Gilling and its Families

Gilling and its Families After the Saxons: The Ettons of Gilling The Normans When the land of the Saxon earls was confiscated after the Conquest it would appear that Orm’s property was acquired by, or granted to, Ralph de Mortimer; and Barch’s by Hugh FitzBaldric.

Let us first deal with Ralph de Mortimer. He was the only son of Roger, who derived his surname from Mortemer en Lions in the Pays de Caux, between Neufchatel and Aumale in France. Ralph de Mortimer died in his castle of St. Victor-en-Caux on 5 August 1100 (or 1104) and was buried in the Abbey church there. He left two sons, Hugh and William; and a daughter, Hawise, who became the wife of Stephen, Earl of Albemarle and Holderness. Hugh’s descendants became the Earls of March; William died childless. The family seems to have no recorded connection with Gilling, except for a later reference (in the 12th century) when Peter de Ros, who was linked with the Mortimers by marriage, gave two carucates of land to St. Mary’s Abbey, York. It is likely that this land so granted was Orm’s, which had probably come into the Ros family by marriage. The Ros family also had land of Ralph de Mortimer’s in Whenmore. In the 12th century the land was in the possession of the Mowbrays and the Stutevilles.

Before we follow the fortunes of Orm’s land let us follow what is known about Barch’s portion.

As we have already seen, it was granted to Hugh FitzBaldric (i.e. Hugh the son of Baldric). It is not known which Norman family he came from, if indeed he was Norman. It has been stated that he was a German archer in the service of William the Conqueror. However, before 1067 he “witnessed a charter of Gerald, granting the Nuns of St. Amand in Rouen the church of his fief of Roumare”. Immediately after the capture of York by William in September 1069, Hugh FitzBaldric appears to have been made Sheriff of the County of York by the King. He fell into trouble by supporting Robert Duke of Normandy against William and presumably lost his lands.

However, nothing more is heard of him.

Ivo de Vescy Reverting to the Mowbrays’ land (i.e. that which was originally Orm’s): the first positive figure to emerge from the mists of time is Ivo de Vescy, who was a tenant of the Mowbrays elsewhere. Perhaps one could infer that the Mowbrays had obtained possession of both manors by now. Ivo de Vescy granted two carucates of land to St. Mary’s Abbey, York, and his son-in-law and then heir Eustace Fitzjohn (died 1157) gave, or confirmed, to St. Mary’s Abbey four carucates of land and the church with its half carucate of glebe land. There is a record of a grant in fee arms by Eustace Fitzjohn to the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey of four carucates, the church, and half a carucate in 1135-1147.

It was possibly quite an astute move on the part of Eustace, as the church was reported to be in a bad state of repair after the Harrying of the North. This is of interest because although no mention of a church was made in Domesday Book it must have been there some time before for it to be in a bad state of repair. The date of 1157 is of considerable interest. Down the centre aisle of the present church adjacent to the heating duct, and on the paving stones each side of

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it, four mason’s marks have been found. They are all the same, being a + sign with a x superimposed, giving a mark thus: S On consulting a paper in the Ryedale Historian (Volume 3, p.26), Mr Peter Svengard gives a list of 181 mason’s marks found in Byland Abbey. The mark found in Gilling Church appears in five places in the Abbey ruins, on parts which are dated 11701225. Allowing for a little time to elapse before St. Mary’s Abbey put the repair work in hand it would seem that the mason who worked in the Abbey worked on Gilling Church. A further confirmation of this is that the same mark is found both in the north transept and eastern aisle of York Minster, on work dated to the 13th century. The witnesses to Eustace Fitzjohn’s gift were: Roberto de Hopitai, Waltero Capellano (chaplain), Bernardo cap, Roberto Diacono (deacon), Willelmo Fillio Cruem, Johanna Burdun. The name of Walter as chaplain does not appear on the list of Rectors of Gilling. That list starts vaguely about 1200. It may be right to include him as the first Rector of Gilling.

In 1170 there was a grant by Stephen Gizi of Gilling, made to Rievaulx Abbey, in the territory of Gilling of one perch of land in width next to Holgate on the south side, from the footpath of the church to Litehou, to have a free way there, which road they may repair as they wish.

The Harrying of the North The Harrying of the North in 1069 had a devastating effect upon the inhabitants north of the Humber. Simon of Durham says:

It was shocking to see the houses, the streets, and highways, human carcases swarming with wirms, disolving in putridity and emitting a most horrid stench; nor were there any left alive to cover them with earth, all having perished by sword or famine, or stimulated by hunger had abandoned their native land. During the space of nine years the country lay totally uncultivated.

Between York and Durham not a home was inhabited, all was a lonely wilderness, the retreat of wild beasts and robbers and the terror of travelers.

It is supposed that above 100,000 human beings perished at this time, and hence many entries in Domesday Book are described as “modo wastum est”. At this time a Danish force entered the Humber and occupied York. To prevent the English helping the Danes against him, William is known to have devastated an area north and west of the City of York. Gilling might well have been included in this action.

To pass on from these troublesome times, in 1166-7 the vill belonged to Ralph and Adan Lovell.

Will Surdeval granted to St. Mary’s Abbey three and a half carucates of land in which he probably became under-tenant. This land was then conveyed to Geoffrey de Stuteville by Abbot Clement between 1170 and 1175. He was probably made an under-tenant as in Kirby’s inquest in 1284-5 St. Mary’s Abbey still owned three and a half carucates of land in Gilling.

Where all this land lay, and how much the grants overlapped, we cannot tell, as apart from the fact that it was in Gilling the position of the land is not given, as it would be on modern maps and surveys.

A feofment (no 1880) by Abbot Clement to William son of Botilda of Gilling of one bovate of land in Gilling to hold for 3/- per annum and by finding a cart with a man and oxen for the parson of Gilling to carry his grain and also by leading the tithe of his own land to the parson’s barn (St. Mary’s cartulary). To Botilda and heirs. This was witnessed Lascallino (capellano-chaplain),

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Thomas Diacano (deacon), Adam de Rotamaeo (miller), Calfrido (the carrier), Calfrido de Thornton, Calfrido Ketelby.

Early in the reign of Henry II (1154-1189) Ivo de Vescy gave two carucates of land in Gilling, and Peter de Ros another two carucates with the church, to St. Mary’s Abbey, York. This seems to be the same land given by Eustace Fitzjohn mentioned previously. There was a link between the Fitzjohns and the Vescys. It may be that Fitzjohn, who was a son-in-law of the Vescys, really confirmed the two carucates and the church when he received his inheritance, and added a further two for good measure.

Thomas de Etton We now arrive at a period when the ownership position becomes much clearer. Gill states that a Thomas de Etton was Lord of Gilling from 1199-1216. The Ettons came from the village of Etton in the East Riding, north of Beverley. It is possible that they sprang from the Vescys. The first Etton mentioned by Gill is Galfrid de Etton who lived in 1154, though not named as Lord of Gilling. A further indication that the Ettons were linked with the Vescys can be seen in the similarities displayed in their coats-of-arms. This date of Thomas de Etton (1199-1216) takes us back to within 19 years of the death of Ralph de Mortimer, and this also implies that Thomas de Etton was already Lord of Gilling when Ivo de Vescy gave his two carucates and the church to St. Mary’s Abbey as mentioned above.

Under Layersthorpe there is a charter granting one toft of land and croft, by Abbot H of Byland to Thomas de Etton. The land was situated:

at the exit of the vill of L(ayersthorpe) next to the cross and one selion in Riskhow up to Stayngryof and half an acre in the same field next to the vill ane selion in Howstholm and one selion in Milneholm and one selion in Le Berugh towards Oswaldkirk with meadow adjacent to the said land throughout the field of L(ayersthorpe).

Although no date is recorded on this charter it is probably from 1199 - 1216, when a Thomas de Etton was Lord of Gilling. The position may possibly be identified as follows: •

• • • • •

Layersthorpe: This is, of course, the parish lying to the north of Gilling, on the north side of the Holbeck and between Oswaldkirk Bank and Stonegrave. Where the cross was is not exactly known, but on the 1856 O.S. map there is a ‘stump cross’ marked as being between East and West Newton.

Riskhow: Is this Ryedale?

Stayngryof: This is of course Stonegrave.

Howstholm: Is this Southholm, where the Fairfaxes held land later?

Milneholm: There is a Millholm in Layersthorpe, just on the north bank of the Holbeck between Gilling Bridge and Cawton Lane.

Le Berugh: This is a mystery to which I cannot offer any solution. Could it be Birch House at the end of Oswaldkirk Terrace? Or connected to ‘Barugh’ meaning ‘hill’?

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There is also a record of a grant by Adam de Gilling to John Rabot of Hovingham of a toft and croft in Gilling “lying at the butts of the vill towards the north, next to the toft of Thomas de Etton on the south side”. (Note that “ad butto villi” might be translated as “abutting on the vill”.)

