FINGALL
Finegale (xi cent.); Fingale, Fynkale (xii-xiii
cent.).
Fingall, which includes the townships of Fingall,
Constable Burton, Akebar and Hutton Hang, is a
parish of about 4,600 acres, situated at the entrance
to Wensleydale. The country is chiefly pastoral,
about half the acreage being grassland. The soil is
loamy and the subsoil limestone and millstone grit.
There are many springs in the parish, which is extremely well wooded. The Northallerton and Hawes
branch of the North Eastern railway has a station
near Constable Burton, and there is another station
at Fingall Lane.
Of the four townships Constable Burton is by far
the largest, having an area of about 2,500 acres.
Constable Burton Hall, the seat of Mr. Marmaduke
D'Arcy Wyvill, is surrounded by a park of 150 acres
and is set between two well-wooded ravines. It is a
fine house built by Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, bart.,
before 1760 from plans of J. Carr of York. (fn. 1) The
first mention of a manor-house and park here occurs
in 1338, when Geoffrey le Scrope had licence to
impark his woods of Constable Burton, Coverham and
Caldbergh and also to build a crenellated fortalice at
his manor of Constable Burton. (fn. 2) In 1392 the demesne
included a park and a wood called Croskogh. (fn. 3)
Leeming Beck, which rises in Bellerby and empties
itself into the Swale in Scruton parish, flows through
the park and near the hall, which is separated by a
corner of the park from the village of Constable
Burton. In the village is a triangular green, where
the market was formerly held. The beck is here
crossed by a bridge, and on the north side of the
green is a steep bank which drops abruptly to the
edge of the stream. In the village are a Wesleyan
chapel, built in 1905, and a school dating from 1839.
There was a fulling-mill in Constable Burton in
1340. (fn. 4) The water-mill to the south-east of the
village is still in use. On the high road between
Burton and Fingall is Studdah, said to have been
once a village. (fn. 5)
Some distance south-east of Constable Burton and
near Akebar, which now consists of three farms, stands
the old church of St. Andrew among the fields near
Leeming Beck. Fingall may possibly be identified
with that Fingall in Northumbria where a synod
assembled on 2 September 788, though Finchale in
Durham is a more probable identification. (fn. 6) The
village consists of a few cottages on either side of
one wide main street and contains a red brick and
stone Wesleyan chapel built in 1909. The rectory
faces north and is a square building having a porch
with a room over in the centre of the front. The
windows all date from the 18th century or later, and
the walls are rough-cast, but the structure may be of
17th-century date. South of the village is the glebe.
Manors
In the time of Edward the Confessor
Gamel had in FINGALL a 'manor' and
6 carucates. By 1086 it was held by
Count Alan, (fn. 7) becoming a member of the honour
of Richmond. Count Alan I probably held part of
Fingall in demesne (fn. 8) ; his successors made grants here
to Jervaulx Abbey, (fn. 9) and in 1286–7 2 carucates were
held by that abbey immediately of the Earl of
Richmond. (fn. 10)
Count Alan I probably enfeoffed his chamberlain
Odo (fn. 11) of 3 other carucates. Odo granted to the
abbey of St. Mary, York, 1 carucate, (fn. 12) of which
Abbot Clement (1161–84) enfeoffed Thomas Lascelles (fn. 13) ; this is possibly the carucate with which the
church was endowed in 1286–7. (fn. 14) The other
2 carucates were held in 1286–7 by Jervaulx Abbey
of John le Breton (fn. 15) of Eppleby (q.v.), the head
manor of the chamberlain's fee, a mesne lordship
which seems to be no further mentioned in Fingall. (fn. 16)
These 2 carucates were probably the lands held by
the family of Boie (Bois, de Bosco), who may be
identified with the Boies, hereditary foresters of
Pickering Forest. (fn. 17) Alan Boie in 1194 claimed lands
held of the honour of Richmond in Leadenham, co.
Lincoln, as the nephew and right heir of Alan (fn. 18) son
of Geoffrey. (fn. 19) The land at Fingall was probably
subinfeudated, for in the same year (fn. 20) Reiner son of
Adam [? de Bosco] (fn. 21) claimed 2 carucates against
Alan, who finally granted them to him together with
the custody of Elias son of Adam until the majority
of Elias. (fn. 22) During the French wars of John's reign
Alan Boie renounced his fealty and his lands escheated. (fn. 23)
He offered a fine in 1200 for recovering his bailiwick
in Pickering Lythe, and his family are afterwards
found in possession there, but are no more heard of in
Richmondshire.
Jervaulx Abbey was in possession of 1 more carucate, held of Brian Fitz Alan, in 1286–7. (fn. 24) There
seems to be no other mention of the Fitz Alans (fn. 25)
here.
