ROUTH
THE parish of Routh is situated in the valley of
the river Hull, c. 3 km. ENE. from Beverley;
7 km. south is the city of Hull and 11 km. ENE.
the coast at Hornsea. (fn. 12) The name Routh, sometimes also Ruda or Rue in the Middle Ages, is
Scandinavian and seems to describe the location
as a clearing or a tract of rough ground; (fn. 13) the
formerly wooded nature of the parish is clear
from the considerable remains of trees dug out
of the carrs in the 19th century, as well as from
the evidence of woods in the Middle Ages. (fn. 14) The
boundaries with Meaux were defined by a jury
of Holderness in the 13th century. (fn. 15) In 1851-2
the parish contained 2,385 a. (965 ha.). Meaux
abbey, in neighbouring Wawne parish, had been
given c. 50 a. of wood and marshland in the 12th
century (fn. 16) and, as Routh wood, the land later
formed a detached part of Meaux township and
Wawne parish. (fn. 17) In the 1880s Routh civil parish,
which was coterminous with the ecclesiastical
parish, was enlarged by 53 a., possibly by the
transfer of Routh wood from Meaux civil
parish. (fn. 18) The area was thereafter 2,438 a. (987
ha.) until it was reduced slightly to 985 ha.
(2,434 a.) after 1981. (fn. 19)
There were 134 poll-tax payers at Routh in
1377, (fn. 20) and 37 houses there were assessed for the
hearth tax and 8 discharged in 1672. (fn. 21) The
parish had c. 20 families in the mid 18th century. (fn. 22) Standing at 115 in 1801 and 119 in 1831,
the population of Routh rose sharply to 178 in
1841 but later fluctuated downwards to 159 in
1901. (fn. 23) Numbers increased in the 1910s to reach
183 in 1921 but then fell to 140 in 1931 and 97
in 1981. In 1991 there were 113 residents, 108
of whom were then counted. (fn. 24)
Most of the land lies below 8 m. above sea
level, falling to c. 2 m. in the former carrs in the
south and west of Routh. Alluvium covers land
alongside the boundary drains in the north, east,
and south, but otherwise the parish is mostly
on boulder clay. Deposits of sand and gravel
occurring north of the village have been
exploited commercially. The higher ground in
the middle of the parish was occupied by the
village and open fields and the peripheral
carrlands by meadows and pastures. Routh was
inclosed c. 1675. (fn. 25)
The parish is almost entirely bounded by
drains. The natural drainage may mostly have
been southwards through streams feeding Old
fleet, which eventually flowed into the river
Humber. (fn. 26) Later much of the water seems to
have been diverted westwards to the river Hull
but the insufficiency of the Hull as an outfall
eventually resulted in the construction of
modern drains again leading southwards to the
Humber. Meaux abbey, sited in the neighbouring parish of Wawne, altered the existing drainage in the late 12th or 13th century: the eastern
and northern boundary drain, later known as
Wyth dike or Monk dike, was evidently then
made or improved by the abbey, and by 1286
the abbey had made a new drain leading westwards from the Routh-Meaux road along the
southern boundary. The southern drain, in 1685
comprising Meaux sewer dike and further west
Mempit dike, is now represented in part by the
Routh and Meaux drain and the northern drain
is called Cross drain. (fn. 27) Other drainage works
carried out by the abbey in the 13th century
included the enlargement of the ditch around
Routh wood. In 1389 the south-eastern boundary was re-made as a ditch to prevent cattle from
Routh marsh from straying into North grange,
in Meaux township. (fn. 28) The southern boundary
drain was insufficient in 1367, (fn. 29) and later in the
14th century and in the 15th Meaux abbey was
alleged to have neglected the boundary drains
and thereby to have caused flooding in neighbouring parishes. (fn. 30) Flooding at Routh and elsewhere in the level led in 1690 to the diversion of
water into the Humber, (fn. 31) and in 1693 Sir James
Bradshaw built a drainage windmill near Monk
dike in the south-eastern corner of the parish. (fn. 32)
The drainage of the east side of the Hull valley
was much improved under the Holderness
Drainage Acts of 1764 and later. (fn. 33) The area of
Routh contributory to the work of the
Holderness Drainage Board was 1,316 a. in 1775
and 1,329 a. in 1838. (fn. 34) The duties of the
Holderness Drainage Board passed in 1941 to
the River Hull Catchment Board, in 1950 to the
Hull and East Yorkshire River Board, which
widened the Routh and Meaux drain in 1960,
and later to the Yorkshire Water Authority. (fn. 35)
Roads from Routh village lead southwest to
Tickton, Hull Bridge, and Beverley and northeast towards Leven and Long Riston. The
only other road runs south from the village to
Meaux, Wawne, and Sutton on Hull. It was
probably for the maintenance of the BeverleyLeven road that Sir William of Routh (? f. c.
