CROFT
Crofst (xi cent.).
This parish comprises the townships of Croft,
Dalton and part of Stapleton and the hamlets of
Halnaby, Jolby and Walmire. Croft, Dalton and
Stapleton lie close to the banks of the Tees and
each tells its own tale of mediaeval warfare, of
Scottish raids, and perhaps of Danish expeditions to
harry the villages up the streams. The remains at
Stapleton and Dalton are evidence of fortified mediaeval
manor-houses, and for that at Stapleton there is con
temporary history. Mr. H. E. Chetwynd-Stapylton
has gathered together almost all the facts known
about the Yorkshire families of Stapleton who drew
their name from this spot.
The present village [of Stapleton, he writes,] is merely a cluster
of houses round a little green which stands high enough above the
Tees to be out of the reach of floods. In front is a sharp bend of
the river which has been a ford or a ferry from time immemorial. (fn. 1)
It is still indicated by the Bridge Inn with a huge elm-tree
standing in front. A steep escarpment of hill rises immediately
behind the village, through which a good road has recently been
cut, and crossing the village green joins a new bridge at
Blackwell (fn. 2) half a mile higher up the stream. There were, not
so long ago, indications of extensive building about the village.
In the 'Garth Field' on the north side of the green there was
a large house, standing within living memory (pulled down
about 1820), probably built by the Methams. (fn. 3) . . . Every
vestige of this building has disappeared, but on visiting it in
1879, one Richard Johnson, the 'oldest inhabitant,' whose
family have been tenants of the Garth Field for 200 years,
pointed out to us the position of the house, and a 'fish-pond,'
or rather a moat, at the back. He recollected the house well
and described it as very large and substantial, 'more like a castle
than a house,' the walls being 5 or 6 feet thick. It was shaped
like the letter L, the base of the letter facing the hill and the
top line representing a chapel at the other end, with a large
east window facing the village. The house was of stone, two
stories high, with great square windows divided by oak mullions,
and gables over. . . . There are also indications of a fortified
post. On the other side of the green in a meadow which has
fortunately escaped levelling are distinct traces of an earlier
settlement, and there we venture to place the nidus of the family
which took its name from the village. In the narrowest part
between the hill and the river is a triangular field, rough with
moats and mounds. . . . There . . . stood the little Saxon
village of the 'Stapel' with its 'timbered hall' of the laird or
chief rising in the midst, reminding us of the little walled towns
upon the Rhine. (fn. 4)
In corroboration of this witness of the mounds and
moats is the grant of Benedict de Stapleton to
St. Agatha's Abbey in the early 13th century of his
capital messuage and of 'all my new garden on the
south as far as my old tower.' (fn. 5) Lower down-stream
is the large village of Croft on sloping ground on
both banks of the Tees at the point where the road
from Northallerton to Darlington crosses the river by
a famous old bridge (fn. 6) of pointed and ribbed arches.
In a writ of 1531 for its repair it is described as 'the
grete Bridge at Crofte . . . beinge of sixe myghtye
large pillars, and of seven arches of stone worke';
it was 'the most directe and sure way and passage
for the Kinge or Sovraigne Lordes armye and ordynance to resort and passe over into the Northe parties
and marches of this his realme, over the surtie and
defence of the same agaynst the invasion of the Scotts
and other his enemyes,' although it was maintained
only by the charity 'of good devowte people.' (fn. 7) Before
the close of the century this bridge had become a
county bridge, (fn. 8) and in 1673 the amount due for its
maintenance respectively from the North Riding and
the adjoining county of Durham was fixed. (fn. 9) Lord
Harley, passing through in 1725, remarked that the
bridge had need to be built very strong, 'for the
stream of Tees is here very rapid and is subject to
violent and very sudden floods.' (fn. 10) Clow Beck and
Spa Beck traverse the village of Croft. Clow Beck,
which crosses the Richmond and Darlington road at
Willow Bridge, flows by Jolby manor-house and
turns Jolby Mill (fn. 11) ; further east it becomes the millrace of Croft Mill and then enters the Tees. Spa
Beck must be the stream known as Sun(ne)beck from
the 13th (fn. 12) to the 17th century. In 1610 its bridge,
now known as Old Spa Bridge, was ruinous. (fn. 13) The
mineral waters of Croft, first brought into notice, it
is said, in 1668, were by 1713 sold in London in
sealed bottles at high prices. (fn. 14) A handsome hotel
was built early in the 19th century, (fn. 15) and Croft has
now become, like Harrogate, a much-frequented health
resort. The Old Hall at Croft is a late Georgian
building of three stories with rusticated angles. It
has two projecting wings at the rear. It was deserted
by Sir William Chaytor, the first baronet, who built
Clervaux Castle, effectively placed among the woods of
an extensive park, about a mile and a half south-west
of the village. The main staircase and some panelling
are said to have been brought from the Newcastle
Mansion House, and other carved work from Ripon.
