ROKEBY WITH EGGLESTONE ABBEY
Rochebi (xi cent.); Rookeby (xvi–xvii cent.);
Eghistun, Eglistun (xi cent.).
This parish now only contains the village of Rokeby,
the township of Egglestone Abbey having been added
to Startforth. Out of a total area of 1,809 acres,
228 acres are arable land, 833 acres permanent grass
and 67 acres woods and plantations (fn. 1) ; the chief crops
raised are turnips, barley and oats. The subsoil is
Yoredale Rocks with some recent Alluvium at Greta
Bridge; the surface soil is loam and clay.
Leland mentions 'a faire quarre of blak marble
spottid with white, in the very ripe of Tese,' about a
quarter of a mile below Egglestone, (fn. 2) and says 'Hard
under the clif by Egleston is found on eche side of
Tese very fair marble, wont to be taken up booth by
marbelers of Barnardes Castelle and of Egleston, and
partly to have be wrought by them, and partely sold
onwrought to other.' (fn. 3) This quarry is no longer
worked. When Sir Thomas Robinson sold the manor
of Mortham to the Earl of Carlisle in 1742 he also
parted with the lead mines and quarries of slate and
stone appurtenant in Mortham, Rokeby and Greta
Bridge. (fn. 4) Tithes of lead in Egglestone, Arkengarthdale and Startforth were conveyed with the manor of
Egglestone in 1563. (fn. 5)
J. M. W. Turner made his first Yorkshire tour in
1797, when he was introduced to Dr. Whitaker, for
whom he illustrated the History of Richmondshire. (fn. 6) One of
his subjects is the junction of the Greta with the Tees,
towards which, through deep romantic chasms, the
Greta runs northward between Rokeby and Mortham.
On the bank of the Tees, here a clear stream with
a grey marble bed, are the ruins of the Premonstratensian abbey of Egglestone, built in the 12th century.
Bow Bridge, now ruined, crossed Thorsgill Beck at
this point in Leland's time. (fn. 7) Rokeby Park and Hall
are about half a mile from the few scattered houses
and the school that compose the village. The hall
was rebuilt in the 18th century by Sir Thomas Robinson from his own design; it is the property of Mr.
H. E. Morritt and the residence of Mr. J. J. BellIrving. Scott stayed here with John Bacon Sawrey
Morritt for a fortnight in 1809 and again in the
autumn of 1812, with the result that he wrote Rokeby,
dedicated to his host. He paid other visits in 1815,
1826 and 1828, and stopped at Rokeby in September
1831 on his last journey to England and Italy. (fn. 8)
Southey stayed at Rokeby in 1812 and 1829, (fn. 9)
Dickens in 1838, and Ruskin in 1876 when visiting
the scenes of Turner's paintings.
Mortham Tower from the South-east
Mortham is described by Scott as 'eminently
beautiful,' being surrounded by old trees 'happily and
widely grouped with Mr. Morritt's new plantations.' (fn. 10)
It is haunted by its 'Dobie,' a lady said to have been
murdered in the wood. (fn. 11) The dell between Rokeby
and Mortham is described by Scott as
A stern and lone yet lovely road
As e'er the foot of minstrel trode. (fn. 12)
The hamlet of Mortham with its church appears
to have been destroyed by the Scots during a raid in
1346 (fn. 13) and has never been rebuilt. Mortham Tower
stands to the south of the River Tees near its confluence with the Greta and is now used as a farmhouse. It is said to have been built by Thomas
Rokeby in the time of Henry VII and was altered
in the 18th century by Sir Thomas Robinson, the
architect and owner of Rokeby Hall. Mortham is
one of the most southerly of the border peels which
are so frequently found in the northern counties.
The tower proper stands at the north-west angle
of a courtyard and has four stories. The two lowest
have had their original windows closed by the later
buildings surrounding it and
have modern windows inserted. The third was lighted
in the south and east walls
towards the courtyard by
windows of two cinquefoiled
lights with cusped tracery
over in a square head with
moulded labels. The top
story is now open to the sky,
its floor forming a flat lead
roof. It was lighted on all
sides and has angle turrets,
each differing in plan. The
south-west turret is round,
the south-east octagonal, both
projecting from the face of
the wall and supported on
oversailing courses. That at
the north-west is square with
one edge chamfered and is
supported on each of its two
overhanging faces by three
large moulded corbels. The
north-east turret rises from
the ground and contains the
stair turret; its plan forms
part of a hexagon. Each of
these turrets had comparatively large windows on all
faces, and the whole appearance of them suggests that
the tower was built more for
ornamental than defensive
purposes; the parapet has a
small battlement. The range
of buildings north of the
tower is probably contemporary with it, but has been
more or less modernized;
the rooms immediately north
were lighted by a bay window
facing west and the first floor
story has a beautiful oak
panelled ceiling with moulded
girders and rafters. The wing north of this may in
part be as old as the tower, but has been altered subsequently; a bit of 18th-century ornamental plaster
ceiling remains in an angle bay window in the
northernmost room on the first floor.