1230) provided by giving a toft and pasture
rights to support a road mender, who was to be
chosen by himself or his heirs jointly with
Meaux abbey, (fn. 36) and its repair was certainly the
object of an indulgence in the late 13th century. (fn. 37)
The road crosses Monk dike by Monk bridge,
mentioned as Routh bridge from the 13th century. (fn. 38) By the mid 13th century Meaux abbey
had made a causeway to Routh wood, later presumably part of the southern road, and between
1249 and 1269 it built another stretch, connecting Routh church and the Beverley-Leven
road. (fn. 39) The Beverley-Leven road and the side
road to Wawne were both in disrepair in 1367,
and in 1433 Meaux abbey was held responsible
for the insufficiency of Routh bridge. (fn. 40) The road
to Leven may have been realigned at inclosure
c. 1675, when it was called White Cross Lane,
after a roadside cross just over the boundary in
Leven. The Wawne road was then known as
Suddenby, later Southenby, Lane, but since the
later 19th century it has been Meaux Lane. (fn. 41)
The road between Beverley and White Cross
was turnpiked in 1761, and the trust was continued until 1867. (fn. 42) A toll house formerly stood
at the junction of the turnpike and the Wawne
roads, (fn. 43) and two milestones still stand. The
former turnpike road was upgraded and improved in the 20th century as part of the
Beverley to Bridlington road. (fn. 44)
ROUTH village mostly stands along the northwestern side of a street which formed part of the
Beverley-Leven road until much of it was bypassed by straightenings of the main road c.
1970. (fn. 45) A short distance away from the main
group of buildings, the church and a few houses,
including two farms, are loosely strung along the
southern side lane leading to Wawne, and more
outlying farmhouses stand back from the main
road. On the north side of the Wawne lane a
close called Garths in 1782 and near-by earthworks known as Butt hills suggest that there
were formerly more buildings there. A small
site, probably once moated but now enclosed
by wide, dry ditches, also survives south of the
church but its previous use is unknown. Most
of the farmhouses were evidently rebuilt in the
former open fields between their inclosure in the
later 17th century and 1782. Low Barn, later
Carr House, was added in the earlier 19th century. (fn. 46) Routh was again largely rebuilt in brick
in the later 19th century by the Denisons, Lords
Londesborough. (fn. 47) Park Farm and Rycote House
both bear Londesborough ciphers, and the
Denisons were evidently responsible for all of
the other farms and several cottages, besides
adding the school. (fn. 48) Cleveland House, formerly
the rectory house, was also rebuilt and later
remodelled in the 19th century. (fn. 49) Early in the
20th century the Sammans built four pairs of
cottages, and more recent buildings include six
prefabricated houses put up by the rural district
council in or soon after 1950. (fn. 50)
The Nag's Head at Routh has traded at least
since the later 18th century and was so named
by the 1820s. (fn. 51) A reading room provided in the
parsonage by 1900 was evidently moved to the
former school building, which was also used for
village meetings. (fn. 52) A larger village hall, adjoining the reading room, was built by the parishioners in 1935; its site was given by Sir Henry
Samman, Bt., and the two buildings were later
called Samman Hall. During the Second World
War the hall served as a billet for men from
Catfoss airfield, in Sigglesthorne. Later it was
little used and was sold in 1968 for conversion
to a house; it has since become a nonconformist
church. (fn. 53) In the mid 20th century the county
council ran a library at Routh, at first in the
village hall and later in a private house. (fn. 54)
OUTLYING BUILDINGS in the parish have
included a medieval hospital; it was recorded in
the 13th and 14th centuries and its location, near
the eastern boundary on the road to Leven, was
later commemorated in the name Spittle ings. (fn. 55)
The 'old raceground' shown in 1855 near Low
Farm was presumably for horse-racing, (fn. 56) and
hare-coursing was a feature of the village's social
life until the early 1930s. (fn. 57) It is not known why
Castle park, in the south-west of the parish, (fn. 58) is
so called. A decoy airfield called Routh aerodrome was operated c. 1940 to protect Leconfield. (fn. 59)
MANORS AND OTHER ESTATES
In 1086
the archbishop of York's church of St. John at
Beverley had 1 carucate and 7 bovates at Routh.