The Spa Beck then runs south through Halnaby
deer-park on to the three clusters of cottages known
as North, Middle and South Walmire. South-west
of Halnaby Park stands Halnaby Hall, a brick house
in the Renaissance style, said to be the work of
Inigo Jones or of one of his pupils. On the north
side is a fine porch rising in three tiers to two-thirds
of the height of the house. On the east side is a large
bow window to both stories, looking on to flagged
balustraded terraces, a line of which also extends along
the north and south sides. Two rain-water pipes
on the west side have [M R A] and the date 1728
respectively. (fn. 16) Everywhere symmetry has been
followed with the greatest exactitude to the extent of
constructing complete 'dead' windows, and of
glazing the upper panes of all the ground-floor
windows on the south side, though they are blocked
by the ceilings of the rooms. The chief apartment
in the interior is a square hall (entered from the south
porch) from which the panelled library, the drawingroom and dining-room lead.
The first and second floors have each a central
passage running east and west, with rooms on each
side, an interesting feature being the slanting passages,
with wall cupboards, which connect each room with
the next. On the west side of the house is a wing,
containing servants' quarters and stables, which may
be of an earlier date than the rest of the house.
The following place-names occur in this district
in the 13th century: in Croft, Aschou (Askehou),
Stokemireflath, Bestardemire, Kirkegathe, Siricflath,
Brakanbergsyke; in Jolby, Depedale, Neutonedic,
Hirdegailflath, Kirkegathe, Layndeflath, Barlicdale,
Edolfdale, Suntelandes, Hegeflath, Scortelangelandes,
Jolebybriggsstanes; in Stapleton, Elwyncherich,
Lepsettynges, Hunherhil, Claypit, Puttokelawe,
Bouthebane, Burghanes, Castelgathe, Wylywell,
Denwaynrig, Ruchdic, Elpol, Randolfcrosse, Littlerissemire near Wygergare, Semanthorn, Goseflath,
Thyrrchau, Tyrrehau, Nethirpayneslawe, Welle
Thornflath and Ramyre. (fn. 17) The house at Croft still
known as Monk End belonged before the dissolution
of the monasteries to St. Mary's Abbey, York. (fn. 18) It
is now the residence of Mr. Richard Bowes, J.P.
The height of this parish gradually rises from
100 ft. by the Tees to 200 ft. in the west. The area is
7,385 acres, of which 2,808 acres are arable land,
3,071 permanent grass, and 344 woods and
plantations. (fn. 19) The subsoil is Magnesian Limestone with recent Alluvium by the Tees, the soil
being clayey.
Croft has a station on the main line of the NorthEastern Railway Company. There is a Parochial
school for infants, and a National school (mixed and
infants') built in 1845.
Croft: Halnaby Hall from the South-east
Manors
Fourteen geld carucates in Croft were
among the lands of Count Alan in 1086, (fn. 20)
and were subsequently held of Richmond
Castle. (fn. 21) At the time of the Domesday Survey the
fee was held in demesne by Enisan, known sometimes as 'Murdac' or 'Musard,' (fn. 22) who granted onethird of the tithes of sheaves of his demesne lands
here and in Barton, Halnaby, Stapleton and Cleasby
to St. Mary's Abbey, York, and afterwards increased
his gift by the church of Croft and 4 carucates here. (fn. 23)
The lands seem to have been in dispute during the
latter half of the 12th century, for in 1207 Robert
Cotele claimed Croft, seven other manors and thirteen
knights' fees, alleging that Richard de Rollos his
grandfather had been seised of them until deprived
by King Stephen for his services to the empress, and
that the king had then granted half of them to
Roald the Constable. Roald grandson and heir of
Roald the Constable maintained that these lands
originally belonged to Roald the Constable until he
was unjustly disseised by Henry II, who gave them
to Richard de Rollos. (fn. 24) Whatever the title of the
Rollos may have been, King John in 1205, on the
escheat of the English lands of the Normans, restored
these fees to Roald, (fn. 25) who in 1240 settled the manor
of Croft on his son Roald and his heirs. (fn. 26) In 1286–7
Roald de Richmond was lord, (fn. 27) and was succeeded by
1299 by Henry le Scrope of Bolton, (fn. 28) who in this
year obtained a grant of a weekly market at Croft and
a yearly fair here on the vigil and feast of St. Peter
ad Vincula and free warren in all his demesne lands
in Croft and elsewhere. (fn. 29) The Scropes of Bolton
held Croft until 1464–5, (fn. 30) when John le Scrope
exchanged all his property in Croft with Richard
Clervaux for the latter's property in Stapleton, Cleasby,
Jolby, and other places, retaining the wardships,
marriages and reliefs. (fn. 31) The deed of 1468 by which
John le Scrope sold eight messuages, 240 acres of land,
200 acres of moor, 100 acres of pasture, &c., in Croft
to Richard Clervaux (fn. 32) perhaps replaced the above
exchange, for the Clervaux
afterwards held Jolby. (fn. 33) The
Scropes of Bolton were henceforth mesne lords of Croft, (fn. 34)
which was held under them
by the Clervaux family.
Clervaux of Croft. Sable a saltire or.
