SUTTON-ON-THE-FOREST
Sudtone (xi cent.); Sutton sub Galtris (xiii cent.);
Sutton in Galtres (xiv–xvi cent.).
The parish of Sutton-on-the-Forest covers about
6,000 acres of that stretch of level moorland to the
north of York which is still known as the Forest of
Galtres. This tract of land is, as Camden says, 'in
some places thick and shady, with spreading trees,
but in others is flat, wet, and boggy.' (fn. 1) The
greater part of Sutton parish falls under the second
description, though it is well wooded in the eastern
half. The soil is alluvial and covered with old marlpits, and no point in the parish exceeds a level of
100 ft. above the ordnance datum. The stretches of
flat ground which keep their old names of Brown
Moor, West Moor, and the like have now for the
most part been brought under cultivation, and 3,400
acres of the whole are arable land. (fn. 2) Grain crops
are largely raised, as well as turnips and potatoes.
The old common fields of the manor surrounding
the village still retain their ancient names, and a
road running north to Stillington and separating the
north field from the middle field is still known as
Wandell Balk. The boundaries of the lordship of
Sutton in the reign of Elizabeth were as follows:—
On the Northe it beginneth at Oddenskar Gate comonlie
called Huby Oxclose Gate and goeth north easte to Mousby
More and so to Skughe Gate butting upon the Comon on the
north easte from the towne. And from Skughe Gate along
the hedge of Mowsby moor and Mouseby grounds until the
water of Fosse on the north easte. And from thence eastwarde alonge the river of Fosse until Fosse Paddocke. And
from thence eastward . . . to Foss House Gate. And from
thence south east along the said river to an old cast dyke, . . .
Thence south to Scabcarr . . . to a dole stone . . . then
south to another in Rudcarre . . . then to another at the
North end of Hessel Dykes . . . then south to another at the
south end of Hessel Dykes. . . . Then righte south to a dole
stone east of Stayne cross. . . . Then south west to Stonecrosse and south west from dole to dole along Rudcar . . . to a
dole stone lately set by Haxbie and Wigginton. . . . Then
west to Grenthwaite nooke . . . and northwest to the Hagge side.
. . . North west to Blaye pooles . . . and Gibhall . . . and
west along Trentecarr. Then north up Sorrell Sykes . . . to
Cockelarke. . . . Northe up Cockeclarke joining upon Hubie
Comon . . . eastward along an old ditche. Along by Huby
closes to Grene Carr Leyes . . . and follow Skate Dyke to
Stutfawde ende and so to Oddenskarr Gate. (fn. 3)
The village of Sutton is picturesque and stands on
either side of a broad portion of the great high road
from York to the north, this section running east and
west. Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels
here were opened respectively in 1864 and 1861.
Opposite the church and south of the road stands
Sutton Hall, the residence of Mrs. Grey, widow of
Mr. Arthur Grey. It stands in a considerable park
and is an 18th-century building of red brick with an
entrance of the Doric order. The main building has a
large pediment the full width of the house, and at the
sides are low quadrant-shaped wings with balustraded
parapets. The hall was for two centuries the home of
the family of Harland, whose monuments are in the
church. It probably occupies the site of the earlier
Sutton Hall built by Humphrey Barwick in the reign
of Elizabeth. Barwick seems to have caused some
dissatisfaction among the tenants by taking possession
of land for this purpose. The house is described at
this date as 'a mansyon house having one hall . . .
twoe chambers over the same, one garner over the
chambers at the west end of the house, one little
chamber next the greate chamber, one little gallerye,
twoe little chambers over the kitchinge, a little
chamber on the southe side, a buttery at the west
end of the house, a kitchen, a larder house.' There
was near by 'an old house with three or four Rowmes
in it decayed.' The mansion-house was covered
with slate and had six stone chimneys. The old
house was covered with thatch. There was a garden,
an orchard and a dovecote. (fn. 4)
At the west end of the village is the cemetery, the
site of which was provided by the Hon. A. Duncombe
when the churchyard was closed in 1866. (fn. 5) St. John's
Well stands by the roadside about a mile and a half
to the east of the village. It is a plain square
conduit head of stone of small size and fed by a
spring.
