HAXBY
Haxebi (xi cent.).
The parish of Haxby covers just over 2,000 acres
of flat clayey ground in the forest of Galtres, about
4 miles north of York. It is bounded on the east
partly by a small tributary of the River Foss called
Golland Dike, and partly by that river itself, which
flows southward past the parish from Easingwold to
York and drains the forest of Galtres. On the west
is the parish of Wigginton.
Haxby seems originally to have been partly in the
parish of Driffield and partly in that of Strensall.
The boundaries between the two moieties given by
Lawton on the authority of Archbishop Torre
appear, however, to be a garbled version of those
defining the land quitclaimed by Robert son of
Maldred. (fn. 1) In the 15th century Haxby was wholly
in Strensall parish, of which it was a chapelry. (fn. 2)
The village of Haxby stands in the flat Plain of
York. It contains a considerable number of modern
houses, and is built on either side of the Wigginton
road, the two villages being practically continuous.
The church is in the centre of the village on the
north side of the street. In the churchyard to the
south of the church is the base and a portion of the
shaft of a stone cross. There are also in Haxby a
Wesleyan and a Primitive Methodist chapel, both
standing on the road between Haxby and Wigginton.
From the west end of Haxby Street the road runs
northward for two or three hundred yards, forming
part of the boundary between the parishes, and then
turns westward to become Wigginton village street.
The east end of the village is about half a mile from
the bank of the Foss, which is still liable to floods.
In the 16th century it 'was oftentimes so urgent
and grete that th' inhabitants ther aboute for the
space of a moneth and more could passe no whither
for th' incumberns of the said water.' (fn. 3) Near the
village is a small bridge called Haxby Landing.
Perhaps the old road to Strensall was over this bridge
and along the road which runs north on the east
bank of the river past Towthorpe.
At the east end of the village street, standing in a
park of some 22 acres, is Haxby Hall, the residence
of Mr. William Abel Wood, J.P. There is a fishpond near the house. The road called Haxby Road,
which runs northward through the parish from York,
enters the village near Haxby Hall, and is then continued northward as the road to Strensall, which
turns to the east and crosses the Foss in the north of
the parish by Strensall New Bridge.
The road between Haxby and Wigginton also has
a continuation towards the north across the stretch
of land north of the village called Haxby Moor. A
branch leaves it on the east and under the name of
Cross Moor Lane runs past Haxby Grange to join
the road to Strensall. In 1236 land and herbage in
the forest of Galtres were in dispute between the
men of Haxby and Robert son of Maldred. Robert
finally quitclaimed a tract with boundaries running
'from the place where the cross stood . . . to between
Ellerpittes and so westward as far as Redker as the
river runs by the way of Houkeshill and so south as
far as Under Houkeshill on the east as the road
reaches to the top of Grenthwait eastwards.' (fn. 4)
The common lands of Haxby were inclosed in
1769. (fn. 5) The chief industry of the parish is agriculture.
Eleven hundred acres of the total area are under
cultivation and nearly 800 are devoted to pasture. (fn. 6)
The soil is sand and alluvium, and grain and root
crops are largely grown. There are brick and tile
works in the south of the parish.
The York and Scarborough branch of the North
Eastern railway runs through the parish and has a
station at Haxby between the village and the River Foss.
Manor
The manor of HAXBY was from very
early times among the possessions of the
cathedral of St. Peter of York. It was
assessed at 6 carucates and an oxgang in 1086 and
had land for four ploughs. (fn. 7)
In 1223, when various inhabitants of Haxby were
in custody for trespasses committed within the forest
of Galtres, they were described as 'men of the Dean
and Chapter.' (fn. 8) It is not certain at what date the
manor of Haxby was assigned to the two prebends
of Driffield and Strensall in York Cathedral, but it
must have been at some time in the 13th century.
The first recorded appointments to these prebends
were made in 1235 and 1279 respectively. (fn. 9) In
1328 the people of Haxby had been tenants 'from
of old' of the prebendaries of Driffield and Strensall. (fn. 10)
Haxby has remained a part of the endowment of
the prebends down to the present day. It has been
treated as the two manors of EAST END and WEST
END, (fn. 11) the former belonging to Driffield prebend
and the latter to Strensall.
A survey of the possessions of St. Peter's was made
in 1338, and a list is given of the tenants of the
prebendary of Driffield. (fn. 12) His half of the vill appears
to have been divided into a number of almost equal
holdings of about a toft and 2 oxgangs held at uniform
rents. The whole of this part of the vill of Haxby
rendered fifteen score eggs at Easter.
It is impossible to trace the descent of the families
who lived at Haxby. One called Goodbarne seems
to have held land here for some time. (fn. 13)
Church
The church of ST. MARY was
entirely rebuilt in 1878 and is now an
aisleless building consisting of nave and
chancel in the style of the 13th century. The nave
was enlarged by the addition of three bays in 1911.
