RICCALL
The parish of Riccall lies about 8 miles south of
York, on the east bank of the river Ouse. (fn. 1) Its name
suggests that the village was an Anglian settlement,
established on a ridge near a nook of land around
which the river flowed. (fn. 2) The site of the village, more
than 25 ft. above sea-level, is certainly surrounded
on three sides by low-lying ground, and the Ouse at
Riccall has one of the most prominent bends in its
sinuous course. It was at Riccall that Earl Tostig
and Harold Hardrada landed in 1066 before marching to battle at Fulford, (fn. 3) and about 50 skeletons
found near the river, close to Riccall landing, in
1956–7 may be connected with the events of that
year. (fn. 4) The parish, which is roughly triangular in
shape, has an area of 2,667 a. (fn. 5)
Much of the east of the parish is more than 25 ft.
above sea-level, and it is from this higher ground
that the ridge forming the village site extends.
These areas are largely composed of outwash sand
and clay. North-east of the village is a tract of lowerlying clays, and alongside the Ouse there are large
areas of alluvium. (fn. 6) The relatively small open fields
of Riccall lay partly on the higher ground and
partly between the village and the riverside ings.
On both higher and lower ground there were extensive areas of early inclosures, and the eastern part of
the parish was occupied by commons that continued
into Skipwith and other neighbouring townships.
Inclosure of open fields and commons did not take
place until 1883. (fn. 7) An airfield was built on the
former common for the Royal Air Force and opened
in 1942; it was closed to flying in 1945 (fn. 8) but derelict
runways and buildings remained in 1972.
Streams and dikes form much of the northern
and southern boundaries of Riccall. One of them,
Dam dike, leaves the boundary with Escrick and
flows across the north-west corner of the parish
before joining the Ouse. Flooding was alleged in
1343 to have been caused by neglect of the banks
along the dike, as well as of the sluice and river
flood banks at its outfall into the Ouse. (fn. 9) Constant
attention has always been necessary to maintain
the banks and the sluices or cloughs. (fn. 10) In the 16th
century, for example, frequent repairs were needed to
several staiths, to the timber 'breastwork' along the
river, and to the banks in the bishop of Durham's
manor, and on at least one occasion the manor-house
was flooded. (fn. 11) Water from eight parishes was said
to be discharged at the Dam dike outfall in the
1850s, when a new clough was built there. (fn. 12) The
Ouse forms the entire western parish boundary.
The course of the river has at some time been straightened across a circuitous meander; the ground thus
cut off from Riccall, known as the Nesses, remained
in the parish until 1883, when it was transferred to
Wistow (Yorks. W.R.). (fn. 13)
Riccall lies on the road from York to Selby. At the
northern boundary the road crosses Dam dike by
Scorce bridge, perhaps 'skew bridge', a name
recorded as 'Scalewisbrigg' as early as 1227. (fn. 14) The
bridge was rebuilt in brick and stone by the county
in 1805, (fn. 15) and it was presumably this small singlearched structure that remained in 1972. One stretch
of the Selby road, ½ mile south-east of the village,
was straightened in 1801. (fn. 16) Apart from field roads
only two other roads lead from Riccall village, one
westwards to Kelfield and the other, King Rudding
Lane, eastwards to the common, where it formerly
continued towards Skipwith. The York-Selby
railway line, opened in 1871, (fn. 17) passes under the
main road south-east of the village and over it at a
level-crossing north of the village. The station, on
the road to the common, was closed for passengers
in 1958 and for goods in 1964, (fn. 18) and it was used as a
dwelling-house in 1972.
The large village of Riccall lies around the junction of the main York-Selby road with the road
to Kelfield. Stretches of those roads are closely
built up, and other houses stand in offshoots from
them, namely North Field and Chapel Lanes,
Church Street, Station Road, and Coppergate. At
the road junction in the village centre is a triangular
area, now partly built upon, two sides of which are
known as Silver Street. It is possible that this was
formerly a green and market-place, though there is
no subsequent reference to the Wednesday market
and fair on 19–21 July at Riccall granted in 1350. (fn. 19)
Cross Hill House 'near the old cross', mentioned in
1732 and 1829, (fn. 20) may have stood thereabouts.