William de Etton Thomas de Etton was succeeded in 1216 by William de Etton. In 1221 a Thomas de Etton owed the King a mark for leave to summon Ingram de Cornborough (near Sheriff Hutton) and John Surdeval concerning land in Gilling. In the next record Thomas de Etton junior released to John Surdeval nine-and-a-half oxgangs of land in Gilling. This Thomas died in 1226.

How William de Etton fits into this situation is not very clear but he was still alive in 1251-2. In 1218-9 a Geoffrey de Etton, brother of Thomas de Etton junior, granted a mill in Gilling to Simon, son of William de Clifford for one pound of pepper. Also Osbert de Cornborough quitclaimed (released from a claim) to William de Etton his common pasture in William’s land in Gilling with certain exceptions. William granted Osbert the services of his men for which Osbert was to pay a pair of white gloves annually. Thomas de Etton had a son, Robert, who became the founder of the Ettons of Etton. In 1251 Walter Barn plaintiff and William de Etton warrantor, took legal action concerning one toft and six acres in Gilling, and one bovate and oneand-a-half acres of meadow in Gilling, right of William. At Walter’s request William grants to Robert Barn, son and heir of Walter, the toft and meadow and half an acre in the field called Brom. Walter grants that William de Etton and his heirs may hereafter enclose with dyke and hedge certain portions of their woods in the vill called Loftsco and Hardwud, and a certain assart called Moricesstoking, and also all the marsh between Durpol and Holbec as far as the old dyke to the west, and he make his profit from the said wood assart and marsh, saving to Walter common pasture in ther marsh after the hay is cut and carried.

In 1252 there is a record of legal action again between Osbert de Cornborough (Cornbrucg) and Wm de Etton, defendant, concerning common pasture claimed by Osbert in William’s land of Gilling. Osbert grants all right of common pasture, saving to Osbert common pasture for 35 sheep with lambs before weaning, 10 cows with calves etc., 16 oxen and 4 horses. If William puts any goats in the pasture Osbert may put 20 goats thereon. Osbert grants all rights of estover in William’s woods. Whether this is the same agreement as above, or confirmation, or a second agreement, is not clear.

Sir Ivo de Etton In 1272 it appears that Ivo de Etton succeeded. He was knighted and thus became Sir Ivo de Etton; what he was knighted for, or when, we do not know, but he was certainly a more prominent national and local figure. He was Constable of Tikhill from 1235 to 1245 and held one knight’s fee of Roger de Mowbray in Yorkshire. He held 2¾ librates of land in the wapentake of Ryedale in 1255-6. In 1284/5 he was listed as a tenant. In the same year the land of Hugh Fitzbaldric, assessed at 2½ carucates, became part of the fee of Mowbray. Is there a link here?

In the same year at Kirby’s inquest, St. Mary’s Abbey, York held 3½ carucates in Gilling but no tenant or overlord is mentioned. In addition the Canon of Malton Priory held half a carucate.

The first mention of the size of the village was made in 1285 when it consisted of 14 cottages, 13 valued at a total of 18/- per annum and one at 8d, and a mill at 10/-. The population could

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have been about 100. None of these cottages now exists, but they were probably under the present estate cottages as in later years many dwellings were pulled down and rebuilt.

In 1290 the Archdeacon of Richmond summoned Sir Ivo de Etton for impounding 400 sheep at Gilling; Sir Ivo thought he had the right to do this. The jurors found that a certain field was enclosed for the people of the township from Michaelmas to Martinmas, and that the Archdeacon’s shepherd had placed his sheep in the field before Martinmas and this was wrong.

They therefore decided that Sir Ivo was justified in impounding the sheep.

In 1301 subsidies were levied for the conduct of the Scottish Wars and the following amounts were raised in Gilling: “De Domino Ivone de Etton 24s-9d” “De Waltero de Gilling

5s-2d”

“De Willelmo de Porter

9d”

“De Willelmo Bonde

4d”

“De Willelmo D

4d”

“De Ricardo C

2s-1d”

“Summa

23s-8d-0q”

...which is obviously wrong if you care to add it up! It should be 33s-5d. The levy was at the rate of one-fifteenth of the value of the man’s property.

In the same year (1301) there was a dispute between William de Walton and Walter Wogan who claimed to be Rector. Wogan was ejected in 1301, so he must have lost the case. William de Walton continued as Rector until 1309, when Adam Luther was installed.

In 1307 Thomas, son of John of Wymbleton (Wombleton) was put in the stocks by Sir Ivo, and brought an action for assault. The defendant pleaded that Thomas, being a villein, had refused to perform his duty of working at the harvest, and therefore he had put him in the stocks “as he had a perfect right to do”. The plaintiff, Thomas, maintained that he was a “free man of free status and condition and therefore not liable to the service in question.

In 1311 Adam Louther was soon in the “Curia Regis” (I presume Crown Court) as a plaintiff, and Lord Ivo de Etton as defendant. It was settled as follows: “Ivo granted to Adam 1 acre of meadow in the field of Gilling lying by metes and bounds next to UMPOLE in exchange and recompense for the use of pasture etc. which the Rector used to have in the enclosures of Ivo below. Ivo also granted to Adam part of his wood in ESTKIREWYTH as it extends in length from MYHYLBERGH to the arable land of Ivo called le LITTELSTOKING, and in breadth from the road of GREOGAT to the wood called SOUTHKEREWYTH. The Rector may cut the said wood and enclose the same and hold it in severalty and he (Ivo?) is to have recompense and exchange estovers of the Rector in the woods of ESPRON, STRYKESDALE and DALBUSKYS. Ivo also grants that he shall repair and sustain the mill pond and banks of the same. Ivo also grants 2 acres 1 rood of arable in the territory of Gilling lying in 4 selions: 2 selions near the gate of the Rector towards Calveton (Cawton) and 2 selions at LONCEHOW between Walter de Gilling on both sides, in exchange for 2 acres 1 rood of arable that the Rector demised to Ivo from the land of his church....For this concession the Rector grants to

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Ivo that he may peacefully have his mill and the meadow adjoining lately enclosed by Ivo and hold it in severalty. Also Ivo may retain ANENHUSLEGHES and HARDEKNONTELEGHES enclosed and may also enclose with ditch, wall or hedge and place in defence and hold in severalty STRIKESDALEBUSKYS and ESPRON and all the land wood and pasture within the said boundaries, i.e. from the wall next to Ivo’s bercary by the ditch and hedge under ANENLYN in length to the culture linearly up to the remoter part of ESPRON up to the south and thus from this remoter part beyond the culture of the Rector linearly which culture is called ESPRONFLATT and then from this culture by metes and bounds previously placed between Ivo and Walter de Gilling to the culture of the said Rector called SOUTHECOTFLATT and from there linearly descending beyond through the field towards the east to the field called HINBRANBERGH and thus up to the copse standing on the boundary of SERICROFT towards the west, and from the said boundary towards the north to the gardens of the vill of Gilling.

The Rector also grants to Ivo that he may hold that alder grove enclosed in WESEKER next to the meadow called le HALLEENG as now enclosed and assart at his will. The Rector also grants 2 acres 1 rood of arable of the church land lying within metes and bounds of the said enclosures, which metes and bounds between Ivo and Walter de Gilling were made formerly, i.e. part of le WANDALES and part of SOUTHCOTEFLATT and the rest of the ESPRONFLATT. In exchange for the said 2 acres 1 rood of arable the Rector, for his part of the wood of SKEREWYTH remises his estovers in STRIKESDALEBUSKIES, ESPRON, and BALBUSKYS which estovers the Rector recovered against Ivo in the Royal court, saving to the Rector and his tenants, pasture in BALBUSKYS.” This most complicated document seems to be a cleaning up of the land ownership of the Church and the Lord of the Manor. It is plain that there must have been some difficulties of boundaries, and bits here were exchanged for bits there, thus straightening up the dividing lines. It is tantalising not to be able to identify the various places and fields mentioned. The only field bearing a name is Wandales, which may be Wandales to the east of Syke Gate. In 1314 Ivo de Etton granted his manor to his son Thomas. Thomas was Lord in 1316, so Ivo died soon after the transfer. St. Mary’s Abbey was joint Lord of the vill in 1316 but probably only had income from land here. St. Mary’s Abbey were patrons of the church at this time. The mense territory is not further recorded, the manor first being mentioned in 1314, held directly of the Mowbrays; the Abbey did not possess the advowson.

About 1310 an alliance was made with the Nevilles of Bulmer which later caused inheritance problems and troubles.

In 1314 the Rector was presented by the King, so the Crown must have had the advowson, not St. Mary’s Abbey or the de Ettons.

About this time Thomas de Etton was a retainer of John of Gaunt. Other dates are: 1321 Grant by Elizabeth widow of John de Butterwick, to Peter Absolon of Calveton, of 3 acres of wood in the marsh of Gilling called Gilling Ker which lies at the head of the cultivated land belonging to Peter and are called SYWARDHOLME towards the north.

