allotments

5

2

35

 

 

 

                One field

1

2

16

 

 

 

                Plantation

10

3

0

840

0

0

Bought by John Ellison, of Keighley.

 

 

 

 

 

                Fowl Syke

4

1

35

505

0

0

Bought by William Paget, of Utley.

 

 

 

 

 

                5 Allotments and Plantation included

8

3

24

 

 

                Redding

2

0

0

520

0

0

Bought by J. Parkinson, of Barwick.

 

 

 

 

 

                Bolton Fields

4

1

26

  

 

 

                Seed Hill

2

0

0

  

 

 

                House, Barn, and Garden

0

1

26

650

0

0

Bought by J. Bairstow, of Steeton.

 

 

 

  

 

 

                Thornholme

1

1

37

183

0

0

Bought by Edward Brumfitt, of Addingham.

 

 

 

  

 

 

                Stonebridge

3

1

10

344

0

0

Bought by J. Bairstow, of Steeton.

 

 

 

  

 

 

                Old Star Inn, Barn, Stables and Gardens

 

 

 

402

0

0

                Jane Croft

2

1

18

318

0

0

                Great Bent Close

3

0

15

457

0

0

Bought by J. and A. Wilkins, of Steeton.

 

 

 

  

 

 

                Little Bent Close

1

0

9

152

0

0

Bought by William Laycock, of Keighley.

 

 

 

  

 

 

                Pickhill Close and Heads

3

1

8

424

0

0

Bought by John Bairstow, of Steeton.

 

 

 

  

 

 

                Carter Royds

1

2

0

  

 

 

                Heads

2

3

7

600

0

0

Bought by John Peel, of Keighley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Summerhill Close

2

0

25

  

 

 

                Duddings

3

1

8

655

0

0

Bought by Dennis Davy, of Steeton.

 

 

 

  

 

 

                Little Fowl Syke

2

0

25

342

0

0

Bought by John Smith, Woodside.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

394

3

13

£18735

0

0

Property of the late Thomas Garforth, Esq., sold December 16th, 1818.

Description of Property.

A.

R.

P.

£

s.

d.

                Red Lion Inn, Eastburn

ě 19

1

12

 

 

 

                Allotment

î 12

3

15

1850

0

0

                Elm Farm

39

2

28

2380

0

0

                Two Cote Closes

4

1

6

400

0

0

                Two Bracelets

6

3

34

545

0

0

                Timber on the above

 

 

 

105

7

0

Bought by Thos. Garforth, jun, of Steeton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

J. Bland bought Waste in Eastburn

0

0

8

29

0

0

                Glusburn Moor and Manor

90

1

25

1550

0

0

                Upper Hall, etc.

130

1

34

6250

0

0

                Timber on the above

 

 

 

155

0

0

Bought by Mr. John Garforth, of Steeton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Hollings30

100

3

39

4000

0

0

                Two Intakes

8

3

33

305

0

0

                Gill Wood

6

3

14

524

0

0

                Barrows

2

3

30

250

0

0

                Reddings

6

0

8

379

0

0

                Wood on the above

 

 

 

31

9

0

Bought by Mr. B. Blakebrough, Hollings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Five fields at the Heights

6

3

33

465

0

0

                Timber on the above

 

 

 

20

17

0

Bought by Thomas Booth, Howden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Houses, Warehouses, and Gardens

 

 

 

600

0

0

Bought by Thomas Pearson, Steeton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Two Cottages and Gardens

0

1

13

65

0

0

Bought by Jonas Dale, Steeton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Gamersgill Farm

 

 

 

1260

0

Bought by R.B. Wainman, Esq., Carrhead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Surgill Farm

37

2

10

630

0

0

Bought by Thomas Smith, Keighley

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Warley Wise Farm

101

0

0

1600

0

0

Bought by – Whitaker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

575

2

22

£23394

13

0

Property of the late Thos. Garforth, Esq., sold31 Oct. 16th, 1819.

Description of Property.

A.

R.

P.

£

s.

d.

                New Ing

6

0

0

422

0

0

Bought by Thomas Booth, Howden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                New Ing

4

0

0

264

0

0

Bought by John Craven, Keighley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Little Long Lands

3

3

8

300

0

0

Bought by Benjamin Blakebrough

 

 

 

 

 

 

                New Ing

6

0

0

425

0

0

Bought by John Mitchell, Keighley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Jackey Croft and Barn

2

3

0

450

0

0

                Jane Ing and Trankers

10

0

0

670

0

0

                Broadholmes, Park, Hall &c., and Manor included

133

1

35

11800

0

0

                Timber

 

 

 

800

0

0

                Allotments

7

3

9

220

0

0

Bought by William Sugden, Keighley.

  

 

 

 

 

 

                Croft and House

1

2

0

261

4

0

Bought by Midgley Rishworth, Steeton.

  

 

 

  

 

 

                Goat’s Head Inn, &c.

31

1

8

1933

7

0

                Wood Close

3

0

0

220

0

0

Bought by Thomas Pearson, Steeton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Corn Mill, &c.

149

0

0

3000

0

0

                Stonebridge

  

 

 

50

0

0

Bought by John Bairstow, Steeton.

  

 

 

  

 

 

                High Hawkcliffe Wood

38

1

0

 

 

 

                Low                "

5

1

11

3100

0

0

Bought by William Waite, near Leeds.

  

 

 

  

 

 

                Hawkcliffe Farm

42

3

38

 

 

 

                Wiggan's Wood

2

2

22

2150

0

0

Bought by James Greenwood, Bridge House.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Tranker

3

2

22

230

0

0

Bought by Betty Smith, Keighley.

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

451

1

33

£26645

11

0

     A.    R.    P.                                                                         £             s.         d.

394      3    13      was sold in   1810 and realized                18735          0          0

   575      2    22               "         1818         "                         23394        13          0

   451      1    33               "         1819         "                         26645        11         

1421      3    28                                                                  £68775          4         

A short description of the village as it now is will be of interest to all who live at Steeton.

In going to the station, almost everyone has noticed that the road is close to the houses at the top, but at the bottom it will be perhaps ten yards distant; this was not the case formerly, the road was straight with the houses, went straight down through what is now the plantation belonging to the hall, within a few yards to the east of the hall stables, and then passed close to the dog-kennels. Over the door of the dog-kennels is the inscription, EEG 1709, which means Edmund and Elizabeth Garforth. Going towards the Old Bank there is above a house door –

G

E       E

1710

Edmund and Elizabeth Garforth.

This house is supposed to have been the Goat's Head Inn32 previous to its removal to its present position; it is probable it would be removed when the road was cut through Hawkcliffe. In the yard belonging to the Goat's Head Inn there is –

Rebuilt

I G       A G

18   T P   27

1689

Jennet Garforth and Anthony Garforth33.

This building was first erected in 1689 and then rebuilt by Thomas Pearson in 1827 who had purchased it in 1819 at one of the sales of the estate. To return to the old road to Silsden, it then, about the dog-kennels, took a sharp turn towards where the station now stands and crossed over to Silsden. The present road to the station was made, and the one just mentioned done away with, about the year 1826.

The railway from Keighley to Skipton was opened in September, 1847; those of the present younger generation can hardly realize the changes that a railway brings into a neighbourhood.

The bridge over the river Aire is not a very old bridge; it was built a.d. 1804-5-6. Steeton Bridge or Silsden Bridge as it is differently called, first became a county bridge a.d. 1804; it was built by the county authorities at a cost of £3529 7s. 10ľd. Mr. Benjamin Muschamp was the builder. On April 18th, 1803, it was ordered that the bridge be built according to the plan of Mr. Hartley, the surveyor, and the estimate be referred to Mr. Garforth, Rev. Chas. Knowlton, Clerk, Mr. Wickham, and Mr. Busfield, justices of the peace, to contract with workmen for building the same.

Previous to the present bridge being made, carts and waggons had to ford the river at the place called "The Streams," which is a place in the river a little above the present bridge34. There was a sod in the river at the ford; if the sod was covered with water, it was unsafe to cross the ford, and carts laden from Ilkley, Otley, Wharfedale, etc., (it is said that Steeton was supplied with flour from Otley in those days) had to go round by Kildwick Grange and Kildwick. Kildwick Bridge was in existence five hundred years before Steeton Bridge; it was first built in the reign of Edward II by the Canons of Bolton, and was widened by the county authorities a.d. 1780. For foot-passengers there was a bridge over the river about where the Steeton beck enters the river now; stones may be seen in the bed of the river which formed its foundations.

The footbridge was in existence as far back as a.d. 1648; it was repaired July, 1648 and 1681. In the year 1784, plans were made for a carriage bridge to be made by the township, a gratuity being allowed by the county. This bridge was a timber structure and was superseded by the present bridge. a.d. 1802 the footway between Addingham and Steeton was diverted.

The oldest road in Steeton is the Old Bank, and the bridge at its foot is probably the oldest bridge. The erection of this bridge is not known, it was in existence in 1752, it must be very old because the Old Bank was formerly the main road, which it has not been for the last 100 years. The road through Hawkcliffe was made a.d. 1780-2, and from a comparison of the two roads, it is certain that after the Hawkcliffe road was made the Old Bank would cease to be much used.

The new road from Utley Green Head through Hawkcliffe to Steeton was made a.d. 1782 at great expense for greater convenience for travellers. In April, 1782, a bridleway from Dark Lane Top through Low Utley to Dogkennel within the township of Steeton, was stopped and diverted on account of the new road being made. The bridleway was considered dangerous in many parts for travellers, and the new road was both nearer and more commodious. The length of the bridleway from Dark Lane Top to Dogkennel was 2 miles, 6 furlongs, 35 yards, and the road through Utley Green Head and Hawkcliffe was 2 miles, 5 furlongs, 30 yards, and 30 feet broad.

Portions of pavement are to be seen near the top of the Old Bank yet; it is conjectured by some that the pavement dates back to the Roman period, but it was also a custom in the olden time to pave parts of a road where it was likely to be washed away by the rain, so that to pave was the more economical.

In Carey’s English Atlas which was published January 1st, 1793, and which contains maps of each county, the view from Steeton Bank, S. of Skipton, is mentioned to be one of the principal scenes in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The fact that Steeton Bank was mentioned among the extensive views of Yorkshire is a proof that this road has been the highway, or otherwise it would probably have never been so known. The present highway from the Lion lane end, Eastburn, to Steeton was made 1785-90.

There has been a bridge where Eastburn Bridge now is for a long time. A bridge was destroyed by floods 1642. It was rebuilt about 1647, and again rebuilt a.d. 1738. At several different times it has been altered and repaired. The road at each end was raised and repaired July, 1789, and the ramparts at each end were repaired at the same time. Eastburn bridge became a county bridge a.d. 1820. Previous to a.d. 1797 the county authorities had expended on it £670. When the bridge near the corn-mill was first erected is not known, but in the Original Survey of all bridges in the Riding taken by J. Westerman and J. Gott, 1752, there was a bridge here.

The part of Eastburn called "The Lion" takes its name from an old public-house35 that used to be situated near where Mrs Wilson’s house now stands; it has been rebuilt upon the same ground. The public-house was called the "Red Lion," and when the road that passes through Eastburn was made, the inn was transferred to where the public-house now is. The reason that there are two "White Bear" Inns, one at Crosshills and the other at Eastburn, so near together is this: The road from the "Junction" to Kildwick was cut 1825; James Slack, then living at the "White Bear" Inn, Crosshills, removed to the "Red Lion" Inn, Eastburn; he thought the road from the "Junction" to Kildwick would diminish his business at Crosshills, so he changed the name of the Eastburn public-house from "Red Lion" to "White Bear," as he thought by doing this he would better secure his old connection. The building now forming the principal part of the "White Bear" was built by the executors of Thomas Charles Garforth about 1825, and the old part behind it, now standing, was the old "Red Lion." The present owner of the inn is Mr. John T. Ramsden, of Jumples, near Halifax.

In Carey’s Itinerary, 1798, the only public-house mentioned at Steeton is "The Pack Horse." The cottages at the foot of the Old Bank now owned by John and William Sugden, then forming the inn, brewhouse, dogkennels, etc., most probably was "The Pack Horse." This block of buildings was purchased by John Asquith, Feb. 15th, 1820, of Sir James Graham, Bart., surviving trustee under the will of John Baynes Garforth. William Sugden, father of the present owners, bought them Sept. 4th, 1835. The Inn would probably be done away with a.d. 1782-5.

Until a.d. 1790 the road to Kildwick would be down Pot Lane, and past "The Lion." Near a field, now called Nanny Grave Hill, there were four lanes ends; there are three lane ends yet; there was what is called Devil’s Lane, the lanes towards Eastburn and Steeton, and Wood Street. Wood Street is now a thing of the past; it joined the road at the four lane ends, and took straight up the hill; the name of Mr. John Rishworth’s house is all that reminds the present generation of its existence. Wood Street House with 23 acres of land was sold to Mr. J. Dixon, of Cononley, October, 1885.

The junction of these four lane ends is the scene of one of Steeton’s tragedies. At this place is buried a suicide called Nanny, with a stake in her inside. Some people point out the mound under which she is buried. When the suicide took place is not known, but it would certainly not occur later than the seventeenth century.

The Elm Farm-house was one of the oldest buildings in Steeton, it has now been razed to the ground, one of the landmarks of ancient Steeton thus being swept away. Above its front door was –

H C      A C

1672

Hugh and Ann Currer.

This stone has been inserted into the new farm-house which was built in 1884 about 300 yards to the south-east of the old farm buildings. Above the back door of the High Hall are the same initials, only it was built by the same people two years later:

H C      A C

a.d. 1674

On another part of the High Hall is –

W C

Civis Londini

1705

William Currer, Citizen of London.

Thus the house would be first erected in 1674, and enlarged and altered in 1705 by William Currer. In the north garden wall there has been placed a stone which was formerly in a blank window of a building adjoining the Goat’s Head Inn. Upon this stone is –

I  B  G

Esquire

1672

John Baynes Garforth

John Baynes Garforth lived the latter part of his life in Brainstone Street, Portman Square, London, and died October, 1808. He was the second son of Ralph and Elizabeth Baynes36, his mother being sister to Thomas Garforth, of Steeton Hall. His uncle, Thomas Garforth, died a bachelor a.d. 1743, leaving all his real estate to him on condition that he and his heirs-male took the name of Garforth. J.B. Garforth’s estate consisted a.d. 1751, of the manor of Steeton-cum-Eastburn and Glusburn, 20 messuages, 1 water corn-mill, 18 gardens, 150 acres of land, 150 acres of meadow land, 150 acres of pasture land, 20 acres of wood, 150 acres of furze and heath, 500 acres of moor common of pasture37, and one-third part of the rectory of Gargrave; this property was inherited from his uncle and was situated in the townships of Steeton-cum-Eastburn, Glusburn, Cowling Head, and Gargrave.

Thomas Garforth’s will is dated July 1st, 1738; William Currer, of Steeton; William Garforth, of Gamsgill, Cowling Head; John Craven, of Levens, county Westmoreland, being trustees. The entail was broken a.d. 1751, and J.B. Garforth by his will dated August 26th, 1808, leaves all his property at Steeton and in Yorkshire on trust to William Wainman, of Carr Head, and Sir James Graham, Bart., of Netherby, for the use of his son Thomas Garforth for life, and then to be sold at his death, and the money arising therefrom to be divided in equal shares among all his children. Thomas Garforth, his son, died December, 1811, as it is stated previously.

It is not known that J.B. Garforth ever lived at Steeton. In 1782 he was living in London, and his wife was his agent at Steeton. During the time between his uncle’s death and his son’s marriage a.d. 1743-80, his elder brother, William Baynes, lived at Steeton Hall, to whose son’s memory there is a tablet in Skipton Church. John Baynes, only son of the aforesaid William Baynes36, lived at Skipton, and died January 3rd, 1820, aged 64. Embsay Kirk was built by William Baynes 1760-80, who was a relation of the Baynes connected with Steeton.

The sister of the last named John Baynes, Anne, married a Netherwood; she died Dec. 8th, 1819, aged 63, and left a son Christopher Netherwood, who was living at Steeton Hall a.d. 1822, then the property of Mr. William Sugden. Mr. Christopher Netherwood afterwards lived at Cliffe Hall, Keighley, which he built about a.d. 1833.

Over the door of a house at the corn mill dam top is –

W  C

1710

consequently this house was built by William Currer38. The Star Inn was formerly here until about fifty years ago, when the present Star Inn was built, and the Wilkins, who kept the house removed there. On the clock face at Kildwick Church is:- "The gift of William Currer, of Steeton, late citizen of London, 1709. Renewed by subscription, 1828. Redeem the Time." The old clock at Kildwick therefore was placed there by Steeton people. William Currer died 14th August, 1716, aged 72, and was interred in the chancel of Kildwick Church, where his gravestone may be read at the present time.