Apart from the former Vicarage, which incorporates the remains of the medieval prebendal
manor-house, (fn. 21) the most noteworthy house in the
village is Bangram Hill Farm, on the York road. It is
timber-framed and probably 17th-century in date
but was encased in brick in the 18th and early 19th
centuries. A brick house in Church Street may have
a similar origin. There are several other 18thcentury brown-brick houses in the streets around
the church and two substantial early-19th-century
villas in Main Street, besides many smaller 19thcentury houses. Part of the former pinfold stands
on the York road, and there are several groups of
farm buildings in the village, including a dovecot at
Dam End Farm. Modern development, on all sides
of the village, includes over 100 council houses and
several estates of private houses.
There was a single licensed house in Riccall in the
later 18th century, (fn. 22) but by 1823 there were four,
the Greyhound, the Drovers' Inn, the Hare and
Hounds, and the Shoulder of Mutton. (fn. 23) In 1842
there were five public houses (fn. 24) and in 1851 four, (fn. 25)
the Gardeners' Arms replacing the Shoulder of
Mutton among the names of 1823. Thereafter only
the Greyhound, the Hare and Hounds, and the
Drovers' Inn are recorded; the last-named apparently closed between 1913 and 1921, (fn. 26) but the
others remained in 1972. Shops in the village include that of the Riccall Co-operative Society,
founded in 1878 (fn. 27) and occupying a prominent
building of that time. An agricultural show was held
at Riccall in 1879. (fn. 28) At inclosure in 1883 6 a. were
allotted for a recreation ground, (fn. 29) which was opened
two years later. (fn. 30) A village institute was built in
1927. (fn. 31)
There are several small farm-houses on the Selby
road and the larger Riccall Grange stands in the east
of the parish, towards Skipwith.
The number of poll-tax payers at Riccall is uncertain. There were 193 in St. Peter's liberty, the
prebend of Riccall's manor, in 1377, (fn. 32) and 76 in St.
Cuthbert's fee, the bishop of Durham's manor, in
1379. (fn. 33) There were more than 300 'housling people'
in 1548. (fn. 34) In 1672 128 houses in the village were
listed in the hearth-tax return, 24 of them exempt.
Of those that were chargeable 69 had only one
hearth each, 20 had 2, 9 had 3, 3 had 5, and 3 had 8
or nine. (fn. 35) In 1743 there were about 86 families (fn. 36)
and in 1764 110. (fn. 37) The population in 1801 was 517.
By 1821 it had risen to 599, by 1831 to 705, and by
1871 to 795, before falling to 702 in 1901. (fn. 38) It subsequently increased to 783 in 1961 and 1,029 in
1971. (fn. 39)
MANORS AND OTHER ESTATES.
Two carucates of land in Riccall belonged to the archbishop of
York in 1066, and the canons of the minster held it
under him in 1086. (fn. 40) The estate was assigned to the
prebend of Riccall, presumably at its formation
(before 1217). (fn. 41) From 1612 almost continuously until
the 19th century the lessees of the manor of RICCALL under the prebendary were the Wormley
family. (fn. 42) The manor was sold by the parliamentary
commissioners to William Consett in 1650 and he
conveyed it to Henry Wormley the following year, (fn. 43)
but it was recovered by the prebend at the Restoration. After the death of Christopher Wormley in
1800 his widow Jane (d. 1843) married Toft
Richardson (d. 1827) in 1802, and they were succeeded by their son Wormley Edward Richardson. (fn. 44)
The manor passed to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1837 upon a voidance of the prebend, (fn. 45)
and in 1856 they sold it, with 113 a. of land, to
W. E. Richardson. (fn. 46) The manor and 158 a. were in
1858 sold by Richardson to B. R. Lawley, Baron
Wenlock. (fn. 47) They thus became part of the Lawley
family's already large estate in the parish. (fn. 48)
The prebendal manor-house was mentioned c.
1295, and licence to crenellate it was granted in
1350. (fn. 49) It passed with the manor to the Lawleys but
in 1869 it was enlarged to serve as the Vicarage of
Riccall. (fn. 50) The present house retains the eastern end
of a 15th-century building, including a three-storeyed brick tower block, with projecting garderobe and stair turrets. (fn. 51) There are slight remains of
the moat which once surrounded the house.