1323 There was a grant by Idonea de Ugelthorp widow of Walter Domendale of Gilling, once citizen of York, to Adam Thuthorpe, of all land and meadow, in the vill and territory of Gilling she had as a dower after the death of Walter, i.e. 1 acre next to WITHES; 1/2 acre in GRYMEFLATE and meadow in BRATESTOPKING.

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1344 Grant by William de Surdeval, chaplain and Vicar of Neubald, to John de Surdeval his brother, and Walter son of his sister Alice, of all his land and meadow in Gilling which land is called GRYESFLATTE and meadow called BITESTOKYNGE. 1345 Grant by Juliana de Gilling daughter of Geoffrey, chaplain of St. Oswald, to her daughter Alice of 5 acres arable in the territory of Gilling, i.e. 3 acres in the culture of GRYMSFLATT, 1 acre in STAYNFLATT and 1 acre next to le WYTHES. 1345 Grant by Robert le Barne of Gilling to John son of Julian of Gilling of all the assart with its length and breadth from the culture called GRIMESFLATTE to his wood of HUNDESONAPE with the breadth of the said culture, which assart Robert once held at farm of the said John with the said culture and which he (Robert) assarted.

1349 Thomas de Etton began to erect the tower keep at Gilling.

1349 The sister of Thomas de Etton, Elizabeth, married Thomas Fairfax of Walton. His son and successor Thomas married his cousin Elizabeth Fairfax. This event, as it happened, sealed the future of the Gilling Estates. In the event of the Etton family failing the Gilling Estates were to be settled on members of the Fairfax family. The alliance made with the Bulmer Nevilles and this marriage caused succession troubles later, as we shall see.

1359 John de Mowbray appointed Will de Nessfield, at fee of 100 shillings and a robe yearly, keeper of his warrens and free chases at Kirby Malzeard and Niddersdale, the grant afterwards being confirmed by the King. Nessfield was certainly holding the office in 1376 when it was granted to Thomas de Etton.

1361-4 At the Yorkshire sessions of Peace the following was recorded: �Some say upon oath that a certain William Porter of Gilling in Ryedale took by theft a cow valued 10 shillings, from a man of Ulveston whose name they do not know, at Ulveston on the Saturday after the Purification of the B.V.M. in the 34th year of the king now reigning�.

1374 Thomas de Etton obtained a lease to impark 1000 acres of wood at Gilling for the raising of deer.

1377 Agreement between Thomas de Etton, Lord of Gilling, and Lord Peter de Lithum, Rector of Gilling: Thomas to receive for 200 years common pasture and the Rector shall receive for his own uses a close of meadow called POTERHEYNG containing 21 acres and a place of enclosed wood called ARNALDKYRK in severalty.

Sir John de Etton John de Etton was the son and heir of Thomas de Etton and his wife Isabel, who was the sister and heiress of John Dayvell, and widow of Richard Wilsthorp. John was knighted in 1390 and married before 1388, to Kath the younger daughter of William de Everingham and co-heir of her grandfather, Lord Everingham of Laxton in Nottinghamshire. She must have died before 1420, as John was married again, to Elizabeth who survived him. He died on 25th March 1432/3.

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His will was dated 1st October 1431, and proved on March 30th. His eldest son having died some time before, his four daughters were heiresses; Ivo the second son being heir male.

John de Etton held the manor of Gilling in Ryedale, which was his seat, and in addition lands at Cawton, Kirkbymoorside, Yearsley and Ravensthorpe; also in the right of his wife the manors of Kirkburn, Kipling Cotes and North Leverton. His life was a most eventful one, and a list of his high spots follows: 1390 John de Etton went to Prussia with the Earl of Derby who later became Henry IV. 1391 License was granted on 20th June for Ralph, Lord Neville, Thos Colville Etton and others to meet certain Scots to perform feats of arms against them.

1394 Robert Hilton complained that John de Etton, George de Etton and others broke into his house and close at Bainton and made off with his property.

1395 On 1st June Etton, now King’s Knight, was granted the office of Steward of Galtres (Forest) for life.

1399 On 15th September Etton, his wife, her sister Joan and Joan’s husband Robert Waterton, were pardoned after entering without licence the Manor of Laxton in Nottinghamshire which was their rightful inheritance through his wife (Kath). (Note: I visited Laxton in 1980 and made enquiries at the local County archives office; they knew nothing of this incident. The manor in question would be Laxton Castle, the seat of the Everingham family; it now exists only as a mound. Laxton is famous for its surviving mediaeval field system which is up to the present maintained by the D.E.) 1406-12 John de Etton was Sheriff of Yorkshire.

1406 In the same month as his appointment as Sheriff he was pardoned for outlawry occurring by not appearing when sued for debt by John Cley, citizen and draper of London.

1407 On 8th June John Neville, Lord Latimer, transferred lands and manors to John de Etton, Edmund Hastings, Henry Nessfield and John Lovell. Afterwards, however, he petitioned in chancery that the trustees had not made a grant of the reversions to him as he desired, and on February 10th 1413/4 Hastings and Nessfield together with John de Etton were commanded under pain of œ5000 not to make any alienation of Latimer’s land.

1410 5th July - John de Etton’s name appears in a commission of array for the North Riding.

(A Commission of Array was a raising of troops: the commissioner had to arrange the recruits into foot and horse soldiers.)

1411-14 John de Etton was Member of Parliament for the county of York.

1411 2nd March - de Etton was ordered to enquire in Yorkshire about unlicensed alienation of lands held in chief.

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1411 In November he again received a pardon for outlawry for not appearing to answer a plea of debt of 20 marks to John Selby, barber.

1412 November - from now until a year later he served as Sheriff of Yorkshire, and was afterwards excused payment due of œ80 as part of the form of the county.

1414 In May he again appears in a commission of array, this time for the East Riding.

1415-21 He was again Member of Parliament for the county of York.

1418 also 1419 and 1430: appeared in the commission of array for the North Riding, and the commission for Peace until his death.

1421 John de Etton’s son Miles was associated with the appointment as Steward of Galtres.

On his death, Ivo the second son was included.

1423 also 1427, 1429, 1430, 1432. John de Etton was represented by Wm Hornsby attorney.

His widow Elizabeth was represented by John Sherburn in 1436.

1431 On 12th April John de Etton was ordered to ascertain the names of those from whom subsidy in the North Riding should be collected, with the amounts they should contribute.

1432/3 John de Etton died on 25th March.

From the above list there is no doubt that John de Etton was one of the most colourful and active characters that ever lived in Gilling Castle. Throughout his life he was fully engaged either in litigation brought by him or against him, sitting in Parliament or serving on County commissions. His eldest son Miles pre-deceased him. Miles left four daughters, but they did not succeed to the estate. The second son Ivo was settled in the tail-male in 1438 with the remainder to his father’s right heirs. Ivo died without issue, and was followed by his brother Alexander, a clerk in Holy Orders, and the last of the Ettons of Gilling.

Actual relics of the Etton family are few but significant. The main one of course is the castle itself, especially the lower storey. Also there is a tomb recess bearing the de Etton arms in the south aisle of the church. Where the de Ettons were buried we do not know, but probably somewhere under the church floor. They were probably also responsible for widening the church chancel.

In 1446 Alexander de Etton exchanged the Rectory of Gilling for that of the above mentioned church of Laxton in Nottinghamshire with Thomas Tanfield of Laxton. Thomas Tanfield appears in the list of Rectors for Gilling but Alexander de Etton does not appear in the Laxton lists.

This exchange suggests that the church became part of Alexander’s inheritance and not being entailed had passed like the lands at Laxton to the four daughters of Miles. Thomas Tanfield probably acted as trustee.

In spite of the agreement of 1349 on the occasion of the marriage into the Fairfax family, the manor was settled on Alexander for life (it being impossible for him as a cleric to have legal children) and the remainder to Sir Thomas Neville Knt. and others and the heirs of Neville. Sir

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Thomas Neville, younger brother of Ralph Duke of Westmorland was a Lancastrian attainted with his son Humphrey in 1461. Sir Thomas was already dead, but his son escaped from the Tower of London, and again took up arms against the king. He was pardoned but rose again in 1464 when his kinsman the Earl of Warwick beseiged Bamborough Castle. Edward IV offered a pardon to the whole garrison with the exception of the leaders Sir Ralph Grey and Sir Humphrey Neville. Sir Ralph was captured and beheaded, but Sir Humphrey again escaped and after lying in hiding for 5 years rebelled in 1469. He was captured and beheaded in the King’s presence in York.

Meanwhile the King had granted the manor of Gilling to Sir Edmund Hastings Kt., but when Sir Humphrey was pardoned in 1463 the reversion was granted. In 1467 it reverted back to Sir Edmund Hastings who held it until 1489 or 1492. On his demise the Gilling manor and estates were successfully claimed by the Fairfax family under the marriage settlement of 1349. The successful claimant was Sir Thomas Fairfax of Walton, 5th descendant from Elizabeth de Etton.