From the Clervaux Chartulary, prepared in the time
of the above Richard de
Clervaux, W. H. D. Longstaffe has elucidated the pedigree of this family: Robert
son of Robert, the first of the
name recorded in the chartulary, was a rich citizen of York who advanced money
to Roald son of Roald, and soon bought from him
all the mills of Croft and various lands there. (fn. 35) His
wife Eva was a widow in 1250–2. (fn. 36) They had
sons Sir Thomas, whose daughter and heiress died
without issue; John, also a citizen of York, who
acquired the Croft lands and two mills from his
brother; and Simon. (fn. 37) John was living at Croft
in 1250–2, (fn. 38) and in 1286–7 held 1½ carucates of
land in Croft of his elder brother. (fn. 39) His son
William (fn. 40) was returned in 1316 as joint lord with
Henry le Scrope of Croft, Walmire and Jolby. (fn. 41)
William had two sons, both called John, who succeeded
him in turn; the second died in 1390, leaving a son
and heir John the fourth, succeeded by a knight,
Sir John Clervaux, (fn. 42) who married a descendant of
the Nevills and Lumleys, thus bringing royal blood
into the Clervaux family. The fifth John died in
1443, leaving a son and heir Richard, a person of
great note in the north, who acquired the manor of
Croft and was esquire of the body to Henry VI. (fn. 43)
In February 1477–8 Edward IV granted him free
warren in the lordships of Croft, Walmire, and elsewhere, (fn. 44) and this, we are told, led immediately to
violent quarrels with his neighbour Place of Halnaby.
They seem even to have carried on warfare in the
parish church, for the same order that told them
to fence their respective lands instructed Richard
Clervaux and his wife to sit on the south side of the
chancel, as his ancestors were used to do, and Place
and his wife to sit on the north side, as had been the
custom of his ancestors. (fn. 45) Richard died in 1490,
leaving a son and heir, a sixth John, who was
succeeded by Marmaduke, his younger brother. (fn. 46)
Marmaduke died seised in 1498, leaving a son and heir
John. (fn. 47) This, the seventh, John was at Flodden, and
is mentioned in the ballad of that fight. His only
daughter married Thomas Lord Hilton, but had no
children, and Croft went to her uncle William
Clervaux, (fn. 48) whose son, the eighth John, in 1548 settled
the manors of Croft and Walmire on his own issue,
with remainders to (1) his brother Richard and his
heirs, and (2) to his sister Elizabeth, married to
Christopher Chaytor, a merchant adventurer of
Newcastle-on-Tyne. (fn. 49) John died childless and was
succeeded by his brother Richard, who also left no
issue (fn. 50) ; Anthony Chaytor, son and heir of Elizabeth,
now entered into the Croft estates, settled on himself
and his wife in 1590. (fn. 51) He died in 1612 and was
succeeded by his son and heir William, (fn. 52) knighted at
York in 1617, who died in 1640, leaving a son and
heir Thomas. (fn. 53) Thomas died in the following year,
having settled Croft on his heirs male with remainder
to his brother Henry; Thomas left a son and heir
John, (fn. 54) who died in 1649–50, his two children
having died in infancy. Henry settled this estate
on his cousin Nicholas, whose
son William succeeded. Sir
William Chaytor, who was
committed to the Fleet for
his debts, is said to have succeeded to the Croft estates.
He died in 1720–1, and, all
his children having died in
his lifetime, was succeeded by
his nephew Henry Chaytor,
who died in 1774. William
son and successor of Henry
died in 1819, and was succeeded by his son William,
who built Clervaux Castle,
was created a baronet in 1831,
and died in 1847. (fn. 55) Sir William Richard Carter
Chaytor, second baronet, son of the last-named, died
in 1871 and was succeeded by his son Sir William,
whose son and heir Sir William Henry Edward, (fn. 56)
lately deceased, succeeded in 1896. Walter Clervaux
Chaytor, Lieut. R.N., brother of the late owner, is
now in possession of the title and estates.
Chaytor, baronet. Party bendwise dancetty azure and argent with four quatrefoils counter-coloured.
DALTON-UPON-TEES is not mentioned in
Domesday Book, being probably included under Croft.
