STARTFORTH
Stradford (xi cent.); Strafford, Stratford (xii cent.);
Stretford, Stratford (xiii–xvi cent.); Stratforth, Startforth (xvi cent.).
This parish, now including the townships of
Egglestone Abbey (fn. 1) and Boldron, (fn. 2) formerly comprised
only the township of Startforth. The area of the
present parish is 1,008 acres, of which 289 acres are
arable land, the remainder being mostly permanent
grass. (fn. 3) The subsoil is Yoredale Rocks, the soil loam; the
chief crops raised are wheat, oats, barley and turnips.
There were mills here in the 13th century. (fn. 4) A factory
for the production of shoemakers' and saddlers' thread
and twine now stands on the banks of the Tees in
Startforth and gives employment to about 200 hands.
Deepdale Beck, which forms its northern boundary,
enters the parish at a height of 900 ft. and gradually
descends to meet the Tees, the bed of which is
here 500 ft. above the ordnance datum. Thorsgill
Beck, which cuts the present parish into two nearly
equal parts, rises on its western border and flows eastward to the Tees above Egglestone Abbey. The
village of Startforth lies at the point where the
Roman road from Bowes crosses the Tees, while
the church stands on a cliff directly above the river.
Opposite is Barnard Castle, with which its history is
so intimately connected; communication was once
carried on by means of an ancient ford, and later by
'Barnard Castle Bridge,' for which Yorkshire was
assessed in 1577–8. (fn. 5) The river is now spanned by
two bridges, one of stone with two arches, and a
light iron foot-bridge that was erected to replace the
bridge destroyed by the great flood of 1881.
The group of houses round the church forms High
Startforth, and another group a little to the north is
known as Low Startforth. Two hundred yards west
of the church is Startforth Manor House, a plain rect
angular building, on the south side of which are
details placing its date probably in the early 17th
century. The windows of both stories have architraves, the upper with a frieze and cornice. Above
the doors on the north and south sides of the house
are elliptical windows placed vertically. Inside there
is an original oak stair with balusters and handrail on
return flight. Opposite to the manor-house is
another house of about the same date, with pilasters
and a square doorway with entablature above. Startforth Hall, which is mentioned in a will of 1555, (fn. 6)
appears to have been practically rebuilt in modern
times; it is the residence of Mrs. Haslewood.
The rectory is close to the west end of the churchyard, and at the south-east angle of the wall, built in
as a quoin, is a stone about 20 in. long inscribed
with a form of Rosicrux, a stepped cross with a rose
in place of arms.
The following names of closes, &c., in Startforth
occur in 1540: Lendyng Close, Crakestanes Close,
Mortand Gilleer; and in Nether Startforth: Grangefield, Pacokfeld, New Risde, Ryddyng, Gyllehouse,
Parva Dereboughte, le Brignell Lonyng. (fn. 7)
Manor
STARTFORTH was among the lands
of the see of Durham pledged by Bishop
Aldhun to Ughtred 'Eorl' of Northumbria
and two Danes in 990–1020. (fn. 8) It was held in the
time of the Confessor by Tor and Torphin, the latter
possessing the 'manerium.' (fn. 9) At the time of the
Domesday Survey Startforth belonged to Count Alan,
and it continued to be a member of the honour of
Richmond. (fn. 10)
Under Count Alan Enisan held the 2 carucates
of Tor, Bodin the 4 carucates of Torphin. Enisan's
lands descended to the Fitz Roalds and the Scropes
of Bolton (fn. 11) ; Bodin's fee was held by the Fitz Alans
and their descendants. (fn. 12) It is interesting to note
that Thomas de Hastings, in all likelihood a descendant
of Torphin, (fn. 13) did suit of court here by attorney in
1233. (fn. 14)
One of the 3 carucates of Startforth was held in the
early 13th century by Walter Savage or le Savage. (fn. 15)
Walter granted its services to Emma de Barforth, (fn. 16)
whose descendants thus became mesne lords of this
manor. (fn. 17) Richard Savage, son and heir of Walter, (fn. 18)
had succeeded him in 1239, though he seems to
have been holding by right of Amabel his wife. (fn. 19)
Thomas son and heir of Richard granted Egglestone
Mill before 1268 (fn. 20) to John de Balliol, sen. (fn. 21)
Startforth Manor House
Walter Savage had granted tenements in Startforth to
William Greathead, father of Robert Greathead, who
was tenant in 1291, (fn. 22) and the Greatheads certainly had
the manor, for in 1342 Joan widow of Robert claimed
a third of it in dower. (fn. 23) After the Greatheads the
Bowes held this carucate, which seems to have
escheated to the lords of Barforth and to have been
granted by them to the Charles family, their undertenants here in 1375. (fn. 24) This land was granted by
the Charles family to the Bowes. (fn. 25)
In 1305 Master John de Bowes obtained licence
to alienate a messuage, 1 carucate of land and 100
acres of pasture in 'Over Startforth' to the abbey
of Egglestone, (fn. 26) but died before doing so, leaving a
brother and heir Stephen. (fn. 27) In 1316 the Abbot of
Egglestone and William son of Stephen were returned
as joint lords of Startforth. (fn. 28) William obtained a
fresh licence for the alienation of his lands of Over
Startforth in fulfilment of his uncle's intentions in
1318. (fn. 29) Egglestone Abbey does not seem, however,
to have obtained these lands, for the abbey never held
more than the 2 carucates it had previously possessed.