A second estate at Riccall in 1066, comprising a
single carucate, belonged to the king. By 1086 it was
soke of the bishop of Durham's manor of Howden, (fn. 52)
and RICCALL manor, sometimes known as the
manor of WHEEL HALL, subsequently belonged
to the see of Durham until the 19th century. In 1322
the bishop let it for ten years to the Peruzzi of
Florence. (fn. 53) After Edward VI's dissolution of the
bishopric in 1553 Riccall manor was granted to
Francis Jobson, but it was recovered the following
year (fn. 54) when the bishopric was revived. Between the
late 17th and early 19th centuries Wheel Hall was
often let to the Mastermans. (fn. 55) The bishops of
Durham retained the manor until 1836, when it was
transferred, along with Howden, to the newly
created bishopric of Ripon. (fn. 56) In 1850 the manor was
let to F. B. Robinson, and in 1855 80 a. of it were
sold to him. (fn. 57) The rest of the Ripon estate was vested
in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1857. In 1873
140 a., with the manor-house, were sold to Lord
Wenlock (fn. 58) and were merged with his larger estate in
Riccall.
The bishop of Durham's manor-house of Wheel
Hall, 'the house by the river-deep', was mentioned
in the early 14th century. (fn. 59) In the 16th century repairs were done to the hall, great chamber, chapel,
stables, and other buildings, and to 'the drawdike
about the manor'. The old gate house and water
gate house were mentioned in 1662 and later. (fn. 60) The
hall has been replaced by an 18th-century farmhouse but traces of the moat which surrounded it
were still visible in 1972.
A holding in Riccall belonging to the Beckwith
family was mentioned in 1538–9 and later. (fn. 61) It was
conveyed by Newark and Leonard Beckwith to
Edward Wormley in 1654, (fn. 62) and the chief house
upon it apparently became the seat of the Wormleys. The house was said in 1776 to have formerly
been called Beckwith's Hall and to have been rebuilt by Edward Wormley (d. 1787). (fn. 63) Known as
Riccall Hall, it passed with the prebendal manor to
the Lawleys in 1858 and additions and improvements were made to it by Lord Wenlock c. 1884. (fn. 64)
The house was demolished in 1951–2, (fn. 65) and in 1952
the site was sold to L. A. Winder, (fn. 66) who converted
outbuildings and stable block into a house still
known in 1972 as Riccall Hall.
The Lawley family's estate in Riccall was apparently established by their predecessors the
Thompsons in the earlier 18th century and it
descended like the capital manor of Escrick. (fn. 67) By
1755 Beilby Thompson had 346 a. there. (fn. 68) Later
acquisitions included 112 a. from the Hardwicks and
100 a. from the heirs of Gilbert Parker in 1766, (fn. 69) and
in 1819 the estate comprised 635 a. (fn. 70) In 1829 125 a.
formerly belonging to Henry Masterman were
added. (fn. 71) By the 1850s the Lawleys had 961 a. (fn. 72) and
by 1870 1,324 a. (fn. 73) At inclosure in 1883 Lord Wenlock was allotted 647 a. in lieu of open-field land and,
as lord of both manors, for his share of the common
land. (fn. 74) Irene, daughter of the 3rd Baron Wenlock
(d. 1912), sold about 350 a. at Riccall in 1919 and
some 750 a. in 1921, (fn. 75) and in 1972 the Forbes
Adam estate comprised 335 a. (fn. 76)
The rectorial tithes of Riccall belonged to the
prebendary and were worth £50 in 1650 (fn. 77) and £65
in 1735. (fn. 78) They were commuted for £508 10s. a year
in 1842. (fn. 79)
ECONOMIC HISTORY.
On the estate belonging
to the canons of the minster in 1086 there was land
for 2 ploughs, but the canons then had 2 ploughs and
20 villeins had 4 more. There was meadow ½ league
long and ½ league broad, and woodland a league long
and ½ league broad. The estate had decreased in
value from £5 before the Conquest to £1 10s. On
the bishop of Durham's estate in 1086 2 sokemen,
3 villeins, and 2 bordars had 2 ploughs. (fn. 80)
There is little record of early assarting from
woodland and waste, but Foulthwayt, Littelhurst,
Thomashagh, and Huddridyng all existed by 1368. (fn. 81)
The prebend still had 24 a. of woodland c. 1295, 4 a.