The church may have held another carucate
there and was then side to have had 2 carucates
taken away by Drew de Bevrère. (fn. 60) William de la
Mare, one of the two lords of Routh in 1316, (fn. 61)
presumably held the Beverley minster estate. A
kinsman of archbishops Melton and Thoresby,
he was provost of Beverley 1338-60 (fn. 62) and
from the 1320s treasurer and a prebendary of
York. (fn. 63) After the suppression of the collegiate
church in 1548, Routh manor was held of the
Crown and succeeding lords of Beverley Chapter manor. (fn. 64)
A family named from their land in the parish
held all or part of the provost's estate there as a
manor of ROUTH. Sir Simon of Routh, the
first recorded member of the family, presumably
held the manor, and land adjoining it was
bought from Meaux abbey by Simon's grandson
Sir William or by William's son Sir Amand (fl.
later 13th and early 14th century). (fn. 65) The manor
was settled on Sir Amand's son, (Sir) John of
Routh in 1306. (fn. 66) Later the estate mostly descended like Tansterne, in Aldbrough, in the
Rouths (fn. 67) and their successors, the Cutts (fn. 68) and
the Michelbournes. (fn. 69) About 1370 Sir Amand of
Routh held 1 carucate and 6 bovates of the provost. (fn. 70) Another Sir John Routh's son John (fl.
earlier 15th cent.) had the estate before his
brother and heir Brian, (fn. 71) at whose death in 1483
the untenanted estate comprised, besides the
manor, only a house and five crofts. (fn. 72) Thomas
Michelbourne (d. 1582) was probably succeeded
in his share of Routh manor by his son
Lawrence, who by will of 1600 left his lands to
his brother Thomas. (fn. 73) In 1614, on the partition
of the Michelbournes' estates, Routh manor fell
to the share of Sir Richard Michelbourne (d.
1638). (fn. 74) His sons sold the manor in 1647 to
Thomas Chatt (d. by 1661). Chatt's son John (fn. 75)
exchanged Routh manor with 2 bovates for
Fitling manor, in Humbleton, with Henry
Hildyard in 1662. (fn. 76) The estate descended with
Hildyard's other land in Routh. (fn. 77)
The manor house of Sir Amand of Routh
included an oratory in 1301. (fn. 78)
In 1066 Morkar's manor of Mappleton included 4 carucates of sokeland at Routh; in 1086
Drew de Bevrère may have held all 4 carucates
or 3 of them, St. John's church, Beverley, having
the remaining carucate. Drew's holding, moreover, seems to have included 2 carucates which
he was said to have taken from St. John's
church. (fn. 79) As elsewhere in Holderness, Drew's
holding passed to the counts of Aumale and
descended with their honor of Holderness to the
Constables. (fn. 80) In 1574 and again c. 1615 the Constables were disputing the service owed to them
from the manor. (fn. 81)
It was almost certainly part of the Aumale fee
at Routh which the Scrutevilles held. Richard
de Scruteville was settled at Routh soon after
the Conquest, and c. 1150 Alan de Scruteville
exchanged some of his land there with William
le Gros, count of Aumale, for an estate at
Ringbrough, in Aldbrough. (fn. 82) Alan was probably
succeeded in the rest by his son Sir William de
Scruteville, and William's son Alan was lord of
Routh c. 1215. Alan was followed by his son
William (fl. c. 1230), (fn. 83) but later in the mid 13th
century the Scruteville holding in Routh, of 4
carucates and 1 bovate, passed to John de
Ros, husband of Sir William de Scruteville's
daughter Emma. (fn. 84) He was perhaps succeeded by
his son Richard de Ros, who certainly presented
to Routh church in 1273. (fn. 85) The estate, then
described as a manor of ROUTH, was held by
the overlord, the countess of Aumale, in the
1270s and 1280s by reason of the minority of
Richard's son (Sir) John de Ros. (fn. 86) Described as
of Gedney (Lincs.) or of Ringbrough, he was
one of the two lords of Routh in 1316 (fn. 87) and dying
by 1319 was succeeded by his son (Sir) Richard
(d. 1351); in the 14th century the manor was
held as 1/12 knight's fee and included a chief house
and c. 2 carucates and another 2 carucates held
of the Roses by free tenants owing military services and rents. Routh evidently descended to
Richard's son William (d. by 1378) (fn. 88) and then
to one or more John Roses. (fn. 89) From John Ros,
esquire (d. 1451 or 1452), the manor probably
passed to Thomas Ros (d. by 1463) and was certainly held by Thomas's son John (d. by 1515).
John's son Edward (fn. 90) had died by 1558, leaving
as heirs Christopher Kendall, Catherine Cholmeley, and his nephew George Brigham. Brigham
apparently succeeded to the whole estate and in
1565 sold the reversion of the manor after his
death and that of his wife (both fl. 1570) to (Sir)
Christopher Hildyard and his heirs. (fn. 91) Hildyard
bought land at Routh in 1568. (fn. 92) Routh manor,
in 1635 said to include 24 houses and just over
1,000 a., descended with Winestead in the
Hildyards to Henry Hildyard (d. by 1674). (fn. 93)
Hildyard's estate, comprising the advowson
and two manors of Routh, one called Chatt's
farm or Michelbourne's manor, (fn. 94) was evidently
held by Lady Anne Hildyard, his widow, in 1679
and passed to Sir James Bradshaw in 1681 or
1682. (fn. 95) The Bradshaws of Risby, in Rowley,
later held it as one manor. (fn. 96) Sir James Bradshaw
(d. by 1710) was succeeded by his son Ellerker,
whose estate at Routh was then of at least 703
a. (fn. 97) Ellerker Bradshaw (d. 1742) devised his
estates in tail male to Eaton Mainwaring, who
added the name Ellerker and died in 1771. (fn. 98)
His son Roger (d. 1775) left as coheirs four sisters, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Arabella, and Harriet
Mainwaring Ellerker, who later held the
Yorkshire estate in undivided shares. (fn. 99) In 1787
it included, besides Routh manor and the
advowson of Routh church, almost 2,340 a.