The Fairfax Family

In 1489 Thomas Fairfax of Walton (who presumably supported the Yorkists in the Wars of the Roses, and whose home had been in close proximity to the site of the Battle of Towton which had settled the outcome of that war) claimed before the inquisition held at Malton on June 12th 1489 (4 Henry VII), where the order of succession to the Fairfax Estate was investigated and laid down. A second inquisition before the King’s Commissioners found the facts true and Thomas Fairfax became the owner of the Gilling Estate. He then became the Fairfax of Walton and Gilling. This was all in consequence of the marriage between Elizabeth de Etton and Thomas Fairfax of Walton in 1349 and it could be argued that the rightful heirs had at last come home.

In 1495 Thomas was created a Knight of the Bath, and so became Sir Thomas Fairfax.

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The Estate Before we proceed further with the history of the Fairfaxes in Gilling we should pause and try to envisage what Sir Thomas had fought for and won. Gilling Castle was built by the de Ettons, and started in 1349. It was not the traditional Motte and Bailey Castle with Keep, walls and courtyard, moat and drawbridge like Helmsley. The castle stood on a hill or spur of a ridge 130ft above the alluvial plain. The hill was called Moat Hill. There is a vestige of a dry moat on the north side of the hill, and on the south side the track up the golf course may represent the relics of a ditch; but on the west of the site, the weakest side, there appears to be no ditch or defensive embankment. All possible evidence has now been destroyed due to the levelling of the ground for the playing fields of the present school. I am assured that nothing has ever been found.

As Bilson says, Gilling Castle is not a castle intended to withstand a prolonged siege. The building has more affinity with the Northumbrian Pele Castles. It is essentially a tower, raised as a defence against hit-and-run Scottish inroads. The size of this particular tower is by all standards of the time very large: by its outside measurements 79ft 6in from north to south, and 72ft 6in from east to west. This is larger than the keep of Rochester Castle and is quite the largest tower house in England. The external walls on the north, east and south sides are 8ft thick. That on the west side facing the courtyard has disappeared.

The site is well chosen being 130ft above the level of the plain and commanding the pass south to York and also the eastern end of the Coxwold-Gilling Gap. Possibly there were no woods covering the sides of the hill. There were entrance gates east and west. The eastern one still survives with slots for the portcullis; the western one also survives, but now inside the building.

Bilson considers that it was built in the second half of the reign of Edward III, prompted by the Scottish raids which took place during the reign of Edward II when there was a disastrous encounter at Scots Corner above Byland Abbey. Most of the windows are now blocked up, but the shape of them can be traced in the stonework of the eastern side. The store houses would also be here; above would be the dining hall with the kitchen, bakehouse and buttery. The living rooms would also be in this area; above them were the sleeping quarters.

It is interesting to investigate the bounds of the estate. It was, of course, much more than the few carucates mentioned in Domesday Book as being owned by the Saxon thegns. It is estimated that the extent in the days of the first de Ettons would be about 600 acres plus wood pasture for pigs etc. In 1374 1000 acres of woodland were imparked for deer raising. The de Ettons had increased their holding with land at Grimston, Southholme and in Hovingham between Hovingham village and Cauklass Bank. In 1378 land was acquired in Yearsley. In 1505 the estate consisted of 30 dwellings with land attached 300 acres, 1000 acres of moor, 300 acres of wood, and a water mill. The site of all this land on the modern map has been investigated by E.H.W. in the Ampleforth Journal: “The messuages were probably situated in the villages, the cottages plus the land appertaining to them. The 300 acres approximately equating to that bought by the Abbey in 1929. The avenue and Park about 150 acres, further acres in what is now Gilling Farm (where the mill was) and Low Warren Farms. The 300 acres of wood were probably Park Wood clothing Gilling Scar and the North Wood stretching from the Temple to Gilling Lodge. The 1000 acres of moor and pasture land by Yearsley would be where the O.S. places Gilling and Yearsley Moors, the

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Wilderness containing the Upper and Lower ponds and the rough grazings of Yearsley Moor Farm.”

They also possessed property at Ryppon, Thorpe Arches, Folyfaite (now Follyfoot near Rudding Park), at Acaster Malbys and Copmanthorpe, at Caythorpe in the parish of Rudston (near Bridlington) and at Benton, Buckton and Harethorpe in the same neighbourhood. Another manor was held by them situate at Sheyrburn in Hertforthlyth (Sherburn on the slope of the Wolds), and finally the manor of Scalton by Ryvax (Scawton near Rievaulx), this comprising 8 messuages, 12 cottages with crofts, 300 acres of wood and 300 acres of pasture and the right of advowson to the church at Scawton.

This last-named manor was that left by Walter de Malbys to his kinsman Richard Fairfax alias Malbys, if he should not return from the Holy Land. As Richard died without issue the manor would probably pass to his elder brother William who paid the expenses of the pilgrimage.

Sir Thomas Fairfax The first Sir Thomas Fairfax married Elizabeth Sherburne of Stoneyhurst, and had children as follows: his eldest son Thomas, four sons and five daughters. The sons were named Richard, Robert and John. A Richard and a William died before Sir Thomas. There appears little to report from Thomas’s life. He died on March 31 1505 and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas at the age of 29. The second Sir Thomas in 1513 served under Henry VIII on his expedition to Flanders, and when Tournai surrendered to the King, Sir Thomas was one of those who received the honour of knighthood. He married Agnes (or Anne), the daughter of Sir William Gascoyne of Gawthorpe, York and Lady Margaret Percy, daughter of the Earl of Northumberland. He left a large family of 6 sons and 6 daughters. Nicholas was his heir.

William, the twin of Nicholas, settled at Bury St. Edmunds and was buried at Walsingham. His descendants became Church of England, as did Thomas the third son who became a priest in that church. The other brothers were Miles of Gilling born in 1506, Guy and Robert. Sir Thomas died in 1520 and was succeeded by his eldest son Nicholas at the age of 22.

Sir Nicholas Fairfax Sir Nicholas had married four years previously, when only 18, to Jane the daughter of Guy Palmes Esq. of Lindley, Yorkshire. Sir Nicholas was Sheriff of Yorkshire for the first time in 1531 and again in 1535. Mr Bilson says: “Sir Nicholas is decidedly the most interesting of the 16th century Fairfaxes of the elder line.

Though he seems to have done little or no building at Gilling his career exhibits much that is of interest and is typical of the attitude of Roman Catholic gentlemen towards religious chnges of the time. The name of Fairfax is associated in the popular mind so exclusively with the Puritan revolution of the 17th century (Civil War) that it is of interest to see how the head of the family a century earlier took an active part in opposing Henry VIII’s reforms, and even showed some sympathy with movements in favour of the “Old Faith” in Elizabeth’s reign.”

The two-sided attitude is shown by an incident in which Sir William Gascoyne wrote to Thomas Cromwell begging his favour “touching the matter between Sir Nicholas Fairfax, my nephew, and me. He claims of me 5 marks rent of my mills called Thorpe Arche at which I paid his grandfather 40 years ago”. Yet in a few months uncle and nephew were involved in the Pilgrimage of Grace along with other Catholic nobility.

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To quote from Bilson:

“The suppression of the monasteries limited at first to those under £200 a year in value produced a most serious disturbance in the social life of the country.”

The effect was more so in the North of England. The canons of Hexham Abbey took up arms against the suppression of their monastery in 1536 and this started the ball rolling. In October of the same year a rising took place in Lincolnshire and 6 days later the rising in Yorkshire began with a great assembly in the East Riding. Sir Nicholas Fairfax was one of the Yorkshire gentlemen who received a letter from King Henry VIII commanding him to aid in repressing “certain traitors” and “suffer by dint and sword or else so yield that the ringleaders be committed to prison” to await trial. But Sir Nicholas was more inclined to join the “traitors” than to obey the King’s command. Sir Thomas Percy sent for Sir Nicholas Fairfax to attend a muster of 10,000 men at Malton.

William Stapleton, in his account of the rebellion, says that on Saturday 21st October he came to York and heard how Sir Thomas Percy and Sir Nicholas Fayerfax, with the Abbot of St. Mary’s York, had gone to Pontefract (Pomfret) with a goodly band the same day. Meanwhile the Duke of Norfolk was marching north against the rebels. It was obvious that the Duke was inclined to be lenient and begged that King not to reprimand him for any concessions he might make. However, on reaching Doncaster he met a deputation from Pomfret. It would appear that Norfolk was persuaded that he had the inferior force and on 27th October an agreement was made, the King’s pardon published and the rebels were dismissed to their homes. The King however demanded 10 ringleaders to be delivered to him.