To the east of the tower and forming part of the
north side of the courtyard is a large room about
33 ft. by 25 ft. with an open roof. This was
probably the original dining hall; it has large blocked
windows to the north and small loops to the south.
There are also large round-headed openings of 18thcentury date in both walls, that to the north being
now blocked; the tower communicates with this
room through the stair turret. Further to the east
of the room is a modern extension. The range to the
south of the tower (forming the west side of the
courtyard) is apparently of 18th-century date, but may
be only a rebuilding of that date. The range to the
east of the court has several blocked windows
apparently a little later than the tower; it is probable
that it always served as stables, as it does still. On
a wall of this range is carved a shield with the
cheveron and rooks of Rokeby. The present entrance
to the courtyard is by a gateway, between the end
walls of the east and north ranges; the original
entrance was by a pointed gateway in the middle of
the south inclosing wall, which is embattled; the
yard is about 70 ft. by 64 ft. Another garden wall
extending to the south from its western extremity
retains one jamb of a stone gateway. There are
other 18th-century and later outbuildings to the
east of the main block.
In a field to the south of the house stands an
ancient tomb, said to have been brought from
Egglestone Abbey. It is of limestone, 10 ft. 10 in.
long by 6 ft. wide, and is apparently of 14th-century
date; the longer sides have seven cinquefoiled ogeeheaded and canopied niches with carved crockets. In
the niches are alternately shields, and brackets for
figures between the niches in the lower halves of
diagonal pinnacles; in each end slab are four similar
niches, the outer pair with shields. The covering slab
has disappeared. A small gravestone, now set in a
modern buttress against the south gateway to the
courtyard, may also have come from Egglestone; on
it is carved a foliated cross.
In the angle formed by the Tutta Beck and the
Greta is a Roman camp (fn. 14) ; beside this runs the
Watling Street, on which is the hamlet of Street
Side.
Leland says Greta Bridge was 'of two or three
arches' (fn. 15) ; but Gough refers to it as 'a lofty bridge
over the Greta, of one arch, supposed of Roman work
or foundation, lately taken down and a new one
78 feet and a half wide and 58 high from the water,
built by Mr. Morritt in a line with the road.' (fn. 16)
The hamlet of Greta Bridge has associations with
the old coaching days. In 1789 it possessed two good
inns, one of which was 'The George,' (fn. 17) where
Dickens makes Mr. Squeers and Nicholas Nickleby
alight when on their way to 'Dotheboys Hall.' (fn. 18)
In 1876 Ruskin stayed here for two days. (fn. 19) The
other inn was perhaps the 'New Inn,' where Dickens
and Hablot K. Browne ('Phiz') stayed the night of
31 January 1838, going on by post-chaise to Barnard
Castle next day. The 'New Inn' is now called
Thorpe Grange, and like 'The George' has not been
used as a licensed house for many years. (fn. 20) The old
'Morritt Arms' also testifies, by its size, to the former
importance of Greta Bridge.
In the 16th century there were two water-mills
and a fulling-mill appurtenant to the manor of
Egglestone, (fn. 21) and from 1717 (fn. 22) to 1807 (fn. 23) a paper-mill
at Egglestone went with the manor. The one mill
that exists there now is formed out of the domestic
buildings of the convent.
Manors
Before the Conquest the 3 carucates of ROKEBY belonged to Torphin,
but in 1086 they were held of Count
Alan, (fn. 24) and later formed part of the honour of
Richmond. (fn. 25) The mesne lordship passed from
Bodin, the tenant in 1086, (fn. 26) to the Fitz Alans, (fn. 27) and
Rokeby was still held of the lords of Bedale (q.v.) in
1633 by a yearly rent of 3s. (fn. 28)
The first mention found of the family of
Rokeby (fn. 29) in Yorkshire is in 1201, when King John
confirmed to Henry son of Hervey lands near the
Lune Valley (fn. 30) which Robert de Rokeby and Agnes
his wife gave to him. (fn. 31) Brian Fitz Alan in 1204
subenfeoffed Robert de Rokeby and his heirs of the
vill of Rokeby. (fn. 32) Henry de Rokeby held a carucate
of land in Mortham in 1270, (fn. 33) and Alexander de
Rokeby held both Rokeby and Mortham in 1286–7. (fn. 34)
These two manors seem always to have descended
together.