called Aldergrove, at a place called Storhakenes, and
the rest in Southwood. The prebendal demesne
lands then included 46½ a. of arable, 14 a. of meadow,
and 4 a. of pasture held in severalty. Among the
tenants were 28 bondmen, holding 28½ bovates, who
were liable to pay a special rent if they had any
newly cleared land; they performed day-works at
ploughing, harrowing, reaping, and mowing, carted
wood, made malt, and repaired the lord's fences,
and rendered hens and eggs. In addition 9 grassmen
and 9 rentpayers held unspecified lands, for which
they, too, owed works and services, and there were
35 cottars, who only gave hens and eggs. The prebendary's tenants and those of the bishop of Durham all had common rights in 60 a. of pasture at
that time. (fn. 82) By c. 1400 the prebendary had 31 free
tenants, holding 263 a. altogether, 24 bondmen,
holding 12½ bovates and 104 a., and 27 cottagers,
four of whom held 11½ a. between them and the rest
only their houses. (fn. 83) The bishop's park at Riccall was
mentioned in 1311, (fn. 84) and one of his closes near
Wheel Hall was called the Park in the 16th century. (fn. 85)
In the 16th and 17th centuries the names were
recorded of many closes assarted in the Middle
Ages or later, among them Haver Thwaites, Long
Ridding, which lay beside the Ouse, Brockhirst,
Crose Rudding, and Southwood close. (fn. 86) A close
called the Ness or Skurf was mentioned as early as
1558 and was no doubt the area in a bend of the
Ouse later called the Nesses. (fn. 87) The open fields
included East and West fields, named in the earlier
16th century, (fn. 88) and North field, mentioned in
1649. (fn. 89) Some of the riverside meadow and marsh
was at least by the 17th century cultivated as part of
the fields, for there was reference to arable land in
Hither marsh in West field. (fn. 90) The extensive ings, in
which many tenants held parcels, were also sometimes described as part of West field. (fn. 91) Throughout
the 17th century, if not before, Hineing marsh was
a stinted pasture in which many villagers had beastgates, (fn. 92) and Gosling marsh was described in 1698 as
being let by the bylawmen as summer pasture to
produce rents for the upkeep of the river flood
banks. (fn. 93)
In the 18th century several new names were recorded for sections of the open fields, besides the
older East, West, and North fields. Mill field, for
example, mentioned in 1735, (fn. 94) may have been part
of West field; Hornell and Crook Hornell (fn. 95) were
part of North field; and King's Rudding (fn. 96) lay
beyond East field. The great extent of earlyinclosed land in the parish is illustrated by the
Thompsons' estate, which in 1755 comprised 233 a.
in closes and only 92 a. in the open fields and 21 a. in
the meadows. (fn. 97) Although final inclosure was proposed in 1806, (fn. 98) open fields and commons in fact
remained until 1883. Nearly 100 householders each
had a common right in 1842, (fn. 99) but many common
rights and marsh-gates were bought up by Lord
Wenlock before inclosure. (fn. 1) The ings covered 117 a.
in 1842. (fn. 2) The area inclosed in 1883 amounted to
1,156 a., lying in East field, West field, including
the ings, Little North, Lower North, and Upper
North fields, King's Rudding, the common moor,
and a common called the Dam, alongside Dam dike.
Lord Wenlock received 547 a., James Pratt 99 a.,
and Richard Moon 75 a. There were 19 allotments
of 10–49 a. each and 27 of under 10 a., and 20 a. of
allotment gardens were awarded to the parish
officers for the poor. (fn. 3) A former boundary stone from
the ings, inscribed 'EW' (perhaps Edward Wormey), was at Dam End Farm in 1972, and another
was at Bangram Hill Farm.
In 1842 there had been 1,269 a. of arable, 736 a. of
meadow or pasture, and an estimated 1,000 a. of
common waste in the parish. (fn. 4) The arable and grassland areas were similar in 1905, 1,303 a. and 661 a.
respectively, when there was also 41 a. of woodland. (fn. 5) In the 1930s there was still much grassland
alongside the Ouse and Dam dike, and several
stretches of rough pasture remained on the former
common. New plantations included a large one on
the common. The most noteworthy change by the
1960s was the conversion to arable of much of the
former grassland near the Ouse. (fn. 6)
There were 37 farmers in Riccall in 1823, and
about 20 farmers and a market-gardener in the later
19th and 20th centuries. (fn. 7) In 1851 2 and in the 1930s
2–4 farms were of more than 150 a. (fn. 8) In 1921 278 a.
were bought by the East Riding county council
for smallholdings. (fn. 9) There were two large indoor
poultry units near King Rudding Lane in 1972.