there, virtually the whole parish. (fn. 1) In 1792 the
shares of Arabella (d. 1782), formerly wife of
Thomas Onslow, later earl of Onslow, and
Charlotte, wife of George Ellerker (formerly
Townshend), earl of Leicester, were settled
respectively on Elizabeth and Harriet. (fn. 2) Under a
resettlement of 1816 Elizabeth's moiety passed
at her death in 1831 to Harriet (d. 1842), who
was succeeded in the whole estate as life tenant
by her nephew Edward Mainwaring Onslow,
from 1843 Edward Mainwaring Mainwaring
Ellerker Onslow. In 1851 Routh was sold to
Albert D. Denison, Baron Londesborough, and
the Denison trustees, who then also bought a
neighbouring farm at Meaux, in Wawne. (fn. 3) He
was succeeded in 1860 by his son W. H. F.
Denison (d. 1900), Baron Londesborough, later
earl of Londesborough, and grandson W. F. H.
Denison, earl of Londesborough. The last
named sold the whole estate, then of 2,691 a.,
in 1907 to Henry Samman, a Hull shipowner. (fn. 4)
Samman bought 50 a. more in 1908. (fn. 5) Later Sir
Henry Samman, Bt., he died in 1928 and the
estate was divided and sold by his son Sir Henry
Samman, Bt., in 1938. (fn. 6) The manor was bought
by protestant bodies for the advowson associated
with it and was not conveyed until 1940. (fn. 7) Manor
House farm, of 377 a., and the 293-a. Low farm
were bought by Marjorie Mackrill. (fn. 8) The Goodless family bought Low farm from Mrs. Mackrill in 1962, and c. 1985 her heir sold Manor
House farm to the Sinklers, the present owners. (fn. 9)
In 1672 Henry Hildyard had a house with 10
hearths at Routh, (fn. 10) and it was perhaps the same
which was recorded as Hall Garth in 1685 and
the manor house from 1710. (fn. 11) By 1782 there was
a house on the site of Manor House Farm (fn. 12)
which was rebuilt in the 19th century.
William le Gros, count of Aumale, had given
Meaux abbey a wood and adjoining marshland
at Routh, later said to comprise 50 a., by 1151. (fn. 13)
Philip the chaplain of Routh with his brother
Robert and sister Agnes, children of a rector of
Routh, added ½ carucate there in the early 13th
century, and the abbey then bought 3 bovates
more from Herbert de St. Quintin. Later gifts
included another bovate, granted between 1235
and 1249. (fn. 14) The abbey was granted free warren
at Routh in 1293, (fn. 15) and its estate there was called
ROUTH manor c. 1340. (fn. 16) In 1600 the Crown
sold the dissolved abbey's manor of Routh to
Henry Best and Robert Holland; it then comprised a manor house and 14 other houses, 1
carucate and 3 bovates, and closes and crofts, all
held by a freeholder and other tenants. (fn. 17) The
manor with much of the land was evidently
resold soon afterwards and belonged by 1616 to
Sir Christopher Hildyard (d. 1634); comprising
seven houses, 1 carucate, and other land, all
occupied in 1635 by Hildyard's tenants, the
estate descended to Sir Christopher's youngest
son Christopher, who may have sold it after
1646. (fn. 18) The manor was evidently later part of
the estate of the Mainwaring Ellerkers. (fn. 19)
Before 1157 Walter of Routh gave Bridlington
priory 2 bovates at Routh, parts of which were
exchanged with William de Scruteville for other
land there c. 1190. (fn. 20)
Land at Routh was also held by the St.