Sir Nicholas Fairfax, notwithstanding their promise to the King, moved that the parishes of Dent and Sedbar might rise and raise both Lancashire and Cheshire. It was decided to rally the Abbots of the Yorkshire Abbeys, remembering that Gilling Church had been given to St. Mary’s Abbey, York many years before. On December 2nd the rebels held a gathering of lords, laymen, and clergy; the Archbishop of York preached. Among them were Sir Nicholas Fairfax, Sir William Fairfax of Steeton, Sir George D’arcy (Nicholas’s brother-in-law), Sir Henry Gascoyne (Sir Nicholas’s cousin), and Mr Palmes (perhaps a cousin of Sir Nicholas’s wife). At this meeting they accepted the granting of a full pardon but no conditions as to the arrest of ringleaders. Sir Nicholas succeeded in making his peace with the King and was pardoned on 18th January 1537.

He took no further part in a subsequent abortive rebellion: he had had enough.

The next 30 years of his life were comparatively uneventful. He received a pension of £20 per annum from the King; although for the first five years after his disaffection he was closely watched by the King’s spies, in 1539, 1561 and 1564 he sat on the Council for the North, which had been established after the rising to keep the people in order and to execute justice in the King’s name. He sat in Parliament for Scarborough in 33 Henry VIII and again for the county in 5 Elizabeth. He was Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1544 and 1561. In 1565 he had the custody of the lands of St. Mary’s Abbey, York.

In 1568 Mary Queen of Scots fled into England. This led to a plot to depose Elizabeth and acknowledge Mary as Queen. It was led by the Earl of Northumberland, who was a kinsman of Sir Nicholas. Sir Francis Knollys, who had been sent to Carlisle to meet the Queen, rebuked the Earl for attempting to take the Queen into his own custody and reprimanded Sir Nicholas for attending upon Mary. On 26th March 1569, Thomas Earl of Sussex wrote to Cecil from York as

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follows: “Lord and Lady Herbert are here now.....I have sent for my Lords of Northumberland and Westmorland to meet us at Sir Nicholas Fairfax’s house, and so with horse races, hunting and hawking to make his lordship the best cheer we can, for the short time he tarries in the country.”

In the autumn of 1569 the two earls had started their abortive and ill-fated rebellion, The Rising of the North. Although the North tended to favour the “old religion” many remained neutral. Sir Nicholas, although he sympathised with the movement, remained inactive, and so did his son William. But his second son, Nicholas, actively joined the rebels. On 4th November 1569 the Earl of Sussex summoned the two earls to York. One refused to come and the other deferred his coming. Thereupon Sussex called the Council of the North together - including Sir Nicholas Fairfax. This must have been a very difficult situation for Sir Nicholas as he had to judge rebels whom he had largely supported. The rebellion started openly on 15th November at Brancepeth. On the 17th young Nicholas among others entered the house of Anthony Catterick on Stanwick. However the rebellion was crushed before Christmas, and young Nicholas Fairfax was a prisoner in Carlisle. His father was on the Council of the North to receive the submission of all the offenders of the West Riding.

In 1538/9, in spite of his opposition to the closing of the monasteries, Sir Nicholas was not backward in coming forward and wrote to Cromwell asking for Newborough Priory or Whitby Abbey to be given to him. This was refused, Newborough being given to a Protestant family, the Bellasys, and Whitby to the Cholmonleys.

In 1554 it is recorded that Sir Nicholas had 30 to 40 servants, indoor and outdoor, and that he was worth more than £1000 per annum.

After quite an eventful life Sir Nicholas Fairfax died on 30th March 1571. Before he died, in 1571, he made arrangements in his will for the building of a free school in the Parish of Gilling, and bequeathed an annuity of £10 for the support of the schoolmaster. Where this school was we do not know, but it may have been on the site of the present Roman Catholic church, as the school was sited there before it was the village reading room in 1836. Sir Nicholas left a family of eight sons and five daughters, all by his first wife Jane Palmes; he had none by his second wife Alice Parrington. He was buried in the church in Gilling. He made provision for a monument to be erected in Gilling Church at a cost of £40. It is there now in the south aisle of the nave.

His children were intended to be displayed round the sides of a plinth, but this has either disappeared or was never there. His first wife Jane Palmes is depicted at his side, with a hand at her feet being a pun on her maiden name. When his second wife died is not recorded, but she now lies on his left side with a lion at her feet. Sir Nicholas is shown in armour, his head resting on a helmet and at his feet a lion couchant. The altar tomb on which the effigies are now placed was provided by Mrs. Lavinia Barnes, who was virtually the last of this branch of the Fairfaxes.

Sir Nicholas’s will is published in Bilson’s paper on Gilling Castle in the Yorkshire Archaeological Journal for 1907. It is interesting to see that by his will his grandson should be educated by his son Cuthbert of Acaster Malbys, who was a Roman Catholic. Cuthbert and his daughter Mary were reported as recusants.

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Sir William Fairfax Sir Nicholas was succeeded by his eldest son William, to whom we owe the magnificent “Great Chamber” in the Castle. Sir William was a knight in his own right, being knighted at Berwick by the Duke of Norfolk in 1560. His first wife was Agnes, daughter of George Lord Darcy who was executed in 1537 for his prominent part in the Pilgrimage of Grace. Agnes must have died before William succeeded, and he must have married again within the next two years (1573). His second wife was Jane Stapleton, daughter and heiress of Brian Stapleton of Burton Joyce near Nottingham. Strangely there was a connection once more with Nottinghamshire, as Jane Stapleton’s mother came from Laxton which had once been claimed by the de Ettons. Jane must have been only about 16 years of age when she married Sir William, who was some 37 or 38 years older.

Like his father, William seems to have played a prominent part in the affairs of Yorkshire. In two letters of the state papers we learn how Queen Elizabeth’s ministers regarded him. A letter written by Sir Thomas Gargrave, Vice-President of the Council of the North, dated September 1572, mentions him. This letter is a list of persons recommended for appointment to the Council of the North, sent to Lord Burleigh. The people mentioned are divided into various categories: (1) Protestant; (2) the worst sort; (3) mean or less evil; (4) doubtful or neutral. Sir William is listed as mean and less evil. His neighbour at Newborough Priory was Protestant. Of William’s other links William Hungate, Gabriel Fairfax and Vavasour are all doubtful or neutral; John Sayce and Sir Richard Stapleton are mean or less evil; while Martin Anne, presumably of Burghwallis, and Richard Gascoyne are of the worst sort.

The second letter was addressed to Walsingham by Henry Earl of Huntingdon in 1577, when he was the President of the Council of the North. The subject is the same as that of the first letter, and we find that Sir William was considered sufficiently sound to be on the Council.

Although Sir William considered his house at Gilling to be a poor one, his hospitality was on a generous scale. There is a fine series of house accounts kept by John Woodward, the house steward from 1571 to 1582. The weekly account was £7 to £8 plus the produce of the estate.

At New Year this rose to £22 per week, and during Lent fell to £5. As a general rule there were 30 to 40 persons dining in the Hall, particularly on guest days. On May 14th 1579 there is a record of a supper held in honour of the Earl of Rutland. The guests named were The Earl of Rutland himself, Sir Robert Constable, Mr. Manners (perhaps a relation of the Earl’s), Sir William Bellasis, Mr Henry Bellasis and his wife, and many others. The food included mutton, beef, veal, calves’ feet, chicken, capons, moorcock, pigeon pie, and stewed rabbits - surely a feast fit for a king.

In 1572 (39 Elizabeth) Sir William sat as MP for Yorkshire County. He was Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1577. In 1588 his name appears as a gentleman who would be able to loan the Queen £50 and £25. In 1588 he was seriously ill and not expected to recover. A Frances Alford wrote to Burleigh regarding an offer of 400 marks for the wardship of William’s son and the permission, should William die, to collect the income from the late monastery of St. Mary York. But William recovered and lived another 9 years.

In the period from 1588 Sir William made considerable alterations to the now 200-year old Tower House built by the de Ettons in 1349. There is no doubt that such a house would not be the height of comfort and would not be in keeping with the status of such a knight as Sir

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William. He therefore set about a drastic modernisation and extension to the original tower.

The most remarkable feature of this venture was the Great Chamber with its panelled walls, the upper portion being decorated with trees bearing the coats-of-arms of the gentry of Yorkshire.

These were subscribed by his three daughters. The windows are ablaze with heraldry showing the family connections of the Fairfaxes. There was also a dining room which probably adjoined the Great Chamber.

Further additions included: a new lodging; an outer new lodging; school house new turret; pleasaunce, the old study and paradise all perhaps on the ground floor. Above a gallery, a lodging, the Green Chamber, Sir William’s chamber, and the Bishop’s chamber. In the basement were the low vault and kitchens. Over the middle gates, the porter’s lodge, and over the far gate the stable. Domestic buildings included the kiln, dairy, pastry house, ox house, wine cellar, pantry, two butteries, dry larder, wet larder, boot room and brew-house. Later (in 1624) the following are also mentioned: the walk, the inner and outer nursery, Barnard’s parlour, maids’ parlour, beef house (store), still house, laundry, and wash house. Bilson wisely considers that the original tower was flanked by other buildings containing many of the above amenities. Gill states that he learned that they were on the site of the present wings. Bilson in his “Gilling Castle” gives an exhaustive description of all this work.