The Ouse was of some economic value to Riccall
for fishing and transport. About 1295 there was a
fishery there called Gedmer, (fn. 10) and the prebendal and
episcopal manors long retained their fishing rights.
Nets and weirs were mentioned in the mid 14th
century, one at the Ness belonging to the prebendary
and another at the Fleet to the bishop of Durham. (fn. 11)
In 1477–8 three fisheries at Riccall belonging to the
bishop were said to have been destroyed by the city
of York because they obstructed navigation. (fn. 12) One
or two men still made a livelihood from fishing in
the mid 19th century. (fn. 13) A landing-place just south
of the Dam dike clough (fn. 14) was said in 1856 to be
used for bringing in such goods as potatoes and
corn. (fn. 15) A coal merchant lived in the village in 1823,
there were two boat owners in 1840, and a potato
merchant and a corn merchant were listed in the
1870s and 1880s. (fn. 16) A new landing-place was provided at the end of Landing Lane, which was laid
out across West field at inclosure in 1883. The
Yorkshire Ouse and Hull River Authority had a
works depot there in 1972.
Weavers were occasionally recorded at Riccall
from the 16th to the early 19th century. (fn. 17) In 1851
there were altogether about 80 shopkeepers and
tradesmen in this large village, among them a
weaver, eight brickyard workers, and a flaxdresser. (fn. 18) The brickworks was in West field at that
time, but was not mentioned again. A Tow dike was
then situated on the common, (fn. 19) but later flaxdressers may have used the 20 or so 'old flax pits'
which lay beside Dam dike in 1906. (fn. 20) In the 20th
century main-road traffic attracted refreshment
rooms, motor engineers, and haulage contractors,
and there was also a cattle and poultry food manufacturer. (fn. 21) The Pratt family were timber merchants
at least from 1859 until 1909, with a saw-mill in
Station Road. (fn. 22)
The prebend had a water-mill on Dam dike which
was said in 1343 to have been destroyed in Edward
I's reign. (fn. 23) The name Watermill bridge was still
used in the 19th century. (fn. 24) The site of the former
mill was mentioned c. 1295, when the prebend also
had a windmill and a horse-mill. (fn. 25) The prebend's
windmill was mentioned in the 17th and 18th
centuries, and it stood in West field, (fn. 26) probably on
the site of the later West field mill. Another windmill, mentioned in the 15th century and later, belonged to the bishop's manor. (fn. 27) By 1803 it had gone
and its site was marked by 'the old mill hill' in West
field, (fn. 28) nearer to the river than the prebend's mill.
In the 1840s there were two windmills, the older one
in West field and another in East field. (fn. 29) West field
mill had steam power by 1889; it later reverted to
wind alone and was used until c. 1910. The tower
still stood in 1972. The East field mill was not mentioned again, but it was replaced by a steam corn
mill at the north end of the village, which apparently
closed in the 1890s. (fn. 30) The building remained in
1972.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
The bishop of Durham's manor came within the purview of his court
at Howden, and there are presentments concerning
Riccall in several court rolls of the early 17th
century. (fn. 31) The prebendal manor of 'Riccall with
Newbald and Cawthorpe' included property held by
the prebend in North Newbald and Caythorpe (in
Rudston). (fn. 32) Court rolls of the manor survive from
1559, (fn. 33) 1573, (fn. 34) and 82 years between 1621 and
1793, (fn. 35) and there is a court book for 1803–9. (fn. 36)
Numerous court papers include extracts of surrenders and admissions for the 16th to 19th centuries, (fn. 37) a call roll for 1810–25, (fn. 38) and lists of pains
for 1601, 1773, and 1877. (fn. 39) The bylawmen were
mentioned in 1601, and there were six of them,
together with a constable and a pinder, in 1756 and
1803–9.
There are no parochial records before 1835, but
the appointment of and instructions for an overseer
of the poor survive from 1737, together with a
specimen of the badge to be worn by those receiving
relief. (fn. 40) Riccall joined Selby poor-law union in
1837, (fn. 41) and six former poorhouses were sold in
1869. (fn. 42) The parish became part of Riccall rural district in 1894, Derwent rural district in 1935, (fn. 43) and
the Selby district of North Yorkshire in 1974.