The vill was confirmed by Pope Celestine III to the
church of York in 1194 (fn. 57) ; in 1303 the Dean and
Chapter of York had a grant of free warren here, (fn. 58) and
the vill was said to be in the liberty of St. Peter of
York in 1316. (fn. 59) The Dean and Chapter of York still
hold the manor, which in 1650 as the possession of
the 'late Dean and Chapter of York' was granted to
John Crathorne and Thomas Broadbent, their heirs
and assigns. (fn. 60)
HALNABY (Hallenazhebi, Halnadeby, Anlaby,
Halnathby, Halnaghby, xiii-xiv cent.; Hannaby,
xviii cent.) is not mentioned in Domesday Book. In
1286–7 it was held of the Earl of Richmond (fn. 61) and
continued to be a member of that honour. (fn. 62) Roald de
Richmond was mesne lord in 1286–7, (fn. 63) and from
him this mesne lordship with others descended to the
Scropes of Bolton, of whom it was still held in 1573. (fn. 64)
The earliest recorded under-tenants are the family
of Halnaby. There was an Acharis (Acharisius,
Acrisius) de Halnaby in the late 12th and early 13th
century who had sons Roland and Halnath and a
daughter Margaret. (fn. 65) In 1216 Halnath was one of
the pledges of Roald the Constable, who had taken the
baronial side against John (fn. 66) ; he had a son Acharis. (fn. 67)
A Halnath was living in 1268 (fn. 68) and was lord in
1286–7. (fn. 69) Elizabeth widow of Roger de Halnaby
claimed a third of the manor in dower in 1297 (fn. 70) ;
another Halnath was living in 1312, (fn. 71) and his
heir was lord in 1316. (fn. 72) In 1335 Acharis de
Halnaby and his heirs received a grant of free warren
in Halnaby. (fn. 73) He was lord in 1342–3 and had
brothers Roger and Halnath (fn. 74) and a sister Mary
married to John Mauleverer. (fn. 75) Acharis died without
issue, (fn. 76) Roger is no more mentioned, and Halnath left
a daughter and heiress Katharine. (fn. 77) In 1408 absolution was given to the chaplain who had celebrated a
clandestine marriage without banns between Katharine
and Robert Place (of Egton), a marriage at which
Halnath Mauleverer and John Halnaby were present, (fn. 78)
and in 1410 the remainder of the manor of Halnaby
which Joan wife of Halnath held in dower was
settled on Robert Place and Katharine and their issue
with remainder to the Mauleverers (fn. 79) ; Robert and
Katharine obtained a confirmation of their free
warren in 1412. (fn. 80) Robert died early in 1429–30,
Katharine in 1461–2. They had a son Robert, (fn. 81)
who had a son Roland. (fn. 82) Roland died seised in
1493, leaving a son and heir John. (fn. 83) John was
succeeded by his son and heir Richard or Roland,
who again was succeeded by his son and heir George. (fn. 84)
George made a great match with Elizabeth daughter
of Christopher Lord Conyers of Hornby. (fn. 85) He died
in 1551 and was succeeded by his brother and heir
Christopher, (fn. 86) who in 1558 left daughters and co-heirs
Anne, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Isabel and Dorothy, afterwards married to Roger Gower of Melsonby, Mauger
Vavasour of Weston, Francis Forster of Halnaby,
Robert Hodgson of Hebburn and Sir Francis
Boynton of Barmston respectively. All but Dorothy
and Eleanor died childless, (fn. 87) and Dame Dorothy
Boynton ultimately came into possession of Halnaby,
dying seised in 1633. (fn. 88) In
1649 Sir Francis Boynton,
bart., conveyed the manor to
Layton Firbancke and Samuel
Dumbleton and the heirs of
Layton, (fn. 89) perhaps as trustees
for the family of Milbanke
who obtained the manor in
the middle of the 17th century. Mark Milbanke of
Halnaby was created a baronet
in 1661, (fn. 90) died in 1680, and
was succeeded by his son
Mark, (fn. 91) who died in 1698.
Sir Mark, son of the lastnamed, died unmarried in
1705 and was succeeded by his brother Ralph, (fn. 92) who
died in 1748 and was succeeded in turn by his son
and his grandson Ralph. The
latter took in 1815 the name
of Noel; he was dealing with
the manor in 1821. (fn. 93) His
son Sir John Peniston Milbanke died at Halnaby in
1850, and was succeeded by
his son Sir John Ralph Milbanke, who sold Halnaby. (fn. 94)
Halnaby Hall was in 1857 the
seat of Mrs. Todd, and Capt.
Sir William P. Wilson-Todd,
bart., the grandson of John
Todd, is the present owner of
the manor.
Halnaby. Argent a fesse between six fleurs de lis sable.
Place. Party or and gules a leopard countercoloured.
Milbanke, baronet. Gules a bend ermine and a quarter or with a lion's head razed gules therein.
Wilson-Todd, baronet. Quarterly 1 and 4, Argent a voided lozenge between three foxes' heads gules in a border vert with four martlets argent therein, for Wilson; 2 and 3, Argent a cheveron between three molets gules with three pales or on the cheveron, for Todd.
JOLBY (Joelby, Joheleby,
xiii cent.) is not mentioned
in Domesday Book, but was
probably part of the 14 carucates of Croft. In 1286–7
Roald de Richmond was lord,
though he did not hold the place in demesne, (fn. 95)
and from him it passed to the Scropes of Bolton, (fn. 96)
who held it until the time of Richard de Clervaux.
From this time Jolby, which is not even a hamlet,
has no history, but it was probably acquired by
Richard de Clervaux (fn. 97) and always descended with
the manor of Croft, to whose owners it now
belongs. The Clervaux had already acquired property in Jolby in the 13th century from Henry
de Jolby, (fn. 98) perhaps the Henry who held 1 carucate
of Roald in 1286–7, and in 1316 Henry le Scrope
and William de Clervaux were returned as joint
lords of Croft, Walmire and Jolby. (fn. 99) Halnath de
Halnaby also held 1 carucate of Roald in 1286–7,
and this descended to the Places (fn. 100) and afterwards to
the Boyntons. (fn. 101)
STAPLETON (Staplendun, xi cent.; Stapelton,
Stapulton, xiii–xvi cent.) was among the lands of
Count Alan in 1086 (fn. 102) and continued to be a
member of the honour of Richmond. (fn. 103) Tor held
before the Conquest one 'manor' here which Enisan
held in 1086, and the mesne lordship passed from
Enisan with the manor of Constable Burton (fn. 104) (q.v.)
