BRAFFERTON
Bratfortune, Bradfortune (xi cent.); Braferton,
Brafferton (xiii cent.).
The parish of Brafferton, including the townships
of Helperby and Thornton Bridge, covers 5,015 acres
of land on either side of the River Swale and some
16 miles north of York. The land lies low, being
but 50 ft. above ordnance datum by the Swale, but
rises towards the north-east, where it reaches about
87 ft. on Pilmoor. The subsoil is alluvium and the
soil varies; there is clay in the north of the parish,
where brick and tile works are established, and old
gravel-pits near Thornton Bridge, while the land
about Helperby is especially suitable for barley, and
there are maltings and a brewery in the village. In
the whole parish 2,131 acres are arable land and
1,497 acres are laid down to grass. (fn. 1) The woods,
which cover 331 acres, lie chiefly in the north and
east, Brafferton Spring being of considerable size and
a noted fox covert.
Brafferton and Helperby lie together and form one
large village on the east bank of the Swale, Brafferton
being to the north and Helperby to the south. The
villages are built at the crossing of two ancient roads,
the High Lane leading north to Topcliffe and south
to York, and Wath or Helperby Lane running east
to Raskelf and south-west to Boroughbridge. This
last road crosses the Swale by an ancient ford (fn. 2) and
ferry, whence paths across the open Swale Green lead
directly to the west end of the village street.
Brafferton Manor, the residence of Mr. T. N.
Driffield, J.P., stands at the north-east end of the
village. Brafferton Hall, the dower-house of the
Coates family, adjoins the church and is the residence
of Mr. Simeon Marshall. The church stands on
rising ground on the north-west of the village and
between it and the Swale, while the school (fn. 3) and the
vicarage are near at hand; but, though the church is
at the Brafferton end, most of the houses are included
in Helperby, (fn. 4) and built along High Lane, with
the usual Back Lane to the east. The wide village
street is planted with trees, and boasts an institute,
reading room and almshouse, all built by Mr. James
Coates, who also gave the fountain under a roof at
the cross-roads in commemoration of the Diamond
Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The Wesleyan chapel was
built in 1888 and is late Gothic in character. At
the south end of the village street stands Helperby
Hall, the residence of Sir Edward F. Coates, bart.,
M.P., D.L., J.P., which may date originally from
the close of the 17th century, but has been much
enlarged and altered. It is noted for its two beautiful
yew gardens. Opposite is the private cricket ground
used by the villagers. A little further south, on the
way to York, stands Helperby Grange, owned by
Sir E. F. Coates.
Helperby Hall, Brafferton
About a mile north-west of Brafferton the road to
Topcliffe crosses the Swale by an iron bridge called
Thornton Bridge. This was a successor of a stone
bridge of three arches (fn. 5) which in Leland's time
traversed 'the depe and swift stream of Swale.'
During the 16th and 17th centuries orders were
made from time to time (fn. 6) for the repair of the bridge,
and the inhabitants of the village were occasionally
presented for refusing to pay their share of bridgemoney. (fn. 7) The hamlet of Thornton Bridge consists
of a few cottages and three farm-houses. Thornton
Bridge House lies rather to the west of the bridge,
and Thornton Bridge Hall is a little further north.
In the east of the parish are Brafferton Moor and
Pilmoor, both now inclosed, (fn. 8) though the tract known
as the East Moor is not under cultivation. In 1254
the Abbot of Byland obtained licence from Richard
de la River to inclose 20 acres of 'the moor called
Pylemore.' (fn. 9) Pilmoor Hall, now occupied as a farmhouse, is surrounded by park lands. In 1890 it was
said to have been formerly
known as Brafferton House. (fn. 10)
To the east of it is Pilmoor
Grange. Just beyond the
boundary of the parish is Pilmoor Junction, at which the
Knaresborough and Boroughbridge line (fn. 11) of the North
Eastern railway joins the main
line of that system. The railway has resulted in the founding of a settlement within the
parish, and a public elementary school was built in 1859,
while the church of St. Andrew was consecrated in 1897.