A sketch of the old church before its demolition is
in the possession of Mrs. Grayson of Haxby. The
church contains several monuments of the Hodgson
family.
The single bell bears the inscription 'Fili Dei
miserere mei, 1621.'
The plate consists of a cup of 1769 (Newcastle), a
paten of 1704 (London), and a modern flagon
(London, 1877).
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
baptisms, burials and marriages 1667 to 1777;
(ii) marriages 1754 to 1812; (iii) baptisms and
burials 1778 to 1812.
Advowson
It is not certain at what date the
chapel of Haxby came into existence. It was described in 1547
as 'havyng no foundacion,' and it is stated that the
incumbent was 'hyered by the inhabitants of the same
towne to praye for the prosperitye of the parochians
lyvynge and the souls of them departyd, further to
say masse and other devyne service and minister
sacraments in tyme of necessitie.' (fn. 14) The chapel of
Haxby was originally in moieties, of which one
belonged to the parish of Strensall and the other to
the parish of Driffield. (fn. 15) It owed its origin, doubtless, to the distance of the village from these parish
churches. The Driffield end of Haxby was 18 miles
away from its church, and the inhabitants of the Strensall
half, though only 2 miles from the church, were
liable to be cut off by the floods of the River Foss. (fn. 16)
In 1328 the inhabitants declared that 'of old it was
ordained, and hitherto observed, that the chaplain
for the time being which celebrated divine service at
Haxby received all the oblations and Quadragesimal
tithes as well of the tenants of the prebend of Strensall as of the tenants of the prebend of Driffield.' (fn. 17)
In the same year they petitioned to have their own
chapel yard licensed for burial, on the ground that
'it was cause of scandal and a fact detestable to have
the corpses of the dead to be casually lost, as they
were carried on the way to be buried, by reason of
the very great distance and badness of the ways; as
the case once happened by the body of Thomas
Westeby, which as they were carrying to Strensall
Church to be buried, fell into the River Foss.' (fn. 18)
Their petition was granted, and in this year
they received a licence for burial in their chapel
yard, which was dedicated as a chapel of Driffield. (fn. 19)
This explains why the living was described in the
reign of Edward III as 'a parcel of the prebend of
Driffield.' (fn. 20)
In 1472 the inhabitants petitioned the dean and
chapter to authorize them to have a priest to celebrate
at their chapel. (fn. 21) A former licence given by the
prebendaries of Strensall and Driffield is mentioned. (fn. 22)
It may have been at this renewal that the chapelry
was definitely assigned to the parish of Strensall. In
the next century it was referred to as 'the Chapel of
our Lady in Strensall parish.' (fn. 23) The chapel was a
peculiar (fn. 24) never charged with first-fruits and tenths.
In 1786 Haxby was still treated as a chapelry of
Strensall. (fn. 25) In the middle of the 19th century it
was described as a perpetual curacy, annexed to the
vicarage of Strensall. (fn. 26) The prebendary of Strensall
was the patron and the vicar of Strensall was generally
ex officio minister. Since then the advowson has
passed by some readjustment to the Archbishop of
York. (fn. 27)
Various lands in Haxby, originally given for the
maintenance of the chapel, were held by copy of
court roll of the manors of Haxby and Strensall. (fn. 28)
The rent seems to have been paid largely in hens and
eggs. (fn. 29) Later the land came to be held as the property of different individuals.
In 1547 there was a 'stoke' of 22s. which had
been granted for the finding of a light in the
chapel. (fn. 30)
Charities
The Church or Chapel Lands.—
From time immemorial fixed annual
payments amounting in the aggregate
to £24 0s. 7d. have been paid out of land and houses
copyhold of the manors of Strensall and Haxby for
the use of the vicar of Strensall. He also received
the rents of 5 a. 2 r. 37 p., about £5 a year, allotted
on the inclosure in 1759 in lieu of small tithes. (fn. 31)
The Poor Folks Close consists of about 1 acre of
copyhold land purchased in 1733 with £20 for the
poor given by the Rev. — Bayley, vicar of Strensall.
The land is let as garden plots, producing about £6
a year, which is distributed amongst poor widows
and poor people in sums of 3s. 6d. to 5s. each.
Certain ancient payments amounting to £3 1s. were
formerly paid and distributed among the poor. (fn. 32)
In 1851 — Edmonson, by will, left £5, which
was deposited in the savings bank and the interest
distributed amongst the poor.
In 1863 Thomas Thompson, by will, left charitable
legacies, now represented by £133 North Eastern
Railway £3 per cent. debenture stock; the dividends,
amounting to £3 19s. 10d., are duly distributed
among poor widows.
John Hodgson, by will proved in 1891, left £150
York Corporation £3 per cent. stock, the dividends,
amounting to £4 10s., to be applied in the distribution of articles in kind among the poor.
William Hodgson, by will proved in 1892, left
£500 like stock, the dividends, amounting to £15,
to be applied one-half for church purposes and the
other half for distribution in money among the
poor.
The several sums of stock are held by the official
trustees.