Laurence Sterne was nominated to the vicarage of
Sutton in 1738, and held the living for more than
twenty years, being for a part of the time also curate
of Stillington. (fn. 6) Sterne lived at the vicarage from
1741 and entered in the parish registers the various
expenses he incurred in repairing the house and
grounds. In October 1742 he laid out the garden,
planting cherry trees, an espalier apple hedge, nectarines and peaches. In the following autumn he
inclosed the orchard and planted apple trees, pears
and plums. (fn. 7) He not only officiated in the church at
Sutton, but at one time attempted, with his wife, to
keep a dairy farm, which appears to have been
a complete failure. (fn. 8) He drew on his own parochial
experiences for his account of Parson Yorick in
Tristram Shandy, and gave some offence by his use of
local characters. He held a small amount of land
here, and obtained about 60 acres more when he
joined with Lord Fauconberg, lord of the manor,
and Philip Harland in securing the inclosure of the
common fields of Sutton. (fn. 9) The only common land
left to Sutton is a small moor south-east of a house
called the Manor House which stands near the
village.
The process of inclosing the waste and of bringing
it into cultivation had been going on for many years.
Robert de Nevill (fn. 10) in 1252 had licence to bring
200 acres of his demesne in Sutton into tillage 'in
that part where he had begun to make a dike without
the covert of the forest, and to inclose the said land
with a dike so that the king's deer should have free
entry and exit.' (fn. 11) Four years later he received licence
to assart the land, (fn. 12) and his grandson and heir Ranulph
de Nevill, first baron of Raby, held of the Crown an
assart called 'Bulford Toftes.' (fn. 13) During the tenure
of Ranulph several yeomen under-tenants also received
licence to inclose and cultivate small tracts of forest
ground. (fn. 14)
When the Forest of Galtres was disafforested in the
reign of Charles I (fn. 15) 1,500 acres were assigned to the
tenants of Sutton to compensate them for the rights
of pasture and turbary which they thereby lost. (fn. 16) A
third of this was south-west of the village separating
it from the farm and holding oddly named Bohemia,
and mentioned by that name in 1656. (fn. 17) The rest
was on Brown Moor in the east of the parish. Even
in 1660 the Lord Fauconberg of the day was attempting to have this inclosed, and in 1756 his successor
achieved his object.
North of the Manor House are two farms known as
Thrush House and The Lund, one of which belonged
to Marton Priory (fn. 18) and the other to the chantry of
Cornbrough. (fn. 19)
The township of Huby is separated from Sutton
by what are practically the old boundaries on this
side of the manor of Easingwold and Huby. 'So by
the hedge unto North Carr, and as the hedge directeth
on the righte hande unto Roseberye gate holding
ryghte forwarde unto Moxbye feilde hedge, that
divideth the manor of Esingwalde and Hubye from
the lordship of Moxbye, from thence followinge the
sayd hedge southwarde unto Sutton north feilde hedge
where the bounde begins betwene this manor and
the lordship of Sutton, thence from the sayde north
feilde hedge south westwarde to Scate lane, and so
leaving Sutton feilde hedge on the easte unto Browne
moore, And leaving Greene Carr parcell of the
Lordship of Sutton on the easte unto the weste corner
thereof, where turne eastwarde by the hedge unto a
caste dike beinge a water Sewer which seemeth to be
a bounder betwene Esingwald and Sutton . . .' (fn. 20)
Scate Lane is the present Skates Lane, which runs
from the west end of the village of Sutton to the
south end of Huby village street, a mile to the west.
Huby is a pretty village with cottages standing back
from the road on either side of the green, at the
southern end of which is the maypole, 'sixty feet
high and painted with various colours.' A feast is
held here on the third Sunday in June.
At the north end of the main street Gracious
Street branches off to the east. It is said to have
had its name since the last visitation of the plague,
when this street alone in Huby escaped infection.
The inhabitants left the town and encamped on the
meadows west of the village, called in consequence
Cabin Lands. (fn. 21)
Where Gracious Street meets the lane running
northward from Huby to Stillington stand the ruins
of the old house called Huby Hall, with its gardens
and fish-ponds. It was once the home of the celebrated architect William Wakefield, who designed
Duncombe Park and Gilling Castle. (fn. 22) The site of
the chapel served by the vicars of Sutton in the 13th
century can be traced on the east side of the street.
The field surrounding it is called Chapel Garth.