to the Scropes of Masham (fn. 105) and the Scropes of Bolton. (fn. 106)
The early history of the under-tenants, the Stapletons, is obscure. The name of a Benedict de Stapleton
occurs between the dates 1154 and 1181. (fn. 107) Benedict
was lord of Stapleton when Conan de Aske had care of
the wapentakes in 1184, and had then only 3 carucates
there, though he had previously held 5. (fn. 108) Perhaps
the diminution is accounted for by his only holding
part of the fee in demesne and granting 3 carucates (fn. 109)
of land here to Geoffrey de Scales (fn. 110) (Scalariis), who
held the vill as one-third of a knight's fee in 1211–12, (fn. 111)
and subsequently gave these 3 carucates to Easby
Abbey. (fn. 112) Sir Alexander Scales, kt., quitclaimed the
rent from these lands to the abbey, (fn. 113) Henry son of
Benedict confirming the gift. (fn. 114) It seems possible
that Henry had a brother Nicholas, (fn. 115) for Nicholas
son of Benedict is mentioned at about this time, and
a Nicholas de Stapleton (fn. 116) confirmed half a carucate,
held of his fee by Benedict de Stapleton, to Easby
Abbey. (fn. 117) A Nicholas de Stapleton was returned
with a Benedict as one of the pledges of Roald the
Constable in 1208 and also in 1216, when Benedict
is not mentioned. (fn. 118) Nicholas was appointed keeper
of Middleham Castle in 1216. (fn. 119)
Stapleton. Argent a lion sable.
Metham. Quarterly azure and argent with a fleur de lis or in the quarter.
Pudsey. Vert a cheveron between three molets or.
Nicholas de Stapleton the judge was lord of
Stapleton in the reign of Edward I. (fn. 120) In 1272
Nicholas de Stapleton and his heirs obtained a grant
of free warren here. (fn. 121) He was succeeded in 1290
by his eldest surviving son Miles, also an eminent
man, who married the rich heiress Sibyl daughter of
John Bellew and served in the Gascon and Scottish
wars of Edward I. In 1304 the grant of free warren
in Stapleton was confirmed to 'our beloved and
faithful Miles de Stapleton.' He was appointed
Lord Steward of the Household on the accession of
Edward II; in 1313 he was thrice summoned to
Parliament as a baron and in the following year was
slain at Bannockburn. Nicholas his eldest son and
heir succeeded. Nicholas made a distinguished match
with Isabel daughter of John of Britanny Earl of
Richmond, and, like his predecessors, took an active
part in the political events of his time. (fn. 122) In 1338
he settled several of his manors, including Stapleton,
on himself with successive remainders to Miles his
son and Isabel his wife and the issue of Miles. (fn. 123)
He died in 1342 and was succeeded by Miles (fn. 124) his
son, who was the first member of the family to be
called specially 'of Haddlesey.' (fn. 125) Miles died in
1372, leaving a son and heir Thomas, (fn. 126) who died in
the following year, (fn. 127) when the manors settled in
1338 went to his sisters. In 1373–4 the escheator
had orders to deliver the manor of Stapleton 'with
appurtenances in the vills of Dalton Ryall and
Melsonby' to Sir Thomas de Metham, kt., and
Elizabeth his wife, one of the sisters and heirs of
Thomas de Stapleton. (fn. 128) The Methams of Metham
held Stapleton from this time until 1585, (fn. 129) when
Thomas Metham conveyed it
to George Pudsey. (fn. 130) Thomas
son of George Pudsey had
livery in 1607 (fn. 131) and in 1616
received a grant of £160 a
year for the life of Faith his
wife from the king in consideration of his father having
lent Mary Queen of Scots
£1,000 that had never been
repaid. (fn. 132) Ralph Pudsey son
of Thomas took the royal side
in the Civil War, and his
sequestered estate was leased
early in 1652 to Marmaduke Pudsey of Cottingham. (fn. 133)
In 1657, however, Faith Pudsey 'or Hebdine'
conveyed the manor to Richard Marshall. (fn. 134) There
is a gap in the history of the manor between this
date and 1708, when Sir Walter Vavasour, bart.,
and Edward Trotter (fn. 135) conveyed the manor to
George Trotter, (fn. 136) perhaps as a settlement on Edward's
daughter Katharine, who married William Bower of
Bridlington. (fn. 137) Sir Walter Vavasour, bart., of Hazlewood, Katharine Bower and
others joined in a settlement of the manor in 1717. (fn. 138)
William Bower and Katharine
had three sons, who died without issue; George Bower of
Bridlington and Robert Bower
of Sleights had Welham
and evidently Stapleton also.
Stapleton passed to William
Bower, evidently grandson of
Robert's kinsman Leonard,
Robert having left Welham to
Leonard's younger grandson
Robert. (fn. 139) William held it in
1788 (fn. 140) and his brother and
heir Robert in 1824 (fn. 141) and
1857; his son, Robert H.
Bower, was in possession in 1879. Mr. George
Pears of Witton-le-Wear is the present owner.
Bower. Sable a man's leg cut off at the thigh and pierced with a broken spear all in their proper colours and a quarter argent with a castle gules therein.