CHURCH.
Part of the surviving fabric of the church
apparently dates from the 12th century. The church
belonged to the prebendary of Riccall, and the
parish was within his peculiar jurisdiction. (fn. 44) A
vicarage was ordained in 1316, (fn. 45) and the constitution of the vicar's income was settled by the vicar
and prebendary in 1360. (fn. 46) The prebendaries were
also patrons. (fn. 47) When the prebend passed to the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1837 the advowson
came to be vested in the archbishop of York, who
presented in 1844. (fn. 48) He is still the patron.
The vicarage was valued at £6 net in 1535 (fn. 49) and
£13 6s. 8d. in 1650. (fn. 50) The living was augmented by
£10 a year, given by a prebendary Marmaduke
Cooke (d. 1684) and paid by the prebendal lessee. (fn. 51)
A parliamentary grant of £1,000 was made in
1816, (fn. 52) and the average net income in 1829–31 was
£95. (fn. 53) An endowment of £140 a year was given
from the Common Fund in 1863, (fn. 54) and the net
income was £300 in 1884 and £261 in 1914. (fn. 55)
Tithes accounted for most of the income in 1535 and
1650. In 1716 and later those from a farm called
Nesses were paid by a modus of 3s. 4d. a year. (fn. 56) The
tithes were commuted in 1842 for a rent-charge of
£140. (fn. 57) The only glebe land in 1649 was ½ a. of
meadow and ½ a. of arable. (fn. 58) By 1849 20 a. had been
bought at Hemingbrough (fn. 59) and in 1868 11 a. were
given by Lord Wenlock. (fn. 60)
A vicarage house was mentioned in 1535, (fn. 61) and it
was reported to be in decay in 1550 and 1600. (fn. 62) In
1649 it comprised hall, kitchen, parlour, and a bedroom, (fn. 63) and in 1764 the brick and tile building was
said to contain study, kitchen, parlour, and outshot.
The same house was apparently still used in 1825,
and it stood beside the churchyard. By 1849 it had
been replaced by a larger house of about ten rooms, (fn. 64)
said to have been that later called the Villa, now no.
33 York Road. (fn. 65) The Vicarage was next moved to
the old prebendal manor-house, which was included in Lord Wenlock's gift of land in 1868. The
house was greatly enlarged for the purpose the following year; (fn. 66) it is in a Gothic style and contains a
stained glass window from the old Vicarage incorporating a rebus of Thomas Elcock, vicar 1669–
1704, and said to be the work of Gyles of York. (fn. 67)
The cost of adapting the house was largely met by a
grant of £1,400 from the Common Fund. (fn. 68) A new
Vicarage was built in Church Street in 1967. (fn. 69)
A chantry at St. James's altar was founded by
James Carleton, by will dated 1494. Another, at the
altar of St. Nicholas, was said to have been founded
by several inhabitants of Riccall. (fn. 70) It was probably
that for which licence was granted to the vicar
Richard Davy and others in 1483, when it was to be
called Richard Ill's chantry. (fn. 71) Both chantries were
worth about £3 net in 1535. (fn. 72) Grants of former
chantry property after the suppression included one
of a house, 3 cottages, 5 closes, and 23 a. of land in
Riccall to Rowland Wandesford and Ralph Harrison
in 1560. (fn. 73) Grants were also made of property
formerly supporting obits in the church. (fn. 74)
The vicar of Riccall was allowed to be nonresident in 1306, (fn. 75) and Richard Davy was given permission in 1477 to hold another benefice. (fn. 76) John
Newlove, vicar in 1620, was a Puritan. (fn. 77) Thomas
Cooper, vicar 1721–46, left 'a considerable library'
for the use of his successors. (fn. 78) The vicar in 1764
lived at Topcliffe (Yorks. N.R.), which he also
served, but had a curate at Riccall. (fn. 79)
Two services were held each week in 1743 and
communion was celebrated four times a year, with
130 communicants the previous Easter. (fn. 80) There was
one weekly service and five celebrations a year in
1764. There were two Sunday services by 1851, (fn. 81)
and from 1865 to the end of the century communion was received twelve times a year by about
fifteen to 25 people. In 1914 communion was
celebrated twice a month. (fn. 82) There were three services each Sunday in 1972.