The Currers of Steeton were a younger branch of the Currers who lived at Kildwick Hall for so long. Henry Currer bought the manor of Kildwick-in-Craven a.d. 1558, from a John Garforth39, or his son, of Farnhill; John Garforth had bought the manor of Kildwick a.d. 1548, of Robert Wilkinson and Thomas Blake, of the parish of Halifax, to whom it was granted by Henry VIII in 1541. No connection is traced between John Garforth of Farnhill, and the Steeton family of that name.

The Currers40 owned Kildwick until 1861, when the late Miss F.M.R. Currer left the estate to her half-brother, the Rev. Henry Currer Wilson, at whose death in 1866, Sir Mathew Wilson, Bart., became the owner. Hugh Currer, the grandson of the above-mentioned Henry Currer of Kildwick, lived at Steeton; he was born 1588, and died 1636. His son, another Hugh Currer, was born 1621 and died 1670, and left a son William Currer. William Currer, as he is often described as a citizen of London, must have spent a great part of his life in that city. During that time his brother and nephew, both Hugh Currers, lived at Steeton. The last Hugh Currer of Steeton was born 1672 and died 1738, leaving a son William, who was born 1705, and probably died about 1745, for in 1748 the Hudsons had become the owners of the Currer Property, probably through marriage. In the year 1726 the entail of the property was broken, Hugh Currer, Bridget his wife, and William Currer, son and heir-apparent, being parties to the agreement.

Mrs. Ann Hudson was the owner in 1782, and John Asquith was her agent. Mrs. Ann Hudson lived in Lincolnshire, at Glamford Briggs, in the parish of Wrawby. After Mrs. Ann Hudson, the owners were William Holgate, of Thorganby, county Lincoln; Isabella Hudson, of Thorganby, spinster; and Josiah Prickett, of Hull, gent., and Sarah his wife, who sold the Upper Hall and other property in the township. The property was sold 1786, which sale is described on pages 12 and 13. The Currers and then Hudsons were owners of the Upper Hall and a part of the township of Steeton 1605-7 to 1786.

About a century ago, besides the lord of the manor, proprietors of land in Steeton were the Davys, the Rishworths and the Stirks.

The first purchase made by the Davys was the farm at Whitley Head now belonging to Mr. J.W. Shackleton, to whom it has come by descent, his maternal grandmother being a daughter of William Davy who lived a Holmes House, and died May 20th, 1802, aged 57. He was found dead in the canal at Silsden, his head was bruised, but how his death was caused was not made out. The first purchase was made a.d. 1649. Over the doorway at the entrance to the garden behind Holmes House is —

W   D

1764

William Davy.

At that time it was the property of the Davys. At the corner of the plantation opposite the corn mill there formerly was a small plot of ground that belonged to the Davys; on this, it is said, there used to be a public-house, and afterwards a stable. There were also some cottages on the beckside which have been cleared away. The corner of the plantation was either bought or exchanged by the owner of the hall on the condition that the trees and shrubs planted should be kept trimmed and below a certain height in order to improve the view from the house. The trees then planted are now tall forest trees.

The above William Davy built Whitley Head House probably about a.d. 1780-90; his daughter Elizabeth having married Jonas Slack, it became their property; William Slack, their son, sold it and built the row of houses that has since been known as "Slack Row." Mr. Joseph Wright purchased the property a.d. 1846. He sold it February, 1864, to Mr. William Clough, who had taken Whitley Head House on a lease for twelve years, March, 1854, who now lives there, and by whom the house and gardens have been enlarged and the carriage drive made.

Holmes House became the property of Denis Davy, eldest son of the above William; from him it came to the Claphams, Pauline, his daughter, having married Mr. Joshua Clapham, of Utley. It has since been purchased by Mr. Wm. Dixon.

The name of John Davy appears a.d. 1544 on the court-rolls, and as this is before there were any freeholders in Steeton, the Davys would be tenants in Steeton for a considerable time previous to becoming proprietors. William Davy was a tenant a.d. 1583. There were an Alice Davy and her son William owners of land at Steeton a.d. 1660, and a Dennis Davy a.d. 1690. Dennis Davy, who died Dec. 6th, 1840, aged 60, may be said to have been the last. In 1822 his estate in Steeton consisted of 147 acres, and was valued at £168 0s. 0d. They were a Quaker family, a great proportion of their births and marriages being in the Keighley Quakers’ Register, and their burial place was at Calversyke Hill.

Alice Davy41, of Whitley Head, Steeton, widow; Dennis or Dionis Davy, blacksmith or locksmith (he is styled blacksmith in one place and locksmith in another); and William Davy, eldest son of Dennis and Alice Davy, bought Whitley Head Farm (then in the occupation of Alice Davy, and consisting of land now belonging to J.W. Shackleton, and part of the property now farmed by John Curtis) of William Garforth, of Steeton, gentleman, and Anthony Garforth, of Steeton, his son and heir-apparent, April 24th, 1649, for £160.

The purchase was confirmed by William and Anthony Garforth, July 20th, 1659, and again confirmed by William Garforth, son of the aforesaid Anthony, Oct. 10th, 1660. In the deed of 1660, three more closes of land are mentioned, and that there is common of pasture on the more for all stock kept on the farm.

William, son of William and Elizabeth Davy (Elizabeth Davy married for her second husband, James Ramsden, of Braithwaite), grandson of Dennis and Alice Davy, is owner of the property a.d. 1690. At that time (1690) there were an old house and a new house on each side of the fold at Whitley Head consequently the house at Whitley Head now in existence was built a.d. 1685-90. He died a.d. 1692, and was buried at Calversyke Hill.

His son, another William Davy42 (there were three Williams in succession), married at Henry Wood’s house, Dec. 5th, 1690, Hannah Roberts, daughter of Daniel Roberts, of Cononley, linen weaver (Hannah Davy died a.d. 1737). This William Davy, of Whitley Head, bought property43 (10 acres) of Edmund Garforth, March, 1709, for £110 7s. 0d. The property was situated at Whitley Head. His sister, Elizabeth married a.d. 1690, Jeremy Brigg, of Calversyke Hill. He died Feb. 19th, 1747, aged 81, leaving all his land eventually to his son David Davy. The land was situated at Whitley Head, a close of land lying at Steeton Bridge called Longholme, and he had land at Carleton.

David Davy44, of Whitley Head, bought, Nov., 1748, of four or five different people property at Steeton, consisting of seven closes of land (14 days’ work), and which a short time previous was the estate and inheritance of John Gregson, gentleman, of Manningham, from whom the vendors had inherited it. David Davy died a.d. 1762, aged 47, leaving his property in the parishes of Kildwick and Keighley to his son William; his property at Lothersdale to his daughter Mary; and property at Carleton and Giggleswick to his daughter Ann.

William, son of the aforesaid David Davy and Francis his wife, died a.d. 1802, leaving his property at Steeton to his son Dennis, and his property in the parishes of Keighley and Carleton to his son David Davy. Thomas Brigg, of Guard House, and John Spence, of Newbridge, Forest of Knaresborough, were his executors.

William Davy, another son of the aforesaid William, left his property at Whitley Head to his sisters Sarah Robinson and Elizabeth Slack at his death, 1818, as tenants in common.

Eventually the property was divided; the farm now belonging to Mr. J.W. Shackleton becoming his grandmother’s (Mrs. Robinson), and the farm now belonging to Mr W. Clough becoming the property of the Slacks.

The property of Dennis Davy at Steeton came to the Claphams by marriage, and has since been sold.

Above Whitley Head there is a gill which has been named Brighton, because formerly, on account of the excellence of the water that runs through it, baths were built there. There were two small plunge baths and a shower bath; a penny each was charged for the shower bath, and sixpence and fourpence were charged for the others, one being larger than the other. During the time that the baths were in operation, they were looked after by John and Betty Jackson, who lived at Whitley Head. They were in operation from about a.d. 1843 to 1849, and were much frequented; but when the railway was made the number of visitors to Brighton fell away so that it was not worth while keeping them in repair. The larger bath was about 10-ft. by 7ft. The buildings and baths have since been taken away; a well that was near was also taken away when the two reservoirs were made in 1878.

At Brighton there are quarries, the stone of which has been sent a long distance; they were worked by William Tillotson and Smith Jackson. The one worked by William Tillotson produced the better stone; delvers worked at it from about a.d. 1847 to 1881, during which time the following buildings were of this stone:- Gargrave Church; Baptist Chapel, Skipton; interior of the Catholic Church, Lancaster; Catholic Church, Convent, and Schools, Skipton; tracery windows, Bradford Exchange; Newfield Hall; Carleton Church; Kelbrook Church; Caton Church; Hoddlesden Church, near Over Darwen; part of Tarn House, Malham; Mr. Craven’s house at Hawkcliffe; The Shroggs, etc. A great quantity of stone was sent to Settle, Barrow, Morecambe, etc., good stone being scarcer in that direction than in the neighbourhood of Keighley and Bradford.

Of the antiquity of the Rishworth family we have evidence in the date over the door of one of the houses in Station Row:

T  R  E

1732

Thomas and Elizabeth Rishworth.

 These houses have come down by descent to their present owners. The Rishworth property extended more towards Eastburn, some of it was lately owned by Mr. John Rishworth, and some of it has been sold these last few years to the Teals.

The Rishworth property45 was bought a.d. 1704. Stephen Moorhouse, of Eastburn, son and heir of John Moorhouse, of Eastburn, who was in possession of the property, March, 1687, sold about 55 acres of land, two dwelling houses and two barns to William Rishworth, of Gilgrange, September, 1704. William Rishworth had property at Addingham moorside in addition to his property at Eastburn.

Thomas Rishworth, son of the preceding, gave certain land to his son Thomas, and gave to his youngest son William all his property in Eastburn and Steeton. The aforesaid Thomas lived at Thwaites, and died a.d. 1772.

William Rishworth46, of Eastburn, died a.d. 1811, and his sons William, John, Thomas, Midgley, and Samuel inherited different properties. Thomas Rishworth, who was the father of Wm. and John Rishworth, got the Eastburn property and the allotments enclosed from the moor (Outmoor or Clarke’s Allotment).

John47, father of the late Thomas Rishworth, of Steeton, tailor, inherited property at Steeton, part of which is still owned by his family. Mr. Thomas Rishworth, of Silsden Moor, and Messrs. Clapham, Henry, and Israel Rishworth, corn-millers, of Keighley, are the sons of Midgeley Rishworth.

The Stirks48 lived at the Hobhill; above the door is –

H   S

1720

Henry Stirk.

This stone was inserted in the new house when it was rebuilt in 1854. By the marriage of Mr. Thomas Pearson in 1788 with Ann, daughter of Henry Stirk, the Hobhill passed to the Pearsons. In 1822, Mr. Thomas Pearson was the owner of 45 acres in Steeton valued at £77 0s. 0d. He died July 19th, 1851, aged 83 years, and was interred at Kildwick. It was purchased in 1848 by the late Mr. John Clough who had married Jane, daughter of the aforesaid Thomas Pearson. Mr. John Clough came to Steeton from Ingrow House, near Keighley; he died at the Hobhill, January 25th, 1872, aged 80, and was buried in Keighley Churchyard. The Shroggs was built in 1874 by Mr. Thomas Clough.

There are a great many shops in Steeton now, but eighty years ago there were only two shops, one kept by Nanny Whitaker in the lower houses of those near the Primitive Methodist Chapel, and which was rebuilt in 1881. This house before it was a shop is said to have been an old toll-bar when the road over the Old Bank was the main road. The other shop was where the malt-kiln now is, and has also been pulled down; this was Sarah Longbottom’s, an ancestor of the Longbottoms now living in Steeton.

The two cottage called "The Castle" were built by Barnard Green about 1817. Barnard Green was the landlord of the Goat’s Head, and the houses got called "Barney’s Castle," and since have been known by the name of "The Castle."

Hawkcliffe House was built about 1840 by James Brooks, copper moulder, of Keighley; it was afterwards the property of the Barlows, and then purchased by the late Mr. William Mitchell in 1867.

The toll-bar ceased to be a toll-bar in 1878. In 1861, the man who lived at the toll-bar, named Holdsworth, shot his wife from the bedroom window. His wife and her brother were walking together on the footpath about thirty yards on the Steeton side of the house, when the shot was fired which killed his wife. It was not certainly known whether he was aiming at her or her brother. He was found hiding on the moor; when he was tried he was brought in insane and imprisoned for life.

The house at Hawkcliffe where Miss Barlow and Miss Craven live was built in 1865, and is the property of Mr. Joseph Craven, of Park House.

Hawkcliffe Wood49, the beautiful scenery of which is known far and near, was purchased by Mr. William Waite, of Leeds, in 1819. It was bought of him by Messrs. Dixon, Oct. 8th, 1852, and sold in 1875 to Mr. H.I. Butterfield, whose property it now is. The rugged scenery in the wood is concluded to have been caused by a landslip. There is a cave in it that is said to lead to Bolton Abbey. On the top of the rock there is a footprint and the initials of one of the Waites who is said to have leaped over the chasm.

Hawkcliffe Cottage was erected by the Waites, living at a distance (they now live at Crake Castle, near Easingwold); the cottage was built for them to live at when they visited the wood.

The foundation stone of the Church was laid by the Rev. Herbert Todd, M.A., vicar of Kildwick, February 28th, 1880, the Rev. W. Mitchell, M.A., at present vicar of St Luke’s, Bradford, being the curate at Steeton at the time. The vicar died before the consecration of the church. It was consecrated by Dr. Bickersteth, Bishop of Ripon, April 27th, 1881. The cost of the church, including the ground on which it stood, was about £3700. It will seat about 270 people in addition to 30 children, and the seats are free and unappropriated. Messrs. T.H. & F. Healey, of Bradford, were the architects, and it was constructed by the following: masonry, Mr. J. Rhodes, Shipley; joiner’s work, Mr. A. Wade, Silsden; plumber’s work, Mr T. Lambert, Haworth; plasterer’s work, Mr. T. Riley, Sutton Mill; slater’s work, Messrs. T. Thornton & Son; painter’s work, Mr. J. Hindle, Steeton. The stone of which it is built was mostly got at Strike’s Delf above Sutton. The east window is the work of Messrs. Powell Bros., Leeds; it is in memory of the late Rev. Herbert Todd, and its cost was £280, toward which Mr. W. Clough contributed £75. The organ was presented to the church by Miss Barlow and Miss Craven, of Hawkcliffe. It was built by Mr. J.J. Binns, of Bramley, at a cost of nearly £400, and it was opened November 17th, 1882. In January, February, and March, 1884, the church was painted and decorated under the direction of the architects by Mr. Jonathan Hindle, of Steeton. It was re-opened March 15th, 1884. The church was appropriately dedicated to St. Stephen, Stephen being the name of the first Saxon possessor of Steeton, from whom the village first got its name.

In December, 1881, the township of Steeton-with-Eastburn was made a separate parish for all ecclesiastical purposes, and the Rev. C.I.W. Boynton, M.A., who was acting as curate, became the first vicar on the presentation of the Rev. F.W. Greenstreet, M.A., vicar of Kildwick.

From October, 1869, to 1881, the services of the Church of England were held in a wooden building situate on Keighley Road near Carter Royd House. The structure has been removed to near the new church, and is now used as a schoolroom.

Formerly there were more houses about where the church now is situate, which have been pulled down at different periods; then "Little London" was more the centre of the village.

The Wesleyan Chapel was built in 1826, and the schoolroom that adjoins it in 1872; previous to the chapel being built, a building that has since been a shop and is now two cottages, in Barrows Lane, was a chapel50.

The Primitive Methodist Chapel situate at the foot of the Old Bank was built in 1850.

The Provident Day School51 was begun February 9th, 1852, Mr. Joseph Wade, the present master, being the first teacher. It has no connection with any religious denomination. In 1872, to meet the requirements of the Education Department, it was enlarged, which nearly doubled its accommodation.

The corn-mill is probably the oldest mill in Steeton; the erection of both it and the mill that stood on the same site as that on which the bobbin-mill now is, is unknown. Mr. John Bairstow, grandfather of the present Messrs. Thos. and William Bairstow, was the tenant of the mill when he first came to Steeton; he came from Ovenden, near Halifax, and after having repaired the mill, began running a pair of stones January 30th, 1798. He bought the mill at the sale in 1819. Mr. John Bairstow died July 15th, 1837, aged 66, and was buried at Kildwick.