Rokeby of Rokeby. Argent a cheveron between three rooks sable.
The Rokebys deserted Rokeby in the time of
Edward II, as their house
was burned by the Scots;
and, building a new seat at
Mortham, (fn. 35) were afterwards
often described as of 'Mortham.' In 1327 Thomas son
of Alexander de Rokeby was
owner of Mortham. (fn. 36) He was
perhaps the Thomas de Rokeby
who in this year received the
reward of £100 a year for
life for bringing news to the
king of the whereabouts of
the Scottish army (fn. 37) ; but in
1331 he released this payment for lands and rents in Rokeby and Westmorland. (fn. 38) Throughout the reign of Edward III
Thomas de Rokeby the uncle and Thomas the
nephew, son of Robert de Rokeby of Rokeby, (fn. 39) were
prominent men. They were naturally engaged in
Scottish warfare, probably against both Wallace and
Bruce. (fn. 40) Thomas de Rokeby (fn. 41) was keeper of Edinburgh and Stirling Castles in 1347. (fn. 42)
The uncle was Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1335 and
1342. He was twice Lord Justice of Ireland, and
Fuller, who includes him in his Worthies of Yorkshire, tells that he discountenanced the custom of
'Coigne' and 'Livory' then practised in Ireland,
and endeavoured to extirpate it. He was famous for
this saying, which he left behind him in Ireland,
'That he would eat in wooden dishes, but would
pay for his meat gold and silver.' (fn. 43) He was succeeded
in 1356 by his nephew Thomas, (fn. 44) aged thirty, living
in 1389. (fn. 45) A Thomas de Rokeby finally defeated
the insurrection of the Earl of Northumberland in
1408 and was Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1407–8 and
1411–12. (fn. 46) A Robert Rokeby died seised in 1434
of Scrope lands, held for life, leaving a brother and
heir Thomas; and it was stated in 1459 that Henry
le Scrope had lately acquired certain lands by exchange with Ralph Rokeby for lands in Mortham. (fn. 47)
Ralph Rokeby died seised of Rokeby in 1480,
leaving a son and heir Thomas. (fn. 48) Thomas was succeeded at some time during the reign of Henry VII
by another Ralph, who was living in 1522–3, (fn. 49) and
was the man who, as the old ballad tells, (fn. 50) presented
a 'Felon Sow' to the friars of Richmond 'to mend
their fare.' The sow was so fierce that after a
desperate attempt to secure her the friars
— fled away by Watlinge Streete,
They had no Succour but their feete,
It was the more Pitty,
and the sow returned home to Mortham. She was
eventually secured for the friars' larder by 'a Bastard
son of Spaine' and one Gilbert Griffin's son, who
slew her after a desperate battle and carried her
to Richmond, where they were welcomed by 'Te
Deums.'
Richard, third son of Ralph, was standard-bearer
of Lord Scrope of Bolton at Flodden. (fn. 51) His eldest
son Thomas (fn. 52) was lord of Rokeby and Mortham, and
died in 1567, leaving a son and heir Christopher, (fn. 53)
so popular with his countrymen that they defended
him at Gatherley ('Quarterly') Race against a
hundred men sent by Christopher Nevill, brother to
the mighty Earl of Westmorland, to kill him. (fn. 54) He
was a leader in all the services against Scotland in
his time, (fn. 55) and died in 1584. (fn. 56) His son and heir
John died in 1594, leaving a son and heir Thomas,
who died in 1633 (fn. 57) seised, according to the inquisition,
of the manor of Mortham and half the manor of
Rokeby, leaving a son and heir Francis. Rokeby
Manor, however, perhaps passed out of his hands
earlier, for in 1610 Sir Thomas Rokeby sold to
William Robinson of Brignall, his heirs and assigns,
all the lands of Rokeby and Mortham within these
boundaries—from Greta Bridge along the Greta to
the Tees, along the Tees west to a croft parcel of
Rokeby vicarage, thence south to the town of Rokeby
by the boundaries, thence between the kirk croft and
the vicar's croft and west along the middle of the
town green or town gate of Rokeby, thence west to
the middle of the street leading from Rokeby to
Bowes to the east of Rokeby Moor, thence south as
far as the boundary of Brignall, then east to Greta
Bridge. (fn. 58)
The Robinsons were ardent Parliamentarians.
William Robinson of Rokeby and Thomas Robinson
both died in service with the Parliamentary forces in
1643, (fn. 59) and a proposal was made that Matthew, third
son of Thomas and a native of Rokeby, should become
a page to Fairfax. (fn. 60)
Robinson of Rokeby. Vert a cheveron between three roe-deer or tripping and powdered with roundels sable with three cinqfoils gules on the cheveron.