William de Bowes paid the subsidy in Startforth in
1327–8. (fn. 30) William son of John, who may have
been a Bowes, was assessed in 1332–3. (fn. 31) In 1342
William de Bowes called Edmund Charles to warrant
to him the manor, (fn. 32) and he is mentioned in 1345. (fn. 33)
Subsequently the manor came into the possession of
the Blands.
John de Balliol, junior, is the first recorded
owner of the mill. On his attainder it was given
by Edward I to John Earl of Richmond. (fn. 34) As
the earl died without issue the mill ought to have
remained to the king, but 'certain men of those
parts' took possession of it. (fn. 35) In 1399 the Beauchamps
(successors of the Balliols at Barnard Castle) made a
family settlement of the mill, which they had acquired
of Thomas Bland. (fn. 36) Surtees mentions inscriptions in
Startforth Church to Thomas and Alice de Bland and
to Alan Fulthorpe and Alice his wife. (fn. 37) An Alice
Bland, probably the above, held Startforth Manor;
her daughter and heiress Katharine left daughters and
heirs Alice (apparently the wife of Alan Fulthorpe)
and Margaret, who married John Meynell. (fn. 38) Between
1467 and 1473 Alan Fulthorpe, son of Thomas son
of Thomas Fulthorpe son of this last Alice, and Robert
Meynell, son of Margaret and John, were jointly
holding the manor of Startforth. (fn. 39) Alan died in
1484, leaving a son and heir Christopher, (fn. 40) who died
in 1531 in possession of the manor of Boldron and
mill of Startforth, leaving a son and heir John. (fn. 41)
Three years later Anthony Meynell, son of Ralph son
of John, died seised of the same, leaving a brother and
heir Ninian. (fn. 42) John Fulthorpe died seised of the
manors of Startforth and Boldron and half Startforth Mill
in 1556, leaving daughters
and heirs Anne, married to
Francis Wandesford and afterwards to Christopher Nevill,
and Cecily, afterwards married
to Christopher Wandesford. (fn. 43)
From Christopher the manor
descended in 1601 to Christopher his only surviving son,
a lunatic (fn. 44) ; his heir Sir
George Wandesford of Kirklington joined with his brothers in conveying tenements in Startforth to Ann and Israel Feilding in
1602–3. (fn. 45) Israel son of William Feilding of this
place died in 1644 and was succeeded by his son
William, whose son Israel was a child of ten in 1665. (fn. 46)
Israel appears to have been succeeded by William
Feilding, whose son William died in 1695. (fn. 47) George
Feilding paid the tax on one man-servant at Startforth
in 1780. (fn. 48) There are monuments in the church to
William Feilding of Startforth Hall, who died in 1539,
and to George Feilding, major in the 23rd regiment
of the Welsh Fusiliers, who died in 1830, also of
Startforth Hall.
Wandesford of Kirklington. Or a lion azure with a forked tail.
In 1597 Thomas Lancaster and Parnel his wife
and Ambrose Lancaster settled tenements in High
and Low Startforth on Thomas Barnes, (fn. 49) who in 1604
died in possession of 'the manor,' leaving a son and
heir Ambrose, (fn. 50) afterwards bailiff of Barnard Castle.