The road that runs westward from Huby to
Tollerton, known as Baston Lane, passes the site of
'the Moat,' an old mansion long since ruined; its
history is unknown. Further along the road are
some modern brick and tile works.
One of the most interesting buildings in the parish
is New Park, the hunting lodge of James I, which
stands some 2 miles to the north of Shipton village
and about half a mile to the east of the main York
and Easingwold road. It is a plain rectangular
building of no great size, and its external appearance is
rendered uninteresting by the substitution of modern
sashes for all the old windows. The house, which is
two stories high, is built entirely of red brick in old
English bond, two or three courses of stretchers
alternating with one of headers. The front elevation
is broken by a projecting porch with a room above it
finished with a gable, and at the back the attics are
fronted with three more gables. The two massive
chimney stacks, one at the back and one in the centre
of the building, though plain are good, and above
the roof the flues are set diagonally. The chief
feature of the interior is the handsome Jacobean
staircase, the well of which has unfortunately been
filled in. The square enriched newels support handsome vases and the well-moulded rail rests on turned
balusters. The rail, newels and balusters are repeated
against the outer walls to form a dado. At the head
of this staircase is a handsome oak door-frame with
Ionic side pilasters finished with terminal figures,
male and female, and on the cornice is a carved basket
with a cock on either side (one of these is missing).
A room on the first floor has a plaster ceiling with a
diamond-shaped panel in the centre, the border being
enriched with coronets, falcons and escutcheons alternately. Other examples of modelled plaster occur
elsewhere in the house. The house seems to have
been built, and the park from which it took its name
inclosed, in the reign of James I, for in 1660 there
were still living persons who had known the park
'ever since it was a Park.' (fn. 23)
A survey made of the park in 1649 shows that
there were at that date 270 deer in it. The house
was a 'fairely built messuage dwelling-house or lodge
. . . consisting of severall large and hansom Roomes,
a hall, a parlour, a kitchinge, a buttery, a sellor and
other necessary low roomes, six faire lodginge chambres above the stairs with large windowes setting out
on the south side of the said howse . . . one little
orcharde newly planted, one grasse courte on the
sowth of the said howse surrounded with a stronge
brick wall . . . two walkes paved with broade
stones.' (fn. 24)
During the Commonwealth New Park was in the
possession of that prominent Roundhead Colonel
Robert Lilburne. (fn. 25) The neighbourhood of the
Forest of Galtres suffered severely in the Civil Wars (fn. 26)
and Lilburne's servants did not give enough attention
to the park to make it an exception. There were
about twelve deer there at the Restoration, and the
whole place had fallen into decay. (fn. 27) 'There was
some fruite trees and flowers and herbs,' said a
woman-servant who lived here, 'in the said gardens
and orchards, and a decaying rotten hedge about
some part thereof, through which swine did sundry
times get into the said gardens and orchards, to the
prejudice of the said plants and flowers and herbs.' (fn. 28)
The house and park were restored to order by
Richard Harland, the Royalist captain, who lived at
Sutton Hall. (fn. 29) He was put in charge in 1660, but
found the servants of Colonel Lilburne very hard to
displace. His own servants were 'thrust out of the
house,' and he only gained possession of it through a
woman-servant who had a key, and 'immediately
entered the said house and kept possession thereof for
the use of Richard Harland.' (fn. 30)
It was at considerable sacrifice that Richard
Harland left his own estate at Sutton and established
his household at New Park. Apparently he was not
able to keep up both houses, and Sutton Hall is said
to have suffered much damage. (fn. 31) In 1661, however,
he handed the park over to his successor, Henry Darcy,
who had a lease of it for forty-one years. (fn. 32) At the
same time a grant of it was made to George Duke
of Albemarle and his heirs male, (fn. 33) presumably to
take effect when Henry Darcy's lease expired. It is
described as 'a park or lately a park,' (fn. 34) and probably
it was never restored to its former condition, for
Galtres was already disafforested.
An Inclosure Act was passed for the open and
common arable fields and lands of the township of
Huby in 1841. (fn. 35)
Manors
In 1086 the 3 carucates in SUTTON
were royal demesne. The vill contained
two holdings, equal in extent, of which
one was soke of 'Caldenesche' (Galtres ?). The
other had been held before the Conquest by Ligulf
and Aifride. The second holding must have been
the land included in the soke of Easingwold (fn. 36) (q.v.).