William Robinson of Rokeby, whose younger son
Richard became primate of
Ireland and first Lord Rokeby
of Armagh, was succeeded by
his eldest son Sir Thomas. (fn. 61)
Sir Thomas was a typical 18thcentury dilettante and man of
fashion. (fn. 62) As an amateur
architect he erected on Watling Street near Rokeby an
obelisk in his mother's honour,
and designed the west wing
of Castle Howard. He and
Welbore Ellis 'persuaded Sir
William Stanhope to "improve" Pope's garden and in
the process the place was
destroyed.' He rebuilt Rokeby,
inclosed the park with a stone wall (1725–30), and
planted many forest trees (1730), designed parts of
Imber Court, Surrey, and the Gothic gateway at
Bishop Auckland, and built for himself the house
called Prospect Place adjoining Ranelagh Gardens.
His personality inspired excellent contemporary caricature and bons mots. (fn. 63) He ruined himself by his
extravagance, and so in 1770 was compelled to sell
Rokeby, Mortham and Egglestone Abbey. (fn. 64) John
Sawrey Morritt, the purchaser, died in 1791, and
was succeeded by his son John
Bacon Sawrey Morritt, 'archmaster' of the Dilettanti
Society, and, besides being a
writer of verse, host at Rokeby
to Scott and Southey. (fn. 65) He
died in 1843, and his greatnephew Mr. Henry Edward
Morritt is now lord of Rokeby.
Morritt of Rokeby. Argent a cross azure between four billets sable and a chief azure with a rose argent between two fleurs de lis or therein.
EGGLESTONE, comprising 3 carucates of land, was
in 1086 soke of Count Alan's
manor of Gilling, (fn. 66) and was
still a member of the honour
of Richmond in the 16th
century. (fn. 67)
Ralph de Lenham in 1198
ratified the grant by his under-tenant Ralph de
Moulton to Egglestone Abbey of his whole land of
Egglestone, (fn. 68) seemingly in consideration of 100s.
paid by the abbey. (fn. 69) The connexion between the
Lenhams and the Morthams does not appear, but in
1211–12 one-sixth of a knight's fee here was said to
belong to Roger de Mortham. (fn. 70) The mesne lordship
had disappeared by the end of the 14th century. (fn. 71)
Savile. Argent a bend sable with three owls argent thereon.
Lowther. Or six rings sable.
From the 12th century until its suppression in
1540 the lands of Egglestone were in the possession of
the abbey. (fn. 72) The site and demesnes of the monastery
were in 1548 granted by the king to Robert Strelley
and Fredeswide his wife. (fn. 73) Robert Strelley died in
January 1554–5 without issue, having bequeathed the
reversion of two-thirds of what is for the first time
called the manor after the death of his wife Fredeswide
to his sister Joan Porter, his brother Robert Strelley
and his nephews Geoffrey Wase and Lionel Stubbs
and Elizabeth his wife with remainder to their issue
male and remainder to the issue male of his nephews
William and John sons of George Savile. (fn. 74) In 1563
Robert Strelley, Geoffrey Wase, Giles Porter, William
Porter and John Savile had licence to alienate the
manor to William Savile and his heirs. (fn. 75) A month
later William Savile of Great Humber had licence
to alienate it to John Savile of Wakefield. (fn. 76) John
Savile died seised in 1590. (fn. 77) His eldest son Edward
died a month later, leaving a daughter and heir
Grace, (fn. 78) but in accordance with the settlement the
manor went to his brother Henry, who had livery
in 1593. (fn. 79) From this time the manor followed the
descent of the advowson of Startforth (q.v.) until
1717, (fn. 80) when Henry Viscount Lonsdale sold it to
James Pearse. (fn. 81) By 1770 (fn. 82) it had come into the
possession of the owner of Rokeby (q.v.) and has since
descended with that manor.
The picturesque ruins of the Premonstratensian
ABBEY OF ST. MARY AND ST. JOHN THE
BAPTIST AT EGGLESTONE stand near the south
bank of the River Tees, not far from its junction with
Thorsgill Beck. The remains still standing consist
of the eastern half of the chancel, the west wall of
the south transept with a piece of the south wall, the
west, south and the greater part of the north wall of
the nave of the church and some parts of the domestic
buildings to the north of the church, further described
below.