The bobbin mill formerly was a worsted mill, and before that it was a cotton mill. For some time previous to a.d. 1797 it was run as a cotton mill by a firm of the name of Asquith and Thompson. According to a deed dated 1st May, 1797, William Davy, gentleman, of Steeton, bought one-third part of the machinery, utensils, etc., of Messrs. William Marriner and William Sugden, of Keighley, trustees of Thompson, who had become a bankrupt. On October 6th, 1802, John Bairstow, of Steeton, corn-miller, Thomas Pearson, Steeton, piece-maker, and Abraham England, of Broughton, corn-dealer, took all that cotton mill lately wrought by and in possession of Mr. William Davy, from Dennis Davy, yeoman, Steeton, on a lease for four years. Afterwards it was run as a worsted mill by the Pearsons; it was bought in 1844 by the Dixons, who came from Glusburn, since which time it has been a mill for making bobbins and other articles made from wood. It has been altered and enlarged at different times there being now nothing left of the old mill.

The firm of Messrs. John Dixon and Sons consisted of Mr. John Dixon who is now living and who was born Aug. 20th, 1795, Mr. William Dixon, and Mr Thos. O. Dixon who died December, 1874, aged 48, and was buried at Sutton Chapel. Croft House was built by Mr. T.O. Dixon a.d. 1864, in which house he afterwards lived, previous to that time he lived at Wood Street House which was built 1852-3.

Another Croft House, the residence of Mr. Wade, the schoolmaster, was built by Isaac Longbottom a.d. 1822, and those cottages to the west of the "Star" Inn were built by his elder brother, John Longbottom, about a.d. 1818. John Longbottom, their father came into this neighbourhood a.d. 1783, from South Owram near Halifax. He was the husband of Sarah Longbottom mentioned on page 25. He lived at Silsden a short time before Steeton, the canal then was being made.

The worsted mill was built by the Pearsons and began running in 1838. May 3rd, 1847, the mill and the Hobhill were purchased by the late Mr. John Clough. The mill that was built in 1838 has been added to, 1852 and 1866. When they were building the archway at the entrance a.d. 1852, a man named Samuel Mitchell, fell to the ground and died shortly afterwards.

The Cloughs have lived in the neighbourhood of Sutton for a long time. There have been a family of Cloughs in Keighley Parish for several hundred years, it is probable that the Sutton family were a branch of them. William Clough of Oakworth Hall, in the parish of Keighley, yeoman, sold May 22nd, 1713, to Robert Crabtree of Riddlesden, miller, Oakworth Hall and eight closes of land then in the occupation of the said Wm. Clough. Over a door at Oakworth Hall is:- W C 1702. There were Johannes de Cloghe, Nicholas del Clogh, and Elena de Cloghe, living at Keighley a.d. 1379. Then there were no Cloughs living at Sutton.

The first of the family of whom we have authentic record is John Clough, yeoman, of Sutton Brow. The farm where he lived and which he owned is now sometimes called Knowl Top, it is situate on Sutton Brow, on the opposite side of the road to Long House, just within the district of Ayden. It is now the property of Mr. John Brigg, of Kildwick Hall. Some years ago it was the property of the Laycocks of Keighley who inherited it from the Briggs. Immediately previous to a.d. 1630, the farm was in the occupation of one William Harper, and in that year of John Clough the younger.

The above John Clough was living a.d. 1630 and died a.d. 1647, leaving a son.

John Clough of Ayden married a.d. 1630, Ellen, daughter of William Pighills of the Lawnde in Stairs, parish of Haworth. He had issue, John, born 1633, yeoman of Ayden 1661, and living at Wrigglesworth a.d. 1668; William, born 1637, living at Woodside, Kildwick, 1674, and 1690, but afterwards of Carleton Biggin where he probably died 1699, leaving issue besides others Timothy of Carleton; Robert and Michael.

The aforesaid Robert Clough was born 1641 and died 1720. He married 1672, Elizabeth Netherwood who died 1726. He along with his brother William bought the Valley and Knowltop (now generally called Knowlcote), February 11th, 1674, of John Brigg of Oxenhope, parish of Haworth, and Grace Brigg, his mother, widow of John Brigg of Oxenhope. John Brigg was the son and the heir apparent of John Brigg of Oxenhope, who was son and heir of Richard Brigg of Valley. A Richard Brigg, pyper, of Valley, bought it from Alverley Copley, of Batley, Esq., 7th April 1627; he sold the valley farm to Richard Brigg of Oxenhope, 2nd June, 1634, for £38 10s. Richard Brigg of Sutton bought 13th April, 1640, for £28 10s. of Peter Barrett of Bent, and Stephen Barrett his younger brother, a messuage called Knoll Top, etc., (now called Knowl Cote), then in occupation of Stephen Barrett.

This Robert Clough along with his brother William were the owners of Sutton Brow Farm near Long House, Valley, and Knoll Top. These they divided September 25th, 1677, William obtaining Valley and Knowle Toppe and Robert the other farm. Robert left two sons William and Robert.

Robert born 1678, bought September 28th, 1704, for £60 from his cousin Timothy Clough of Bigin Carleton, Valley and Knowl Toppe. He married Susan ———— who survived him, she died 1741. He died a.d. 1740 and left Valley and Knowl Top (Knowl Cote) to his nephew Robert. Will dated 24th February, 1739.

William, elder brother of the preceding, was born a.d. 1676 and married a.d. 1703 Martha Lister. He lived at Cononley, and sold his Farm on Sutton Brow for £272 2s. to David Brigg of Calversyke Hill, and Judith Brigg of Laycock, widow, trustees of Thomas Brigg of Guard House, yeoman. He left several sons, William, John, Joshua and Robert. Robert born 1716, died March 29th, 1801, inherited Valley and Knowltop from his uncle. He married firstly Ann Cragg of Steeton, widow, 1739, and secondly about 1777, Alice ———— who died October 23rd, 1822, aged 75. The issue by his first wife were Robert, born at Steeton 1740, William, born at Sutton 1747 probably died young, Joshua, born 1749 and died December 3rd 1835 aged 86, and John; by his second wife he had a son William, of Knowl Top or Knowl Cote, who died May 11th, 1868, aged 85, he married Hannah Cryer and left William of Market Street, Keighley, and others who are now owners of Knowl Cote.

Robert Clough of Sutton, yeoman, and Ann his wife sold 27th February, 1741, to Thomas Garforth of Steeton, a cottage and garden at Steeton for £13 14s.; and two closes at Sutton called Jackey and Snegill containing 6 days’ work.

Robert born 1740 and died August 11th, 1821, had along with his brother Joshua, the Valley farm given them by their father, 1776. He sold his half share to Joshua 1822; he lived at Long House and left issue.

Joshua, of the Valley, married Margaret Stirk, who died March 5th, 1814, aged 53, and left two sons, John Clough of Crosshills, died March 8th, 1859, aged 71, and Robert, of the Valley, who died 19th September, 1854, aged 62. The present house at the Valley was built 1820-22. For a considerable time previous to that there had been only a laithe, the old house having disappeared. (In 1776 there was no house.)

The present Mr. John Edward Clough, of the Valley, is the only son of Robert Clough.

John Clough of the Bent, which he purchased December 22nd, 1798, the Rev. Stephen Barrett, M.A., Rector of Hothfield, Kent, being then the owner, married Jane Leach of Silsden Moor, who died April 5th, 1828, aged 75.

The family of Barrett were located at the Bent for a long time, there was a William Barrett who lived there 1599. Peter Barrett, of the Bent was buried at Kildwick 1653.

On a stone inserted in the wall at the Bent is:-

1658

W A B

William and Ann Barrett

The name of Barrett occurs often from the beginning of the parish registers. The last of the Barretts of the Bent was the Rev. Stephen Barrett. From the Gentleman’s Magazine December 1801, is extracted the following:-

"He was born at Bent, in the parish of Kildwick, and received his education at the Grammar School, Skipton, thence he went to University College, Oxford, where he took the degree of M.A., and received Holy Orders. In 1773 he was appointed to the rectory of Hothfield by the Earl of Thanet. He married a.d. 1749, Mary, the daughter of Edward Jacob, Esq., of Canterbury, and had an only daughter and heiress, Mary who married April 14th, 1789, Edward Jeremiah Curteis, Esq., of Windmill Hill and the Knells, Sussex, M.P. for the County of Sussex 1820-30. The grandmother of the Rev. Stephen Barrett was the sister of Doctor Sharp, Archbishop of York, and the surname of his mother was Clough. Early in life he was an intimate friend of Dr. Johnson and of Mr. Cave, the original editor of the Gentleman’s Magazine, to which he was a frequent contributor. Mr. Barrett was the author of a translation of the Pastorals of Pope into Latin Hexameters and of several smaller publications.

"Bent, his family residence, and the land adjacent was the property of the Barretts for more than 400 years, before the general adoption of surnames in England. (In 1379, there were Johannes Baret, Johannes Baret, jonior, and Willelmus de Bent living at Sutton.)

"His paternal grandfather was a zealous partisan of King Charles I, after whose death he was compelled to take refuge in Ireland, a price having been set on his head. After the restoration he returned to England but he was not able to recover back more than a small portion of the property which had been wrested from him during the troubles. The Rev. Stephen Barrett died, aged 83, at Church House, Northiam, Sussex, the residence of his son-in-law, and was buried at Hothfield, December 3rd, 1801. His daughter, Mrs Curteis, of Windmill Hill, died May 14th, 1841, aged 76, and was interred in the family vault of the Curteis family of Windmill Hill, in Warthing Church, Sussex. She left a numerous family, of which the eldest son Herbert Barrett Curteis, of Windmill Hill, was M.P. for Sussex 1830-31, East Sussex 1832-37, Rye 1841-47."

John Clough, of the Bent, was born 1752, and died January 18th, 1833, aged 80, leaving Robert, of Grove Mill, grandfather of the present Messrs. Robert, William, and John Clough, of Grove Mill, he married Ann Howett, and died January 8th, 1848, aged 66; William, of the Bent, who died March 9th, 1867, aged 83; John Clough, of Steeton; and Alice, who married John Speak, of Royd House, and who died August 31st, 1831.

John Clough, of Steeton, died a.d. 1872, leaving William Clough, of Whitley House; Thomas, of the Shroggs; John of the Hobhill; Robert, of Clifton, near Bristol; and Mrs. Simeon Townend, of Springfield, Great Horton.

A Poll Tax was laid in the second year of the reign of Richard II, a.d. 1379; from the returns we obtain a list of the inhabitants of the township at that time and the amount they paid. Then a quarter of wheat sold for 4s., a gallon of white wine for 6d., and a gallon of red wine for 4d.

The last fourteen names were the servants of the inhabitants of the place.

Steeton in the Wapentake of Staincliff.

Thomas Pearson, husbandman, and wife.................................................................................................................. 4d.

Thomas his son, and wife............................................................................................................................................ 4d.

Lawrence de Estburn and wife.................................................................................................................................... 4d.

Thomas del Weste and wife........................................................................................................................................ 4d.

William, the son of Robert, and wife.......................................................................................................................... 4d.

William de Stanes and wife.......................................................................................................................................... 4d.

Richard de Vtlay and wife............................................................................................................................................ 4d.

Thomas, the son of Hugo, and wife........................................................................................................................... 4d.

John de Estburn and wife............................................................................................................................................. 4d.

Richard del Cote and wife............................................................................................................................................ 4d.

John Maresschall and wife.......................................................................................................................................... 4d.

Agnes the wife of Richard de Kyghlay...................................................................................................................... 4d.

Johanna, the widow of John Sysson.......................................................................................................................... 4d.

John Harower and wife................................................................................................................................................. 4d.

Robert de Schyplay and wife....................................................................................................................................... 4d.

Thomas, the son of William, and wife........................................................................................................................ 4d.

William de Bradley and wife........................................................................................................................................ 4d.

Robert Walker and wife................................................................................................................................................ 4d.

Robert Pape and wife.................................................................................................................................................... 4d.

John Bretland and wife................................................................................................................................................. 4d.

John Syward and wife................................................................................................................................................... 4d.

Alice, the widow of Hugo Dauyson........................................................................................................................... 4d.

Matilda Dauydoghter................................................................................................................................................... 4d.

Richard Ryder, weaver, and wife................................................................................................................................. 6d.

John Hobson.................................................................................................................................................................. 4d.

John, the servant of Lawrence de Estburn................................................................................................................ 4d.

Matilda, the daughter of John Syward....................................................................................................................... 4d.

Agnes de Elom............................................................................................................................................................... 4d.

William Ryder................................................................................................................................................................. 4d.

Agnes, the sister of aforesaid William....................................................................................................................... 4d.

Alice de Morton............................................................................................................................................................ 4d.

Elena Baret...................................................................................................................................................................... 4d.

Agnes, daughter of John............................................................................................................................................. 4d.

Elizabeth Gylledoghter.................................................................................................................................................. 4d.

John, the son of Thome del West............................................................................................................................... 4d.

John Pape....................................................................................................................................................................... 4d.

Robert le Mayre............................................................................................................................................................. 4d.

The Total

12s. 10d.

All the lesser merchants and artificers who had the use of the land had to pay according to the amount of the estate, 6s. 8d., 3s. 4d., 2s., 1s., or 6d. Each married man who was not possessed of any estate, and is above the age of sixteen years had for himself and wife unless they were mendicants, to pay 4d. Each single man and woman 4d. The dukes of Lancaster and Brittany had to pay 10 marks, an earl £4, a baron £2, a knight and an esquire who on account of his estate ought to be a knight £1, and esquire of less estate 6s. 8d., and an esquire not having possession of lands, rents, castles, in service or in the army 3s. 4d., apprentices who follow the law £1, attorneys 6s. 8d., franklins (freeholders) according to their estate 6s. 8d., 3s. 4d., 1s., &c., notaries and attorneys 3s. 4d., &c.

At Steeton there was only one lesser artificer, a weaver who paid 6d., the rest were occupiers of land or servants. This poll-tax was the cause of the insurrection headed by Wat Tyler. In the eastern counties, its levy gathered crowds of peasants together, armed with clubs, rusty swords, and bows; the royal commissioners sent to repress the tumult were driven from the field, and a party of insurgents in Essex gave the signal for open revolt by crossing the Thames under Jack Straw and calling Kent to arms. To such a tax, the poorest man of his class contributed as a large a sum as the wealthiest, and the injustice of such an exaction set England on fire from sea to sea. A French war had been disastrous, one English fleet had been beaten by the Spaniards, and a second sunk by storm; and it was to defray the cost of these failures that Parliament had granted the tax.

The book containing the minutes of the township business commences a.d. 1777. Then John Lund was Overseer of the Poor and Constable for his farm in Steeton. The accounts were:-

                Dr.

£

s.

d.

To Cash paid by monthly payments

24

2

6

                "            Weekly        "

30

0

9

                "              Necessities

27

14

                "              House-rents

13

13

10

                "              Constable

15

16

                "              Churchwarden's bill for church

3

0

0

                "              Surveyor's bill

0

7

0

 

£114

15

                Cr.

£

s.

d.

By 20 Assessments at £5 7s. 0˝d.

107

0

10

  "  Surplus of Land Tax

1

2

  "  the Sale of Mercy Smith's Goods

2

4

11˝

  "  Cash received of John Roper

1

18

0

 

112

5

10Ľ

  "  Cash received of John Teal

2

9

 

£114

15

Balance due to John Lund £2 9s. 3˝d.; £1 17s. 5d. which John Lund paid to John Asquith, his predecessor, and which ought to have been a separate charge, is included in the necessities. Examined and allowed, August 4th, 1778, (errors excepted) by - William Davy, John Asquith, junior, on behalf of Mrs. Hudson, William Rishworth, Thomas Harrison, John Roper, William Lee, John Teal. Also paid Thomas Harrison 5s. 3d., what he hath paid to the church as a farmer of the corn-tithes in Steeton with which the tithe is not chargeable.