The church of ST. MARY is of stone and consists of chancel, aisled and clerestoried nave with
south porch, and west tower. The three westernmost bays of the nave may be mid- to late-12thcentury in date, if the now reset north and south
doorways were original features of it, and the tower
probably belongs to the last years of that century.
Arcades were cut through both side walls early in the
13th century and narrow aisles built which also
lapped the tower. A further bay was added on the
east and the chancel was rebuilt, and presumably
extended, and provided with a north chapel later in
the century. After that there appears to have been no
new work for some time, and in 1472 the chancel
was reported to be in need of repair. (fn. 83) Between then
and the Reformation much new work was carried out,
including the heightening of the nave walls for
clerestorys, the widening of the aisles, the introduction of a rood loft, and the addition of the porch and
south chapel. The central pier of the tower arch was
probably put in at this time. Early fittings include a
12th-century south door and a late-17th-century
communion rail.
Extensive restoration, most if not all of it directed
by J. L. Pearson, took place between 1862 and 1877.
It included the rebuilding of some walls and much
of the tower, which was heightened, and new roofs,
porch, and east window. (fn. 84)
By an inquisition held in 1698, under a commission of charitable uses, it was found that Hineing
marsh in Riccall had been given to the churchwardens so that 40 beast-gates should be held by 20
householders, each tenant to pay 10s. a year towards
the repair of the church. The gates were subsequently enjoyed by the householders in the village in
rotation. (fn. 85)
There are the remains of a brass to Maud Kelsey
and her son Robert of c. 1500, (fn. 86) and monuments
include those to Benjamin (d. 1707) and Henry
Masterman (d. 1732), Robert (d. 1712) and Christopher Wormley (d. 1800), and Toft (d. 1827) and
Jane Richardson (d. 1843). There are Royal Arms
of 1792 and a large charity board of 1791.
New bells were mentioned in 1406, (fn. 87) and there
were two bells in 1552. (fn. 88) One of the three bells was
cracked in 1764. (fn. 89) There are three surviving bells:
(i) 1765, Lester & Pack of London; (ii) undated;
(iii) 1637. (fn. 90) The plate includes a silver cup and
cover, given by Marmaduke Cooke (d. 1684), and a
silver paten, made in London in 1722 by Nathaniel
Gulliver. (fn. 91) The registers begin in 1669 and are
complete, except for marriages in 1754–1812. (fn. 92) The
volume covering the period before 1813 has been
printed. (fn. 93)
The churchyard was enlarged by the addition of
the old Vicarage site, including the Lady well, and
other ground in 1867, (fn. 94) and another addition was
made in 1921. (fn. 95) There is a medieval grave slab to a
notary, inscribed with penner and inkhorn, (fn. 96) and the
base and shaft of a cross.
NONCONFORMITY.
A Riccall man was gaoled
for recusancy in 1580–5 (fn. 97) and another registered an
estate as a papist in 1716–32. (fn. 98) There was one family
of Roman Catholics in 1743 and 1764. (fn. 99)
A Methodist chapel had been built by 1798, (fn. 1) and
a barn and two houses were registered for worship in
1819, 1820, and 1822. (fn. 2) The chapel, in Chapel Lane,
was replaced in 1864 (fn. 3) and subsequently demolished. (fn. 4)
The new Wesleyan chapel, in the main street at the
centre of the village, was still used in 1972. There
was also a Primitive Methodist meeting-house by
1851, (fn. 5) and in 1857 a Primitive chapel was built (fn. 6) in
the main street; it was last used in the late 1930s (fn. 7) but
still stood in 1972.
EDUCATION.
There was probably a school at
Riccall soon after 1720, for Robert Turie, by will of
that date, left £40 to teach six children to read. (fn. 8) The
income was £2 a year and other children were
taught at their own expense, about 30 pupils altogether attending the school in 1743, for example. (fn. 9)
The money was subsequently paid to a school which
was established in 1791 by subscription among the
inhabitants. In 1818 £30 from the subscription,
together with £40 given at unknown date by
Susannah Wilkes to teach five girls, (fn. 10) was used to
buy stock which in 1823 produced £3 18s. a year.