Bertram de Bulmer in the reign of Henry I held
the vill as one knight's fee, (fn. 37) and it followed the
descent of his manor of Sheriff Hutton (q.v.) in the
hands of the family of Nevill until the 14th century.
In 1394 Ralph de Nevill fourth Lord Nevill of Raby
had licence to grant all lands and services which he
had in Sutton to his son John and John's wife Elizabeth Holland, with remainder failing their issue to
Ralph's own heirs. (fn. 38) This was superseded by a later
settlement, which entailed the manor on William
Lord Fauconberg, younger son of Ralph by his
second wife Joan, and his heirs male. (fn. 39) In his will
Richard Earl of Salisbury, elder son of Ralph and
Joan, (fn. 40) directed his wife and his son and heir Richard
to take proceedings at a suitable time for the recovery
of the lordship of Sutton in Galtres, which had been
alienated by his brother Lord Fauconberg contrary
to the form of the succession laid down by his
father. (fn. 41)
Lord Fauconberg had no male issue, and Richard
Earl of Warwick, son of Richard Earl of Salisbury,
succeeded to the manor, (fn. 42) which was forfeited with
his other lands after the battle of Barnet in 1471. (fn. 43)
It was among the possessions granted by Edward IV
to Richard Duke of Gloucester, (fn. 44) to whom various
members of the Nevill family released their right in
it. (fn. 45)
On the accession of Richard as Richard III Sutton
passed to the Crown, and was occupied in the
15th and early 16th centuries by royal bailiffs, (fn. 46)
and afterwards by persons who were still called
bailiffs, but enjoyed most of the privileges of lessees.
Thomas Tirrell, whom Edward VI appointed in this
capacity, (fn. 47) was succeeded by his wife, and her second
husband William Wortington was able to sell his
interest in the manor to William Atkinson. (fn. 48) Under
Elizabeth, Humphrey Barwick had a long lease of the
manor. (fn. 49) Throughout this period the Crown held
the manorial courts. (fn. 50)
George Kirke had a grant for life of the manor in
1628, (fn. 51) and in 1629 Sutton was granted to the
citizens of London. (fn. 52) In March of the next year
the trustees for the City were ordered to retain the
manor in their own hands until it should be decided
whether or not it was part of the Forest of Galtres. (fn. 53)
In May, however, it was sold by them to George
Lee and Francis Britten, probably acting on behalf
of the tenants of the manor. (fn. 54) Lord Fauconberg
was in possession of the 'royalties' of Sutton in
about 1649, (fn. 55) and it seems likely that he was nominated by the tenants as in the case of Easingwold
(q.v.). Sutton Hall was already in the possession of
Richard Harland, a notable Royalist who fought in
the battle of Marston Moor. In 1645 he held a
lease of it with some years yet to run, and also the reversion after the expiration of another lease granted
to George Kirke. (fn. 56) The Bellasis family were lords
of the manor, which followed the descent of their
seat at Newburgh (fn. 57) (q.v.) at least till the middle of
the 18th century, (fn. 58) but they were finally bought out
by the Harlands. Richard Harland suffered fines
and imprisonment during the Commonwealth 'as
much as any gentleman of those parts.' (fn. 59) He compounded for his estates in 1650, (fn. 60) and was resident
in Sutton in 1660. (fn. 61) He died in 1689, at the
great age of ninety-seven, (fn. 62) and was succeeded by
his son Richard. (fn. 63) In the return which Lord
Fauconberg made of his lands in 1717 it appears that
several parcels of land were let to Richard Harland. (fn. 64)
Lord Fauconberg was still lord of the manor in
1756, (fn. 65) when Philip Harland, probably the son of
Richard, was 'Squire of Sutton' and lived at Sutton
Hall. (fn. 66) Laurence Sterne was
at that time vicar of the parish,
and was not apparently on
the best of terms with Mr.
Harland. (fn. 67) Anne, the daughter and heir of Philip, married
first the Rev. Henry Goodricke, (fn. 68) and secondly Charles
Hoare, who was created a
baronet in 1808. (fn. 69) She had
no children by either marriage, but William Charles
Hoare, her husband's nephew,
inherited Sutton Hall and
took the name of Harland. (fn. 70)
He is the first Harland who
is stated to be the lord of the
manor, (fn. 71) though the purchase may have taken place
at any time between 1756 and 1852. He married
the daughter of R. E. Duncombe Shafto, and on his
death without issue in 1863 the manor passed under
the will of Lady Harland to Admiral Duncombe. (fn. 72)
His son Mr. Arthur Duncombe assumed the name
of Grey, and his widow Mrs. Grey is the present
owner.