A List of the farms for which the office of Overseer, etc., was served from the year 1716 to 1811, is in the same book, being copied from an older book:—

1708                John Asquith's farm by Michael Pighills

1749                                  "                      John Asquith

1810                                  "                      Joseph Wilkins, of "Old Star" Inn

1743                John Asquith junior's farm by John Redman for David Wilkinson

1776                John Asquith junior's farm by John Asquith, junior

1781-1787       John Asquith hired by the town

1792-1807                     "                        "

1726                Thomas Barker for his own farm

1755                              "            by John Roper

1735                Peter Bawdwen for his own farm

1767                              "              by Samuel Smith for John Dale

1741                Bankbottom farm by John Hudson

1774                              "                      James Craven

1780                Bank farm by Thomas Wood

1720                John Denton's farm for which the office was served by himself

1728                Eden Street house and farm by William Phillips

1758                              "                      "                Len. Smith

1756                Vicar of Featherstone's farm by John Craven

1729                Mr. Garforth's house, &c., near the mill

1759                              "                                by Martin Pickles

1721                William Holmes for his own Farm

1739                              "                      "

1760                              "              by Samuel Smith

1775                              "                    John Asquith, jun., for William Stead

1731                Elm Farm by Jonathan Fell

1761                        "              William Smith

1773                        "              William Greenwood

1732                Hawkcliffe farm by Jeremiah Hustler

1762                                "                  John Hodgson

1744                Hollings farm by John Hodgson

1789                              "                David Midgley

1724                Knott Farm by Thomas Parkinson

1745                          "                William Padgett

1766                          "                William Pickles

1725                Joseph Leach for his own farm

1752                            "            by John Bolton

1740                John Lund's farm by Richard Holmes for Arthur Hustler

1777                                "                    John Lund

1742                Red Lion farm by John Redman

1763                              "                John Hodgson for William Stead

1788                              "                Elias Pollard

1791                Law Close farm by William Smith

1738                Metcalfe's farm near the mill by Thomas Wade

1771                              "                    "                    Abraham Sugden

1768                Meadow Field farm by Samuel Smith for Jas. King

1733                Thos. Parkinson for his own farm at Eastburn

1754                              "                      John Wilson

1778                              "                      John Teal

1746-7             William Padgett hired by the town

1723                Redcar farm by William Davy

1764                            "                John Asquith, senior

1727                Rishworth's farm at Eastburn by Henry Smith

1748                              "                        "                John Smith

1769                              "                        "                John Roper for John Smith

1808                              "                        "                William Rishworth

1809                              "                        "                done voluntarily by Wm. Rishworth

1719                Sowden's farm by John Walsh

1779                              "                James Yates

1736                Robert Smith for his farm at Eastburn

1757                              "          by Samuel Smith

1730                Benjamin Smith for his farm at Eastburn

1751                              "              by Samuel Smith

1772                              "                                "

1763                Henry Stirk's farm by John Harrison

1716                Whitley Head farm by William Davy

1734                              "                              "

1765                              "                        John Asquith, junior

1717                John Walker's farm by Henry Smith

1737                              "                          John Walker

1770                              "                          John Roper for John Walker

1722                Stephen Wade's farm by Henry Smith

1750                              "                            Thomas Wade

1811                              "                            George Holmes

The River Aire had its course altered in some places and banked in the years 1862-3-4, in order to lessen the flooding of the low lands.

An Act of Parliament was obtained for that purpose called the Airedale Drainage Act, 1861, the Royal Assent being given on the 22nd of July of that year. Its operations comprised parts of the river in the parishes or townships of Bingley, Keighley, Kildwick, Carleton, Skipton, Broughton, Thornton-in-Craven, Morton, Thwaites, Sutton, Glusburn, Stirton, Thorlby, &c. About £14,000 was spent on different contracts, and £3923 3s. 7d. in getting the Act of Parliament, and a considerable sum in buying land, compensation, &c.

The commissioners had not to have more than £25,000 borrowed at the same time on the security of the rates. The money borrowed, principal and interest, has to be paid off on 22nd of July, 1891, thirty years after the passing of the Act.

The commissioners had to rate all the lands within the limit of the Act as shall be just and reasonable, according and in proportion to the benefit to accrue to the same lands respectively by reason of the execution of the Act. It is considered that the lands about Kildwick Bridge were very much benefited; during the winter months those lands were almost continually flooded, and in frosty weather were a great resort for skaters.

And now the end of the first part of this short history has been reached. A considerable part of the contents of this work is obtained from the writings of the late Mr. Jonathan Hindle which have been kindly lent to me; a part of it is told in his own words. Mr. Hindle was born in 1786, and died January 4th, 1866, and it is to his zeal in antiquarian research that many of these facts are not lost to posterity.

There is nothing very sensational in the history of Steeton; there are no records of any great battle being won or lost here; no feudal lord ever built a castle here. The history of Steeton is simply a plain dry record of property going out of one family into another, of houses being built, of new roads being made, — events which are taking place in every township at the present time; and it is a plain enumeration of these events that it is hoped will be found in this narrative.

 

Part Second.

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Considerable information having been obtained since the first part was written, which substantiates and corrects many different items that it contains, it is thought better to make the second part a sort of criticism on the preceding, in order that this little work may be more complete.

1Page 2, line 35. — The following is taken from Parliamentary Writs. Vol. I, in British Museum:– "In 1314, John de Styveton, Robert de Styveton, and Thomas de Styveton, were summoned to muster at Newcastle-on-Tyne to perform military service against the Scots." (Probably in the campaign which ended so disastrously at Bannockburn). "In 1316 John de Styveton was certified as lord of the township of Steeton in Yorkshire, and Robert de Styveton as lord of the township of Marr in the same county." (They evidently survived Bannockburn.) "In 1318, John de Styveton was a commissioner of array for the Wapentake of Staincliffe, and in 1319 Robert de Styveton held the same office."

In Hunter’s Rotuli Selecti, p. 250, British Museum, is an account of the lands of the rebels given to those who were faithful in the time of Henry III. "All the lands of Thomas of Metteham in the county of York, and all the lands and tenements in Stokin and Lanin which belonged to Nicholas Eyvill, Thomas of Drayton, and Henry de Briton, in value £11, were given to Robert de Styveton."

39 Henry III. Inquest on the lands of Ric. De Styveton.

2 Page 2, line 41. — According to a book published by the Surtees Society, the arms of Sir William Plumpton, a knight of the province of York, who was with Edward I in Scotland and elsewhere, was:- azure three fusils in fesse or, each charged with an escallop gules.

3 Page 3, line 4. — Sir Robert Plumpton, of Plumpton co. Ebor, Kt., married the daughter of Sir Godfrey Foljambe, of Hassop, co. Derby; he died on the Feast of Conception of our Lady 8th December, 9 Henry V (1421) and was buried in the Plumpton Choir, in Spofforth Church; she was born 1387, married 1392-3, and died previous to 1416.

4 Page 3, line 7. — How the manor of Steeton first came into the hands of the Plumptons is not made out, but that family were the owners of Steeton a.d. 1416. On the 20th January, 1416, Sir Robert Plumpton, Knight, of Plumpton, near Knaresborough, in a contract of marriage between his son William and Elizabeth, the daughter of Sir Bryan Stapilton engages to convey the manor of Steeton to trustees to secure to them a rent charge of 40 marks a year in case they were legally ousted of an estate in Kynalton also settled on them. On the 24th September, 1420, the same Sir Robert enfeoffed his mother and other trustees, amongst other estates, with the manors of Plumpton, Idill, Steton-in-Aierdale, Nesfield near Addingham, and Grassington in Craven.

5 Page 3, line 8. — Robert Plumpton was married a.d. 1446, to Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas, Lord Clifford, of Skipton Castle, when he was only sixteen years of age and his bride six, as was the custom in those days. Hardly had three years passed however when he died; three years later a.d. 1453, his bride at the age of twelve was again married to his brother William.

6 Page 3, line 10. — Margaret was born 1459, and Elizabeth 1460-1.

7 Page 3, line 30. — The second marriage of Sir William Plumpton was a private one, after hearing evidence the ecclesiastical court at York sanctioned it. The name of the second wife was Catherine, daughter of Thomas Everingham according to manuscripts in the British Museum, and her name is also otherwise given as Joan, daughter of Thomas Winteringham, of Winteringham Hall, near Knaresborough, and that she was married a.d. 1451, and died a.d. 1497.

8 Page 3, line 34. — Also in a.d. 1475, Sir William caused feoffments to be made of all his property to trustees, amongst which were the manors of Grassington and Steeton in Yorkshire, and Kynalton in Nottinghamshire, to be held to the use of Sir William Plumpton and his wife for their lives, with remainder to his son Robert in tail. Proceedings were soon taken by his daughters and their husbands to assert their title to some of their grandfather’s estate, and in 1480 the contending parties became bound to abide by the award of arbitrators. Before the award was given Sir William Plumpton died and his son Robert succeeded to the property.

9 Page 4, line 43. — The award of Richard III 16th September, 1483, was that the two daughters should have a sufficient and lawful estate in tail in the manors of Steton and Garsington in Yorkshire, and in various manors in Derbyshire, and that the Plumpton’s should have the residue of Sir William Plumpton’s estates. In spite of this award, Sir Richard Empson, the well-known tool of Henry VII brought an action against Sir Robert Plumpton in the interests of the two daughters for the residue of the estate, and succeeded in getting a verdict in their favour. His intervention could hardly have had no interested motive since he about the same time married his daughter Joan to Henry Sotehill, and moreover had one of the manors obtained from the Plumptons granted to himself.

10 Page 5, line 14. — Sir Robert had been almost ruined by the law expenses, and had only escaped personal arrest by being made a Knight of the Body by Henry VII. This immunity ceased on the succession of his son Henry VIII and soon after he was so reduced by the costs of the suit that he was arrested for debt. His enemy, Sir Richard Empson, met with a worse fate, for he was beheaded on Tower Hill in answer to the clamour of his numerous victims. These circumstances probably opened a way to a compromise, for in 1514 all parties agreed to abide the decision of arbitrators, this was given in the same year, and by it, Sir Robert was restored to the manor of Plumpton, and all lands and messuages within the parish of Spofforth, whilst Sir John Roucliff and his wife, and the Sotehills were confirmed in the residue of the estates in dispute.

11 Page 5, line 18. — Sir Robert in 1482 served with the Earl of Northumberland in the Scottish wars, and was knighted by Richard, Duke of Gloucester, in Hooton Field near Berwick. He attended the coronation of Elizabeth, queen of Henry VII in 1487. In 1489, he was actively engaged in suppressing the insurrection of the commons which began with the massacre of Earl of Northumberland at Topcliffe, and was finally subdued at the battle of Ackworth. For his services he received a letter of thanks from Henry VII. The law suits came with disastrous weight upon Sir Robert, the warrior knight who had received the thanks of the king afterwards became for a time a prisoner in jail for debt.

He died 1523, and was buried at Spofforth. The following were the owners of Plumpton in succession:— William, died 11th July, 1547, aged 62; Robert, born 1515, died aged 31 in 1546 during his father’s lifetime; William, who succeeded to the estates of his grandfather, and who married firstly, Mary, daughter of Sir William Vavasour of Haslewood, and secondly, Anne, daughter of Edward Griffin of Dingley by whom he had Edward who succeeded him and a large family besides. William Plumpton who was born 1543, died January 1601-2, and was buried in Spofforth church, had by his first wife a son Robert who died unmarried before his father. In 1567, a marriage was contracted between Ellen, the daughter of Sir Ingram Clifford and Robert, son and heir of William Plumpton of Plumpton, both being infants; and it was agreed that Sir Ingram Clifford and his wife Anne (who were the owners of half the manor and township of Steeton) should settle certain lands, amongst which were Steeton, Idle, Nesfield, Studley, Eastburn and Glusburn, to trustees to hold to them for life with remainder to the married couple and their issue. It would have been strange coincidence if the family who struggled hard to deprive the Plumptons of all their estates some half century before, should have restored the same estates to the same family by marriage. Fate willed otherwise, both infants died, and the estates were finally bequeathed by Sir Ingram Clifford as the heir of his wife to his nephew the Earl of Northumberland. The Plumptons remained attached to the Roman Catholic Faith after the Reformation.

The family of Plumpton continued at Plumpton (which is about four miles from Harrogate) for some two centuries longer, Robert who was the last heir male of the line of Plumpton, was born April 23rd, 1721, and died August 8th, 1749. After the death of the last heir, the Plumpton estate, then reckoned worth £700 a year, was sold by Mrs. Anne Plumpton and her co-parceners, to Daniel Lascelles, Esq., for £28,000. Since that time it has continued in the family of Lascelles, and is now the property of the Earl of Harewood. Of the dwelling of the Plumptons little is known, not a vestige remains; not one stone remains upon another of the embattled mansion erected by Sir William Plumpton during the reign of Edward IV. Leland, the Antiquary, who saw it when complete, styles it "a faire house, with two toures, longging to the same." When the estate was purchased by Daniel Lascelles in 1760, he pulled down the old mansion with the intention of building a new one, which he actually commenced and carried up several stories, but purchasing Goldsborough estate he took up his residence there, and the unfinished building at Plumpton was taken down to the ground. From about the year a.d. 1168, when Nigellus de Pluntona was the owner, until a.d. 1760, the estate of Plumpton was held possession of by his descendants. Plumpton is now remarkable for its beautiful pleasure grounds. They were laid out by Daniel Lascelles, Esq., who, by taking advantage of a small stream of water, and a piece of rocky rugged ground, made the grounds almost unique for their beauty and variety. The grounds comprise about twenty-three acres. The huge grey rocks are diversified with shrubs, flowers, and evergreens; and at the foot of the rocks is a lake covering about seven acres, which adds greatly to the beauty of the scenery.

12 Page 5, line 27. — Anthony Garforth was the principal farmer at Steeton a.d. 1562; he then took half of his land on lease of 80 years from Sir Ingram Clifford, Kt., and Dame Ann his wife, and the other half for a term of 21 years from Anthony Thorold, Esq., and Ann his wife, and William Bevercoates, gentleman, and Cecilia his wife. The holding of Anthony Garforth consisted of:— Manor House commonly called Steeton Hall, two barns, one kilne, one house wherein Dyonisius Garforth his brother dwelleth and two gardens, one orchard and two crofts adjoining containing 8˝ acres, one close of meadow called New Ings 15 acres, one close of arable and meadow called Broadholmes 26 acres, Tranker 4Ľ acres, three closes called Royds 4ľ acres, Helm-royd 4Ľ acres, Madok field 6 acres, Long Ridding 1 acre, two closes of pasture called the Flatts 22 acres, Frank Syke and Flat-end 1 acre, Bristal 6 acres, two Braceletts 8 acres, Wheatholme 3˝ acres, Flitholme 3ľ acres, Thornflatt 2Ľ acres, one close of very barren pasture and woody ground full of rocks and stones called Hawkcliffe 30 acres, Sutteronings Ings 1 acre, three Wheat Lees barren and craggy ground 24 acres, Law close and two Hopkin crofts barren ground 23Ľ acres, one close near the hall called Calf close 1 acre, and land and meadow lying in divers places in common town fields 11 acres, and 2 kyne-gates in a common pasture called Barrows estimated at 2 acres, with sufficient common belonging to the same. (The unenclosed land consisted a.d. 1797, of 960 acres). The rent was £12 and had to be paid in equal proportions at the Feast of St. John the Baptist and St. Andrew the Apostle, and the whole contained 208˝ acres.

The said Anthony Garforth also held one water corn mill, standing in Steeton on the brook there called Steeton Beck, and all watercourses, dams, etc., belonging to the same at a yearly rent of 24s.; he also held a cottage adjoining Wheat Lees and a little garth adjoining, rent 4d.; and an improvement adjoining upon Hawkcliffe containing 2 acres, and rent 2s. Total rent for demayne lands, £13 6s. 4d.

John Garforth held at the same time, one messuage, one barn, &c., two gardens, a little croft adjoining divided into two parts, and four oxgangs of land meadow and pasture belonging to the same, viz:— two closes of arable land called Hall-steads 4˝ acres, Kelk 6 acres, Blind Pool 2Ľ acres, Laverack-holme 1ľ acres, Scaleholme 4 acres, Maw-ridding 4Ľ acres, Pott 1˝ acres, Wythes 1Ľ acres, Townend close 1ľ acres, and one way of sufferance adjoining the same 1 rood, one close of very barren pasture, woody and craggy ground called Law close 30 acres, Ridding 4 acres, two Pudding-sykes 2˝ acres, Bowdens 1 acre, 7 acres on the common fields of arable land, 1 acre on a common field of meadow land; one house, barn, &c., wherein on John Hobson then dwelt, and one garth adjoining, 1 rood, with other buildings, parcels of land that usually go with the same, viz:— Barstow-heads 1Ľ acres, Laverack-holme, 3Ľ acres in common meadows, 2˝ kyne-gates in Barrows a pasture estimated at 3 acres, right of common, &c. This holding consists of about 80ľ acres, at a rental of £2 12s. 4d.

Richard Hustler held at the same time one messuage, one barn, &c., one yard, one orchard, a croft adjoining 3 roods, two closes called Carr-royds 1ľ acres, Bowdens 2 roods, Stonegroves, Fulesyke a meadow 2 roods, 5Ľ acres in common field pasture, 1 kyne-gate in Barrows a pasture 1Ľ acres, with common rights of pasture, &c. About 10 acres, at a rent of 9s. 9d.