About 1790 George Newsham gave £32 to the
school, the income from which was £1 12s. in
1823. (fn. 11) The master's house and schoolroom were
mentioned in 1819, (fn. 12) and in 1835 the attendance was
20 in autumn and 80 in winter. In the latter year
there were also 5–25 children, mainly girls, attending another school in the village, and 10–30, also
mainly girls, at a school begun in 1827; all were
taught at their parents' expense. (fn. 13) The subscription
school was held in a house at the corner of Common
Lane and the main street. (fn. 14)
A new building for the subscription school had
been erected by c. 1845 at the corner of Silver Street
and the main street. (fn. 15) The school was united with
the National Society, (fn. 16) and it was owned and
chiefly supported by Lord Wenlock. Elizabeth
Wilson, by will proved in 1862, bequeathed a third
of the income from £500 to the school. (fn. 17) The total
income of about £71 in 1871 included nearly £11
from the endowments and £13 from school pence.
Eighteen children were then taught free and the
average attendance was 99 boys and girls and 21
infants. (fn. 18) There were still two other schools, each
with about 20 children. (fn. 19)
Attendance at the school remained at 100–125
between 1907 and 1938. (fn. 20) The endowment income
was still received until 1931, but by a Scheme of that
year the income of £50 from 10 a. and £249 stock
was directed to be used for general educational purposes, including education other than elementary. (fn. 21)
The school was replaced by a new county school in
Coppergate in 1931, (fn. 22) and the old building was used
as a village hall in 1972. Senior pupils in 1937 and
the remaining children in 1951 were transferred to
Riccall from Kelfield school. In 1960, however,
senior pupils from Riccall were transferred to Barlby
secondary school. (fn. 23) The number on the roll in
September 1972 was 185. (fn. 24) The charity income in
1973 was £97, and grants were made to fourteen
children leaving Riccall primary school for secondary school. (fn. 25)
CHARITIES FOR THE POOR.
Robert Foster in
1611 created a rent-charge of 5s. on 1 a. of meadow
land, and Christopher Consett in 1614 created a
charge of £1 on 2 a. of meadow. (fn. 26) Richard Stringer
in 1617 gave two cottages and some land for the
poor, and in 1685 Christopher Latham gave £20,
which produced £1 income in 1791. (fn. 27) Ann Storey in
1695 created a charge of £1 4s. on a parcel of land,
and Robert Fletcher before 1705 gave 6s. 8d. a year,
charged upon Corney House. It was presumably the
income from Stringer's and Latham's charities
which was said in 1823 to be distributed in cash
with that from Fletcher's and Foster's. The income
from Consett's and Storey's gifts was then distributed jointly each week in bread. (fn. 28)
By an inquisition held in 1699, under a commission of charitable uses, it was found that Mary and
Elizabeth Newsome had in 1684 created a rentcharge of £1 on a cottage, some gardens, and 1 a. of
land for the benefit of the poor, and had in 1685
created a like charge on 3½ a. to set a poor child
apprentice. It was also found that George Hudson
had in 1662 created a charge of £1 10s. on various
parcels of land. The Poor's Estate formed by these
gifts produced £18 12s. rent in 1823, used for the
poor and to bind apprentices. From the balance in
hand nearly £8 had been paid to the parish school in
1821. (fn. 29) An unendowed almshouse, supported by the
parish, mentioned in the 18th century (fn. 30) is probably
to be identified with the four poor's cottages, said in
1823 to have been built by the parish on part of the
Poor's Estate. (fn. 31) The cottages stood in the main
street, east of the church, in 1842. (fn. 32)
Frances, dowager Lady Howard, by will proved
in 1716, bequeathed money to provide coal for
Escrick and other villages, including Riccall. (fn. 33) After
1862 Riccall received 1/7 of the income.
Elizabeth Wilson, by will proved in 1862, left
£500, 2/3 of the income from which was to be distributed by the vicar, half in coal and clothing and the
rest in bread. (fn. 34)
Foster's, Consett's, Storey's, Fletcher's, Howard's,
and Wilson's, and probably also Stringer's and Latham's, charities, together with the Poor's Estate
and the Gosling marsh charity for flood protection, (fn. 35) were all later administered together as the
Riccall charities. In 1905 the endowment of the
Poor's Estate and Howard's and Wilson's charities
comprised £547 stock. In 1973 the income of the
Riccall charities was £15 from stock and £81 from
the rent of three parcels of land; doles of £2 were
given to 52 old people. (fn. 36)