Quintins, as tenants of the Scrutevilles and their
heirs, (fn. 21) and by Lady Agnes of Kelk, who was
succeeded, as at Aldbrough, by William of
Sunderlandwick. (fn. 22) Land in or adjoining Routh
was held by Amand de Surdeval in the 13th
century and by his namesake in the 1370s. (fn. 23)
Routh hospital was endowed with 1½ bovate
in the parish in the 13th century. (fn. 24)
ECONOMIC HISTORY
COMMON LANDS AND INCLOSURE. There seem to have been
three or four open fields in the 17th century,
North, East, and West fields, and one variously
called Hill field, (Old) Mill Hill field, or Old
Mill field, which may merely have been a part
of East field. (fn. 25) As elsewhere in the East Riding,
the fields contained both broad and narrow
lands. (fn. 26) The tillage was surrounded by extensive
carrs which provided common meadowland and
pastures. North and east of the village meadow
land was mentioned in areas called the Furze,
Wrea, later Ray, hill, Segham marr, and Spittle
ings, as well as in the eastern carrs; other
meadows lay close to the southern boundary at
Cockthorn and Colson, in or adjoining Red,
possibly Reed, carr, (fn. 27) and nearby was Stargate
meadow. Much of the meadowland bordered the
open fields, which contained other, probably
smaller, pieces of meadow. Part of the eastern
carrs, described as Routh marsh, was evidently
being used as a common pasture in 1389, (fn. 28) and
in the 17th century there were two there, East
and Deep carr pastures. The village's third
pasture, sometimes called Cow pasture, occupied low-lying ground west of the village.
Routh c. 1650
Routh was inclosed c. 1675 (fn. 29) but the agreement and other records seem not to have sur
vived. The earlier layout in the open fields was
followed in the making of the new closes, which
long after retained the characteristic narrow,
curved shape of inclosed selions. (fn. 30) Some of the
allotments evidently remained undivided after
inclosure: in 1699 a North field close apparently
contained 96 a., and 85 a. lay in West pasture
close in 1782, when the 44-a. Whin hill and some
other carrland were still unimproved rough
grazing. (fn. 31)
MEDIEVAL HOLDINGS AND TENURES. In
1086 there were 7 villeins with 2 ploughs on St.
John's estate at Routh, which included 12 a. of
meadow. Two carucates formerly belonging to
the church were then said to be waste. (fn. 32) William
de Scruteville had an intake at Routh c. 1190, (fn. 33)
and the carrs were reduced by the making of
closes, primarily perhaps by Meaux abbey
which established a grange at Routh in the 13th
century. The abbey exchanged a close of woodland and other land for part of Routh carr
between 1235 and 1249, (fn. 34) and had closes there
called Carr dales c. 1300. Those closes and
others belonging to Scruteville's successor, Sir
John de Ros, were used as meadows but after
mowing all were intercommoned by both proprietors. (fn. 35) Meaux abbey's grange, or manor, at
Routh was said to comprise 9½ bovates, or 150 a.
of arable land and more than 35 a. of meadow.
By 1396 most of it had been leased to one man,
who held 1 carucate and other land for nearly
£4 10s. a year; fourteen other holdings producing less than 10s. each brought the abbey's total
rental at Routh to just over £7 a year. Two of
the tenants also owed works at North grange,
in Meaux, and later rents included renders of
poultry. (fn. 36) The manor of the Roses included no
or little demesne in the late 13th century, when
all or part of the holding was let during a minority for £23 a year. Tenants on that manor then
owed chevage. (fn. 37)
Routh 1782
TURBARIES, FISHINF AND FOWLING.Besides rough pasture, the carrs provided
turves, fish, (fn. 38) and wildfowl. In the mid 13th
century William de Scruteville was using Monk
dike to carry turves dug from his land alongside
the drain in Routh marsh, and a turbary of 2 a.
mentioned in 1277-8 was probably on the same
estate. (fn. 39) Meaux abbey also had turbaries in the
marsh, and turbary rights in Routh were mentioned again in 1662. (fn. 40) A fishery in the carr
recorded in 1277-8 probably belonged to the
Roses. (fn. 41) Meaux abbey's fisheries were allegedly
trespassed upon in the 1370s, (fn. 42) and the Crown
as successor to the abbey let fisheries in Routh
carrs in the 16th and 17th centuries. (fn. 43) In 1570,
when ownership of the fishing and fowling of
Deep carr was disputed, it was said to belong
to George Brigham's manor, and the fishing of
another piece of carr called Castle park to the
Michelbournes' manor. (fn. 44) The rector had a net
in Deep carr in 1685. (fn. 45)
WOODLAND.It is not certain when the
woodland remaining in Routh in the Middle
Ages was cleared. The largest wood was perhaps
that of c. 50 a. given to Meaux abbey in the 12th
century, (fn. 46) but William de Scruteville apparently
also had inclosed woodland in Routh in the
13th century, and it was probably to the value
of his successor's estate that sales of wood and
woodland grazing contributed in 1277-8. (fn. 47) The
abbey's wood, called Routh, or South, wood,
had probably been felled by 1685, when it was
described simply as a close; it had been divided
into three closes by 1782. In 1685 there was
another wood, on the opposite side of the road
to Meaux, but by 1782 only 5 a. of that woodland
remained. (fn. 48) Woodland covered less than 40 a. of
Routh later. (fn. 49)
LATER AGRICULTURE.The parish has been
predominantly arable in the 19th and 20th centuries: there were 1,967 a. of arable land and
350 a. of grassland in 1843, 1,844 a. and 449 a.