Harland. Argent a bend sable cotised azure with three harts' heads caboshed or on the bend and a scallop gules in the cantle.
The lords of the manor of Sutton had right of
pannage in the forest of Galtres. (fn. 73)
In 1331 Ralph de Nevill and his heirs had a grant
of free warren in his demesne lands here. (fn. 74)
Various customs of the manor are enumerated in a
survey made in the reign of Elizabeth. The probate
of wills of all who died in the lordship was the right
of the Crown and was usually made by the bailiff.
The tenants had rights of common of pasture, drift of
strangers' cattle, turbary and certain rights to firewood. Moreover, the bailiff of the town for the time
being used to deliver one load of wood out of the
wood growing upon the commons to every newlymarried man towards the charge of his wedding
dinner, and every such married man gave to the
bailiff a pair of gloves. The crops sown in the
common fields in the year of the survey are also
given. 'Westfeilde: sowen this yeare with hard
corne, and the next yeare with Barley. Northfield
this yeare with pease and beanes and next year to
be faughe. Inhams and Morton fields this yeare
Barleye next yeare beanes and pease. Southfeild and
Thorpefeilde this yeare fawghe, next yeare winter
corne, and so change yearlie.' (fn. 75)
In HUBY (Hobi, xi cent.; Hewbye, xvi cent.)
Safford and Sinnard had 2 carucates of land before the
Norman Conquest. The king held them in demesne
with 4 carucates in the soke of Easingwold in 1086. (fn. 76)
Part of Huby was always regarded as a member of the
manor of Easingwold (fn. 77) (q.v.), and followed the same
descent throughout. Sir George Wombwell is the
present lord, but holds no land in the township.
When the manor was granted to Henry de Helyon
in 1230 Huby was to be freed from forest jurisdiction,
and 'quit of waste, regard, views of foresters, verderers and regarders and all other things pertaining
to the forest.' (fn. 78) It continued, however, to be one
of the towns where the kings held their forest courts
of swainmote and attachment. (fn. 79)
Helyon of Huby. Or a hart's head caboshed sable.
Henry de Helyon and his men of Huby had
estover in the forest for housebote and hedgebote (fn. 80)
and the right to have his pigs
in the forest 'at the time of
mast' quit of pannage. (fn. 81)
These continued to be the
privileges of tenants in Huby.
The men of Thomas Earl
of Lancaster petitioned the
Crown in the 14th century
to enforce their rights. (fn. 82) The
justice of the forest, they complained, prevented them from
having their housebote and
hedgebote in the manner in
which they and their ancestors
from time immemorial used
and ought to have it, that is to say, 30 oaks a year
for housebote, without reckoning the small underwood for hedgebote, and now by the command of
Sir Robert de Clifford they were reduced to sometimes 15 oaks and sometimes 10 oaks a year. (fn. 83)
Another complaint was that the king's officers 'prevented them from making their way through the
forest from Easingwold to Huby, and from Huby to
York and towards every other village, unless they
paid a heavy and arbitrary ransom,' (fn. 84) and that
Easingwold and Huby were compelled to pay more
than their share towards the upkeep of two foresters,
whose meat and drink had been chargeable to seven
forest townships. (fn. 85) Their appeal was treated sympathetically by the Crown, and the forest officials
were ordered to preserve to them their ancient
rights. (fn. 86)
In the reign of James I the duties of the tenants
were to accompany the justice in eyre to view the
game and perambulate the forest and to assist the
ranger to drive the king's drifts. (fn. 87) They had the
privilege of herbage, pannage, common of estovers,
turves, brakes and whins in the common woods of
the manor. (fn. 88)
Henry II granted land here worth 40s. to the canons
and nuns of Marton. (fn. 89) Before 1167 the nuns were
removed to Moxby. (fn. 90) In 1177 the lands in Huby
were still held by Marton Priory, (fn. 91) but there was
subsequently a division of the endowments and these
became the property of the Prioress of Moxby. (fn. 92)
Her holding is described as 4 carucates, or two-thirds
of the whole vill, the remaining third being in the
royal demesne. (fn. 93) In 1199 the nuns complained that
the king's men of Huby were breaking up and cultivating their pasture land, and an order was made to