In 1691 Ambrose Barnes, grandson of Ambrose, (fn. 51) conveyed the manor to Jonathan Hutchinson and his heirs, (fn. 52)
whose descendants were still landowners in 1906.
There is now no separate manor of Startforth,
although the old manor-house still exists. (fn. 53)
The following 13th-century enfeoffments in Startforth are interesting for their genealogical detail : In
1202 Neel Marescal granted one-sixth of a knight's
fee (presumably 2 of the 3 carucates of Startforth)
to (1) Thomas de Burgh, (2) Gilbert de Towers and
Ulias his wife, (3) Roger son of Stephen and Aveline
his wife and (4) John of Barnard Castle and their
heirs. For this Thomas de Burgh was to pay Neel
2 marks yearly for life, (fn. 54) but all these families held
lands for some time in Startforth. (1) In 1278–9
Thomas de Burgh was said to have granted, or possibly
confirmed, 2 carucates in Startforth to Egglestone
Abbey (fn. 55) ; it held them until the Dissolution, (fn. 56) after
which they were held by customary tenants. (fn. 57)
(2) Thomas de Towers, successor of Gilbert de
Towers, granted the mill of Startforth in 1246 to
Richard de Tyndall, who bound himself and his
heirs to certain services. (fn. 58) In 1250–2, however,
Henry son of Richard returned the mill, as he could
not pay the services, 'and Thomas was content.' (fn. 59)
This is the last mention found of this part. (3) Roger
son of Stephen seems to have been Roger de Gatenby,
for in 1228 Henry III confirmed to Jervaulx Abbey
I carucate in Startforth granted to the abbey by
Aveline widow of Roger de Gatenby. (fn. 60) This is the
last mention of the family or of Jervaulx Abbey in
Startforth. (4) John of Barnard Castle is identical
with John Balliol, who acquired other lands in
Startforth; they were taken into the king's hands on
account of the rebellion of his son John, and given
by Edward I to the Earl of Richmond. (fn. 61)
Church
The church of HOLY TRINITY
consists of a chancel 22 ft. by 18 ft.,
with small north vestry and south organ
chamber, nave 53 ft. 6 in. by 25 ft., south porch and
a western tower 8 ft. square inside. It was built in
1863 in place of the old church, which is described
by Whitaker (in 1823) (fn. 62) as a diminutive structure
without aisles or tower, probably a rebuilding within
half a century of Domesday. A photograph of it,
hanging in the vestry, shows its general appearance.
It had a small single lancet at the east, and to the
south-east a triplet of small lancets, with another
lancet further to the west. In the west wall of the
nave were two long, narrow trefoiled lights with
widely splayed jambs, and in the west gable was a
bellcote. (fn. 63) It was completely destroyed when the
present church was built.
The present church has a three-light traceried east
window and a single light with tracery over in each
side wall, and the chancel arch has attached shafts
and a moulded two-centred arch with a label.
The nave is lighted by six trefoiled lancets in its
north wall, set in pairs, and each with a trefoil over,
two pairs of similar lights in the south wall to the
east of the entrance doorway and a single one to the
west of it. The tower arch, which is of two
chamfered orders, is partly closed up by a gallery
which runs across the nave at the west end.
The tower forms a west porch in its lowest story
with a west doorway. Its belfry is lighted by three
trefoiled lancets on each side, and it is surmounted by
an octagonal stone spire with broach stops and small
spire-lights.
The font is octagonal with concave sides to the
bowl, on three of which are the letters r k and e on
shields, the other sides having blank shields.
Another relic of the old church is a limestone
coffin-slab with a much-worn recumbent figure of a
woman with hands raised in prayer and wearing a
mantle over a long dress. It is a very poor piece of
sculpture, and even in its best days can have had
little merit. Around the bevelled edge of the slab is
a running ornament in a conventional foliage pattern,
and the date is perhaps in the first half of the 14th
century.
Under the altar-table is a slab of blue marble,
much worn and much damaged by a senseless and
barbarous trimming of its edges. On it are the
figures of a knight and his lady, the latter being
fairly well preserved, incised in thin and shallow
lines in a beautiful early 14th-century style. Round
the edge has been an inscription in fine Gothic
capitals, now nearly entirely cut away, the only complete words being eorum et at the foot of the slab.