William Davy held:— one messuage, one barn, &c., with one garth and a croft adjoining, containing 3 roods, Heads arable 1 acre, at Pudding-syke ˝ rood, Bowdens a pasture with a parcel of land being at the end thereof in the way ˝ rood, 3˝ acres in town fields arable, 1˝ acres meadow, and one beast-gate on the Barrows 1Ľ acres, common of pasture, &c. The whole containing more than 4Ľ acres, at a rent of 8s. 4d.

William Garforth held at the will of the lord:— one messuage, one barn, late in the tenure of John Mason whose daughter the said William Garforth had married, three garths, one little croft ˝ rood, Summerhill a meadow 1Ľ acres, Stonebrigg arable ˝ rood, Tranker 2Ľ acres, Pighills arable 1Ľ acres, Pott arable 2 roods, 1Ľ acres of arable land and ˝ rood of meadow land in the common fields, common of pasture, &c. About 6f acres, at a rent of 9s. 4d.

William Whitaker held:— one messuage, one barn and other buildings, one house which is supposed to have been the court house in times past, one garth and a croft adjoining 1 acre, and two oxgangs of land, meadow and pasture belonging to the same, contained in the several parcels following:— New close arable 2Ľ acres, the Croft 1˝ acres, Thorn-flat 3Ľ roods, Gillgarth adjoining 1 acre, Grimthwaite containing (besides land belonging to William, Judith and Richard Hustler aforesaid,) 1 acre, 5 acres of arable land in the common town field, 2˝ acres of meadow in the same, two kyne-gates in pasture called Barrows 2 acres, (the Barrows in all contained 9˝ Kyne-gates, 2 Stirk-gates, 5 Beast-gates, and its size was 21Ľ acres,) common rights, &c. About 17Ľ acres, at a rent of 17s. 9d.

Anthony Fox and Elizabeth Hartley, widow, held:— one messuage, two barns, &c., one garden, and a third part of two oxgangs of land meadow and pasture, viz:— Bent close arable and Far Bent close divided into several parts containing 6Ľ acres, Wythesend meadow 1 acre, one parcel of arable land in town field called Drakessyke 3 acres, and one parcel of meadow in Yowmyers and West Ings 3 roods, common of pasture, &c. About 11 acres, at a rent of 5s.

There is an account of all the holdings of the tenant a.d. 1583, but it is unnecessary to print the whole, the most interesting have been selected. On page 8 is a list of all of them and the amount of rent that they paid.

13 Page 5, line 36. — Sir Ingram Clifford who married a.d. 1567, Anne, daughter and heiress of Sir John Rocliffe, died a.d. 1584.

14 Page 5, line 39, and page 6 lines 14 and 16. — From about a.d. 1500 to a.d. 1600, Steeton belonged to several owners, every field and every house belonged to different people in certain proportions; thus a.d. 1562 each farmer paid half their rent to Sir Ingram Clifford, a quarter to Anthony Thorold, and a quarter to William Bevercoates. This being the case, at the commencement of the seventeenth century when several of the tenants purchased their holdings, and when the heirs-general of the Plumptons sold their different proportions, the ownership of property must have been complicated for some considerable time.

On the 19th June, 1600, William Oglethrope and Elizabeth his wife, of Roundhay, sold to William Garforth (the name was written Gartheforthe then,) one-fourth part of manor or lordship of Steeton-with-Eastburn for £460 10s.

William Oglethrope of Roundhay, evidently sold his Steeton interest at different times; in addition to selling to William Garforth a.d. 1600, and to Richard Whitaker, a.d. 1599, he sold property to William Laycock of Silsden. William Laycock also made a purchase of John Hargreaves, and a close Thornholm from Dionis Davy.

William Laycock, yeoman, of Silsden, being lawfully seized of three parts of certain property at Steeton by an indenture dated 5th October, 1612, gives it to trustees, Hugh Currer of Kildwick, and William Jowett of Silsden, schoolond, in trust, subject to certain charges, for his nephew, William Jennings of Silsden, with remainder to others of the family of Jennings.

On the 6th October, 1604, George, Earl of Cumberland, Francis Clifford, Esq., and Sir Wm. Ingilby, Knt., sold to William Garforth a half part of capital messuage or tenement called Steeton Hall, and a half part of the demesne lands, then in the occupation of William Garforth, and a half part of the water cornmill. (This purchase would probably be a half-part of about 212 acres; the site of the hall would be either the same or near where the present house is situated.)

William Slater of Halifax, gentleman, and John Midgley, of Headley, in Bradford Dale, yeoman, bought half of the manor of Steeton and Glusburn, and a part of certain lands, of Right Hon. George late Earl of Cumberland, Francis, the now Earl of Cumberland, (1607) and Sir Wm. Ingilby, of Ripley, 5th October, 1604. John Midgley sold his share to Wm. Slater soon afterwards, and William Slater sold unto different people his half part of several messuages, lands, etc. William Garforth bought 21st, Dec., 1607, from William Slater, half of the manor of Steeton and Glusburn, and the half part of the property still belonging to William Slater. On the 25th April, 1612, Sir Gervase Clifton sold to William Garforth, Hugh Currer of Kildwick, John Holmes of Steeton, and Richard Hudson, of Glusburn, his fourth part of certain property at Steeton. At this time, a.d. 1612, the Currers would make their first purchase of property, at Steeton.

Sir Gervase Clifton, baronet and knight, of Clifton, co. Nottingham, sold to Edward Malham of Over Bradley, John Midgley of Headley in Bradford Dale, and Peter Jennings of Silsden, gentleman, one-fourth part of manor of Steeton with Eastburn, and one-fourth part of all messuages, crofts, &c., in any wise belonging to the manor, which were heretofore the inheritance of lady Anne Thorold, widow of Sir Anthony Thorold of Marston, and now the inheritance of Sir Gervase Clifton, situate at Steeton, Eastburn, Glusburn, Silsden, Kildwick, &c., 11th June, 1612.

An indenture dated 6th November, 1612, states that Edward Malham, John Midgley, and Peter Jennings purchased the preceding on trust at the request of William Garforth and others, tenants in Steeton, Eastburn, and Glusburn, to convey to said tenants such parts as they did agree to purchase, and for which everyone of them paid their rateable part. William Garforth got the manor-house, water corn-mill, &c., then in his occupation.

15 Page 7, line 39. — Royd House is now the property of Major Whalley of Lancaster. In the year 1778 it belonged to Miss Foulds; for a considerable time it was the property of the Coates, and before them of the Maymonds. Over the front entrance to the lane is:— WM  AM; over a door in the farm building is:— RC  1878  MC; and  is on the casing spouts.

Roger Coates of Royd House died a.d. 1725, leaving two daughters, Sarah and Mary. He was owner of Royd House and had property at Knowthorp in the parish of Leeds, at Barston Biggin in the parish of Sherburn, at Kildwick Grange which he left to his father for life and was in the father’s possession; at Addingham, Eastburn, Sutton, Gisburn, at Windhill, in Netherdale near Greenhow Hill, and Long Preston, which were purchased by him. He married Sarah Beaumont. His brother, John Coates, a foreign merchant in London, died 1721, and left his property which he inherited from his uncle John Coates of Kildwick, to his brother Roger Coates of Royd House. Roger Coates of Kildwick Grange, their father, died 1728, leaving two daughters, Rosamond Swire, widow of Roger Swire of Cononley, and Elizabeth who had married Christopher Hartley of Marton, and two grand-daughters, daughters of his son Roger Coates of Royd House. The family of Speak who live there now have occupied Royd House since the time of Edmund Garforth, who died a.d. 1771.

16 Page 10, line 4. — Anthony had a second son Edmund, who gave a receipt for a legacy of £200 from his father to his brother William, 32 Elizabeth, (1589.)

17 Page 10, line 17. — The Garforths were continually buying and selling different properties in Steeton; from a.d. 1786 to a.d. 1810 their estate in the township would be twice as large as it had generally been before that time.

18 Page 10, line 18. — The Act of Parliament for allotting, dividing, and enclosing the several moors, commons, and waste grounds within the manor or manors and township or townships of Steeton with Eastburn, was obtained 27 Geo. III a.d. 1787. J.B. Garforth was Lord of the manor, and the said unenclosed grounds consisted of 966 acres.

The commissioners appointed were:— Joshua Hirst of Brockwell Green, co. Surrey, representing the lord of the manor, John Sharp, Gildersome, and John Asquith, Steeton, representing the other proprietors. One-twelfth part had to be given to the lord of the manor; not exceeding 20 acres had to be set aside for getting sand, gravel, and stones, to erect buildings on the said moors, for repairing the highway to Keighley and for making new public highways. The road over the moor had become the property of Joseph Edwards, gentleman. This road had to be taken possession of and such recompense to be given out of the said commons as was in the judgement of the commissioners its equivalent. The remainder had to be divided amongst all who were entitled to right of common, in proportion, quantity and quality considered, to the real value of their estates.

19 Page 11, line 1. — William Garthforth died a.d. 1627. Besides his eldest son, William, he had five others, Anthony, Dionis, Arthur, and Thomas and Matthew. His property was settled 16 James I, 1618, when it was settled upon the eldest son, charged with the payment of £500 to the younger children, to be paid in yearly payments of £100 after the decease of the father, in or at the porch annexed to the south side of Kildwick Church. Lawrence Rawson, of Shipley, and John Hartley were trustees under the settlement. The three eldest sons got £34 each in their father’s lifetime, which being taken into account, the five younger sons inherited about £114 each. This will is signed 27th October, 1624, and it stipulates that he is to be buried in the parish church of Kildwick.

Rosamund Garforth, widow, was manager of the estate a.d. 1631.

20 Page 11, line 4. — Edmund Garforth of Gargrave, clerk, bought of William Garforth, the elder, of Steeton, gentleman, and William Garforth, the grandson, 6th March, 1665, for £126:— Upper and lower Braclets, 12 acres. The same closes were bought of Christopher Hartley of Barrowford, 9th May, 1664, for £112.

21 Page 11, line 21. — William, son of Anthony and grandson of William Garforth, (all living 1668), married Isabel, daughter of John Rishworth of Gilgrange, Silsden, 1668. The marriage settlement is dated 18th August, 1668. William Garforth bought 30th September, 1669, Lower Tranker containing 5 acres, of James Lund of Steeton.

Richard Dixon of Sutton, gentleman, and Isabel his wife, eldest daughter of William Garforth of Steeton, received £600 (£400 in money and the equivalent of £200 in lease of some land) from Edmund Garforth, 1699, the manor, &c., of Steeton, being charged with the payment of it by indenture of William Garforth the elder, August 10th, 1668.

The Dixons were a family who lived at Sutton House until about 60 years ago. About 1825 Robert Clough of Ingrow bought it, but sold it soon after to the Heatons from whom it has come to the Sutcliffes.

22 Page 11, line 22. — Edmund Garforth bought May 31st, 1709, of John Smith of Hill-end, for £4 7s., a piece of land called Lower Garth containing 11 roods.

The boundary of the township was frequently perambulated at that time. The boundary of the manor was ridden 6th May, 1718, by Isaac Grandorge, steward, Hugh Currer, William Parkinson, Henry Currer, John Ponton, and Michael Pighles. Then Mrs. Elizabeth Garforth, widow of Edmund Garforth, was the guardian of her son Edmund Garforth, the lord of the manor. The boundaries of manors of Steeton and Glusburn belonging to Thomas Garforth were ridden 3rd June, 1728. The name of this Thomas Garforth occurs in the will of John Drake of Keighley, dated 27th March, 1713, by which he received £20. Mr. Drake died May 23rd, 1713, leaving property for the maintenance of a schoolmaster at Keighley.

23 Page 11, line 24. — On December 20th, 1721, Edmund, who was born 1700, and died 1722, being 21 years of age, gives his estate to trustees, (John Topham of Kildwick, clerk, John Swainson of Skipton, John Grandorge of Hothfield, Kent, Doctor in Divinity, his mother’s brother, and Thomas Grandorge of the city of London,) to give £40 a year to his mother, Elizabeth Garforth, for life, and £400 each to his brother and two sisters, Thomas, Elizabeth, and Olivia. The property was situate at Steeton, Eastburn, Cowling-head, Glusburn, in the parish of Gargrave, one water corn-mill, and one-third of the tithes of the rectory of Gargrave.

Thomas succeeded his brother Edmund in the ownership of the property a.d. 1722, Elizabeth married Ralph Baynes, and Olivia married John Bradley of Carhead.

John Bradley, born a.d. 1708, was the son of John Bradley of Cononley and Carhead, by Mary his wife, daughter of John Green, merchant, of St. Saviour’s, Southwark, whom he married a.d. 1705. His father, John Bradley, was the son of Thomas Bradley, who married a.d. 1680, Mary, daughter of Edmund Laycock. Edmund Laycock married Mary, only daughter of Henry Pighills of Laverock Hall, Oakworth, by Mary his wife, daughter of George Clapham of Exley Head. Thomas Pighills of Royd House, parish of Keighley, purchased Laverock Hall a.d. 1585, of Thomas Lockwood of Linthwaite. Henry Pighills rebuilt Laverock Hall a.d. 1640, and left four sons and a daughter:— Henry; Thomas, of Longcroft and Bowshaw Well in Ickornshaw, who bought Carhead House, of Stephen, son of Stephen and Thomasine Laycock; Nathan, who outlived all his brothers and inherited their property; and Francis. Nathan Pighills bought a part of Carr Green from William Wainman, who by his marriage with his cousin, Mary, daughter of Edmund Laycock, had obtained a part of Colling Carr, and the manor of Cowling; died a.d. 1711, and left his estate to his great nephew, John Bradley. His son, John Bradley, married Olive, daughter of Edmund Garforth of Steeton Hall, but died 15th November 1751, without issue; and his daughter Elizabeth, sole heiress of her brother, married a.d. May 4th, 1740, Richard Wainman of Bolling, near Bradford, grandson of the aforementioned William Wainman, and son of William Wainman of Bolling, who married a.d. 1702, Hannah, daughter of William Rawson of Bolling Hall. The last mentioned William Wainman sold Old Carhead (formerly called Colling Carr) to Edmund Laycock of Horncastle, co. Lincoln. By the marriage of Richard Wainman with Elizabeth Bradley he became possessed of the Carhead estate, and his son, William Wainman, re-purchased the remainder in 1788, of Dr Edmund Laycock of the Close, Lincoln. Stephen Laycock purchased a.d. 1616, Carhead (formerly called Carr Green) of Alvary Copley; Hugh Laycock was the owner of Colling Carr (now called Old Carhead) in 1611, and Edmund Laycock bought the manor of Colling from Alvary Copley a.d. 1630.

The following were the Wainman family in succession:— Richard Wainman, died 21st February, 1790, aged 85; William Wainman, died April 5th, 1818, aged 78; Richard Bradley Wainman, died 1842, aged 59; William Bradley Wainman, died February 17th, 1872, aged 59.

Mrs. Olive Bradley, then a widow, lived at Steeton a.d. 1752, but died at York a.d. 1754, leaving all she had equally between her nephews, William Baynes and John Baynes Garforth.

24 Page 11, line 25. — In the first part at this place there is an error, the same mistake occurs in the pedigree of the Garforths in Whitaker’s History of Craven, the name is Edmund, not Edward, he died 1722, and it was his brother Thomas who died a.d. 1743, who willed the property to John Baynes.

Thomas Barber of Steeton, sold Thomas Garforth, 11th March 1731, for £60, two closes Upper and Lower Barrowes estimated at five days work.

Mr. Thomas Garforth who died a.d. 1743, by his will dated 4th July, 1738, left to his nephew William Baynes £300, and all his tenths of grain, corn, &c., and appurtenances whatsoever within the township of Ashton with Stodday, in co. Lancaster, being part of the parsonage or rectory of Lancaster; and he left his Steeton property and one-third part of his tithes of the rectory of Gargrave (the third part of the tithes was worth £24 a year, a.d. 1743; the Gargrave property was not large, being worth £2 12s. 6d. a year, and farmed by a Matthew Garforth,) on trust (see page 21) till his nephew, John Baynes, second son of his sister, Elizabeth Baynes, should become twenty-one, he and his male issue having to take the name of Garforth. If John Baynes did not take the name of Garforth, the property had to go to his elder brother, William Baynes, on the same conditions. If William Baynes did not take the name the property had to got to his right heirs for ever.