The history of the church as told by the present
walls begins about the year 1190, when a cruciform
building was erected with a nave about 20 ft. wide
and 55 ft. long exclusive of the crossing, which was
20 ft. square, a north transept 27 ft. long, a south
transept probably of the same length and a chancel
which was much shorter than the present one. About
fifty years later (between 1240 and 1250) the chancel
was pulled down and rebuilt wider and longer. Owing
to the contiguity of the domestic buildings it was inconvenient to make the increase on the north side, and
the whole of the additional space was added to the
south. The next portions to undergo a change were
the transepts, which were rebuilt about the year 1270.
Here again the west wall of the north transept was
cramped to some extent by the claustral buildings, so
that the whole extension was to the east. The north
transept for the same reason could not be lengthened
from north to south, but the south transept, being
under no such restrictions, was enlarged in its length
as well as laterally. Arcades of two bays, with chapels
to the east of each transept, were added also, but
though the northern respond and central pillar stood
to the height of some 4 or 5 ft. some years ago, (fn. 83)
no traces of any portion of these now remain.
The return of the new south wall of the widened
nave was built at the same time, the top being
finished off with a sloping head. An archway next
to this return in the west wall of the transept gave
admission to a chamber, perhaps a sacristy, the offsets
of the south wall of which can still be traced in the
outside of the transept wall. Whatever the use, it
was soon abandoned for the stair turret which now
stands in the angles. At the same time a window
similar to those in the transept was inserted in the
west wall of the nave, displacing two single lights,
the outer jambs of which can still be traced. The
next work, carried out about the year 1300, was the
widening of the nave 6 ft. to the south.
At the west end the addition was made simply to
the south of the end wall and the older Norman
clasping buttress was left in position. The west
window also, which now became out of the centre
with the wider nave, was allowed to remain. The
small sacristy or chamber at the south-west corner
was pulled down after a brief existence, the archway
into it was partially blocked up and a very small
stair turret was erected within it. Its corner next to
the nave wall, however, had to be splayed off with a
fairly large chamfer against the easternmost window
of the nave, but above and below this window space
the turret is square. This seems to have been the
last alteration in the plan of the walling, but in the
15th century the old steep-gabled roofs were removed
and the walls raised above the eave cornices apparently to accommodate a flat or a low-pitched gable
roof.
It is probable that the work of destruction of the
church began soon after the suppression of the monasteries, when the domestic buildings were converted
into a dwelling-house. A letter from Ralph Rokeby
the younger of Lincoln's Inn, dated 1565, mentions
its 'utter ruine and desolation,' so that the gravestones in the church were exposed and appeared 'old
and weatherbeaten.' (fn. 84) The spoliation went on until
the church was reduced to its present appearance.
A few years ago a large part of the north transept was
pulled down with the southern part of the eastern
wing of the domestic buildings, and the stone was
used, it is said, to pave the stableyard of a neighbouring house.
Quite recently some parts of the ruined walls were
carefully buttressed up, but some other parts still
appear somewhat unsafe.
The east window is a large five-light opening
under a two-centred pointed arch with the dividing
mullions running up without a break into the soffit,
the severe appearance being only relieved by the
richness of the mouldings. The lights increase in
width from the outer to the middle lights. The
mullions being some 2 ft. deep by 1 ft. 1½ in. across
and in section are plainly chamfered with three-quarter
attached rolls on each face; they have no groove for
glass, but a rebate is cut, against which the glass was
fixed. The top stones of the mullions are worked in
solid with the voussoirs of the arch. The jambs have
an inner order matching the mullions and a hollowchamfered outer order on both sides, in the angles of
which are detached shafts with moulded bases, intermediate bands and bell capitals. The lower halves of
the outside shafts have disappeared, as has also the
lower half of the north shaft inside. The arch
moulds consist of a filleted bowtel much undercut on
both its sides and with a moulded label. The outside
and inside of the window agree in every respect. The
string below the sill outside is rounded above and
hollowed below, while inside it is rounded above and
ogee sectioned below; this string runs around the
north and south walls.
Two bays are all that remain of the north wall.
In the eastern bay is a two-light window; that in
the next bay is of three lights. Both agree with the
east window in details and with each other in general
elevation. They have plain pointed lancet lights
below a two-centred outer inclosing arch, and
unpierced tympana. These outer arches vary in
section from those inside in having merely a plain
chamfered edge, while the others have mouldings of
similar section to those of the east window. The
labels are only chamfered above and below. All the
shafts in the jambs have lost their lower halves. Of
the two bays still standing on the south side the
western is wider than the other. It differs from its
opposite bay in having a pair of two-light windows
instead of one of three lights; of the western of this
pair only the eastern jamb still stands. The other
bay has a single two-light window agreeing with that
opposite to it on the north side. Below the east
window inside is an aumbry a few feet above the
ground near the north wall; it has a rectangular
opening 2 ft. 8. in. high by 1 ft. 7 in. wide, with a
small rebated edge all round.