Mowbray. Gules a lion argent.
Manors
At the date of the Domesday Survey
BRAFFERTON was divided between
two fees. One carucate of land, which
had been held by Haltor in the reign of Edward
the Confessor, was held in 1086 by the Count of
Mortain in demesne, (fn. 12) while a 'manor' and 5 carucates were held of the king in chief by Gospatric in
both reigns. (fn. 13) By the year 1284–5 the overlordship
of both fees had passed to the Mowbray family, (fn. 14) and
followed the descent of their manor of Thirsk (q.v.).
In 1284–5 Nicholas de la River was tenant of one
knight's fee in Brandsby, Stearsby and Brafferton, (fn. 15)
and his land here followed the descent of the manor
of Brandsby until the death of Thomas de la River
in 1558. Thomas had settled the manor of Brafferton
on his natural daughters Thomasina and Elizabeth
for life, with remainder to the issue of Elizabeth and
contingent remainder to Roger Cholmeley and Jane
his wife, another natural daughter of Thomas. (fn. 16)
Elizabeth died without issue in 1597, and her
nephew Marmaduke Cholmeley, son and heir of
Roger and Jane Cholmeley, entered into possession
of the manor. (fn. 17) He died without issue in 1602, and
was succeeded by his brother Richard. (fn. 18) Richard
Cholmeley and all his family were from time to time
presented for recusancy. (fn. 19) He died without issue
and was succeeded by Thomas, another brother, in
1624. (fn. 20) In 1626 Thomas Cholmeley settled the
manor in tail on his son Marmaduke and his heirs, on
his marriage to Ursula daughter of Robert Thornton
of East Newton. (fn. 21) It was forfeited for the recusancy
of Thomas Cholmeley and was leased by the Crown
in 1628 for twenty-one years to Thomas Revell. (fn. 22)
Though it was afterwards recovered by the Cholmeleys,
it was again forfeited during the Civil War, and must
have been sold by the Treason Trustees with Brandsby
to Gilbert Crouch, who joined in 1656 in a conveyance by Marmaduke Cholmeley to Ralph Rymer. (fn. 23)
Rymer was made treasurer of his district during the
Commonwealth, (fn. 24) and received a grant of lands at
Yafforth and Wickmore, which he had previously
rented from Sir Edward Osborne. (fn. 25) He so resented
the enforced surrender of these lands at the Restoration (fn. 26) that he joined the 'Presbyterian Rising' of
1663. (fn. 27) He was thereupon attainted, and executed
in 1664, (fn. 28) when the manor reverted to the Crown.
On 2 March 1664–5 it was leased for ninety-nine
years to Sir Thomas Osborne of Keeton, (fn. 29) and on
30 March the lease was bought by Sir Jordan Crosland of 'Harum Haugh' for £2,000. (fn. 30) The Rymers
appear to have regained possession of the manor
between 1666, when Ralph Rymer, jun., who had
been attainted with his father, (fn. 31) was released from
York Castle on bail, (fn. 32) and 1668, when Ralph and
Thomas Rymer and others sold it to John Cosin,
Bishop of Durham, (fn. 33) who was succeeded by his eldest
daughter Mary, wife of Sir Gilbert Gerard of Fiskerton, Lincolnshire. (fn. 34) Gilbert Gerard died in 1687,
and was succeeded by his son Gilbert, who took the
additional name of Cosin. (fn. 35) Sir Gilbert Gerard Cosin
conveyed the manor to Brooke Bridges and Ralph
Grange in 1687–8, (fn. 36) and in 1690–1 he and his
brother and heir Samuel conveyed it to John
Lodington and James Whitchurch. (fn. 37) Four years
later it was conveyed by the executors of Sir Samuel
Gerard to Richard Earl of Burlington and others,
trustees under the will of Robert Boyle, fifth son of
the first Earl of Cork, who died in 1691, leaving a
sum of money to be laid out on the propagation of
Christianity among infidels. (fn. 38) The Society for Advancing the Christian Faith in the West India Islands
now exercises the manorial rights.