protect their right. (fn. 94) This holding is in one place
described as 'the manor of Huby,' and it appears that
the prioress held courts there. (fn. 95)
After the Dissolution the capital messuage which
had belonged to Moxby Priory was granted in 1545
to Henry Wyldon and John Bell, (fn. 96) and subsequently
the 'manor of Huby' was granted to Richard Burrell
and his heirs. (fn. 97) Nothing more is heard of it as a
manor, and it was probably split up into several
holdings. William Wakefield, who in the 18th century lived in Huby Hall, (fn. 98) bought a messuage and
land here in 1720 from William Radclyffe, Thomas
Marshall and others. (fn. 99) The estate may have been
purchased gradually by the Bellasis family, lords of
Newburgh (q.v.), and their successors the Wombwells; Sir George O. Wombwell was a principal
landowner in 1859. (fn. 100)
The prioress had in right of her lands here three
parts of the pannage of pigs driven in the forest of
Galtres. (fn. 101)
For centuries SUTTON GRANGE was among
the temporal possessions of the hospital for poor men
at York, which was variously known by the names of
St. Peter and St. Leonard. Bertram de Bulmer,
founder of the priory of Marton, was also a benefactor of this house. He granted it 'two oxgangs of
land in Sutton, and a dwelling-house where the
buildings of the brethren are placed, and all the
pasture of the said town in frankalmoin, quit of all
gelds and service save prayers, with stuff from his
wood for their buildings, and mast for their pigs
without payment of pannage, and wood for their
fire.' (fn. 102) This grant was followed by others made
by Bertram's heirs, the family of Nevill. Henry de
Nevill gave to the poor men of the hospital 46 acres
of land in Sutton (fn. 103) stretching from the corner on the
east side of the grange of the hospital as far as the
marsh called 'Tossocker' by the bounds 'at whose
placing the donor was present on the day on which
he gave seisin.' This land, with reasonable access for
their carts along the hedge of the grange, they were
to hold in frankalmoign, quit of all services save
prayers. Robert de Nevill added 13 acres west of the
close granted by Henry and also 23 acres on the south
side of the grange of the hospital. (fn. 104) The farm of
this grange in the reign of Henry VIII was worth
£5 11s. (fn. 105)
After the surrender of the monastery Sutton
Grange came into the hands of the Crown and was
granted by Philip and Mary to the master and
chaplain of the hospital of the Savoy, (fn. 106) a house for
poor men founded by Henry VII on the site of the
Savoy Palace. (fn. 107) It was at the time in the tenure of
Robert Wharton. (fn. 108) There is no record of a grant of
the grange after the hospital of the Savoy was dissolved by Queen Anne. Probably it was purchased
by one of the landowners of Sutton.
Another farm called Greenthwaite was given to
St. Leonard's Hospital by Edward I. (fn. 109) It was granted
with the grange in 1557–8 to the hospital of the
Savoy. (fn. 110)
In 1320 the master of the hospital of St. Leonard
held land in Huby called 'Hobyland,' and granted
it to John de Ellerker and his family. (fn. 111) Land in
Huby which had belonged to the hospital, probably
the close in question, was granted in 1545 to Henry
Wyldon and John Bell. (fn. 112)
Robert de Nevill granted a toft with 2 oxgangs
of land in Sutton, which had lately been held of him
by Robert Baxby, to the Prior of Marton in 1272. (fn. 113)
The prior's possessions here were worth £12 12s. in
the reign of Henry VIII. (fn. 114) Among them was land
known as Thrushouse and Thrushes Close, which
was granted to Edward Archbishop of York in 1543. (fn. 115)
A lease of some land in Sutton which had belonged
to Marton was granted to William Davell in 1539. (fn. 116)
In 1315 John de Thornton of Skewsby had licence
to reduce to cultivation a plot of brushwood and waste
in Sutton called THE LUND. (fn. 117) It was held of the
king in chief by a service of one two-hundredth part
of a knight's fee, (fn. 118) and was inherited by the heirs of
John. (fn. 119) After John de Thornton, who lived at the
end of the reign of Edward III and seems to have
been the grandson of the first John, (fn. 120) there is no record
of the owners of this land until it appears among
the possessions of the chantry of Cornbrough (q.v.)