St. Agatha's Abbey still held 3 carucates of land
in Stapleton according to a return of the early 16th
century, (fn. 142) but at the Dissolution had only £8 6s. 7d.
temporalities from the vill. (fn. 143) These lands were leased
to Henry Lord Scrope of Bolton with other lands of
the abbey. (fn. 144) The capital messuage that had belonged
to the abbey, no doubt included in the preceding
lease, was leased by James I to Sir Thomas Lake, kt. (fn. 145)
Cuthbert Constable of Burton Constable, a Papist,
had the remainder of Stapleton Grange in 1719 on
the termination of a term of 1,000 years limited to
George Earl of Cardigan, Henry Eyre and Nevill
Ridley. (fn. 146)
WALMIRE (Walemire, xiii cent.) is not mentioned in Domesday Book. It was composed of only
1 carucate of land (fn. 147) and was a member of the honour
of Richmond. (fn. 148) It was held late in the 12th and at
the beginning of the 13th century by Harsculph son
of Harsculph, but escheated to Roald the Constable
of Richmond Castle, mesne lord of all these manors,
because Harsculph fought against the king in
Britanny. (fn. 149) In 1205–6 Philip son of John [le Breton]
gave the king 'a good palfrey' for having seisin of
half a carucate of land in Walmire which he held
when Roald made fine with the king for the land of
William de Rollos. (fn. 150) The Bretons held Walmire
until 1322. John le Breton was lord in 1286–7, (fn. 151)
and in 1301 Thomas de Maunby claimed the
services of Philip le Breton for these lands. (fn. 152) In
1316 Walmire was included among the Scrope and
Clervaux possessions, (fn. 153) the Scropes being mesne
lords, (fn. 154) but the manor did not change hands till
1322, when John son and heir of Philip le Breton
and others mortgaged it to William de Clervaux
and William's sister Maud, and subsequently released it to them. (fn. 155) Walmire descended from the
Clervaux to the Chaytors, (fn. 156) and is now the property
of Sir Walter Clervaux Chaytor.
Church
The church of ST. PETER consists
of a chancel 45 ft. by 22 ft. with a
modern north vestry and organ chamber,
nave 49 ft. long by 24 ft. wide at the east and 22 ft.
at the west, north aisle 13 ft. 6 in. wide, south aisle
10 ft. 6 in. wide with a small tower over its west
bay, and a shallow south porch. It is evident that
there was a church here in the 12th century, part of
the west wall of its nave being still to be seen, and
the large red sandstone blocks of which it was built
have been re-used in the later walling. It was probably aisleless with a nave of the same length as at
present, and a width of about 24 ft., being approximately two squares in plan.
The gradual development of the building is not
very clear, but it seems that in the middle of the
13th century a south aisle and a north-east chapel
were added to the nave. A new chancel arch was
probably inserted at this time also; it has been
widened at a date which is hard to determine, its
shafted responds being reset.
In the first quarter of the 14th century the chancel
was rebuilt on its present lines and the two western
bays of the north aisle added. Work was probably
going on independently in the chancel and nave at
the same time, and there is a marked difference in
style between the two parts, which may not unreasonably be set down to the fact that they were
being carried on by different authorities, the chancel
being the rector's concern and the nave that of the
parishioners. It is, however, to be noted that the
details of the west bay of the chancel belong rather
to those of the nave than to the chancel, as if the
liability of the parish extended beyond the east wall
of the nave. (fn. 157) The chancel had a contemporary
north-east vestry, of which part only of the east wall,
disguised as a buttress, now exists; a modern vestry
and organ chamber have been built on the site. In
the 15th century a clearstory was added to the nave,
the roof of the chancel lowered and the tower built,
and the porch belongs to this or the next century.
The east walls of both aisles are very thin, and may
be comparatively modern rebuildings.
The chancel had at first a high-pitched roof, but
in the 15th century it was taken down and replaced
by the present nearly flat roof, the east gable and
the head of the east window being removed at the
same time. The window is of five lights, and has
evidently been a beautiful example of early 14thcentury tracery, at its transition from geometrical
to flowing lines. The heads of the main lights are
trefoiled, and the ends of the label are still in position,
with dripstones carved as human heads. The sill is
now some 2 ft. 6 in. above its original level.
In the north wall is a square locker with a stringcourse above it, carved with four-leaved flowers and
ending in human heads, the eastern one being
cowled.
Over it, and high in the wall to clear the roof of
the original vestry, is a small trefoiled window with
feathered cusping; part of another window of the
same kind exists to the west of it, but is only to be
seen from outside. Of the vestry itself nothing
remains but part of its east wall, as already noted,
and a piscina and
locker in its south
wall. The modern
vestry is entered
through the orgar
chamber, and
there is no trace
of the doorway
from its predecessor to the
chancel.
At the northwest of the chancel are two
windows with a
small blocked
doorway between
them; that to the
west is a small
low-set light with
a square head
made of a re-used
transom and is of
doubtful date,
while the other is
of two sharply
pointed cinquefoiled lights, with a quatrefoiled spandrel
over, having a single chamfered head and a label of
early 14th-century section.
In the south wall are three large windows: the
middle one is contemporary with the east window
and the south-east window is a modern copy of it;
both are of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil
over. The third window is like that opposite to it
on the north and of the same date, and close to it on
the west is a low-set window with a square head.