In the same wall to the south is a double piscina.
The back of its recess is set back about halfway up
to form a narrow shelf; the opening has a flat
lintel, the jambs being corbelled out to support it;
the mould of the jamb and lintel is a hollow between
two small rounds. In the south wall is an aumbry
similar to that in the east wall, and to the west of it
a larger piscina with a half-round basin and trefoiled
two-centred arch and scroll-mould label. The strings
in the side walls below the windows have been cut
off square near the existing western ends, probably
because the canopies of the quire stalls were fixed
there.
The buttresses around the quire have been much
mutilated and defaced. The one to the south wall
has been almost entirely picked away, only a few of the
top stones remaining. The south-eastern buttress is
of two stages divided by an offset of two courses; the
angles of the upper stage are moulded with a hollow
between two rolls. The top offset slopes back to the
wall at two different angles, the lower and more
vertical being the same as the angle of the eastern
buttresses, and the upper half stopping the buttress
below the eaves course. A small buttress below the
middle of the east window has been entirely removed.
The north-east buttress differs from the south-east in
having no moulds to the angles and in being in three
offsets. The walling of the quire generally is of thin
rough stones unevenly coursed; the plinth is of two
offsets. To the west of the three-light north window
outside can be seen the toothing of the wall of the
small chamber which stood on that side; these toothings
reach almost to the eaves; the string-course below the
windows has been stopped out square at the same
place. A projecting string, hollowed below, marks
the eaves of the original roof; above this was added
the 15th-century wall, some 6 ft. of which still
stand. A single projecting corbel about 2 ft.
below the eaves course marks the line of the chamber
roof. Only the west wall of the south wing of the
transepts and a piece of its south wall remain. Of
the south window the west jamb and two stones of
the arch and moulded label are all that exist. The
jamb has a plain chamfered monial and two hollow
chamfers to the outer orders. The two corner
buttresses west of it had gabled heads with carved
crockets and finials. The two western windows had
trefoiled heads to their two lights and a quatrefoil over
in a two-centred arch with a moulded label. The
sections of the jambs are the same as those of the
south window jambs. Above the windows is a projecting string or eaves course, square above and hollowed
below, the hollow having carved mask corbels about
1 ft. apart. Above this string at the south-west corner
is a projecting stone with concave faces which looks
like the lowest course of a later pinnacle; about the
middle of the wall at the top is another projecting
stone, square in plan and semicircular in elevation—
probably a corbel of the later roof. The walling here
is of large square ashlar stones. To the north of the
windows where the
top member of the
plinth returns can be
seen the toothing of
the small chamber
already mentioned.
The original archway to the chamber
has its plain chamfered south jamb and
half its arch still in
position. Only three
of the lower stones
of the south jamb of
the later and smaller
doorway into the
turret remain. The
turret is circular inside and had a stone
newel stair. The
turret is square on
the ground outside,
and bonds with
neither nave nor
transept. Both
corners are chamfered
at the nave window
level, the chamfers
being stopped out above with grotesque heads. It is
built of large square stones and stands up well above
the other walls. It was lighted by a small rectangular
light on the west side just above the string, which
passes round it at the same level as the string below
the nave windows; there is another small lancet
window higher up on the south side. The responds
of the arches across the transept and the nave still
remain in position with a few of the arch stones at
the angle of the nave and transept. The jambs have
three attached shafts with moulded bell capitals.
The nave shafts stop on a pointed corbel about 6 ft.
high. The arches were of three chamfered orders.
In the nave return can be seen the more or less
straight joint marking the change in date. The
older work is of large ashlar and the top is finished
with a sloping head against the transept arch; the
walling of the nave is of much smaller rough ashlar.
The south wall of the nave is divided into four
bays, each with a three-light window. The acutely
pointed heads of the lights and the piercing of the
spandrels in the two-centred arches are quite plain;
the jamb and arch moulds are of three chamfered
orders, each chamfer having a half-round hollow cut
in it. The mullions and jambs of the third window
have gone; the mould of the labels has a large hollow
between its two smaller members and is flat above;
the west stop to the first window outside is square,
with a leaf carved upon it. The label stops inside
are: first window, a woman's and a man's head;
second, east a plain return and west a leaf; third,
east a man's head, west a leaf; fourth, east a leaf,
west a human head. Below the westernmost window
is a doorway with mouldings richer than those of the
windows; but this doorway is doubtless a part of the
same work as the rest of the wall. It has a twocentred drop arch with jambs of two orders, the
outer composed of two scroll moulds with three deep
hollows in the jambs, changing in the arch to two
filleted bowtels and a deeply hollowed scroll mould;
the inner order is continuous and consists of two small
rolls separated by a wide filleted hollow chamfer.