In the reign of Edward the Confessor the Archbishop of York held 5 carucates of land in HELPERBY (Helprebi, xi cent.; Helperbi, xiv cent.;
Herperby, Helperbie, xvi cent.), which remained in
his possession at the time of the Domesday Survey. (fn. 39)
The vill was confirmed to the church of York by
Pope Celestine III (fn. 40) in 1194 and formed part of the
Liberty of St. Peter.
In 1086 Rayner held these 5 carucates at a rent
of 6s. (fn. 41) The first known grant of the manor was
that made at the close of the 12th century to Roger
de Bavent and Maud his wife and her heirs (fn. 42) ; it was
afterwards confirmed to Andrew de Bavent, her son. (fn. 43)
About 1235 the manor of Helperby was granted by
Geoffrey Dean of St. Peter's to Bevis son of Alexander
de Bayeux and his issue by Isabel daughter of
Richard de la River, with contingent remainder to
Alexander brother of Bevis for life. (fn. 44) Bevis was
succeeded by his son Thomas, and in 1319 John de
Bayeux son of Thomas (fn. 45) was lord of Helperby. (fn. 46)
In 1336 William de Bayeux, son of John, recovered
the manor, which had been wrongfully seized by the
king's escheator on the pretext that Bevis, an elder
brother of William, had been outlawed. (fn. 47) William
died without issue, as did his sister and heir Margaret. (fn. 48)
The manor was conveyed in 1344 by John Wacelyn
and Hugh Martell in tail to Robert de Rawcliffe and
his wife Joan, who claimed to have the interest of Joan,
a daughter of Bevis and Isabel. (fn. 49) In 1375, on the
ground that the issue of Bevis and Isabel had failed,
the dean and chapter recovered the manor, (fn. 50) which
they seem to have afterwards held in demesne.
In 1650 the trustees for the sale of church lands
sold the manor to Edward Herries, (fn. 51) who in 1655–6
sold it to Ralph Rymer. (fn. 52) At the Restoration it
reverted to the church. The manorial rights are
now vested in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
Tenements and one mill in Raskelf and Helperby
were in 1650–1 conveyed to John Lord Belasyse and
his heirs by James Earl of Carlisle and his wife
Margaret. (fn. 53)
At the time of the Domesday Survey 6 carucates
of land at THORNTON BRIDGE (Torenton, xi
cent.; Thorneton-super-Swale, xiii cent.; Thorntonbryg, Thornton Briggs, xvi cent.) were held of
the king by Gospatric. (fn. 54) By 1284–5 the overlord
ship had passed to the Mowbray family. (fn. 55) It followed
the descent of their manor of Thirsk (q.v.).
The Mowbray fee in 1284–5 had several mesne
lords. The first mesne lordship was held in 1193
by Ranulph de Sules, (fn. 56) who forfeited it for his
refusal to pay a forest fine to the king. (fn. 57) It was
granted to Hugh de Nevill, who gave it in marriage
with his daughter to a certain— de Norfolk. (fn. 58) This
fee in Brafferton was said in 1284–5 to be held of
Ranulph de Sleys (Sules ?) by Geoffrey de Nevill, of
whom it was held by James de Norfolk (Norff'), son
of Gilbert de Ilketeshal of Norfolk. (fn. 59) At about this
date James de Norfolk released to the tenant in
demesne his 9 librates of rent for a yearly payment
of 2s. or one sore sparrowhawk. (fn. 60) In 1285 he
released to him this rent also, so that the mesne
lordship disappeared. (fn. 61)
Deyvill. Or a fesse sable with six fleurs de lis countercoloured.