There was a branch of the family of Garforth which lived at Cowling for some time. Of this family there were Ann who died about 1768, William of Gamsgill, who was living at Steeton 28th May, 1762, and Edmund, who was living at Royd House a.d. 1769, and died a.d. 1771, aged 63. The names of their father and mother were Edmund and Maria. Edmund Garforth of Gamsgill, yeoman, their father, died 1721. William Garforth of Gamsgill, left his property to his brother and sister for life and then to John Baynes Garforth and John Baynes, son of William Baynes. This is how Surgill farm and Gamsgill farm (Warley Wise farm is at Cowling, but it was J.B. Garforth’s property a.d. 1750,) came into the possession of the Steeton family, (see page 17). (The godson of this William Garforth, Joshua Newby, clerk, was living a.d. 1762, but he was not vicar of Kildwick). Edmund Garforth of Royd House, left some property at Colne to Peter Garforth, miller, of Skipton, who is the ancestor of the Garforths of Coniston Cold, now represented by Mrs. Tottie.

Glusburn Moor which consisted of 700 acres in Glusburn township, was enclosed and divided a.d. 1778. At that time, William Bawdwen was the owner of Stonegappe, and Miss Foulds of Royd House. Thomas Whyman of Barton Lodge, co. Lancaster, George Jackson of Richmond, and John Asquith the younger, of Steeton, were appointed commissioners, to make the division. J.B. Garforth was the lord of the manor, for which he was given one-twelfth part of the common as compensation for his consent, right, and interest. He was still the owner of the minerals and metals, and had the right to go down for them anywhere except where there were buildings, yards, or gardens.

John Baynes Garforth purchased from Mrs. Ann Hudson, March 3rd, 1780, for £600 the following:— Horse pastures and Wire six days’ work, Great Grimes croft four days’ work, Little Grimes croft one days’ work, Boodence three days’ work, second Boodens one days’ work, messuage adjoining the same, &c., quarter day’s work, another Boodens two days’ work, in the occupation of John Asquith the younger; and two dwelling-houses. In all seventeen and a quarter days’ work.

He also purchased from his nephew, John Baynes of Skipton, 13th September, 1786, a dwelling-house at Steeton, in occupation of William Barker, for £10; and he obtained Kelk 3 acres, 2 roods, and Lairlands 1 acre, 1786, in exchange from William Rishworth.

At this time there was land in Steeton belonging to the vicarage of Featherstone, near Pontefract, upwards of 30 miles from Steeton, how it was got I have not made out, but 6th August, 1789, John Baynes Garforth gives 23 acres, 2 roods in the township of Ackton in the parish of Featherstone, to the vicarage of Featherstone in exchange for the lands at Steeton, measuring 13 acres. The lands at Steeton consisted of:— Parkes, Salter Ing or Low Ing, Trankers, Wise close, a small piece called Foulsike, and two cottages with the garths belonging, valued at about £21 per annum.

The Rev. Christopher Driffield, vicar of Featherstone, died before the completion of the exchange, and his successor, Rev. George De Smeth Kelly completed it. The property at Ackton was purchased 1st April, 1788, for £658 of John Perfect, Esq., of Pontefract. The vicarage of Featherstone is now valued at £271 per annum, and it is in the patronage of Christ Church, Oxford.

John Baynes Garforth of Steeton, bought of his son Thomas Garforth of Steeton Hall, for £226, May 15th, 1789:— dwelling-house, barn, outbuildings, &c., and mill, croft adjoining in occupation of ———— Longbottom; another dwelling-house with barn, &c., in occupation of Brian Dale; Tenter croft, bounded on the east by brook called Steeton Beck, on the west by highway leading northwards from turnpike road to the dwelling-house of John Baynes Garforth, and on the south by the turnpike road; and a dwelling-house, four parcels of land, gardens, &c., all situated towards the north-west end of Tenter croft.

To make a calculation, it is probable that the estate of John Baynes Garforth in the township of Steeton with Eastburn, consisted a.d. 1780, of 290 or 300 acres.

25 Page 11, line 37. — It is very probable that John Baynes Garforth did not live much at Steeton though he evidently had a residence here; where he spent most of his time was London. Previous to 1786 his residence at Steeton was the Low Hall, (John Asquith the younger lived at the Upper Hall, 1786,) in 1789 it was the Upper Hall, his son living then at the Hall; and Mrs. Garforth, his wife, lived at the Upper Hall, 7th January, 1801. He is described November 23rd, 1757, as being of the Middle Temple, London, from which we come to the conclusion that he was a barrister; a.d. 1762 he was living in London. In the year 1769 he was living in John Street, near Oxford Market, in the parish of Marylebone; in 1780, 1788, and 1801, he lived in Lower Brook Street, parish of St. George, Hanover Square. He is described May 30th, 1801, as late of Steeton, consequently he would most probably have just ceased having a residence at Steeton. J.B. Garforth died 15th October, 1808, then living in Bryanstone Street, Portman Square. His age would not be less than 79, perhaps more; he was the owner of the Garforth estate for 65 years. He left a son and a daughter, Thomas and Elizabeth Catherine; Thomas inherited his Steeton estate, (see page 21); the daughter inherited absolutely some tithes, lands, &c., within the hamlet of Hook, near Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey, and some leasehold property in the county of Middlesex. His daughter Olivia died before him. One of the trustees, William Wainman, did not act after a.d. 1813.

William Baynes, his elder brother, died between 1757 and 1762; in 1757 he was living at Skipton; he left one son, John Baynes, (see page 21). He married ———— Swainson.

26 Page 11, line 37. — Mr Thomas Garforth was married June 2nd, 1785; his wife died at Carlisle 17th April, 1838.

27 Page 12. — The purchase of land on page 12 took place 12th April, 1786, the purchase money was £6500, not £7500; and as this sale is of considerable interest another account of it with additional particulars is here given. The names and the dimensions of each field are of interest, the same name is often used for different fields in the township, which is the cause of perplexity, and probably the same field often loses its old name and is known by the name of another at another period of time. Nearly all of them may be traced on a modern plan of the township of Steeton with Eastburn.

Sale April 12th, 1786.

Description.

A.

R.

P.

The messuage or mansion-house (Upper Hall) then in occupation of John Asquith, the younger, but before then of Mrs. Ann Hudson.

  

 

 

Elm with appurtenances and the following closes in the occupation of William Greenwood.

  

 

 

                                Great Wise

2

3

4

                                Little Wise

1

2

15

                                West Royd or Pump Close

1

2

26

                                Great Maw Ridding

2

3

4

                                Little           "

1

3

38

                                Paddock or Pudding

0

1

28

                                Pott

2

3

21

                                Great Scallum

5

2

28

                                Little Scallum

4

1

39

                                Laverack Holm

2

2

9

Total

26

3

12

House, barn, &c., and following closes in occupation of John Lund.

 

 

 

                                Croft

1

3

30

                                Kid Croft

0

2

33

                                Lairlands

0

2

23

                                Portobello or Stonebrigg-head

1

1

20

                                New Close

3

2

30

                                Great Broady Lands

4

2

20

                                Little             "

1

2

37

                                The Heads

4

3

12

                                Pudden

3

1

37

                                Summerhill

1

1

15

                                Little Summerhill close

0

2

28

                                Pighills

2

3

9

                                Ridding field

1

2

32

Total

29

2

6

Dwelling-house, barn, &c., and the following closes in occupation of Brian Dale.

  

 

 

                                Haustheads

3

0

35

                                Tentercroft

0

2

12

Total

3

3

7

Dwelling-house, barn, &c., and the following closes in occupation of Stephen Wade.

 

 

 

                                Barfside

0

1

0

                                In Stonebrigg

3

1

1

                                In Thornholm

1

1

24

                                Coate close or Colonel's close

2

1

29

                                Whitaker's Coate close

1

1

3

                                Upper Coate close

2

0

10

                                Low Coate close

2

0

1

                                Gullegrass

1

2

12

                                New close

1

0

16

                                Orchards End

1

3

39

Total

17

1

15

House. Barn, &c., in occupation of John Asquith, the elder.

  

 

 

                                Backside

0

1

0

                                Turnip garth

0

0

12

                                Jane croft

2

2

6

                                Great Bent close

3

1

4

                                Far Bent close

1

1

30

                                Low Bent close or Little Bent close

1

1

30

                                In West Ings

1

1

39

                                In Brigg Holme

1

0

0

                                Little Foul Syke

2

1

30

Total

13

3

31

House, barn, &c., in occupation of John Asquith, the younger

  

 

 

                                Hausthead

1

3

28

                                Gosling garth or Calf croft

0

1

18

                                Hawmires

4

0

23

                                Tranker Butts

1

2

33

                                Jane Ing

2

0

0

                                Two crofts

2

0

3

                                Mill dam croft

0

2

24

Total

12

3

9

In occupation of John Longbottom.

 

 

 

                                Yawmire Leys

2

2

16

                                Blind Pool

3

1

0

Total

4

3

16

Law close house, stables, &c., in occupation of William Smith.

  

 

 

                                Kelk

6

3

9

                                Little Brow

1

0

27

                                Middle Brow

2

0

23

                                Brow

2

2

28

                                Long close

2

0

14

                                Little Long close

1

3

13

                                Harewood Hill

2

0

7

                                Moor close

1

3

38

                                Ing or Law close Ing

3

3

4

                                Edge croft

1

2

16

Total

26

0

19

The following closes were in the occupation of Christopher Mitton.

  

 

 

                                Great Fowlsyke

4

2

26

                                Sheet Pastures

4

1

14

                                Taylor's acres in West Ing

5

3

3

                                Great Barrows

4

0

35

                                Little Barrows

1

1

21

                                Great Rough

5

3

3

                                Little Rough

1

0

34

                                Moor close, part of Great Rood

4

2

0

                                Great Coppite

7

1

35

                                Little Coppite

5

2

38

Total

45

0

9

Great Wood or Law Close Wood or Currer Wood, Little Wood, Shroggs Wood, and Ridding Wood, late in occupation of Mrs. Ann Hudson

41

2

7

Total

221

3

11

The above estate consisted of 221 acres, and of 248Ľ days' work, was bought from the daughters of Mrs. Ann Hudson by J.B. Garforth and Thomas Garforth, 12th April, 1786, for £6500. J.B. Garforth makes a declaration 20th April, 1786, that the purchase money was Thomas Garforth's and that the purchase was his. The total rental of the property was £220 13s. 0d., and the net rental, land tax, &c., being deducted was £206 18s. 4d. The moor was not enclosed at this time.

Thomas Garforth bought from Christopher Moorhouse of Keighley, surgeon and apothecary, Wise close and a parcel of land in Bridgeholme, for £110, July 29th, 1786.Dennis Barrett of Steeton, yeoman, sold 22nd September, 1693, Christopher Moorhouse of Steeton, for £40, 3rd November, 1689:— 8 closes, Yowmires, 2 Coat closes, West Royd, Barrows, Gildgares, Cahard and Wythes.

John Jackson of Steeton, yeoman, sold 22nd September, 1693, Christopher Moorhouse of Steeton of Steeton, for £12, Mitchell croft, &c.

An agreement was made 30th October, 1787, between Wm. Davy of Whitley Head, and Thomas Garforth of Steeton. William Davy conveyed to Thomas Garforth before May 21st, 1788, some ground on the west side of Steeton beck, on which there was a.d. 1787, a stable and other conveniences, and before that time there was a shoemaker's shop and a small garden to the east side thereof, on condition that Thomas Garforth pays £6 15s. 6d., re-builds the stable in another place selected by William Davy, and builds a burr wall round the corner of the said ground. The piece of ground consisted of 124 square yards, and there were 19 roods of walling. Also Mr. Garforth undertakes not to plant any trees near or adjoining the said burr wall which will shade or be detrimental to the buildings of Mr. William Davy. (See page 22/3).

Mr. Thomas Garforth and Mr. William Davy exchanged lands May 4th, 1793. Mr. Garforth obtained Longholm with road and beck course adjoining river Aire, and a piece of land in Brigg-holme; Mr. Davy obtained New close adjoining Thornholm.

William Rishworth sold to him 1st November, 1787, to be given up by 1st May, 1788, all right and title to road for watering cattle or fetching water across a certain piece of road adjoining the east side of Steeton beck from the gate leading into Mr. Garforth's grounds at the north end thereof, and adjoining turnpike road at south end thereof, Mr. Garforth putting water into John Roper's fold at his expense. This would allude to the spring called Dog-head Well, the water of which contains iron and magnesia. The well gets its name from the water running into it out of the figure of the head of a dog in stone. The well and old carriage-drive, &c., would be made about a.d. 1788-90. In one of the cellars under the hall there are some rings which some consider have been used for fastening people to.

William Rishworth also sold to him 28th June, 1788, for £200:— a messuage and barn, &c., Croft, Carter Royd now, a.d. 1788, divided into two by turnpike road, Barrows, Stonegrove and two parcels in West Ings. They contained 12 days' work, and were purchased by William Rishworth 2nd March, 1787, for £88 15s. from Richard and Peter Bawdwen, late of Steeton, whose daughter, Sarah, had married John Harrison. Richard and Peter were their sons.

Joseph Leach of Leeds, schoolmaster, sold 29th Feb., 1788, Thomas Garforth the following, all being at Steeton, and in the tenure of John Bolton:— dwelling-house with two barns, one sheep-cote in Cote close, Cote close, Theaker croft, House croft, Pott lane-end, and Paddock.

Joseph Leach, yeoman, of Steeton was the owner 14th November, 1734; he died a.d. 1742 and left the above property to his only son Joseph, who was not then, 1732, of age.

James Fox, of Bramham Park, sold Mr. T. Garforth, 29th May, 1799, for £165 12s. 6d., six acres and a half-part of about nine acres of high ground, all situated at Eastburn. Moor Butts, 1a. 2r. 15p. and Doles, 1a. 2r. 31p., being part of the purchase.

The trustees of the turnpike road sold him, 20th October, 1801, for £3 6s. 3d., part of the old turnpike road (now part of Pott-lane) from Wood street lane bottom to the junction of the turnpike road. Pott-lane would get its name from the field of that name situated at the bottom of the lane between the two lanes. The recently purchased estates were made over to trustees to pay all debts &c., December 21st, 1809.

In the advertisement for the second sale, 15th December, 1818, the whole of the then unsold portions of the estates of John Baynes Garforth and Thomas Garforth consisted of 820 acres and a farm at Cowling, Warley Wise, containing 101 acres. It was advertised to take place at the Goat’s Head Inn. The property was described to abound with stone, and with a little care would abound with game of all sorts.

28 Page 14, line 6. — There have been for a long time some large fields called "the Flatts." In 1562 there were two closes of pasture called the Flatts measuring 22 acres; about 1782 the Flatts contained 40 acres (it had probably been enlarged 1780-82, and again enlarged 1786-90); and in 1822 59 acres.

29 Page 15, line 29. — On the tablet in Kildwick Church on the south wall in the Chancel is written:—

This monument is erected

Sacred

to the memory of Thomas Garforth, Esq.,

late of Steeton Hall in this county.

He was highly distinguished as an able and

active magistrate for the West Riding of

Yorkshire.

His extensive capacity was peculiarly

conspicuous in the accuracy of his judgment,

and he was a man in his magisterial office

who could readily unmask a

counterfeit shew,

and discern the characters of the heart.

Ob: Dec. 6th, 1811, aged 55 years.

30 Page 17, line 26. — William Smith of Hollings House, yeoman, and Ann, wife of William Thomas Hodshan, sold house and farm to Thomas Smith of Bradley, yeoman, 4th June. 1668.

Over a door at the Hollings is:—  1747. Consequently this farm was not in the possession of the Garforths at that time.

31 Page 18. — At the sale of 18th and 19th May, 1819, they adjourned from the "Goat’s Head" to Steeton Hall, then unoccupied on account of the number of people.

Page 18, line 38. — The following were the principal owners of land in the township of Steeton with Eastburn, at the valuation of October, 1865. The area of the township, 1955 acres, 1 rood, and of the river, roads, railway, lanes, &c., 110 acres, 0 roods, 28 perches, total 2065 acres, 1 rood, 28 perches; the annual value was £8416 4s. 2d., and the rateable value was £7317 6s. 10d. The annual value of Rectorial Tithe was £72, rated at £52 10s.; and the Vicarial Tithe was £42, rated at £30 11s. 10d.

The Owners of Land in the Township of Steeton with Eastburn, 1865.

  

A.

R.

P.