The capitals and bases of the outer order are much
perished. The buttresses between the windows were
presumably of two stages, but all the lower stages have
been almost completely demolished. The top offsets
slope back to the wall in four courses. The moulded
projecting string above the buttresses marking the
original eaves course is supported by moulded corbels
about 30 in. apart. This wall, which is the 15thcentury addition, is carried some feet above the stringcourses.
Egglestone Abbey: North Wall of the Nave
The west wall of square ashlar still retains its
Norman clasping buttresses, the southern one being
some 6 ft. north of the existing south angle with a
straight joint between it and the later work. The
west window has lost its mullions and greater part of
its geometric tracery, but was an exact repetition of the
windows in the south transept; it is, as already
stated, built in the middle of the Norman end and
therefore out of centre with the present building.
Below it was a 12th-century doorway, but this has
been removed and the space was recently filled in.
To the north of the window are the jamb and half the
arch of a Norman window; part of its label still
remains outside. Built into the wall south of the
window are some fragments of worked stone, evidently
bits of vaulting shafts, ribs, &c.
The north wall of the nave has three bays standing
divided by shallow buttresses stopping below a projecting string-course, below which is a row of corbels
which supported the former cloister roof. In the
west bay is a plain 12th-century doorway with a halfround arch of square section. Below the string-course
the walling is of square ashlar, above it is of rubble.
In the upper part are two pointed windows with plain
labels (chamfered above and below) and widely splayed
jambs inside. The jamb of another is still in position
at the east end of this wall. The eaves course over
the windows has moulded corbels similar to those on
the south side. The rest of the walls of the church
have been destroyed.
The west wall of the north transept was similar in
its lower part to the nave north wall, but its upper
part had a pair of two-light windows with plain
pointed heads and plain spandrel under a two-centred
arch with a label.
There are several slabs and gravestones lying in the
space inclosed by the walls. In the nave is a large
stone some 7 ft. 7 in. long by 2 ft. 2 in. with an
incised inscription in black-letter: 'T. Rokeby,
Bastarde + Ihu for yi passions ser have merci of yi
sinfull her.'
To the west of this are three slabs; the north one
is a large stone with three incised lines across the
middle and others running diagonally to meet it and
each other from the corners of one side; this stone
seems to be part of a larger one. Another slab has
the matrices of a small brass figure—probably that of
a priest—with an inscription below and the symbols
of the Evangelists at the corners. Another has a good
incised cross with six flowered rays on a stem with
stepped base. By its side is a hand holding a crozier.
Of the domestic buildings a large amount was
destroyed with the north transept when the buildings
were abandoned as dwellings some years ago. The
only remaining fragments are about one half of the
dorter wing, which ran in line with the north
transept and formed the eastern side of the cloister, a
piece of the north wall of the frater on the north side
of the cloister, a bay of stone to the north-west, which
was the fireplace of the kitchen, and about 22 ft. of
wall running west of the nave in a line with its north
wall. One 12th-century doorway remains to the
east wing, and of the arch only the label retains its
position. Inside the doorway are three steps of the
night stair. At the north end is a large pointed
arched opening, and a smaller round-headed one in
the wall adjoining. There is a round-headed doorway on the first floor which gave admission to the
rooms over the frater. These seem to be the only
remains of 12th-century work in this wing. At the
north end rooms including the rere-dorter were added
in the 13th century. The lowest chamber was vaulted
in three bays and had a fireplace in its west wall,
south of which was a small door into the room below
the dorter. These all remain in position; in the
east wall and also on the west are small closets, now
broken through. In the east wall of the first floor is
a small 13th-century window, with closets on the
north and a fireplace on the south of the chamber.
All this wing was converted after the Dissolution
into a dwelling-house. In the east wall a range of
16th-century doorways and windows, and later ones,
have been inserted. One doorway has for label stops
two shields with the arms of Fitz Henry. Partition
walls were put in and the floors were altered to suit
domestic requirements. The place was occupied by
some four families fifty years ago. Some years afterwards it was abandoned and fell into gradual ruin.
At the end of the wall to the west of the nave is
the half of a 12th-century doorway. The rest of this
wall appears to have been patched and rebuilt in
places.