The tenancy in demesne belonged from the 12th
century to the family of Deyvill. In 1193 John
Deyvill gave the king 40s. that
Ranulph de Sules might be
summoned to show why he
deforced him of land at Thornton Bridge. (fn. 62) John evidently
took the side of the barons
in 1215, (fn. 63) and was succeeded
by his son Robert, (fn. 64) who in
1235 quitclaimed to the Abbot
of Byland the fishery in the
Swale granted by his father. (fn. 65)
Another John Deyvill, the son
of Robert, was party in 1280
to an agreement with the Prior
of Newburgh by which the
prior had the right of distraint on the land of the
Deyvills in Cundall and Leckby if they failed to pay
rent for tenements in Gargrave. (fn. 66) In return the
prior promised to hold a service yearly at Newburgh
for the souls of John, Maud his wife, and their heirs
and ancestors. In 1284–5 John Deyvill son of John
was holding 6 carucates in Cundall and Thornton
Bridge. (fn. 67) The younger John seems to have had two
daughters, Elizabeth married to Alexander de Leeds,
and Margaret, whose husband is not known. (fn. 68) In
1323 he granted the manors of Cundall and Thornton
Bridge to Alexander de Leeds and Elizabeth, and
gave notice to his tenants that their services were due
to Alexander. (fn. 69) Twelve years later both manors
were in the possession of Boniface de Leeds, probably
son of Alexander. He granted to Alexander his son
and Margaret his wife two parts of the manors of
Thornton and Cundall, and the reversion of the
third part, which was held at the time by Adam de
Everingham and his wife as her dower. (fn. 70)
Nevill of Thornton Bridge. Gules a saltire argent with a pierced molet sable thereon.
Alexander and Margaret de Leeds had a daughter
and heiress Elizabeth, (fn. 71) who married as her first
husband Ralph de Nevill, (fn. 72) a younger son of Ralph
Lord Nevill of Raby. He succeeded to the manors held by
Alexander de Leeds and became the founder of the family
known as the Nevills of Thornton Bridge. His son was
Alexander Nevill, (fn. 73) whose son
and heir Alexander married
Katherine Eure. (fn. 74) The will
of the latter, proved in 1457,
shows that his affairs were
somewhat involved. His executors, 'considerantes dictum
defunctum aere alieno multipliciter gravatum ac varia facta
et acta per eum in vita sua
multiformiter intricata,' refused to undertake the
management of his estate. (fn. 75)
Strickland. Sable three scallops argent.
William son of Alexander died in 1468–9, leaving
a son William, (fn. 76) who was knighted in 1482. (fn. 77) At
his death his estates passed to his son Ralph, who
married Anne daughter of Sir
William Gascoigne, (fn. 78) and
whose heir was his son, another
Ralph. (fn. 79) This Ralph married
Anne daughter of Christopher
Ward of Newby and died
without male issue in 1522. (fn. 80)
He left three daughters and
co-heirs, (fn. 81) Katharine wife successively of Sir Walter Strickland of Sizergh, (fn. 82) Henry
Borough (fn. 83) and William Knyvett, (fn. 84) Joan wife of Sir John
Constable of Burton Constable, (fn. 85) and Clara, afterwards wife of Thomas Nevill
of Holt. (fn. 86) The greater part of Thornton Bridge came
into the possession of the Stricklands. (fn. 87) Walter
Strickland, son of Sir Walter and Katharine, (fn. 88) succeeded to his mother's share. He was succeeded in
1569 by his son Thomas, (fn. 89) who died in 1612 and
was succeeded by his son Robert. (fn. 90) Sir Robert Strickland was deputy-lieutenant of the North Riding and
a knight of the shire. (fn. 91) He was a Royalist in the
Civil War, holding command of a regiment under
the Earl of Cumberland in 1642. (fn. 92) He was succeeded
in 1670 by his son Thomas, (fn. 93) the most notable
member of the family. Thomas received a commission from Charles I in 1642 to command a company of 114 soldiers of the trained bands. (fn. 94) He
afterwards laid down his commission and submitted