John Bairstow

9

3

12

William Bairstow

11

0

39

William and John Bairstow

151

3

0

Thomas and Matthew Bairstow

16

3

30

Matthew Bairstow

56

2

29

Samuel Bairstow

6

1

30

Henry Barlow

23

0

25

Peter Barrett

18

3

16

John Blackborough

113

0

20

Charles and Wm. Carr

118

0

15

Trustees of Holmes Clapham

5

2

0

William Clough

163

2

3

John Clough and Sons

1

1

24

John Clough

32

1

34

John Coates

60

2

36

Thomas Craven

3

2

11

Joseph Craven

25

3

8

Joseph Craven, junior

4

0

26

Thomas Ogden Dixon

32

2

1

John Dixon and Sons

21

3

30

William Dixon

0

1

32

Trustees of the late Elizabeth Driver

68

1

33

Geo. Lane Fox

29

1

17

Trustees of the late Thomas Garforth

206

3

9

Isaac Hindle

5

2

35

Amos Hodgson

36

0

8

Foster Horsfall

45

2

12

Abraham Maud

12

2

6

William Maud

10

1

15

William Mitchell

24

3

4

John Rishworth

23

3

2

Trustees of late Samuel Rishworth

16

3

20

William Rishworth

24

1

3

Elizabeth Shackleton and Martha Robinson

31

1

7

Binns Smith

150

2

36

Elizabeth Smith

36

2

37

George Smith

154

3

2

Trustees of the late John Greenwood Sugden

47

0

36

John Summerscales

44

3

7

Airedale Drainage Commissioners

1

2

24

Midland Railway Company

4

3

10

Inhabitants of Steeton with Eastburn

3

2

30

32 Page 19, line 2. — As the "Packhorse" is the only Inn at Steeton mentioned in Carey’s Itinerary, 1798, most probably this Inn would be considered the principal one. The road was made through Hawkcliffe to Utley Greenhead 1780-82. From the steepness of the Old Bank, it would be inferred naturally that it was not suitable for coaches, and that pack-horses would be generally used. In Asia Minor at the present day all traffic is done by camels, horses, or donkeys, the roads are not made so that carts or waggons could be used. On Thursday, November 30th, 1780, a town’s meeting was held at the "Old Star" Inn, the house of John Asquith; and on April 19th, 1781, a town’s meeting was held at the "Pack Horse" Inn, the house of James Craven. At the latter meeting, John Asquith, junior, was hired to serve the offices of Constable and Overseer of the Poor for this township the year ensuing, for the sum of £2 10s.

33 Page 19, line 6. — I G and A G would not mean Jennet and Anthony Garforth, both being then dead. There were at that time many freeholders in Steeton, consequently it is difficult to make out with certainty for whom the letter were the initials. The present "Goat’s Head" Inn probably would be built a.d. 1781, the same time when the road through Hawkcliffe was being made.

34 Page 19, line 19. — The appearance of the streams was altered a.d. 1862-4, when the river was cut. In the river the remains of the timber bridge of a.d. 1782-1804, may now be seen.

35 Page 20, line 19. — In the year 1680 there was a public-house at Eastburn, called "New Inn," kept by Henry Ripley.

The road from Sutton which joins the turnpike near Eastburn was made 1797-99, and part of the common land in Sutton township was sold to pay the expense. The Act of Parliament for enclosing Sutton Moor was obtained 17th June, 1815. There was then 1000 acres of unenclosed land which was divided among the landowners.

36 Page 21, lines 14 and 32. — The Baynes family lived at Mewith Head, near Bentham. Ralph Baynes married for his second wife, Elizabeth Garforth. She was a widow 1738, died at Skipton a.d. 1743, and was interred at Kildwick. Over a barn-door at Mewith Head Hall is the inscription:—

R  B  M

1708

He had two sons by his first wife, Robert Baynes, Esq., of Mewith Head, and George Baynes, yeoman, of Embsay Kirk. Mr. Robert Baynes of Mewith Head, died without issue July, 1743, and left all his lands, Mewith Head Hall, &c., to his wife Jane absolutely; some of his property situated at Lower Bentham was purchased by his father, Ralph Baynes. She was the daughter of ———— King of Skellans, Kirby Malhamdale, and married secondly Dr. Cookson of Wakefield. Mr. Baynes of Embsay Kirk, died June, 1743, leaving a wife Elizabeth, and three sons and a daughter, John, William, George, and Jane. Consequently William Baynes of Embsay Kirk, who was the father of John Baynes, was a great help to Dr. Whitaker in his History of Craven, and to whom Dr Whitaker expresses his indebtedness in that work, (he died a.d. 1787, aged 28,) was nephew to John Baynes Garforth.

37 Page 21, line 19. — The quantity of land here mentioned is not the exact amount, but it is put into round figures. There would be above 900 acres of moor, common of pasture to all freeholders in Steeton.

The estate belonging to John Baynes Garforth of Steeton, gentleman, 22nd March, 1750, which he inherited from his uncle, consisted of:— Steeton Hall, Steeton Mill, a close at the backside of hall called Orthard, Hallcliffe Wood, Acre Broadholme, New Ing, in the occupation of John Baynes Garforth; Rye Garth, Summerhills, Two Hall crofts, Great Flatts, Birstall Braceletts, Thornflatt, Low Broadholme, Crook, Upper Longlands, Lower Longlands, Tranker, Rhoydes, and New Park, in the occupation of Leonard Smith, Thomas Lund, John Asquith, and Jeremiah Booth; Dwelling-house at Bankbottom with barns, outhouses, and two crofts on the back; Flatts (adjoining Great Flatts), Barrows, Higher Broadholme, Thisley Broadholme, Lower Crook, in occupation of Henry Smith; Wood Farm and Hallcliffe Farm with the following closes, Helmroyd, Wiggons, Rushey Close, Two Brows, Wood Close, Stackland Hill, Saltern Ing, Cragg Top, and New Ing Head, in occupation of Jeremiah Hustler and John Hodgson; Dwelling-house, Edgecroft, Guildknack-hall, in occupation of John Town; Whitley Head Farm, Whitleys, Crofts, Meadows, Two Whitleys, Ridding Wood, and Barrows Lane, in occupation of Richard Greenwood; Jackson’s Intacks in occupation of David Davy; Dwelling-house, barn, &c., in occupation of Mr. John Dixon; Four Dwelling-houses to the back of the preceding, with two gardens, in occupation of Benjamin Smith; Dwelling-houses in occupation of John Smith and Thos. Broadley; Dwelling-houses with crofts and gardens in occupation of Jeremiah Hustler, Joseph Moor, Henry Wilkinson, and Christopher Baxter. A farm situate at Cowling-head called Warley Wise in the occupation of John Shuttleworth; several closes of parcels of ground at Cowling-head in occupation of Mr. Hewett. Situate at Gargrave were:— Higher Haw, Lower Haw, Melbank Scar, Gamblers Foot, in occupation of John Moorhouse, and a third-part of the rectory. The preceding was all the property in Yorkshire belonging to John Baynes Garforth a.d. 1750.

38 Page 22, line 5. — William Currer was born at Steeton a.d. 1644, being second son of Hugh and Elizabeth Currer. He went to live in London, and in the year 1700 he was a Mercer in Saint Lawrence Lane, London. On December 27th, 1707, and February 20th, 1708, he is described as of Steeton, gentleman. He evidently was very successful in his business in London, for we know that he had about £70 left by his father, and that afterwards, he spent in buying land at Steeton not less than £2272 10s. The purchases of land in this township which he made, he left to Hugh Currer, eldest son of his eldest brother Hugh Currer. Hugh Currer was the owner of the Upper Hall and considerable land with it; William evidently anxious to keep the Currer estate together, took every means that he could for that end. He left his purchases (except Barrows, Hedgecroft, 2 days’ work in Foulsyke, and one parcel in West Ing adjoining Taylor’s Acres,) to trustees, (Henry Currer of Kildwick, and Roger Coates of Royd House,) in strict settlement to Hugh Currer, his nephew, on condition that the said Hugh Currer gave his property (Upper Hall, &c.,) to the same trustees to be held in the same manner. This he did. The will of William Currer is dated January 13th, 1712.

The following are the purchases which were made by William Currer:—

From Ann Alkinson of Poole, spinster, August 6th, 1700, for £500:

Cunnans 3 days’ work, with waste belonging, Wise close 4 days’ ploughing, Little Maw Ridding, one Parrock 3 days’ ploughing, Great Maw Ridding 4 days’ work, Pott 4 days’, the preceding with dwelling-house, &c.; Great Scallum 6 days’ mowing, Little Scallum 5 days’ mowing, Lowerack Holm or Laverack Holme, Great Brigholme, Mitchell Brigholme, the last three closes containing 10 days’ ploughing; Bristow Head, 2 acres of Meadow and 1 half-crown dole in West Ings. All situated at Steeton, and containing 39 days’ work and 2 acres of meadow; or about 35 acres.

From Richard Wheelwright, late of Steeton, yeoman, but then of Schoales in the parish of Keighley, on February 20th, 1708, for £147 10s. Dwelling-house, barns, etc., where Richard Wheelwright did lately live, but then in occupation of Michael Pighills, Three Bent closes, Yowmer, Drake Sike, the Wise, piece in West Ings 3 roods. The whole containing 12 acres, 3 roods.

From John Smith, late of Hainworth, but then of Hill-end, Bingley, on June 2nd, 1712, for £1065. That newly erected dwelling-house where Elizabeth Smith and two sons live, and one barn, buildings, stables, gardens, &c., and croft, Broady Lands, Jane Ing, Upper Stone Brigg, Pudding Sike, Pudding, Ridding Wood, containing 12 acres; ˝ acre in New Close, Boodans 1 acre; another dwelling-house where John Smith did live, one barn, &c., and one croft, two parcels of land in Stonebrigg called Outside, and Little Stonebrigg, in Broadholm called Effey land ˝ day’s work, Jane Croft 1˝ acres, Foulsyke and one lane belonging to it 5 acres, three lands in Far Broady Lands 3˝ roods, Old Pinfold at the west-end of a barn in possession of Elizabeth Smith, and all waste ground between said barn and brook called Steeton Beck, except a footway to Steeton mill for all persons; a newly erected dwelling-house wherein Robert Walsh lived, with barn, &c., three crofts adjoining said house, the Croft, Kid Croft and Edge croft, two Barrows, then in occupation of Hugh Currer; four doles in West Ing, Tranker Butts, Thornholm, New Close, 2 days’ work in Broady Lands, ˝ day’s work in Foulsyke, Barrows, Heads, Bowdens, Carter Royd and one barn standing therein, Laith Lands, two parcels in Stonebrigg, one parcel in West Ings to the south of Taylor’s Acres, 2 acres in West Ings, and dwelling-house wherein Timothy Crossley lived, with two barns; Croft 1˝ days’ work, Great Sand Hill or Summerhill, and Little Summerhill 3 days’ work, and one parcel in Stonebrigg. This purchase was charged with the annual payment of £4 6s. 8d., and would consist of about 60 acres.

William Currer, gentleman, of Steeton, bought of Henry Moorhouse of Ickornshaw, and John Moorhouse of Hipperholme, (two brothers,) December 22nd, 1712, for £200:— Law Close dwelling-house, in occupation of Dennis Davy, with one barn, &c., (Dennis Davy died a.d. 1714, aged about 46, and was buried at Calversyke Hill), Law Close, Harrot Hill, Little Close at upper end of Harrot Hill, Long Close beneath the house, Close above the house, Stubb Close, Wood Close, and a piece Wood, the preceding measuring half an oxgang or 13 acres; and Whitaker’s Coat Close with barn or cote at the upper end 1˝ acres.

William Currer, late of St. Lawrence Lane, London, Mercer, but then of Steeton, purchased from Henry Currer of Kildwick, Esq., December 27th, 1707, for £340:— Dwelling-house in occupation of Jeremy Craven with two barns, &c., Oates Croft ˝ an acre, two Pighills 4 acres, Grimes Croft (formerly divided into three closes) 4 acres, Little Tankard or Little Ing 1 acre, in Stonebrigg a dole, Boodans 2 acres, Nar Close, Guldgars, Orthard End, Yow Myer or Lower Poits, Yew Myer Hill, Wise, West Royd, Barrows, two Coat closes; dwelling-house with barn, &c., a croft ˝ acre, Hall croft or Kidcroft ˝ acre, Grimes Croft, another dwelling-house, barn, &c., and a croft. All the property was situated at Steeton and consisted of about 30 acres.

From John Hustler of Steeton, yeoman, January 14th, 1707, for £20, he purchased a close called Wise Close.

From Jeremiah Brigg of Laycock, a cottage, formerly a shop, Foulsyke 3 acres, and Mitchell Croft 3 roods.

William Currer purchased about 157 acres.

Jeremy Craven of Steeton, sold John Smith of Hill-end, Bingley, 25th, August, 1708, for £112:— Great and Little Summerhill 3 days’ work, a croft 3˝ days’ work, and a dwelling-house in occupation of Jeremy Craven.

a.d. 1712, Joseph Parkinson and his son and heir, William Parkinson, were owners of property at Eastburn.

Christopher Hartley of Barrowford, sold property at Eastburn for £310 to Joseph Parkinson, a.d. 1674.

39 Page 22, line 15. — It is very probable that John Garforth of Farnhill, was a relation of the Steeton Garforths.

40 Page 22. — The following are the names of the Currers of Steeton, who owned the Upper Hall and estate:—

Hugh Currer of Steeton, yeoman, son of Hugh Currer of Kildwick. He married Mary ———, probably a Bawdwen of Stonegappe, 1618, and died 1636. He left two sons and two daughters; to his second son William, he left the lands at Steeton that he held from the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. His will was made January 2nd, 1633, and it is directed in it that he is to be buried in Kildwick Church.

Hugh Currer of Steeton, yeoman, elder son of the preceding, married Elizabeth ————, born 1622, died 1670. He married secondly Mary ————, who received from the estate £22 a year after her husband’s death. He owned some property at Garside, near Sedburgh, which he left to his children by his second wife. He left eleven children, Hugh, William, John, Henry, Christopher, Mary, Ellen, by his first wife; and Margaret, Anne, Elizabeth and Thomas by his second wife. The children by his first wife were left £50 apiece out of the lands at Steeton, and £200 was divided equally among all the younger children.

Hugh Currer, eldest son of the preceding Hugh and Elizabeth. William Currer citizen of London, but lived afterwards at Steeton, was his next brother. The Upper Hall was built by this Hugh Currer. He married Ann ————. He died 1696, leaving his estate to his wife for ten years, until Elizabeth was fourteen years of age, to bring up his younger children, Henry, William, Ann, Margaret, Martha, and Elizabeth, and then the estate to his eldest son Hugh, subject to paying £40 each to the sons and £30 each to the daughters. His wife Anne a third of the estate for life. His will dated December 19th, 1693. All the daughters got married. Most of the above charges on the estate were paid by William Currer, late citizen of London.

The estate which he left to his eldest son was:— Dwelling-house where Hugh Currer lived (a.d. 1716,) gardens, folds, &c., (Upper Hall,) Parrock, Goslin Garth, Upper Halstead, Lower Halstead, Over Kelk, Lower Kelk, Yewmire, Blind Pool, Barrows, Barrows Hill, Law Close or backside of the laith and barn standing on it, Two middle closes, Rye Stubble, New Ground, Little Ing, Great Ing, Ing under the wood, Ing under Law Close, the Wood, Farside of the wood, Sites of two cottages lately demolished, a barn, garden and croft, a cottage and garden, and Crusan Croft or Tenter-croft.

Hugh Currer in making the above estate over to Henry Currer of Kildwick, and Roger Coates of Royd House, had power to charge it with £8 a year to Anne his mother, and £15 to Bridget his wife. As fields often lose their old names, and are known by other names, and sometimes two are made into one, and at other times divided, it is impossible to calculate exactly the area of the estate just mentioned but it would probably be about 70 acres.

The entail was cut off February, 1726, when Henry Currer of New Close, in the parish of Bradford received £530 for his reversionary interest.

 Hugh Currer born 1672, and died 1738. He married Bridget ————, and left a son William and two daughters, Ann and Isabella. Isabella married Mr. Wray Atkinson but had no issue.

William Currer born 1707, and died 1748, leaving all his property to his sister Ann, who had married previous to a.d. 1734, William Hudson of Cadney, in Lincolnshire. William was the last of the Currers of Steeton.

Mrs. Ann Hudson was the next owner. Her husband was dead October 26th, 1764, and probably died in the year. Mrs. Hudson lived mostly in Lincolnshire. She died January 29th, 1785, and left her estate at Steeton to her daughters, Ann wife of William Holgate, Isabella unmarried, and Sarah wife of Josiah Prickett who sold it April, 1786 for £6500. Mrs. Hudson also had some land at Winterburn, which was charged with an annuity for life to her daughter, Mary, wife of Thomas Tillotson.