Thus in 1286–7 Jervaulx Abbey, returned as sole
lord of the vill in 1316, (fn. 26) held 5 carucates in demesne,
and continued to do so until its dissolution. (fn. 27) The
abbey received a grant of free warren in Akebar,
Hutton Hang and Fingall in 1290. (fn. 28) These lands
have since descended with the site of the abbey, (fn. 29)
and the manor now belongs to Mr. Hector Christie.
AKEBAR (Aykebergh, xiii–xiv cent.; Aykbarthe,
Akeberth, Ayksbarghe, xvi cent.; Akeberth, Akebargh, xvii cent.) is first mentioned in 1290, when
the Abbot and convent of Jervaulx received a grant of
free warren in their 'manor' here (fn. 30) ; it was described
in 1342 as a large grange. (fn. 31) With Fingall it followed
the descent of Jervaulx Abbey, (fn. 32) and is now the
property of Mr. Hector Christie.
At CONSTABLE BURTON (Bortone, Bertone,
xi cent.; Burton Constable, xiii cent.) a manor and
12 carucates passed at the Conquest from Tor to
Count Alan. (fn. 33) It was one of thirteen knights' fees
which formed what was still called in the 15th
century the 'fee of Roald' (fn. 34) ; for this no ward was
done at Richmond Castle, but 13½d. was paid for all
service. (fn. 35)
Under Count Alan it was held by Enisan (fn. 36)
(Enisand, Enisam, Enisaunt) Musard, (fn. 37) sometimes
called Murdac. (fn. 38) He held about twenty-one manors
in Count Alan's fee in 1086, having received all but
five of the manors which had belonged to Tor and
also Raven's lands in Thorpe; he had also other
lands in Cambridgeshire. (fn. 39) He must have been living
in 1100, as he made a grant to the priory of
St. Martin, Richmond, founded at about that date. (fn. 40)
The history of the fee immediately after its tenure
by Enisan is obscure, but it seems probable that 'the
whole fee of Enisan Musard and the fee of Hervey
son of Morin and the carucate of Sadberg' were
granted by Count Stephen (1093–1137) to Roald his
constable. (fn. 41) Roald was the son of Hasculph, (fn. 42) apparently the Hasculf de St. James who held 5⅓ hides at
Tansor at the time of the Northamptonshire Survey. (fn. 43)
It seems possible that he may have married a daughter
and heir or co-heiress of Enisan, as his wife Garsia
or Garsiana joined in the grants made by Roald to
his foundation of Easby Abbey, (fn. 44) and the grant by the
count may have been virtually a confirmation, as the
charter he obtained from Henry I must certainly have
been. (fn. 45) There was evidently also some unexplained
connexion with the family of Cleasby of Cleasby (fn. 46)
(q.v.).
Roald the Constable. Gules two gimel bars and a chief or.
Roald founded Easby Abbey in 1152 for the souls
of Counts Stephen and Alan his kinsmen. (fn. 47) His
daughter Theophania married Elias, probably
seneschal of Richmond Castle (fn. 48) ; another daughter
married Picot de Lascelles, (fn. 49) and a third, Ismena,
married Thomas de Burgh. (fn. 50)
Roald may have died in the
lifetime of Earl Conan (ob.
1171), who granted to Alan
son of Roald his constableship
and the whole fee as Roald
had held it. (fn. 51) This grant may
possibly have been obtained
to strengthen the title of
Alan, for the dispute with the
family of Rollos had probably
arisen before 1184, (fn. 52) when
Richard de Rollos seems to
have shared the fee equally
with Alan. (fn. 53) In 1201 Alan
gave King John 300 marks and three palfreys for the
restoration of the office of constable in fee. (fn. 54) The
Rollos had a knight's fee in Normandy, (fn. 55) and retired
there when the Normans left England, possibly quitclaiming (fn. 56) their English lands to the second Roald
son of Alan, (fn. 57) who succeeded his father in 1201. (fn. 58)
The suit of 1207–8 by which Robert Cotele claimed
the thirteen Richmondshire fees and eight manors
seems to have been fictitious. (fn. 59) Robert claimed as
grandson of Richard de Rollos, who, according to
this version, was disseised by King Stephen of half
this inheritance for serving the empress, the remaining half having lately escheated to the Crown. The
second Roald, however, claiming the whole inheritance by descent from the first Roald, stated that
Henry II had disseised his grandfather of half and
given the same to Richard de Rollos, and showed the
court King John's charter of 1205 confirming to
him the lands of the Rollos, 'that the court should
know that he was not seised merely at pleasure.' (fn. 60)
Roald received a royal mandate in May 1207 to
give the custody of the castle to Hugh de Nevill, (fn. 61)
but later Roald paid a fine and recovered possession (fn. 62) ;