respectively in 1905, and c. 1,815 a. and 560 a.
in 1938. In the 1930s the grassland lay around
the village and outlying farms. (fn. 50) In 1987, when
the area returned for Routh, 1,475.9 ha. (3,647
a.), evidently included land outside the parish,
there were 1,326.2 ha. (3,277 a.) of arable land
and only 76.5 ha. (189 a.) of grassland. The only
livestock kept in any numbers were pigs, of
which there were 1,970. (fn. 51)
In 1787 there were 7 farms at Routh, the largest of 474 a. and the others with 200-399 a. each,
and a few small holdings of 15 a. or less. (fn. 52) That
pattern of landholding remained virtually un
changed during the 19th and early 20th centuries. (fn. 53) One or two cowkeepers also earned a living
in Routh from the late 19th century, a smallholder was mentioned as well in 1937, and there
was later a nursery. (fn. 54) In 1987 the area including
Routh was in seven farms, the largest of which
had over 500 ha. (1,236 a.), two 100-499 ha.
(247-1, 233 a.), two 50-99 ha. (124-245 a.), and
two less than 5 ha. (12 a.). (fn. 55)
INDUSTRY AND TRADE. Sand and gravel was
dug from small pits in the north-east of the
parish before the 20th century, and bricks had
evidently been made there before 1782. (fn. 56)
Larger-scale extraction started in 1988 on 194 a.
of Low farm, the house of which was demolished; in 1996 an adjacent area was being worked
and it was then hoped to continue operations
until the year 2000. Most of the quarried area
had been landscaped around a lake, or returned
to agriculture, by 1996. (fn. 57)
The estate joiner established his own business
in 1873 and the concern was still carried on in
1997, (fn. 58) and a pottery business was conducted
from the former rectory house in the 1960s and
1970s. (fn. 59) A garage and motor engineering workshop, opened in the 1920s, (fn. 60) had by 1996 been
enlarged with a café and village stores.
MILLS.A mill at Routh in 1277-8 was probably the windmill recorded on the manor of the
Ros family and their successors between the
14th and 17th centuries. (fn. 61) Another mill standing
on Sir Amand of Routh's manor in the mid 14th
century was mentioned again, as a windmill, in
the 17th century. (fn. 62) The mills presumably stood
north-east and south-west of the village, but
neither existed in 1782. (fn. 63)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
In 1277-8 court
profits added just over £1 to the value of an
estate at Routh, probably the Roses', and the
court of their manor was mentioned in 1351. (fn. 64)
Meaux abbey, which also held a court on its
manor at Routh, was claiming the profits of the
ale assize there in 1293, (fn. 65) and in the 1330s
tenants of the provost at Routh were found, presumably in his court at Beverley, to have
breached the assize of bread. (fn. 66) It was probably
because of the Crown's lordship in both places
that a constable for Routh was sworn in Leven
manor court in 1650. (fn. 67)
Surviving parish records include churchwardens' accounts from 1737 to 1851. (fn. 68) Overseers' accounts for 1679-83 reveal that 4-5
people were then relieved by the parish, (fn. 69) which
maintained poorhouses at Routh in the 18th (fn. 70)
and early 19th century. (fn. 71) Two people at Routh
were on permanent out-relief in 1802-3 and 12
between 1812 and 1815; occasional help was
given to 4 in the earlier period and to 5-10 in
the later one. (fn. 72) Routh later also supported paupers in the parochial workhouse at Beverley, (fn. 73) and
in 1836 it joined Beverley poor-law union. (fn. 74)
Routh remained in Beverley rural district until
1974, when it became part of the Beverley district, or borough, of Humberside. (fn. 75) In 1996
Routh parish became part of a new East Riding
unitary area. (fn. 76) The parish council had lapsed
before 1967, when a new one was set up for
Routh and Tickton together. (fn. 77)
CHURCH
There was evidently a church at
Routh by the late 12th century. (fn. 78) The living has
remained a rectory but the last institution was
in 1959 and since 1963 the church has been
entrusted to a curate in charge. (fn. 79)
Richard de Ros presented to Routh in 1273
and the advowson later descended with their
manor in the Ros family, the Crown presenting
during minorities in 1354 and 1378 and grantees
of the Roses in 1477 and 1559. (fn. 80) The right to
present continued to descend with the manor in
the Hildyards, (fn. 81) Bradshaws, Mainwaring Ellerkers, Onslows, and Denisons. (fn. 82) In 1907 both
were sold by W. F. H. Denison, earl of Londesborough, to Henry Samman, later Sir Henry
Samman, Bt., (fn. 83) who presented a relative, A. H.