Among Sir William’s papers is a list of his books “remaining at Gilling”. 39 books are mentioned, half in English and the rest in French or Latin. There are works by St. Augustine, Tacitus, Plutarch, Machiavelli, Chaucer, Froissart and Holinshed, plus a book listing all the coats-of-arms displayed on the walls and windows of the Great Chamber.

Sir William died on 1st November 1597; his personal estate was valued at £1072 plus the plate and household goods at Gilling Castle; the plate was valued at £393–7s–7d.

The Later Fairfaxes (Lord Emleys) Sir Thomas Fairfax, 1st Viscount Emley Sir William was succeeded by his only son Thomas. He was married twice: first in 1594 to the eldest daughter of Sir Henry Constable, Catherine, by whom he had six sons and five daughters; and secondly in 1626-7 to Mary, daughter of Robert Ford and the widow of Sir William Bamburgh, Bart., of Howsham. Thomas was knighted in 1601 by James I on his way from Scotland.

Sir Thomas was one of the Council of the North in 1599 and 1602, and High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1627. In 1629 he paid £1300 for the Irish Viscountcy of Emley. Such titles were being sold by Charles I to raise money (however one of Sir Thomas’s friends said he only paid £900). Thus Sir Thomas became Viscount Fairfax of Emley in the County of Tipperary. In 1609 he was made Vice President of the Council of the North and in 1617 he supported Sir Thomas Wentworth as Lord President of the North. In 1601 he had been MP for Boroughbridge. In spite of all this Sir Thomas represented Hedon in Parliament from 1620-1622 and from 1624-1626.

Sir Thomas died on 23 December 1636 at Howsham. In Scrayingham church there is a memorial tablet to him and I presume he is buried there, although in his will he wished to be buried at Walton. He left to the poor of Walton and Gilling £10 each, his wife £100 and his best coach and four horses. His servant William Laskew is to feed at Gilling Castle all his life. His grandson

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William (son and heir apparent of his eldest son Thomas) to be tutored by Thomas Viscount Wentworth, his cousin, and Henry Fairfax his second son.

Five years after his succession Sir Thomas made an inventory of his possessions at Walton Hall, which he owned as well as Gilling. He left an estate worth some £2700 per annum. In the great chamber there was a substantial quantity of furniture including the following: “A drawing table, a rowned table, a liery cupboard, and a little table, all having carpets of green cloth, a frame on which stands a paire of virgenalls, a chare with other chares and stooles in it, a paire of white and black checkered tables....two dornix (Tournai) window curtins and an iron rod for them, two formes, three irish stitched low stooles, two set work low stooles, and iron chimney, a clock, cushions.”

In his bedchamber were: “A standing bedsteed with tester and head piece wrought with black velvet and yellow silk and five curtins of red cloth, a matt, a featherbed, a fine quilt, two paire of blankets, a boulster, two pilloes and a counter pointe. The white damask chare, a little red chare, an orpharion, five pictures a standing cubberd, a great chest, a cabinet...”

Later Lord Elmleys Lord Thomas Fairfax the first lord was succeeded by his son, also Thomas, who became the second Lord Fairfax. He was already forty years of age. He married Alathea, daughter of Philip Howard, Knight, of Naworth Castle in Cumberland. They had a family of seven children, five sons and two daughters. Of these the eldest son William became the third lord. William was born at Naworth Castle in 1620 and was just 21 years of age when he succeeded his father.

On August 23 1641 King Charles raised the Royal Standard at Nottingham and the Civil War began. Lord William, whose close relations were on the side of Parliament, was no doubt most cautious regarding his orientation, and the manner in which General Fairfax dealt with Helmsley Castle no doubt persuaded him to keep quiet. There are tales that Cromwell stayed at the castle and that soldiers sharpened their weapons on the church stonework, but there is no concrete evidence for such a visit.

William married Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Smith Esq. of Stutton in the county of Suffolk and had by her two sons and one daughter. He died in 1648 to be succeeded by his eldest son Thomas, the fourth lord. This Thomas was 28 when he succeeded, and died in 1650 with no direct heir. The Viscountcy therefore passed to Thomas’s uncle, his father’s brother Charles, the fifth lord. Charles was born in 1632, and married Abigail daughter of Sir John Yates of Buckland in Berkshire. They unfortunately had only one child, Alethea, who married Widdrington whose son was attainted for his share in the rising of 1715, sent to the Tower but finally pardoned. Lord Charles held the Gilling Estates for 61 years but took no part in public life. He died in 1711.

The sixth Viscount, according to Burke’s Extinct Peerages, was Nicholas the great-nephew of his predecessor Charles. He had an only sister, Mary, who was to become the second wife of her cousin the ninth and last Viscount. It is possible that this heir Nicholas never succeeded. His monument in the parish church of Walton states that he died in 1702 which was nine years

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before his uncle. In fact the sixth Viscount was another Charles, the only son of Nicholas junior and great-nephew of the Charles who had died in 1711.

To make things more complicated Charles was succeeded by his uncle Charles, who was a younger brother of Nicholas junior mentioned above. He was 50 when he came to inherit. He was a Catholic and was listed as a non-juror in 1715, holding land at Gilling and Ampleforth etc. valued at £759-1-0. This income was subject to some annuities, to Dame Mary Huggate £50, and to Mary Fairfax £40 until she was 18 years of age. This Mary became 18 in 1720 and married her cousin in 1721. Again the estates were only held by Charles for a short time as he died in 1719 aged 53, and unmarried.

The succession now passed to a cousin, William Fairfax Esq. of Lythe near Whitby, second son of the Hon. William Fairfax of Lythe. He had been the second son of Thomas the first Viscount Emley by Catherine, daughter of Sir Henry Constable. The Hon William married twice, the second wife being Mary, daughter of Marmaduke Cholmeley of Brandsby. By her he had two children, Charles and William. Charles, the elder, died without issue in 1713, and William the second son inherited the Gilling Estates in 1719, and held them for 20 years. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Captain Gerard, and had two sons and one daughter: Charles, Richard and Alathea. It was to Alathea’s descendants that Gilling passed after the deaths of her brother Charles, the ninth and last Viscount and the Hon. Anne Fairfax, his daughter who died unmarried.

The alterations to the castle from a Tudor style to a more up-to-date one were a consequence of the more stable and tolerant attitude to Roman Catholics during the Georgian period, and it is no doubt the work of Viscount William. The designs may have been the brainchild of Sir John Vanbrugh who was working at the time on Duncombe Park, Newburgh and Beningbrough, but their execution was carried out by Wakefield of Huby. Gill in his Vallis Eboracensis attributes the northern wing to the last Lord Fairfax - number nine - who succeeded in 1739. Originally a great beech avenue enhanced the view from the west front and was part of Vanbrugh’s original design. Many if not all of these trees were cut down after the first sale of the estate in 1929.

In the woods around the Fairfax Lakes and along the path known as Mrs Barnes’ Walk some of these magnificent trees still exist. These are part of an avenue leading to a temple at the end of Gilling Scar.

Lord William of Lythe came from a strong Roman Catholic family and area, which included such neighbouring villages as Egton Bridge, still with its Roman Catholic church, and Ugthorpe. Lord William employed and encouraged recruitment to the Roman Catholic faith amongst his tenantry.

The Rev. Nicholas Gouge, Rector of Gilling, made a return of papists and suspected papists in his parish in 1735. Apart from Lord Fairfax, Mrs. Fairfax and Charles Fairfax there were no less than 23 accredited Roman Catholics. He complained that several children baptised by him in Gilling Church were being confirmed by a Roman Catholic Bishop of York and that some of his parishioners were being perverted to the popish religion. He also reported that there was a place in the village where mass was performed.

In 1722 there was a particular chaplain at Gilling Castle, Father Rokeby, who together with Lord Fairfax was protected by the Earl of Carlisle (who I believe was the Protestant side of the Howard family) who must have been tolerant to his Roman Catholic tenantry. However Father Rokeby left the country for a while and was excommunicated. Rokeby’s successor was Father Stourton who was made chaplain in 1741. Even when living in Whenby, Father Stourton was

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reported as being active in Gilling at that time; and that papists assembled in Gilling from many nearby places to celebrate mass there. It must have been difficult for all concerned in the village, especially for those who worked for the Fairfaxes and had to comply with the law of the land in attending the parish church.

Lord William died in 1738 and was succeeded by his elder son Charles Gregory, who became the ninth Viscount Emley, and Lord of the Manor of Walton, Gilling and Acaster Malbys. In 1719 he married the widow of William Constable, Viscount Dunbar. She died without issue in 1721, and he took as his second wife Mary, the daughter of Nicholas Fairfax of Walton and sister of Charles the sixth Viscount. Although they had sons and daughters, two sons died before 1736 and two others, Charles and Nicholas, died in 1740 (of the smallpox), and in July 1741 Lady Mary died leaving her husband without a male heir. Two daughters, Elizabeth and Anne, survived. In 1753 Elizabeth died leaving Anne alone to comfort him in his declining years. Between 1750 and 1753 Fairfax House in York was built by Charles Gregory, but he only lived in it for ten years.