to the committee for war within the Northern Association, taking the Negative Oath and the Covenant. (fn. 95)
In 1649 he compounded for delinquency in engaging
in the wars. (fn. 96) In 1665 he was granted the lease of
the duties on salt imported from Scotland and beyond
the seas for twenty-one years at a rent of £1,800. (fn. 97)
There was a regrant of this lease in 1672 at the reduced rent of £1,000. (fn. 98) His daughter Alice, on
whom he seems to have settled the manor, was the
wife of Sir Walter Kirkham Blount, bart. (fn. 99) She died
in 1680, and Thornton Bridge passed, probably by
purchase, to Sir Roger Strickland, who, it has been
suggested, was a descendant of Walter Strickland, a
younger son of that Sir Thomas who died in 1612. (fn. 100)
The manor of Thornton Bridge was lost to the
Strickland family when Sir Roger, who accompanied
James II to Ireland in 1689, was attainted for high
treason. (fn. 101) Since this time the manor has been leased
by the Crown at various dates. (fn. 102)
Brafferton Church from the South
Though there is nothing to indicate that Joan
the second daughter of Ralph Nevill held lands in
Thornton Bridge, it is certain that Clara, her younger
sister, had land here. This followed the descent of
the manor of Leckby (fn. 103) (q.v.), with which it was sold
in 1672 to Sir Robert Long. (fn. 104)
Church
The church of ST. PETER, formerly
dedicated to the honour of St. Augustine, (fn. 105)
consists of a chancel 31¾ ft. by 17¾ ft.
with north and south chapels, making a total width
of 46 ft., a modern nave and a west tower, the total
length of the church being 79 ft. The measurements
are internal.
None of the existing work in the church is of
earlier date than the 15th century, to which period
belong the chancel and the west tower. The chancel
chapels were added in the early years of the 16th
century by Ralph Nevill of Thornton Bridge. The
mediaeval nave was entirely removed in 1831 and the
present structure built in its place, and the church
has been restored in more modern times.
The chancel has a 15th-century east window of
four lights and is separated on either side from the
chapels by arcades of two bays. The chapels are
conterminous with the chancel and are faced with
ashlar. They were apparently built at the same
time (the early 16th century) and are of similar
character. The north chapel has a three-light east
window and a two-light window in the north wall.
On the east wall externally is an inscription in
Gothic letters reading 'Soli deo gloria.' The south
chapel has likewise a three-light east window and two
three-light windows in the south wall. The parapet
is embattled and below it on the south wall is the
inscription 'Orate [pro] a[nim]a Radulfi Nevvell fundatoris
istius cācellarii.' Below are three carved shields and
the further words 'et gloria soli deo honor et . . .'
The shields are those of Ralph Nevill, his wife (who
was daughter and heir of Sir Christopher Ward), and
his daughter Katharine wife of Sir Walter Strickland
of Sizergh. As Katharine, who died in 1527, was
aged twenty-three in 1522, the date of the chapel may
be fixed within a few years. The chapels have good
parclose screens of oak, which
with the reading desk were
erected by the Coates family.
The nave is an unfortunate
example of the age in which
it was built and is entirely
without interest. The earlier
building, destroyed in 1831,
had an aisle only on the
north side, into which it
opened by an arcade of two
bays. A plan of the church
before the alteration is preserved amongst the churchwardens' accounts of that
period. The 15th-century
tower at the west end is
three stages high and supported by diagonal buttresses.
It has an embattled parapet
and a three-light west window. The axis of the tower
makes a considerable deviation to the north from that
of the rest of the church.
The font stands beneath the tower and has a
modern stem and base and a 14th-century bowl with
a moulded lower edge.