founded by Thomas Witham. (fn. 121) 'Two closes of
pasture, the one called Sutton Lounde and the other
called Sutton Haye,' were among the lands from
which the chantry drew its support. (fn. 122)
In 1545–6 these meadows were leased to various
husbandmen of Sutton, (fn. 123) and after the suppression of
the chantry they were granted by Elizabeth to Robert
Hitchcock and others. (fn. 124)
Church
The church of ALL HALLOWS
consists of a chancel 35½ ft. long with a
north chapel, nave 41 ft. long with north
aisle, west tower and south porch. The total internal
length is 90½ ft.
The church was very largely rebuilt in 1877, only
the tower and the south nave wall remaining of the
old building. The rebuilding is regrettable, as the
ancient structure was unique in this part of the
country. It consisted of a nave and chancel with a
north aisle of eight bays extending from the west face
of the tower to the extreme east end of the chancel,
the latter occupying three bays. It was at first, with
the exception of the chancel, in which were traces of
14th-century work, entirely constructed of timber,
with a row of posts to the aisle supporting a low
pitched tie-beam roof which also rested on a series of
posts against the south nave wall. The latter were
irregularly spaced to avoid the windows, the ties resting on a heavy timber plate. The tie-beams were
supported by curved struts and the whole appeared to
date from the early part of the 15th century. Later
on in the same century the outer walls were rebuilt
in stone, leaving, however, the southern posts still
standing against the new wall. At the same time a
western tower was built within the south-west angle
of the nave and communicating with it by arches in
the north and east walls. A timber south porch was
also added. In 1877 the whole of the timber structure was removed and the chancel rebuilt. The new
nave was shorter than the old, the north arch of the
tower being filled in and a stone south porch was
substituted for the earlier timber one.
The chancel has a three-light 14th-century east
window reconstructed in the new wall and two large
four-light square-headed windows in the south wall, now
almost entirely modern, but an
exact copy of the old work.
The north chapel is entirely
modern. In the nave the south
wall only is old and has a threelight traceried window of the
15th century towards its eastern
end and near it a piscina. A
two-light square-headed window of similar date pierces the
wall near the opposite end.
The modern north aisle opens
into the nave by an arcade of
three bays. The tower, which
is wider from north to south
than from east to west, is three
stages high and faced like the
south nave wall with ashlar.
It dates from the 15th century
and has a pointed three-light
west window. In the north wall is a blocked archway formerly communicating with the north aisle
and a second arch opens on the east side into the
nave. The second stage is lit only by loops, but the
belfry has a two-light square-headed window in each
face. Within the south door is an octagonal stoup
of the same section all the way up. The other fittings
include an 18th-century oak pulpit with a soundingboard and a wooden almsbox dated 1673. In the
nave and chancel are several 18th-century memorials
to members of the Harland family of Sutton Hall.
In the west window are a few fragments of ancient
glass.
The tower is finished with an embattled parapet,
having modern pinnacles at the angles, and contains
three bells, the first, inscribed in black letter,
'Dominus tecum ave gracia plena,' the second, inscribed also in black letter, 'Sum Rosa Pulsata Mun.
Maria,' (fn. 125) the third, 'Gloria in altissimis deo 1716,'
cast by E. Seller of York.
The plate includes a cup (York, 1678) inscribed
'Ex dono Richardi Harland generosi 1677,' a large
cup without date mark, but with the maker's initials
I L three times repeated, a large paten (London,
1694), 'the gift of Mr. William Vause late of Huby
who dyed in ye year of our Lord 1695,' a paten
(London, 1722) inscribed 'Sutton in the Forest
1729,' a small 17th-century paten with the date
mark obliterated, a paten and almsdish (York, 1825),
both presented in 1826, and two flagons (Newcastle, 1783) bearing the Harland arms.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i)
mixed entries 1557 to 1652; (ii) baptisms 1665 to
1806, marriages 1665 to 1753, burials 1665 to
1807; (iii) marriages 1754 to 1806; (iv) marriages
1806 to 1812; (v) baptisms and burials 1808 to
1812.