Charles died in 1772 and Anne succeeded. She entrusted the running of the estate to Father Boulton her chaplain. However, a possible heir to the estate was Nathaniel Pigott. He was also a Roman Catholic. His mother had been Alathea Fairfax, only daughter of the eighth baron, Viscount William, and sister of the last Viscount. In 1775 Nathaniel Pigott came over from France and paid a visit to his cousin at Gilling, and undertook to manage her estates and took up residence in the castle. He was paid £250 per annum for his services. In a deed dated January 6th 1776 Anne left all her property to his second son Charles Gregory. Although this deed was appealed against successfully she still made Charles Gregory her heir. As she realised that a change of religion would prove detrimental to her chaplain Father Boulton, she bought a piece of land at Ampleforth 30 acres in extent, and built a house and chapel for him to live in. This was called Ampleforth Lodge and eventually developed into Ampleforth Abbey.

Nathaniel Pigott died in 1793 and Charles Gregory Pigott succeeded him. He changed his name to Fairfax. He was brought up as a Catholic, but was under the influence of his wife, Mary Goodrick, who was a staunch Protestant. All the children were brought up as Protestants, three sons and three daughters. Mary Anne was born in 1795 and died at the age of 14 years. A son, Charles Gregory born in 1796, eventually succeeded to his father’s estates. A second son, Henry, died in infancy and a third, Thomas, was born in 1800 and died unmarried at the age of 28 in 1828. Two younger daughters, Lavinia and Harriet, born in 1802 and 1804 respectively, reverted to their father’s faith. Harriet turned Roman Catholic when she married Francis Cholmeley of Brandsby, a strong Catholic family. Lavinia married the Rector of Gilling, the Rev. Alexander James Barnes M.A., and turned Catholic when he died in 1865. Mary Fairfax died in 1845 and endowed Gilling Church with the Reredos, much of the altar furnishings and communion plate.

The Last Fairfaxes and Sale of the Estate The next owner of Gilling Castle was the eldest son of Charles Gregory Pigott Fairfax and Mary Goodrick: Charles Gregory Fairfax, born in 1796. He married a Roman Catholic, Mary the eldest daughter of Michael Tasburgh of Burghwallis Hall near Doncaster. After being at Brandsby in their early married life, they took up residence in Gilling Castle in 1846. He died without issue in 1871, and the estate passed to his sister Lavinia Barnes. She lived at the Rectory in Gilling until her husband, the Rev. Barnes, died in 1871; she then returned to the castle to live with her

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brother who was still alive at the time, although she had been allowed to stay in the Rectory until a new Rector was appointed. The parish was for a short time served from Oswaldkirk.

E.H. Wilson’s account of Lavinia’s character was that she was refined, intellectual and kindly, calm and of a sweet disposition. However Barbara Charlton, nee Tasburgh, gives rather a different account of her in her diary. To quote: “Neither in youth or age was Lavinia a safe person to ride the waters on. In her day she made terrible mischief up to the day of her death she went on working irreparable harm R.I.P.” By her portrait which now hangs in the entrance hall of the castle she certainly looks a formidable woman.

Lavinia Barnes will be remembered for the tablet which she erected at the head of the south aisle in Gilling Church. Here she recorded the principal members of the Gilling branch of the Fairfax family together with dates. She was also instrumental in erecting the altar tomb on which the Fairfax effigies now rest. She also created what is known today as Mrs Barnes’ walk.

This starts near the dog kennels and continues along the escarpment to the site of the temple overlooking the lakes.

Lavinia died in 1885 and the estate passed to her sister Harriet, who was married to Captain Thomas Charles Cholmely RN of Brandsby Hall. On acquiring the property the name Fairfax was included in the Cholmely name. On his death in 1889 his eldest son Hugh Charles Fairfax Cholmely succeeded. He sold the estate in 1895 to Mr George Wilson, and so ended the Fairfax connection with Gilling Castle after 406 years.

During the period of the Cholmely regime attempts were made to provide a more adequate school building. A piece of land conveniently situated was required. Approaches were made to the Cholmelys by the Church of England representatives, but owing to the Cholmelys adherence to the Roman Catholic faith a condition that the headmaster could be a Roman Catholic was unacceptable to the Church of England, as the school was a Church of England foundation. This attempt was therefore unsuccessful. However, when Mr Wilson took over he unhesitatingly granted that piece of land on which the school building now stands. The only condition in the deed was that the land must be used for educational purposes or the land reverts to the original owner.

A school had been founded in Gilling some time soon after 1570, it being a provision of the will of Sir Nicholas Fairfax. Where this school was we do not know, but at the time when the Ordnance Survey map was made in 1852 the school is indicated on the site of the Roman Catholic Chapel. The new school building was erected and opened in 1897. The previous school had been built in 1837. The new school was subscribed for as follows: Mr Wilson

£250

Canon Hudson

£250

Sir William Worsley £50 Education Society

£100

National Society

£20

Fetes and Bazaars

£100

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The school cost £1000 to build.

The old (1837) school building then became the Village Reading Room, and remained so until the estate was finally sold and split up in 1929.

Mr Wilson’s tenure of the castle was short, only 9 years. It was then sold to Mr William Slingsby Hunter in 1904. He made considerable modifications to the castle, making it a more comfortable place in which to live. In 1929 his son Mr Kenneth S. Hunter sold the estate to a syndicate, of which Mr Todd of Northallerton was the acting representative. At this juncture the estate was split up into lots and sold separately.

In the schedule of the sale some of the prices the various lots went for are given: Gilling Castle, Parkland, Woodland, Grounds and Gardens £11,300 Village or Gilling Farm

£1,450

Grange Farm, Gilling

£1,400

Parkhouse Farm

£2,800

“The Cottage” Buildings and Land

£1,500

The schedule also lists the rents raised from the various tenants: Redcar House Farm was let for £150 per annum Fairfax Arms and land

£76 per annum

In general the cottages in the village were let at sums between £5 and £12 per annum. The most expensive house in the village was one let at £25 per annum.

All the outlying farms etc. were sold separately, while the castle and the park were purchased by the Ampleforth Community, and the castle building converted into a preparatory school for the College.

During the period between the first sale and the second, much of the valuable timber in the surrounding woodland, including the avenue of beech trees, was cut down and sold separately.

The summer house or temple above the lakes was dismantled, and I understand some of the structure was transferred to the Abbey area. The site is still clear of trees and can be identified by the open area and the remains of a bricked housing, I presume for the water supply.

In the process of the sale by Mr Todd a further small piece of land was added to the school ground. This piece was to the north of the original site. There was no deed for this land, and so a deed of possession was acquired by the trustees, and the land is now firmly held by them. The trustees are the Rector and Churchwardens of Gilling East Parish Church.

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Heraldry in Gilling Castle Most of the heraldic shields are found in the stained glass windows of the Great Hall or Chamber which is now used as the school’s dining hall; it is open to the public at certain times.

There are three windows: the main, bay window contains mainly Fairfax family connections, culminating in the arms of Sir William Fairfax himself; the South window contains the arms of the Stapletons and their connections (Sir William’s second wife was Jane Stapleton); the East window contains shields relating to the Constable family (Sir William’s son Thomas married Catharine Constable of Burton Constable) — this window is a little later than the other two. The Fairfax and Stapleton windows are by Bernard Dininckhoff; a small panel records his signature and the date 1585.

Some of the glass has been moved, and some is damaged or patched, but in general the shields of the successive generations are remarkably complete. There are informative panels in the glass which give details such as “Jaine Stapletone doughter & heire of Brian Stapletone esquire, who maried S Willm Fairfax Knight, biwhome he had issue Thomas Fairfax esquire”.

There are also shields over the main fireplace in the Hall, showing the Royal Arms of Elizabeth I; Fairfax quartered with Malbis, Etton, Carthorpe, Ergham and Folyfayt; and four small shields impaling Fairfax with respectively Bellasys, Curwen, Vavasour and Roos. It should be noted that at some time the Carthorpe and Bellasys arms have been re-painted in the wrong colours. This is very understandable as the smoke from the fire has darkened everything almost to black!

The frieze round the Great Chamber contains the famous “Wapentake Panels”. As Bilson says “The arms in the frieze as now painted are even less authentic than Elizabethan heraldry generally is, from the fact that errors and alterations have been made in repainting.” Partly because of this, partly because there is an enormous number of shields, and partly because the arms represented are not closely connected with the Fairfaxes and Gilling Castle, I have not included them here, though I may do so in future. Details can be found in Bilson’s article, and also in an excellent booklet by Hugh Murray on the Great Chamber, available from the Ampleforth Abbey/College bookshop.