The piscina and sedilia are unusually fine. The
former has a cinquefoiled head and small shafts with
foliate capitals; it has had a shelf, and on its sill are
carved three human heads alternating with foliage.
The sedilia are triple, with stepped seats and
trefoiled arches springing from engaged shafts with
foliate capitals and ball flowers in the hollows at
the sides of each shaft. Above is a richly carved
string resting at either end on human figures standing on carved corbels. Both figures wear shortskirted gowns reaching to the knee, and girdles with
hanging ends like sword-belts; the eastern figure
carries his head in his hands, while the other raises
his arms to support the end of the string-course. The
string-course has a line of deeply cut heads, of men
and beasts and groups of animals fighting or playing, and the spandrels between the string and the
arches are carved with figure subjects and foliage. In
the eastern half-spandrel are two women fighting
with a large ram's head below them; in the next
spandrel a priest or bishop in mass vestments, before
whom a man in a long gown and hood is kneeling;
below them is the head of a bearded man with his
arms raised above his head, and on either side of the
two figures are busts of men. In the next spandrel
is a sow with her pigs feeding on acorns blown from
an oak which is bending in the wind, and the west
half-spandrel is filled with a branch of maple.
To the west of the sedilia, below the middle
window, is a 14th-century priest's doorway.
Plan of Croft Church
The chancel arch has slender engaged filleted
shafts in the responds, resting on corbels some feet
above the floor, which look like 14th-century work,
while the capitals are of 13th-century type. The
arch is elliptical, and is doubtless dated by an entry
in the churchwardens' accounts for 1729 of £7 7s.
for taking down and rebuilding 'the arch.' Its
widening at some earlier date has already been
suggested.
The south arcade of the nave has three equal bays
with octagonal columns, small semi-octagonal shafts in
the responds, and moulded bases and capitals, those
of the first column having been lately renewed. In
the wall beyond the west respond is a small recess,
perhaps meant to hold the chrismatory for the font.
It is evident from the height of the bases that the
floor of the church has been considerably lowered
since they were built. The arches are of two
chamfered orders, with a plain chamfered label on
the nave side only.
The north arcade has three bays of wider span
than those opposite, and there is no western respond,
the eastern arch is lower, and, as already noted, earlier
than the others. The two columns are octagonal,
the eastern of the two having a round capital which
does not fit it and is evidently an old one re-used.
The second column has a very simple round capital,
which may be comparatively modern in its present
form. The arches are of two chamfered orders with
a label. On the splayed faces of the springer on
the second column two human heads are carved, and
the heads of a king and queen stop the outer order
and label.
Croft Church: Tower and South Porch
The west window appears to be of the 14th
century, and has three large trefoiled lights with
quatrefoiled spandrels above in a pointed arch.
Below the window a change in the masonry shows
the position of a former west doorway, probably of
the 12th century, one of the arch stones being still
in position.
The 15th-century clearstory has three windows on
either side, each of two trefoiled lights under a square
head.
The east bay of the north aisle is taken up by a
large marble tomb of the Milbanke family, without
inscription but of late 17th-century date, and bearing
the arms of Milbanke impaling a maunch in a field
powdered with roses. It is inclosed by an iron railing on the west, and on the south by the enormous
two-story family pew of the Milbankes, a very fine
piece of 18th-century woodwork with a moulded
cornice carried on fluted columns, and approached
from the west by a wide staircase with twisted
balusters. Anything more out of place in a parish
church can hardly be imagined, but its merits as a
piece of joinery are beyond dispute. The aisle is
lighted on the east by a window of two cinquefoiled
lancets with a pierced spandrel over, and on the north
by three windows, the second and third of which are
of the same character, all being originally of early
14th-century date, while the first or north-east
window is a modern three-light
insertion. The wall leans outward, but its tracery is set
vertically. The north doorway
is large and dates from the
13th century; it has a chamfered two-centred head with a
label ending on mask stops. In
the west wall is a blocked 13thcentury lancet with a trefoil
head.
The east window and the
three south windows of the
south aisle are of two lights and
like those in the north aisle,
the east window being a modern
insertion within the lines of a
larger opening. At the northeast angle of the aisle is a locker
rebated for a door; in its east
side is a shaft with a capital
and base worked on one stone,
the base being on the floor level,
and the east side of the locker
is splayed back eastward as if to
form the side of a squint
towards the chancel. There is
a trefoiled piscina recess, now
without a drain, in the south
wall of the aisle.
The south doorway is of late
13th-century character, with a
continuous arch of two orders,
the inner with two half rounds
and the outer chamfered; the
porch over it has a roundheaded outer arch of the full
width of the porch, and stone
seats on either side, into which
part of a mediaeval grave slab
is built.
The small south-west tower is
of two stories, ashlar-faced, and standing on the older
walls of the aisle; it is embattled and has belfry
windows of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil or
plain circle over, and on its south face are the arms
and initials of R. (fn. 158) Place and Richard Clervaux.
The tower is by tradition the memorial of the settlement of a quarrel between the two men, and the
death of Clervaux in 1490 gives a limit of date for
the work. On its south face, at a lower level than
the shields, are a sundial and a stone with I H S.