41 Page 23, line 20. — Alice Davy, widow of Dionis Davy, who died a.d. 1646, and William their eldest son purchased a.d. 1649:— West-end part of house called Whitley with barns, buildings, gardens, &c., then in occupation of Alice Davy. Knott Whitley then divided into two closes, Far close or Fan close adjoining Knott Whitley on the north part, Great Gill, Leyes close adjoining Great Gill on the east part, and Barrowes adjoining Leyes close or some part thereof on the south-west part; also common of pasture for all beasts, sheep, &c., kept on the premises, and common of turbary to be burned on premises or in any other dwelling-house thereon erected; Cart Cote and Heckstands in Hawkcliffe Wood. William Davy of Whitley Head, was buried at Kildwick a.d. 1652. The Davys being a Quaker family, it is said they were subjected to persecution about a.d. 1660.

42 Page 23, line 35. — William Davy married the daughter of Lawrence Roberts of Cunendley, at Henry Woods, Grange Woodside, which is settled on them:— (David Davy, Whitley Head, clothier, and Daniel Roberts, linenweaver, of Cononley, being trustees,) an outer parlour and chamber over it, one barn at east end of new house and Farther Knott Whitley, Far close, Kiln close, Barrows close, and Laith close, all containing 8 acres.

43 Page 23, line 37. — The purchase of March 6th, 1709, was:— three closes called Intakes or Intacks; and Cragg close, Cow close, Ing, Ing End, Cragg Top, an old barn, two garths, parcel called Penny-piece, all enclosed from Lower Whitley and called Adam’s Farm, and containing 10 acres.

Richard Dixon of Sutton, sold to William Davy of Whitley Head £40, three days’ work in Summerhill.

44 Page 23, line 42. — David Davy, yeoman, bought 10th November, 1748, for £203, from three married daughters of Mary, wife of Colonel John Beckwith; she was the daughter of John Gregson of Manningham:— Thornhalm, West Ing close, Peaseham Tree or Peasandry, the Heads, Barrows, Yeomonth or Yeomorend, Bowdams, containing 16 acres, and in occupation of John Craven, and situated at Steeton; also Thornhelm in Stonebrigg 2 roods, a Dole in West Ings 2 roods, and a piece in Summerhill 3 roods.

David Davy of Whitley Head, and William, his son, purchased February 25th, 1759, for £365, from Bernard Metcalf of Finney, in the parish of Almondbury, co. York, the following charged with an annuity of £20 to Godfrey Rhodes, Esq., of Ripon:— House at Steeton where Thomas Wade lives, with barn, one shop, one stable, one hog-stye, garden, orchard, &c., the Croft, Tues Royd, Wise close, West Ings close, Greater Summerhill close, Lesser Summerhill close, the Pudding, containing 20 days’ work; also house in occupation of Mary Smith and Leonard Smith, &c., the Croft, Spicer croft, Bral Stubbings, containing 6 days’ work; also one barn near Hawkcliffe and three closes called the Heads, 10 days’ work, and in occupation of Leonard Smith; Doles in West Ings 2 days’ work, in Broady Lands 3 days’ work, a cottage with a building (formerly a smithy) attached; also Barrows and Read Ing 10 days’ work, and all property at Steeton belonging Bernard Metcalf. The whole contained 51 days’ work, and at one time was the property of Margaret Holmes of Liverpool.

The estate of William Davy would consist a.d. 1780, of 80 to 85 acres.

45 Page 24, line 39. — William Rishworth bought from Stephen Moorhouse, September 23rd, 1704, for £475:— two dwelling-houses at Eastburn in occupation of Stephen Moorhouse, with two barns, a fold, two gardens, stable, mistal, &c., Tithe laith, Garth croft, Settle hole, Nar Shay, Far Shay, Nar Moor close, Can or Duck Mire, Fan Moor closes, Cross Butts, Tarn Ing, Moor Butts, Kidd Croft containing 48 acres; ˝ acre in a close called Stubbs, 2˝ days’ ploughing in a field called Holme.

The name of the wife of William Rishworth was Mary.

46 Page 24, line 43. — The estate of William Rishworth in the township of Steeton with Eastburn, consisted a.d. 1780-86, of 53˝ days’ work, or 37 acres, 1 rood, and was valued at £46 19s. per annum.

47 Page 25, line 3. — William Rishworth was the father of William and John, of Eastburn. Thomas went to live near Aberford.

48 Page 25, line 6. — Previous to the Stirks being the owners of the Hobhill and certain lands with it, it was the property of the Cravens, and before them of the Whitakers, and before them of the Oglethorpes, &c., Plumptons, and Styvetons.

Richard Whitaker bought one-fourth part of Hobhill, &c., of William Oglethorpe of Roundhay, and Elizabeth, his wife, 11th June 1599; he also bought 20th December, 1607, two fourth parts, of William Slater of Halifax.

William Whitaker of Ellercar, in the parish of Bingley, yeoman, son and heir of Richard Whitaker of the same place, deceased, sold Richard Whitaker of Steeton, husbandman, for £49 12s. 6d. three parts, (the whole being divided into four parts), 15th September 1615, of messuage in Steeton late in occupation of Jennet Walker, widow, and then of said Richard Whitaker, and also three parts of barns, closes, &c., generally going with the same.

Richard Whitaker of Steeton sold 26th July, 1653, to Christopher Craven of Steeton for £117:— All that messuage, barns, orchards in Steeton, in occupation of said Richard Whitaker, the Croft, Sandgill close, Barrast, Parrock, Wise close, in West Ing, Labenake Dole, Wray Dole, Little Algoads, Berkdole, Sandgill land in Stonebrigg, all in Steeton, and in occupation of Richard Whitaker.

On July 10th, 1622, Dionsius Davy, yeoman, of Steeton, sold to Francis Craven of Steeton, agricola, three parts of a messuage and land, &c., in Steeton, then in occupation of said Francis Craven.

The Stirks are a family that lived on Silsden Moor for a long time.

Francis Stirke of Silsden Moor, married a.d. 1605, Elizabeth Simpson, and had a son, Anthony, born a.d. 1606. Anthony Stirke married a.d. 1630, Elizabeth Scarborough, and had a son, Francis, born in the same year. Francis married Ann ————, and had Henry, born a.d. 1662, and Francis, born a.d. 1664.

Henry Stirk of Silsden Moor, yeoman, bought of Jeremiah Craven of Steeton, yeoman, and Elizabeth, his wife, 26th November, 1715, the Hobhill, &c., then inhabited by Jeremiah Craven. The purchase consisted of:— newly erected dwelling-house with barn adjoining it on the east, a garth to the west with a spring or well in it, another garth, four closes called Barrases containing 4 acres, with one barn standing between two higher of said Barrases, Parrock ľ acre, Wise close ľ acre, six parcels of land in West Ing, viz.:— Laverack Dole, Wraydole, Hustlerdole-head, Longdole, West-royd Dole, Whamdole, containing in all 2 acres, Stone groves 1 acre, Two Lane-end closes 1˝ acres with small parcel at south end of said closes, Berkdole ˝ acre; and one quarter of one part of all the commons, waste ground, moor, &c., of Steeton and Eastburn, the aforesaid to be divided into four equal parts.

Witnessed by John Topham of Kildwick, clerk, William Morland of Skipton Castle, and Francis Stirk of Silsden Moor. The above property was all that remained in Steeton belonging to Jeremiah Craven.

He also bought the Cragg, in the township of Sutton. Henry Stirk of Cringles, bought it consisting of two messuages and about 40 acres, of Samuel Coates his heir-apparent a.d. 1730. The Cragg was bought by John Dranesfield of Sutton, from Edward Copley, Esq., of Batley, 22 March, 1612, for £41 2s. 8d. He also made a purchase of William Copley of Batley, 1620. John Horrocks married Mary Dranesfield, 1683. Dranesfield Horrocks of Sutton, sold the Cragg for £505, to William Eastburn of Silsden Moor, 15th March, 1707.

Henry Stirk lived afterwards at the Cragg, where he died a.d. 1744, leaving his property at Steeton and Sutton (the Hobhill and the Cragg,) to his nephew, Henry Stirk of Silsden Moor, son of Francis and Jane Stirk; and the residue of all his estate, real and personal, to his brother Francis of Silsden Moor, who was born 1664, married 1692, Jane Wilson, and died 1757 at the age of 93.

Henry Stirk, nephew, lived after him at the Cragg, he was born 1692, married a.d. 1720, Ann Coates, and died 1749, leaving the Cragg to his elder son Francis, and to his younger son Henry he left the Hobhill, some property at Draughton, and the goodwill of two farms, Moorgate on Silsden Moor, and a farm at Bradley Moorside.

Part of the Cragg, at Sutton, now belongs to William Stirk of Glusburn, grandson of the above Francis Stirk. Francis Stirk was born on Silsden Moor, May 20th, 1728, and married a.d. 1752, Margaret Hargreaves.

It is probable that the Stirks did not live much at the Hobhill, they generally lived either at the Cragg or Silsden Moor. In the years 1728 and 1753, William Anderton and John Harrison were their tenants at Steeton. William Anderton was fined 3s. 4d. or to pull the wall down at the Court Baron of Thomas Garforth a.d. 1728, for encroachment on lord’s waste on highway leading from Steeton to Kildwick. The nest owner, Henry Stirk, lived on Silsden Moor, he was born 1734, married Sarah Rishworth of Addingham Moorside, died 1798, leaving three daughters, Ann born at Sutton, October 18th, 1763, who married Thomas Pearson, and inherited the Hobhill; Sarah born at Steeton 1765, who married Thomas Heyworth and got the farms on Silsden Moor and Bradley; Elizabeth born at Silsden Moor 1774, and married John Cockshott of Addingham, and afterwards of Shipley, she inherited the property at Draughton which had been purchased 12th September, 1726, of William Bramley of Snow-Hill Top, by Henry Stirk.

Henry Stirk, yeoman, of Silsden Moor, sold Thomas Garforth of Steeton for £66 17s., October 30th, 1787, a close called Wise containing ľ of an acre, and the right of common belonging to it. They also had an exchange of property 9th January, 1792, when Thomas Garforth gave the Barrows, Cabbage Croft, a small piece at west end of Cabbage Croft, and on south side of old turnpike road leading from Keighley to Skipton, another piece part of Near Close, bounded on the east by the Flatts, and on the west by an old way called Pott Lane; Henry Stirk gave Lane-ends with road and beck course on the east side of it, Stonegroves, 17 perches in West Ing, another piece measuring 24 perches in West Ings, all then in occupation of Thomas Pearson. John Hustler of Steeton, sold David Wright, yeoman, of Steeton, Barrows Close, 14th April, 1704, for £21.

Richard Dixon of Sutton, gentleman, sold February 3rd, 1703, for £37 10s., to David Wright of Steeton, Carter Royd with barn thereon 2 acres, and Bowdens 1 acre.

The property belonging to Henry Stirk at Steeton a.d. 1782, consisted of:—

  

Day’s Work

A.

R.

P.

£

s.

d.

House, Barn, &c.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stonegroves

2

1

3

0

2

10

0

Paddock

1

0

3

0

1

0

0

In West Ings

3

2

0

0

3

0

0

Lane-end

3

2

0

0

2

2

0

Brows

1

0

0

1

10

0

      "

1

0

0

1

10

0

Coat Close

1

0

0

1

10

0

Hunger Hill

1

0

0

1

10

0

Wise

1

0

3

0

0

17

0

 

16

11

1

0

£15

9

0

49 Page 25, line 33. — The stone on which Sir Robert Peel's statue stands at Bradford, came from Hawkcliffe Wood.

50 Page 26, line 24. — In the old chapel at Barrows Lane, Sunday School was first commenced there a.d. 1816. Then writing and arithmetic were taught at Sunday schools, the opportunities for education being much greater now, the teaching of those subjects is unnecessary. The erection of the chapel cost a.d. 1826 £833, it has accommodation for 358 people. The number of scholars at the Sunday School have been:—

Year.

Roll.

Average Attendance

1858

141

105

1873

217

131

1885

153

107

The Primitive Methodist Chapel has sitting for 96 people; and the Eastburn Primitive Methodist Chapel was built a.d. 1858-9.

51 Page 26, line 26. — The Provident Day School was built a.d. 1851. The building cost £263 5s. 2˝ d., including £69 7s. 6d. paid for land to W. Ferguson; in addition several people who didn’t give money, gave their labour, carted stones, &c. The following were the principal subscriptions towards its erection, some of them were given at twice:— Joseph Craven £50, W. Bairstow £40, John Clough £40, John Dixon £10, John Dixon & Sons £10, M. Bairstow £5, William Clough £5, William Maud £5, James Parrish £5, William Wright £5, a Soirée £12, &c.

The Soirée took place 19th July, 1852, there was a tea at 4-30 p.m. in large room adjoining corn-mill, and in the evening there was a concert in the school-room.

The number of scholars attending the school were:—

Year.

Scholars.

1854

83

1864

107

1870

175

After the passing of the Education Act 1870, the infants were kept separate. The following numbers refer to those above seven years of age.

Year.

Roll.

Average

Passes per cent.

School-pence

 

 

Attendance.

 

£

s.

d.

1872

220

127

87

97

11

7

1880

180

105.24

80

81

18

8

1884

168

118.10

88

85

16

8

The population was less in 1884 owing to bad trade. The infants numbering about 80 for each year with an average attendance of about 50.

Previous to a.d. 1852, the education of the village was provided irregularly by anyone who had a little knowledge and who could get a few pupils. A Mrs. Slack and a Mrs. Glover kept "Dame" schools, and a man of the name of Binns, who had one arm, had a school.

The Post Office was opened 4th September, 1859, George Holmes then keeping it. He died August, 1884, and it is now continued by Mrs Holmes. Previous to that time, a postman, "Old Sutcliffe" came from Keighley with the letters. He came in the morning, went further up the valley, and returned through Steeton at 5 p.m. Letters were put on the window sashes for him. He was dressed in a red coat, came limping along tooting occasionally with his brass horn. After Sutcliffe, a person named Holt was a postman a few months. In 1883, an outward dispatch in a forenoon was begun, thus the village has now two incoming posts a day though they are only delivered in a morning, and two dispatches.

The social life of Steeton is different now to formerly, in 1826, they worked in the mills from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., on Saturdays 6 a.m. to 4 and 5 p.m.; now the hours are from 6 a.m. to 5-15 p.m., and on Saturdays they cease at 1 p.m. Now, though Steeton is but a village, it has the advantages of the town. Water and gas are provided for its inhabitants. The two reservoirs belonging to the township were made a.d. 1878, since which time there has been a supply of excellent water, and in January, 1878, the Kildwick Parish Gas Co. commenced to supply gas. The lamps in the streets and lanes were first began November, 1883, and the footpaths have been put gradually into their present order from 1882-6, the authorities repairing the top portion of the road to the station.

The population, &c., of the township of Steeton with Eastburn was:—

Year.

Population.

Houses.

Annual Value.

Rateable Value.

 

 

 

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

1822

612

136

 

 

 

1759

7

5

1849

1012

225

5724

11

0

4912

18

4

1861

1341

280

8569

6

4

7747

4

1

1871

1632

339

8937

0

0

7724

0

0

1881-2

1497

357

10401

15

0

8279

2

6

The termination of this pamphlet is arrived at. What it contains is obtained from old deeds, tradition, and the recollection of old people still living. Perhaps everything here could not be proved to a certainty, but in this, like histories of larger and more important places, the most has to be made of the materials that we have. Many stories that have been handed down to us for different reasons, do not form a part of this work. Often a tale that is interesting when told is difficult to put into writing.

The miscellaneous information to be found here is only interesting to people with antiquarian tastes, and to those who live or know the village intimately. The accounts of sales of land, names of fields, and the pedigrees will serve to a certain extent for a reference.

There is perhaps more labour in getting many little items of information together for a work like this than at first sight appears. Often a simple fact is very difficult to obtain.

But to unravel the forgotten past cannot be considered to be entirely work without some good result to recommend it to the most utilitarian minds.

If we could go back two centuries, what a change we should see. It is said that Steeton boasted its village green, and that it was situated behind Mr. W. Bairstow’s, and to the east of the corn-mill dam.

"All the village train, from labour free,

Led up their sports beneath the spreading tree;

While many a pastime circled in the shade,

The young contending as the old survey’d;

And many a gambol frolick’d o’er the ground,

And sleights of art and feats of strength went round;

These were thy charms, sweet village! Sports like these,

With sweet succession, taught e’en toil to please;

These round thy bowers their cheerful influence shed,

These were thy charms — but all these charms are fled."

But perhaps the superiority of the "good old times" over the present is more in the imagination of the poet that an actual fact. The lives of the great majority of the people are probably both brighter and happier in these modern days of railways and telegraphs.

The Shroggs,

Steeton, 1886

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