LONGSLEDDALE.

a. 1307 I Margaret de Ros, in my pure widowhood, grant to John de Camera all those scalingae (sheepcotes) which Henry de Satgill formerly held, to remove or put up in whatever place in Satgill shall seem most expedient on either side of the water within my bounds there, together with the common of pasture at all time of the year for ever. Rendering therefor yearly one penny of silver on the day of our Lord's Nativity for all secular services, customs, exactions and demands. Witnesses, Roger de Lanc[astre], Henry de Staveley, knts., Ralph de Patton, Roland de Thornb[urgh], Thomas de Derley, Thomas de Cheney, Thomas de Kentem[ere], Thomas Collan, Thomas de Lanc[astre] clerk and others. Deed 7¾ by 3½ inches, seal lost. Chambre Deeds, County Muniment Room.

1699 14 July. Order that Will. Holme, Margaret Todd, Roger Lickbarrow, John Lowes and Isabel Harryson repair a foot bridge in Long Sleddale called Bitch Hill Bridge (now Beech Hill). Kendal Order Book, 1696–1724.

1699/1700 12 January. Roger Lickbarrow of Dockernook in Longsleddale, yeo., indicted for obstructing the common highway there leading from Kilne Stone to Dockernook Field, by raising a fence. Found not guilty on 11 October, 1700. K. Indictment Book, 16921724.

1712 Longsleddale Chapel rebuilt and burial ground consecrated.

1717 3 May. The inhabitants of Long Sleddale, Langdale, Grasmere, Rydal and Loughrigg, Ambleside, Troutbeck, Kentmere and several other townships in the Barony of Kendall, show that the great road and public highway between Hawksyde, Ambleside, Shap, Penrith and Appleby, very much used by travellers, drovers and others having occasion frequently to pass and repass to and from the said markets with cattle and other goods, in which public highway there is a water or rivulet called Sadgill which by the violent and sudden rain there is often raised and overflows its banks so that no passenger dare venture to cross the same and many times travellers are forced to stay two or three days before they dare to venture to cross and are often in danger with their cattle of being lost in crossing the said water to the great prejudice of trade, and pray that a bridge may be erected over the same; order that the Chief Constable view the same and report the cost of a bridge on 31 May next. K. Order Book, 1696–1724.

1721/2 12 January. Waddshow Bridge in Long Sleddale presented to to be very ruinous and in decay to the danger of passengers. K. Indictment Book, 1692–1724.

1729/30 16 January. Order that the Rev. Mr. Trent pay £2 9s. to John Gibson, Isaac Goodman, Alice Collinson and Will. Holme, being his proportionable rate towards the charge of erecting a stone bridge called Bitch-hill bridge in Long Sleddale. K. Order Book, 1724–1737.

1741 10 April. Ric. Hall of Longsleddale, husbandman, was convicted of swearing one profane oath in the chapel of Longsleddale. K. Indictment Book, 1738–50.

1749/50 12 January. Presentment that Dale End Bridge in the King's highway from the township of Longsleddale to the market town of K. Kendale upon the River Sprint is in such decay for want of rebuilding the same, and further that Mary Gibson, widow, Thomas Hudson, yeo., Alice Collinson, widow, Christopher Todd, yeo., John Harrison, yeo., all of Longsledddale, and Tho. Field of Flookborough, clerk, James Garnet of Underbarrow, yeo., John Richardson of Coldbeck, yeo., by reason of their tenure of certain lands adjoining the said highway ought to amend and rebuild the said bridge. (A. and K. Indictment Book, 1738–50). Upon the presentation that the bridge was rebuilt and in good and sufficient repair at the court held 27 April, 1750, the order was discharged. Ibid.

1750/51 18 January. Whereas by petition it is set forth that by a violent flood which happened in 1749 Wadshaw Bridge in the high road from Ambleside to Appleby was entirely destroyed and that the inhabitants had to a great expense to themselves rebuilt the said bridge, and that by the said flood also sustained a great loss to the amount of £600, this court having taken the matter of the petition into consideration and compassionating the hardship and great expense hath ordered that the High Constable of Kendale do pay the sum of £8 to the petitioners as a gratuity, but not to be taken as a precedent for any future claims, towards the rebuilding of the said bridge. K. Order Book, 1750–60.

1751 15 July. Died in his 55th year John Wilson, author of The Synopsis of British Plants, and the first writer that attempted a systematic arrangement of our indigenous plants in the English Language. He was born in Longsleddale and became a shoemaker, but a severe asthma prevented him from following this trade and assisted him to cultivate his favourite science. His first volume was published in 1744, but he did not live long enough to finish the second volume. K. Notes and Queries, n. 581.

1845 17 October. The Rev. Robert Walker (of Woolsthorpe, Grantham) on being instituted to the perpetual curacy of Longsleddale in succession to Mr. Edward Greenwood, took and subscribed the usual oaths and signed the usual Declaration. K. Indict. Book, 1839–52.

1848 8 January. Ordered that Mr. Robinson the Bridge Master inspect Sad Gill Bridge and report his opinion as to whether it is a county bridge and liable as such to be repaired by the county. K. Order Book, 1839–76.

1862 17 October. Rev. William Dent took the usual oaths and subscribed the Declaration on his appointment to the Perpetual Curacy of Longsleddale. K. Minute Book, 1859–75.

1863 June. The old church was taken down and the present one erected by Lady Howard; a carved oak door in the vestry bears the date 1662, an oak chest is dated 1719, while the Communion plate includes a silver chalice and cover-paten dated 1571. On the chalice are four marks:—1, Fleur-de-lis and two stars; 2, Leopard's head crowned; 3, Lion passant; 4, Small black-letter [see page image] being the London date letter for 1571–2.