Plan of Sutton-on-the-Forest Church (Before Rebuilding)
Advowson
Until the beginning of the 13th
century the patronage of the church
was in the hands of the lords of the
manor. (fn. 126) It was then granted by Henry de Nevill
to the priory of St. Mary, Marton, for his soul and
those of his wife, father and mother, and for the
support of the canons and brethren. (fn. 127) The canons
had a grant of the church itself in 1218 to take
effect on the death of the rector, (fn. 128) and in 1222 it
was appropriated to the priory (fn. 129) and a vicarage was
ordained. (fn. 130) It was later provided that the vicar
was to have the capital messuage next the church. (fn. 131)
The Priors of Marton continued to present (fn. 132) till the
Dissolution, (fn. 133) the last of them resisting an attempt on
the part of Cromwell to secure the living for a poor
relation of Elizabeth Lady Lawson. (fn. 134) This prior
was the king's chaplain, and after the surrender of the
priory continued to hold the advowson for his life. (fn. 135)
It was among the benefices granted to the Archbishop
of York in 1545 in exchange for other property, (fn. 136)
and the archbishops presented until in 1879 the
advowson was transferred to the Crown. (fn. 137)
At the time of the Dissolution the vicarage-house
was let to William Horsley. (fn. 138) Anne Goodricke, the
heir of Philip Harland, was in possession of a moiety
of the rectory in 1786. (fn. 139)
When the church was appropriated to Marton
Priory there was a chapel at Huby endowed with 12
acres of ground. (fn. 140) It was laid down in the appropriation that the vicars of Sutton were to serve
honestly the chapel of Huby and to provide books
and all ornaments and lights necessary. (fn. 141) This chapel
seems to have fallen into disuse before the 16th century. 'Certayne money towards the finding of a
preste' in the parish of Sutton was lying in the hands
of various inhabitants of the parish in 1547, (fn. 142) and
was probably the endowment of Huby Chapel. In
1572–3 the building with a garth was granted to
Edward Forthe. (fn. 143)
Charities
By a scheme of the Charity Commissioners dated 9 June 1899 the
following charities for the benefit of
the townships of Sutton-on-the-Forest and Huby are
administered under the title of the United Charities,
namely:—
Ann Cobb's charity, will, 1728, rent-charge of £2
issuing out of Todd's Close in Easingwold (see under
Easingwold);
Elizabeth Harland's will, 1766, £65 11s. 11d.
consols;
John Harland's will, 1729, 2 r. known as the
Poor's Land, let at £1 10s. a year, and £34 4s. 3d.
consols;
Robert Parkinson's deed, 1622, rent-charge of 12s.
issuing out of land in Sutton;
John Sturdy's deed, 1711, rent-charge of 5s. issuing
out of an allotment in the South Field; the last two
rent-charges being paid by Mrs. Grey;
Elizabeth Harland's will, 1782, £220 5s. 1d. consols
for the poor of the townships of Sutton and Huby;
William Charles Harland's charity, by will 1861,
£1,001 13s. 5d. consols; the income of the last two
mentioned is by the scheme made applicable as to
two-thirds for Sutton and as to one-third for Huby.
Also the following charities applicable exclusively
in the township of Huby, namely:—
Sylvester Tate's (otherwise Tayrt) charity for the
poor of Huby, rent-charge of 5s. issuing out of two
cottages in Huby, paid by Thomas Flawith;
Robert Thompson's will, 1613, rent-charge of 30s.
issuing out of land in Huby, paid by the representatives of the late Miss Dorothy Gibson;
William Vause's charity, for eleemosynary purposes,
rent-charge of 50s. paid by Mrs. Grey, and William
Vause's charity for educational purposes, rent-charge
of 20s. paid by Mr. O. I. Kilvington, both founded
by will 1695, and charged on land at Huby;
John Bacon's charity, will, 1753, rent-charge of 10s.
issuing out of land at Huby, paid by Mr. D. Parlabean.
The scheme (inter alia) provides for a body of trustees
for each of the two townships of Sutton and Huby,
for the application of 20s. a year from William Vause's
charity for prizes or rewards to children of Huby
attending a public elementary school, and the income of
the remainder of the charities in aid of provident
clubs or direct gifts to the poor of the respective
townships. The several sums of stock are held by
the official trustees.
The above-mentioned Dorothy Gibson, by her will
proved in 1904, left £50, the interest to be applied
in coals for church poor. The money is invested in
£54 17s. 3d. consols with the official trustees.