In the north chapel is a stone slab, possibly commemorating a Prior of Newburgh, bearing an incised
pastoral staff of early form but no inscription. In
the north window of the same chapel is an early
16th-century coat of arms of Ward quartering Nevill
of Thornton.
There are six bells, of which the first, third, fifth
and sixth were cast by J. Taylor of Loughborough
in 1886; the second is inscribed 'Radulphus Nevil
armiger, IHS 1598'; and the fourth is mediaeval,
inscribed in Gothic characters, 'Jhū (fili) dei miserere
nobis,' and having a small shield charged with a
quatrefoil.
The plate includes a cup (the date mark probably
York, 1658, and inscribed 'R.B., R.W. Churchwardens 1663'), two patens and a flagon of 1869,
and two large pewter flagons and as many almsdishes
of the same material.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms and burials 1798 to 1812; (ii) marriages
1798 to 1812.
Advowson
At the time of the Domesday
Survey (fn. 106) there was a church on the
king's land in Brafferton and a
priest. (fn. 107) The patronage belonged to the family of
de la River until it was given to Newburgh Priory
by Henry de la River before 1226, (fn. 108) the grant being
confirmed by William de Mowbray, his overlord. (fn. 109)
The Prior and convent of Newburgh obtained licence
to appropriate the church in 1316 (fn. 110) and again in
1444. (fn. 111) A vicarage is said to have been ordained
in 1446. (fn. 112) The advowson was held by this
house until the Dissolution, when it came to the
Crown. It was granted by Henry VIII in 1545 to
Robert Archbishop of York in exchange for certain
manors. (fn. 113) After this time it seems to have belonged
alternately to the Crown and the Archbishop of
York. (fn. 114) In 1729 it was finally transferred to the
Crown by Act of Parliament in exchange for the
vicarage of Bishopthorpe. (fn. 115) The vicarage is now in
the gift of the Lord Chancellor, while the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners possess the rectorial tithes. (fn. 116)
Charities
In 1873 the late Mr. James
Coates of Helperby Hall erected a
block of buildings comprising an
institute, two cottages, cottage hospital and four almshouses—as appears on an inscription over the door of
the institute—in memory of his parents, Jonathan
and Ann Coates.
Four widows are chosen by the present owner of
Helperby Hall, Sir Edward F. Coates, bart., M.P.
for the borough of Lewisham, London, who makes
them a weekly allowance. The sole control of the
charity is vested in the founder's family. The institute is used as a reading room, &c., and the cottage
hospital, not being required for that purpose, is let as
a dwelling-house.
The Poor's Land consists of 8 a. at Sowerby, purchased in 1789 with £100 bequeathed by will of
Mrs. Mary Frewen Turner, and with £132 15s.
ancient parish stock. The land is let at £12 a
year, which with the dividends on £83 13s. 7d.
consols arising from sale of timber was in 1904–5
distributed in money to thirty-five inhabitants of
Helperby, fifteen of Brafferton, and two of Thornton
Bridge.
An annuity of 10s. is paid by Mr. Miles J. Stapylton for the poor in respect of a charity known as the
Myton charity. An annuity of 10s., formerly received
in respect of Glauber's charity, has for some years
ceased to be paid.
An annuity of 40s. charged in 1723 by will of
— Dibble upon Bræme Close for putting to school
four children of Helperby is received from Mr. F. J.
Haxby Robinson of Easingwold and paid to the
managers of the National school.
Miss Mary Lawson, by will, 1882, bequeathed £50
for investment, the income to be applied for the
benefit of widows and spinsters, which was augmented
by a legacy of £50 by will of Miss Dorothy Lawson.
The legacies were invested in £104 8s. 4d. consols,
and the dividends, amounting to £2 12s., are distributed among twelve recipients.
In 1896 Christopher Lambert, by deed, settled a
sum of stock for the benefit of the poor, subsequently
augmented to £150 consols, the dividends of which,
amounting to £3 14s. 8d., are duly applied.
The several sums of stock are held by the official
trustees.