In the outer hallway there is also a complex shield over the fireplace, I suspect of considerably later date. It shows Fairfax quartered with Malbis, Etton, Carthorpe, Ergham and Folyfayt as above and also Stapleton, Bellew(?) and Goddard(?). Note that if this really is Goddard it has been painted red instead of black (cf above).

An alphabetical list of those arms represented on the fireplaces and in the windows follows. (It should be noted that in most cases the actual shields are complex, with multiple quarterings.

Here I have shown each individual coat of arms separately, for simplicity and ease of drawing!)

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Heraldry in Gilling Castle (Aldbrough – Ewry) Aldbrough Gules a lion rampant argent charged with a fleur-de-lys azure

Aton Barry of six or and azure, on a canton gules a cross flory argent (came in with Eure) [note this is linked to Atton — barry of six azure and or, on a canton gules a cross patonce or, cf Etton

Ayrum see Ergham Bailey Vert an eagle displayed argent, armed or

Bardolf Azure three cinquefoils or

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Beaumont Azure semy of fleur-de-lys a lion rampant or

Beaumont, Earl of Leicester Gules a cinquefoil argent (or ermine) [usually blazoned ermine]

Beckering Checky argent and gules, a bend sable

Bellasys Argent a chevron gules between three fleur-de-lys azure [over the fireplace; it has been wrongly painted argent a chevron between three fleur-de-lys sable]

Bellasys Argent a pale engrailed endorsed sable [? — this is very unlike the normal Bellasys shields; according to Papworth’s Ordinary the closest approximation is Argent a pale sable=Erskine]

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Bellew Sable fretty or [note: over the hallway fireplace this is wrongly drawn as sable a fret or]

Beneley Sable a fess between three garbs argent

Botetourt Or a saltire engrailed sable

Brittany Checky or and azure within a bordure of the first, a canton ermine [usually shown with a bordure gules, which it is in the Fairfax window; this rendering is in the Stapleton window]

“Brokenspeare�

Argent on a cross gules five mullets or

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Brotherton Gules three lions passant gardant in pale or, in chief a label of three points argent [this is obviously England differenced, for Thomas of Brotherton, second son of Edward I]

Brus Argent a lion rampant azure [Bruce of Skelton]

Brus Or a saltire and a chief gules

Burnell Argent a lion rampant sable crowned or within a bordure azure

Carthorpe Or a bend azure [note wrongly shown as or a bend sable over the fireplace — this would be Mauley]

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Chobbs see Dorre Collingridge Argent three fleur-de-lys azure

Comyn, Earl of Buchan

Azure three garbs or

Constable Or a fess compony argent and azure, in chief a lion passant gules [later used the adopted Oyri arms. Burke’s Armory suggests the fess is argent and sable]. Interestingly the arms are actually shown with the fess counter-compony, i.e. with a double row of white-and-blue chequers.

Constable Barry of 6 or and azure (adopted from Oyri) [Frequently quartered with Lascelles, Umfraville, Eure, Aton, Vescy, Nevill, Ward and Beneley]

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Cromwell Argent a bend azure, a chief gules

Curwen Quarterly 1 and 4 argent fretty gules, a chief azure, 2 and 3 sable a lion rampant argent charged with three lozenges gules [the lozenges are practically invisible, and arms so blazoned do not appear in Papworth]

de Quincy, Earl of Winchester Gules seven mascles joined 3, 3 and 1 or

Deincourt Argent a fess dancetty between ten billets sable [the number of billets varies between shields.

Burke’s armorial gives Ermine a fess dancetty sable — could the ‘billets’ be ermine points?]

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Deincourt Azure a fess dancetty between ten billets or Dormer Azure ten billets or, on a chief of the second a demi-lion rampant issuing sable

Dorre alias Chobbs Gules on a chevron argent three martlets sable, on a chief dancetty of the second three escallops of the first [according to Burke’s General Armory the birds should be shovellers]

Ergham=Ayrum Argent a chevron between three martlets sable

Erpingham Or an inescutcheon in an orle of martlets argent [this sounds very improbable — it is elsewhere blazoned with a sable, vert or gules field]

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Etton Barry of eight argent and gules, on a canton sable a cross patonce or [note the number of bars varies; usually 8, sometimes 6 or 10]

Eure=Ewry Quarterly or and gules, on a bend sable three escallops argent

Heraldry in Gilling Castle (Fairfax – Oyri) Fairfax Argent over three bars-gemels gules a lion rampant sable [in one shield the lion is shown debruised by the bars-gemels]

Ferrers Vairy or and gules

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Fitzalan of Bedale Barry of eight or and gules

Fitzhugh Azure three chevrons braced or, a chief of the last [elsewhere sometimes azure fretty and a chief or]

Folyfate=Follyfoot Argent a fess sable between two lions passant gardant sable [note: this is sometimes shown with the lions regardant, or just passant; sometimes it is blazoned with three lions]

Forth Gules two bends vairy argent and gules, on a canton or a demi-lion passant sable langued gules [usually blazoned as a demi-greyhound, but here drawn more like a lion]

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Gascoigne=Gascoyne Argent on a pale sable a luce’s head erect and couped or

Gerard Azure a lion rampant argent crowned or

Goch Per pale azure and sable, three fleur-de-lys or

Goddard Ermine a cross moline sable [the cross is sometimes blazoned pattee. Note this is mis-painted with both the spots of the ermine and the cross gules, which gives a very curious effect...]

Grey of Rotherfield Barry of six argent and azure a bend gules

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Hamelton Gules an eagle displayed argent debruised by a bendlet azure

Holland Azure semy of fleurs-de-lys a lion rampant gardant argent

Howard Gules a bend between 6 cross crosslets fitchy argent, the bend charged with the Flodden augmentation (an escutcheon or charged with a demi-lion rampant pierced through the mouth by an arrow within a double tressure flory counterflory gules — this shield, clearly derived from the Scottish Royal Arms, was granted to the then Lord Howard who was in command at the Battle of Flodden Field when the Scots were well beaten, and the King of Scots was killed.)

Lancaster Argent two bars gules, on a canton of the last a lion passant or

Lascell(e)s Argent three chaplets gules

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Loudham Argent on a bend azure five cross crosslets or [sometimes given as 3 cross crosslets]

Lovel Barry nebuly of six or and gules

Malbis Argent a chevron between three hind’s heads erased gules

Markenfield Argent on a bend sable three bezants

Mauley Or a bend sable

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Metham Quarterly azure and argent, in the first quarter a fleur-de-lys or

Mowbray Gules a lion rampant argent, on the fess point a mullet sable pierced argent [presumably for difference]

Mowbray Gules a lion rampant or within a bordure compony or and gules [Mowbray is usually a lion argent, as above] Nevill(e) Gules a saltire argent, on the fess point a mullet sable for difference (on another, an escallop) [Neville of Thornton]

Oyri Barry of six or and azure (adopted by Constable)

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Heraldry in Gilling Castle (Palmes – Zouche) Palmes Gules three fleur-de-lys argent a chief vair, on the fess point a crescent or [?for difference]

Phelip Quarterly gules and argent, in the first quarter an eagle displayed or

Pollington Paly of six gules and argent a bend counter-charged [sometimes given as argent and gules]

Powell Per pale azure and gules, three lions rampant argent

Rempston Argent a chevron sable, in the dexter chief a cinquefoil pierced of the last

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Richmond Ermine a crescent or

Richmond Gules two bars-gemels and a chief or

Rocliff Argent a chevron between three lion’s heads erased gules

Roos of Laxton Azure three water bougets or

Sherburn of Stonyhurst Argent a lion rampant vert

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St. Philibert Bendy of six argent and azure

St. Quintin Or a chevron gules, a chief vair

Stapleton Argent a lion rampant sable [sometimes with a mullet on the lion, or a crescent on its shoulder, for difference]

Sutton Or a lion rampant azure debruised by a bend compony argent and gules

Thwaites Argent on a fess sable three bezants between three fleur-de-lys gules

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Thweng Argent a fess gules between three popinjays vert [according to Burke’s Armory they should be “...collared and membered gules”]

Umfraville Argent a bend engrailed between two crosses moline gules

Umfraville Gules a cinquefoil between eight crosses flory or, over all a bend engrailed argent Vaughan Sable a chevron between three boy’s heads couped argent, round the neck of each a snake entwined proper

Vavasour Or a fess dancetty sable

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Vesci Or a cross sable [Usually given as a cross flory or patonce]

Warren Checky or and azure

Warren Checky or and gules a chief ermine Wormeley Gules on a chief indented argent three lions rampant azure [There is no record of any FairfaxWormeley marriage]

Zouche Gules nine bezants or [sometimes 10 bezants, 4, 3, 2 and 1]

Copyright Gill Smith & John Marwood http://www.nyrond.org/university/heraldry/www.demon.co.uk/apl385/gilling/heraldry.htm

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