Samman, rector 1907-32. (fn. 84) In 1938 Samman's
son, Sir Henry Samman, Bt., sold the advowson
and the manor to Adolph Arwidsson, acting for
two Evangelical bodies, the Church Association
Trust, later the Church Society Trust, and the
Incorporated Trinitarian Bible Society Trust,
whose share of the patronage passed c. 1990 to
the Reformation Church Trust. (fn. 85) In 1958 the
Crown presented to Routh by lapse. (fn. 86)
Routh rectory was valued at £6 13s. 4d. in
1291 (fn. 87) and £8 1s. 5d. net in 1535. (fn. 88) The improved annual value in 1650 was almost £67
net. (fn. 89) The value, probably gross, c. 1700 was
£100 and in 1787 it was put at over £120 a
year. (fn. 90) The annual net income averaged £470
between 1829 and 1831 (fn. 91) and was said to be the
same in 1883. (fn. 92)
Tithes and other dues contributed over £8
and the glebe lands £1 9s. to the gross annual
income in 1535. (fn. 93) Apart from a few acres around
the parsonage house, the glebe land comprised
2 bovates with appurtenant meadow grounds (fn. 94)
until inclosure c. 1675, when the rector accepted
an annual rent charge for his commonable land
and most of the tithes; the sum was £66 12s. in
1716, £60 in 1743, and £63 in 1770. The tithes
of the old inclosures and small tithes remained
payable in kind, and 'old' compositions amounting to nearly 11s. for the tithes from land called
Castle park and those of fish and rushes, or
dumbles, remained in force. (fn. 95) In 1815 tithe rents
were said to bring in nearly £384. (fn. 96) The rent
charge and compositions were replaced in 1843,
when all the tithes were commuted for a new
rent charge of £540. (fn. 97)
A house with four hearths was occupied in
1672 by a Mr. Hildyard, possibly Christopher
Hildyard, rector. (fn. 98) In 1716 the gardens of the
rectory house were being laid out, and in 1764
it was said to have 12 rooms. (fn. 99) The building was
very dilapidated by the early 19th century, when
the incumbent lived in Beverley. Appleton
Bennison of Hull rebuilt it in 1818-19 as a twostoreyed house in red and white brick with four
principal rooms. (fn. 1) A cottage was added between
1827 and 1849. (fn. 2) The house was evidently let c.
1840, (fn. 3) and in 1865 it was extended and remodelled and its offices rebuilt by Ewan Christian
of London, a three-storeyed bay in cream brick
being then added to the south front. (fn. 4) The house,
later called Cleveland House, cottage, and c.
2½ a were sold in 1956, and a field of 1½ a.
remained in 1978. (fn. 5)
A hermitage was founded in Routh by Meaux
abbey and endowed with a little land there. Part
of the endowment, an acre or two of meadow
land called Church ings, was occupied by the
churchwardens in the late 16th and mid 17th
century. (fn. 6)
Thomas, the first known rector, evidently
held the church late in the 12th century before
resigning it and marrying the mother of his children. (fn. 7) In 1303 the church was apparently being
served by a curate for the aged incumbent. (fn. 8) In
1309 the Ros family presented Hervey of
Winchcomb, acolyte, who was licensed to be
absent for three years for study in 1310 and in
1313 was further excused as a servant of Master
Nicholas de Ros, a royal clerk and York prebendary. (fn. 9) His successor in 1324 was John de Ros,
also in minor orders and a licensed absentee; he
was indicated in 1338 with Sir Richard de Ros
and others for the death of Sir Amand of Routh's
son (fn. 10) and had resigned the living by 1347. The
church was exchanged four times between 1354
and 1378, when incumbents were again licensed
to be absent. Another connexion of the patronal
family, which had an estate at Gedney (Lincs.),
was Master Thomas Gedney, rector 1475-7,
and Robert Brandesby, nominated by John Ros
(d. by 1515) to pray for him in the church for five
years, (fn. 11) was presented as rector in 1523. Thomas
Griffith, rector 1581-1612, was among the
incumbents who in 1594 disobeyed an order,
probably from the Council in the North, to
attend the classes in Beverley of the puritan
Thomas Whincop, curate of the minster. (fn. 12)
Christopher Hildyard, a member of the patronal
family, was rector from 1661 to 1712. (fn. 13)
In the mid 18th century there was at least one
service each Sunday, a second being provided
in summer when there was likelihood of a congregation. There were then three celebrations of
Holy Communion a year, at which 10-20
usually received in 1743. (fn. 14) Routh was later
served by curates (fn. 15) for non-resident incumbents
like Charles Hall, rector for nearly 40 years from
1827, who lived at Terrington (Yorks. N.R.)