At the west end of the nave, partly under pewing,
is an early 18th or late 17th-century stone, with an
almost illegible inscription very quaintly engraved on
a spiral band, inclosing a small death's head; below
it is a shield on which is a heron, both shield and
band being inclosed in strapwork frames. In the
churchyard is another curious stone of 18th-century
date, on which is carved a head-piece representing an
angel blowing a trumpet among stars, &c., with the
inscription 'The angels sound, The dead must rise,
The serpent's mouth, Did dark ye scyes.' On one
side of the stone is a tree (? of life) and on the other
a skeleton (death).
There are two bells, the first dated 1780 and the
second 1720, with the inscription 'Voco veni
precare.'
The communion plate is modern.
The registers begin in 1665.
Advowson
The church was formerly dedicated to the honour of St. Michael. (fn. 64)
In the time of the Confessor it
belonged to Torphin, (fn. 65) whose descendants probably
retained it after the Conquest. Helen de Hastings,
granddaughter of Torphin de Allerston, who seems
to have been great-grandson of the above Torphin, (fn. 66)
granted it to the Abbot and convent of Egglestone,
the grants of Helen and Thomas de Hastings her son
being confirmed to this abbey in 1313. (fn. 67) The church
was already appropriated to the abbey before 1292, (fn. 68)
and the advowson remained in the hands of the abbey
till the Dissolution. It was granted by Edward VI
to Robert Strelley and Frideswide his wife and the
heirs and assigns of Robert. (fn. 69) In 1554–5 Robert
died seised, (fn. 70) and the grant was renewed to Frideswide
his widow. (fn. 71) In 1563 Robert Strelley and others
conveyed the advowson to William Savile. (fn. 72) It
remained in the Savile family till 1597, when
Henry Savile and Ann his wife conveyed it to
Richard Smythe, M.D. (fn. 73) Paul Smythe, son of
Richard, in 1604 granted the rectory and the
advowson of the church to Sir Henry Compton, kt., (fn. 74)
who in 1628 sold it to Sir John Lowther, kt., (fn. 75) of
Lowther, Westmorland, father of Sir John, created a
baronet in about 1638. The first baronet was
succeeded by his grandson John Lowther, created
Viscount Lonsdale in 1696, who died in 1700.
On the death of John's sons Richard in 1713
and Henry in 1750–1, without issue, Sir James
Lowther, grandson of Richard, second son of the
first baronet, succeeded. With many other honours,
he was made Earl of Lonsdale in 1784. On his
death without issue in 1802 he was succeeded by
his cousin William Lowther, also created Earl of
Lonsdale in 1807. William died in 1844, his
eldest son William, unmarried, in 1872, and his
second son Henry Cecil had died in 1867, leaving a
son Henry who died in 1876. Henry's eldest son
St. George Henry died childless in 1882 and his
second son Hugh Cecil, sixth Earl of Lonsdale, (fn. 76) is
now patron of Startforth.
A pension of 66s. 8d. was paid by the abbey of
Egglestone before the Dissolution to a chaplain at
Startforth to pray for the soul of Richard Tyndall. (fn. 77)
Charities
In 1591 Ralph Spenceley, by deed,
charged his farm at Aiskew in Bedale
with the yearly payment of 10s., to
be given to the poor and impotent on Good Friday,
the money being formerly laid on a blue stone within
the church; the stone exists, but the money is not
now forthcoming.
Donors unknown also gave an annual certain sum
of 10s. out of a field called Bull Ings, belonging to
the vicarage, and an annual sum of 10s. out of an
estate called Mount Pleasant in this parish. The
10s. is paid by the vicar, 8s. is paid by Mr. R. T.
Richardson of Barnard Castle, and 2s. by Mr. W.
Teasdale of Danby Wiske. These sums are applied
by the churchwardens towards church expenses,
according to ancient custom.
Charles Hutchinson, by will dated 1744, charged
his estate at Startforth with 5s. yearly for the poor,
to be delivered in wheaten bread upon May Day
yearly. The payment has ceased to be made.
Owen Longstaff, by will proved in 1872, left a
legacy, represented by £106 16s. 2d. consols with
the official trustees, the dividends to be distributed
amongst the poor. Gifts of money are given to the
poor.
The Morritt Memorial Schools were founded by
deeds dated respectively 17 September 1860 and
14 July 1892.