KENTMERE.

1544/5 1 January. The Will of Sir Brian Stapleton of Burton Joyce, knt., in which he leaves to his younger son, Brian Stapleton, for the term of his life, the manor of Kentmere, valued at £40 8s. Surtees Socy., vol. 106, p. 217.

1622 Among the contributions to the King from the clergy toward the recovery of the Palatinate of the Rhine, Mr. Burrow curate of Kentmere paid 4s. Lanc. Record Society, vol. xii, p. 69.

1710 21 April. The private bridge leading from Green quarter to Cragg quarter called Low Bridge in Kentmere, in decay: Order that notice be given to the inhabitants of Kentmere to repair the same. K. Indictment Book, 1692-1724.

1719 4 August. Presentment, upon view of Rev. Hen. Fleming, D.D., J.P., that the highway in Kentmere, from the top of Garburne Pass to the bridge next below Kentmire Chapel, being about ½ mile, is so much out of repair that a great part of it is not passble for either man or horse to travel through that way, without danger of being bogged in the Moss, or lamed amongst the stones. Ordered that the inhabitants repair the said highway before Mich. Sessions next, under pain of £10. Ibid.

1760 14 January. Upon the motion of Edw. Rigg of Kentmere Hall applying to be discharged from the office of constable of the township of Kentmere; it appeareth that Edw. Rigg did enter upon the said office in 1757, that on the testimony of Joseph Park, aged 77 who had known the township for 58 years, that the said township consisteth of four quarters called Green Quarter, Hollowbank Quarter, Crag Quarter and Wrey Quarter, that he inhabited in Crag Quarter for 35 years, that every quarter consisteth of fifteen ancient tenements saving that three tenements have been taken from Wray Quarter, in which Kentmere Hall is situated, and added to Crag Quarter; that Crag Quarter now consisteth of 18 ancient tenements and only Kentmere Hall Estate remaineth in Wrey Quarter; that an ancient tenement consisteth of 10 cattles or cattle gates, i.e. hath privilege for 10 cattle to go in a common stinted pasture, that every quarter hath a distinct cattle pasture of its own, and that Kentmere Hall cattle pasture is in a separate inclosure by itself, that every such ancient tenement hath likewise a privilege for 80 sheep to go in a place called Dalehead, not divided or separated by any fences but in which every man knows his own sheep-heath distinguished by metes and bounds; that Kentmere Hall hath such Sheep-heath in the said Dale head; that for every quarter there is a grass-teller whose office is to take an account of each man's stint and that for so doing he hath privilege to put in 20 sheep, and that he hath heard the occupier of Kentmere Hall claim the same privilege of putting in 20 sheep as grass-teller. That for every 10 cattles is paid 13s. 4d. yearly rent to the Lady of the Manor, and 2s. yearly salary to the curate of the chapel; that the occupier of every ancient tenement consisting of 10 cattles, serveth or findeth one to serve the office of constable for one year, and so in proportion for five cattles. That is was determined by the Justices about 50 years ago that widows shall join in finding a constable in proportion to their widows estate. That before 1757 he never knew the occupier of Kentmere Hall to serve any office whatsoever and it was said they were liable to no office, nor so much as to work at the highways, because they found a light horse in the Militia. That there is but one dwelling house upon Kentmere Hall Estate, but that there are old walls like house steads and he hath heard an ancient woman say that her mother was born in one of them.

Other deponents follow in a similar strain. William Atkinson, clerk, deposed that he was curate of the Chapel of Kentmere for some few years, that the whole chapel salary throughout the said township amounteth to £6 a year and that thereof the occupier of Kentmere Hall paid to him the sum of £1 4s. yearly. Robert Airey deposed that he was born in and lived at Kentmere 36 years that the Hall Estate hath liberty for 900 sheep and upwards in the Dale head. It appeareth further by a conveyance produced, with livery and seisin indorsed, that Christopher Gilpin, in the year 1650 conveyed unto Nathaniel Nicholson all that his demesne, messuages, lands and capital tenements known as Kentmere Hall or Kentmere demesne of the annual rent of £10, and also all parks, forests, chaces, ponds, rivers, fishings, mines, quarries to hold etc.

And the court being of opinion that the said custom of serving the office of Constable by rotation, according and in proportion to the number of ancient tenements within the said township, is a good custom, and that the estate called Kentmere Hall consisteth of 12 ancient tenements; do order that the said motion be rejected. K. Indictment Book, 1750–60.

1760 15 July. Presentment that there was and yet is a certain ancient highway leading from the town of Kentmere to a certain place called Dalehead, used for all the liege subjects of the King without any obstruction whatsoever and that on the 20 June a certain wall had been erected and fixed across the same in a certain part of the common highway called by the name of Nook Gate whereby the King's highway was totally obstructed and stopped, etc., and that Leonard Cowperthwaite and John Sewart of Kentmere, yeomen, with force and arms did unlawfully and obstinately uphold the same to the evil example of all others offending against the peace, etc. K. Indictment Book, 1750–60.

1760 6 October. Petition of the surveyors of the highways in the township of Kentmere setting forth that the highways within the township are greatly out of repair and that the six days labour are insufficient to effectually repair the same; it is ordered that an assessment of 6d. in the pound be levied upon the several inhabitants, owners and occupiers, and in case of refusal or non payment within 10 days after demand thereof, to be levied by distress and sale of goods, etc. K. Order Book, 1760–70.

On 12 July, 1768, and again on 18 January, 1771, similar petitions and Orders were issued. Ibid. and K. Order Book, 1770–80.

1852 The Act for inclosing lands in Kentmere was passed in 16 and 17 Victoria c. II.

1900 24 August. The Rural District Council wrote to the County Council for a contribution towards the cost of the erection of a new bridge at or near Low Bridge. On 5 June, 1903, it is reported that Low Bridge has been erected, and on 4 December it was resolved that the new bridge be accepted as a County Bridge. C.C. Minutes, 1903–4.