where he was also rector. (fn. 16) In 1865 the curate
was holding two Sunday services and celebrating communion seven times a year. A resident
rector was instituted later that year, and communion was monthly by 1868 and weekly in the
earlier 20th century; a dozen people usually
received in the later 19th century but only 5 in
1931. (fn. 17) In the mid 20th century Routh was
served with Wawne, (fn. 18) and since 1963 it has been
the responsibility of the incumbent of Beverley
minster. (fn. 19) There was each Sunday at Routh
either a service or the monthly celebration of
communion until 1996, when the provision was
reduced to one service and one communion a
month. (fn. 20)
Lands at Routh were given for lights in the
church and by Edward Ros to support a priest
to pray for him. (fn. 21)
The church was dedicated to ALL SAINTS,
or ALL HALLOWS, by 1451. (fn. 22) The building
comprises a long chancel, nave with south porch,
and small, west tower. A window of the 13th
century survives in the nave, and both the chancel and nave were evidently refenestrated in the
14th century. The church was of ashlar until,
probably in or soon after the 15th century, brick
was used for the rebuilding of the chancel, the
addition of the south porch, and the extensive
rebuilding of the tower; the brickwork is covered
mostly by later pebble-dashing. The fabric was
neglected c. 1300 and again in the later 17th and
early 18th century, the chancel being in disrepair
in 1663 and the tower c. 1680. (fn. 23) About 1830 the
nave was reroofed and its south wall rebuilt. (fn. 24)
The church was further restored in the 1860s,
the nave being reseated and repaved in 1864 and
the chancel reroofed and the east window reglazed in 1869. (fn. 25) Another, more radical, restoration was carried out in 1905 by Brodrick,
Lowther, & Walker of Hull, the main work
being the rebuilding of the tower. The low,
embattled tower was rebuilt in ashlar in a
pinnacled, 15th-century style, incorporating
earlier stonework and the 15th-century west
window. The chancel was also refitted, and it
was presumably then that its floor was raised to
be higher rather than lower than that of the
nave. (fn. 26)
Fittings include a late medieval, octagonal
font, and an 18th-century pulpit. There was
formerly glass bearing the arms of the Ros and
Routh families, (fn. 27) fragments of which remain. In
the chancel earlier 15th-century brasses commemorate Sir John Routh and his wife Agnes, (fn. 28)
a mutilated, cross-legged, stone effigy an
unknown knight, and a wall tablet by T. Hayes
of Beverley Matilda Smith (d. 1844).
There were two bells in 1552 (fn. 29) but later only
one, cast in 1732. (fn. 30) A clock was added to the
tower as a war memorial in 1919. (fn. 31) The plate
formerly included a silver cup and cover which
were replaced by a plated set between 1825 and
1849. (fn. 32) The registers of baptisms begin in 1639,
of marriages in 1632, and burials in 1631; there
is no marriage register for 1754-1815 and the
mid 17th-century registrations of marriages and
burials lack entries for a few years. (fn. 33)
An extension to the churchyard, which was
enclosed by a ditch in 1840, (fn. 34) was consecrated
in 1987. (fn. 35)
In 1777 the parish clerk was said to receive
£1 1s. a year from the parishioners, 6d. from
each house, and a peck of wheat from each
farmer; by 1825 his wages were £4 and 6d. from
each parishioner. (fn. 36)
The proceeds of the sale of Samman Hall in
1968 (fn. 37) were spent partly on the provision of a
bus shelter and the improvement of the church's
heating. The balance of almost £140 was invested. Later grants were made towards reroofing the church and extending its yard. A Scheme
was obtained from the Charity Commission in
1983 establishing the Samman Community
Trust for Routh, and in 1997 the income was
being allowed to accumulate. (fn. 38)
NONCONFORMITY
One person was recorded as a papist and three others as noncommunicants at Routh in 1663, (fn. 39) and a protestant dissenter was returned in 1676. (fn. 40) There
is later little evidence of nonconformity but in
1868 a few dissenters were said to meet in a
cottage on Sundays. (fn. 41) Samman Hall, comprising
buildings formerly used as a school and a village
hall, (fn. 42) was bought in 1995, remodelled, and
opened as a church in 1996 by a Christadelphian
congregation which formerly worshipped in
Hull and Skidby. In 1996 three services a week
were held for members from as far afield as
Bridlington and North Cave. (fn. 43)
EDUCATION
There was no school at Routh
in the mid 18th century, although some children
there were then taught occasionally at their
parents' expense, probably by the rector, (fn. 44) and
in 1818 children from the parish went to school
in Beverley or a neighbouring village. (fn. 45) A
National school was built by W. H. F. Denison,
Baron Londesborough, in 1864 (fn. 46) and supported
by him and the rector. (fn. 47) At inspection in 1871
it was attended by 10 boys and girls. (fn. 48) The
school was attended only by infants in 1900 and
was closed soon afterwards: in 1905 children
from Routh went to school at Tickton, in
Beverley, and Leven, and the school building at
Routh was disused in 1907. (fn. 49) The building was
later used as a reading room and in 1996 as part
of a nonconformist church. (fn. 50)
CHARITY FOR THE POOR
None known.