MORTHAM (Matham, xiii–xiv cent.; Morham,
xiii–xv cent.; Mortimer, xvii cent.), composed of
3 carucates of land, was soke (fn. 85) of Count Alan's
manor of Gilling (q.v.) in 1086, (fn. 86) and was still held
of Richmond Castle in 1633. (fn. 87)
Count Alan possibly subenfeoffed his brother
Ribald, lord of Middleham (q.v.), for when the lands
of Ralph son of Ranulf, heir of Ribald, were partitioned in 1270 a carucate of land in Mortham was
among them. (fn. 88) The Nevills of Middleham were
from this time mesne lords of the manor. (fn. 89)
In the time of Richard I David de Mortham
granted the advowson of Mortham Church to the
abbey of St. Mary, York, (fn. 90) and in 1211–12 Roger
de Mortham was mesne lord of Egglestone. (fn. 91) The
Morthams, however (William de Mortham, John de
Mortham and Robert son of Roger de Mortham),
were only small tenants under the Rokebys, lords of
Mortham, in 1286–7. (fn. 92) Thomas de Rokeby was
granted free warren here in 1335. (fn. 93)
The Rokeby family held Mortham (fn. 94) until 1691,
when they sold it to Edward Earl of Carlisle, (fn. 95)
whose son Henry (fn. 96) conveyed the manor in 1742 to
Sir Thomas Robinson. (fn. 97) It has since followed the
descent of Rokeby.
Church
The church of ST. MARY THE
VIRGIN is a small and plain structure of
Renaissance design, built by Sir Thomas
Robinson in 1740, in place of the older church,
which stood to the north-east of Rokeby Hall, near
the Tees; nothing but a few marks in the turf
remain to show its site, and a few gravestones only
are left in position.
The present church has a chancel 26 ft. by
17 ft. 6 in., built in 1877 and probably replacing
an apsidal end, a nave 34 ft. by 24 ft., an organ
chamber and vestry to the south of the chancel, and
a west porch.
The chancel harmonizes with the nave, but is of a
somewhat better style. In the east wall are three
round-headed lights and a small circular light over,
and there are three similar lights in the north wall.
In the south wall is a half-round arch to the organ
chamber, of square orders. Under the chancel is the
vault of the Morritt family, with a door at the east end.
The chancel arch is also round-headed and of two
square orders, the inner order stopping on brackets.
The nave has three windows on each side, each
with round heads; the middle ones splayed all round,
the others with square jambs and heads. The west
door is also round-headed. Over the west end is a
small bellcote with one bell which is uninscribed and
probably ancient, and the roofs are of low pitch.
The walling generally is of rough ashlar. The roofs,
which appear to be later than the original church,
are low gabled. The font is in modern Gothic style.
The pulpit and pews are of the date of the church.
There is a mural monument with a long inscription to Sir Septimus Robinson, a brother of the
builder of the church; he died in 1777. There are
also several monuments to members of the Morritt
family, the earliest, of 1791, to J. S. Morritt, and
another to J. B. S. Morritt (the friend of Sir Walter
Scott), who died in 1843.
The communion plate is modern.
The registers begin in 1598.
Advowson
The advowson of Rokeby Church
belonged to Brian Fitz Alan in
1204, (fn. 98) and was held by his descendants until 1340, when the king's licence was
obtained for Maud widow of Brian Fitz Alan to
grant to the Abbot and convent of Egglestone 1½ oxgangs of land in Rokeby and this advowson, to find
one of the canons as chaplain to celebrate service
daily in their conventual church for her good estate
in life and for the souls of Brian her husband and of
John de Grey of Rotherfield, their ancestors and heirs;
further, the convent had leave to appropriate the
church. (fn. 99) The vicarage was ordained in 1342. (fn. 100)
Since the dissolution of Egglestone Abbey the Crown
has kept the advowson, (fn. 101) which is now in the hands
of the Lord Chancellor. The original dedication
was to the honour of St. Michael. (fn. 102)
According to a return of 1428 Mortham was in
ancient times a parish, with a parish church, but at
this date it was lying waste. (fn. 103) In the time of
Richard I David de Mortham quitclaimed the advowson of this church to St. Mary's Abbey, York. (fn. 104) A
dispute between David de Mortham and St. Mary's
Abbey arose in 1238 concerning the advowson, and
was decided in favour of the latter. (fn. 105) In 1256 the
question as to whether Mortham chapel was a mother
church or only a chapel of Gilling was decided in
favour of Gilling by the Dean of Allertonshire. (fn. 106)
Two years later it was called a church and said to be
in the king's gift by voidance of St. Mary's Abbey (fn. 107) ;
it was taxed as a church in 1292 and 1340–1, (fn. 108) but
was in 1396 a dependent chapel of Gilling (q.v.).
Charity
The parish of Rokeby is entitled to
benefit in the Bowes Cross charity,
founded in 1878 by Abraham Hilton.
(See parish of Bowes.)