The exterior of the church is picturesque from the
variations of the red and white sandstone used in its
walls. The chancel has lost much of its effect through
the decay of its buttresses, which were originally
finished by octagonal pinnacles, and are ornamented
with canopied niches for figures, from which the
figures and much of the detail have perished. The
niche in the north buttress of the east wall has
engaged shafts in the jambs with foliate capitals, and
behind the shafts are vertical rows of ball flowers
connected by a running stem as in the sedilia; the
head of the niche is not original, being a trefoiled
semicircular arch in a square head with cusped
spandrels. The southern niche in this wall has
similar jambs and its original head of two trefoiled
arches in two gablets flanked by crocketed finials.
The sills of the niches project and are carved as
grotesque beasts. The heads of both the eastern
buttresses have been rebuilt and are now gabled.
The roof of the chancel is almost flat, and has a
heavy panelled ceiling with moulded timbers and
bosses at the intersections. On the central boss is
TS and a crozier, and there are other devices of a
winged heart pierced by a sword, arms devised for
our Lady, angels with Passion emblems, and a lamb
and cross keys. The roof is modern. There is a
good 18th-century pulpit, and high pews of the same
date fill the nave; on the wall by the pulpit is an
iron hour-glass stand. The east bay of the south
aisle is inclosed by a 15th-century screen with traceried
heads to the lights.
In the south aisle is the large grey marble altar
tomb of Richard Clervaux, 1490, bearing his arms
impaling a fesse indented, and his motto 'Fortune le
veit' and badge of a muzzle. The two coats also
occur separately surrounded by collars of SS. The
inscription runs:
Clervaux Ricardus jacet hic sub marmore clausus
Crofte quondam dñs huic miserere Deus.
Armig' henrici regis et pro corpore sexti
Quem deus excelsi duxit ad astra poli.
Sanguinis Edwardi quarti tercii que Ricardi
Gradibus in ternis alter uterque fuit.
Qui obiit ao di mocccclxxxx.
In the same aisle is the side of another Clervaux
tomb, with their arms impaling a fesse between three
falcons, and another stone with a helm having the
crest of a falcon displayed.
The font is of the 18th century, and has a fluted
marble basin on a square panelled stem.
Several early carved stones remain in and about the
church. On the ledge of the north-east window of
the north aisle is part of a beautiful early cross shaft,
with birds and beasts in panels of interlacing foliage.
Near the north door is a piece of another cross shaft
of simpler design, lately found in the churchyard, and
in the wall east of the south doorway is a small human
figure with its right arm upraised over its head and its
left by its side. Other early stones are in the west
wall of the nave and the south door of the chancel,
and there are ancient sundials on the south-east
buttress of the chancel.
In the north aisle is a plain old chest. In the
vestry is a piece of ancient glass which from its shape
would appear to have been in one of the 14thcentury windows; it shows parts of canopies and an
oak-leaf border, and is probably the glass (or part of it)
mentioned by Sir Stephen Glynne in 1833 as being
in 'a north window.' (fn. 159)
There are three bells: the treble of 1699 inscribed
'Jesus be our speed, TB IR LC TC'; the second,
by Pack & Chapman, 1780—an entry of the price,
£27, paid for this bell appears in the old churchwardens' account book—and the tenor is dated
1672.
The plate consists of two cups (Newcastle, 1705),
a paten (London, 1711), a cup and cover paten
(London, 1766) of silver gilt, the gift of Sir Ralph
Milbanke, bart., and bearing his coat of arms, and a
set of two large flagons, one large cup and a paten,
the gift of Mrs. Neale, widow of a former rector.
They bear the London mark for 1767 and the arms:
Or two lions rampant and holding a hand (for Neale)
impaling argent on a bend sable three pheons of the
field (for Bland).
The registers begin in 1615.
Advowson
Enisan Musard or Murdac
granted the church of Croft to
St. Mary's Abbey, York, (fn. 160) and the
advowson of the rectory has been in the hands of
the Crown (fn. 161) since the Dissolution. In 1588 the
queen granted Dalton Chapel—marked now by
Chapel House—to Luke Thursecrofte and others. (fn. 162)
There was a chapel of St. Leonard at Stapleton in
the 13th century near the grange belonging to
St. Agatha's Abbey, (fn. 163) and there was also a chapel
of St. James, perhaps the domestic chapel of the
Stapletons, for Nicholas de Stapleton granted lands
to St. Agatha's Abbey for the sustenance of a chaplain, canon or scholar, to celebrate divine service
within it. (fn. 164) In 1574 Stapleton Chapel was granted
by the Crown to Edward Forthe and others. (fn. 165)
Charities
In 1686 Thomas Barker by will
gave to the poor 10s. a year to be
paid out of his estate at East Newbiggin in the county of Durham, now the property
of the Marquess of Londonderry. The rent-charge
is distributed by the rector among the sick.
In 1680 Sir Mark Milbanke by will gave £100 to
be employed as a stock for the use of the poor; this is
now represented by £166 13s. 4d. consols. The dividends amounting to £4 3s. 4d., are distributed by the
rector and churchwardens in sums of 10s. and 5s.
Lord Crewe's charity for education. See under
county of Durham.
Dame Mary Calverley's charity. The parish is
entitled to participate in its benefits.