the king sent him hostages for safe-keeping in the same
year. (fn. 63) Roald still held his office in April 1215, (fn. 64) but,
taking the side of the barons against the king, had
been deprived by June, when his son Alan was held
prisoner as hostage in this castle, which was then in
the custody of Hugh de Nevill. (fn. 65) In July, however,
the king ordered Roald to be put in possession, (fn. 66) and
decreed in January that he was to be 'no further
molested by occasion of the war between the king
and the barons,' that his lands and chattels should be
restored, and that all his men and knights found in
Richmond Castle and detained as prisoners should be
liberated. (fn. 67)
Roald seems to have had two sons, Alan his heir and
Roald, who married Maud de la Mare of Yafforth. (fn. 68)
Alan had been succeeded by a son Roald 'the
younger' by 1247. (fn. 69) Various settlements were
made by this Sir Roald on his uncle Roald and
Maud his wife, and they in 1261 quitclaimed all
the family estates to Sir Roald (fn. 70) in return for an
annuity and certain robes. Sir Roald had a son
Roald, who married Hawise daughter of Sir Thomas
de Moulton, (fn. 71) and had succeeded his father by 1281,
when he was raising money on the security of certain
wardships and marriages from Easby Abbey. (fn. 72) He
was lord in 1286–7, (fn. 73) but must have made a settlement on his son (fn. 74) Thomas de Richmond, who
received seisin of part of the manor of Constable
Burton in February 1288–9. (fn. 75)
Thomas was assessed for the subsidy here in
1301–2, (fn. 76) was constable of Richmond Castle (fn. 77) and
lord in 1316. (fn. 78) His son Roald in 1321 released to
Geoffrey le Scrope, 'king's yeoman,' younger son of
Henry le Scrope of Bolton, all right in this manor
and its appurtenances, (fn. 79) his brother Thomas making
a similar grant in 1329. (fn. 80) Part of the fee passed to
the Scropes of Bolton, part, and the greater part,
to the Scropes of Masham, suggesting the possibility
that the reversion of the constable's fee was acquired
by Henry le Scrope of Bolton, who was in possession of Croft (q.v.) in 1299; possibly he may
have assigned the greater part to his younger son
Geoffrey, founder of the line of Scrope of Masham,
and grantee of Constable Burton. Towards the close
of the 14th century Richard le Scrope of Bolton and
Henry le Scrope of Masham were returned as joint
tenants of the thirteen knights' fees of the Fitz
Roalds, the house of Bolton retaining a mesne lordship of all. (fn. 81)
Scrope of Masham. Azure a bend or with a label argent.
This manor descended with that of Masham
(q.v.), the Scropes fortifying the manor-house and
using it, no doubt as a hunting lodge, (fn. 82) until (fn. 83) the death
in 1517 of Geoffrey last Lord
Scrope of Masham, when
Burton fell to the share of
his youngest sister and coheir Elizabeth wife of Sir
Ralph Fitz Randall of Spennithorne. (fn. 84) At her death her
inheritance was divided among
her five daughters, Elizabeth
wife of Nicholas Strelley,
Alice wife of Charles Dransfield, Mary wife of Ralph
Batty, Dorothy wife of Lancelot Esshe and Agnes wife of Marmaduke Wyvill. (fn. 85)
All the sisters and their descendants kept an interest
in the manor for some years, (fn. 86) but eventually their
rights were united in the person of Christopher son
of Marmaduke Wyvill, who was in possession of the
greater part of the manor on his death in 1578. (fn. 87)
To his son Marmaduke Wyvill the last share in the
manor was quitclaimed in 1607 by Christopher
grandson of Laurence Esshe. (fn. 88) Marmaduke Wyvill
entertained Queen Elizabeth at Constable Burton.
He was knighted in 1608, created a baronet by
James I in 1611 and died in 1617–18. He was
succeeded by his grandson Marmaduke son of Christopher Wyvill (d. 1594). (fn. 89) Marmaduke was Sheriff
of Yorkshire in 1633–4, (fn. 90) and suffered much in the
royal cause, his composition to the sequestrators of
estates being fixed at £1,343. (fn. 91) He died about
1648. His son Sir Christopher Wyvill was M.P.
for Richmond in 1659 and 1660. He died in
February 1680–1 and was succeeded by his son
William, who died about 1684. His son Sir Marmaduke was M.P. for Richmond 1695–8, and held
various public offices. He died
in 1722. His son Marmaduke
was M.P. for Richmond 1727–
36 and Postmaster-General of
Ireland 1736–54. He died
without issue in 1754 and
was succeeded by his nephew
Sir Marmaduke Asty Wyvill,
who died unmarried in 1774,
when his estates passed to his
half-sister Elizabeth wife of
the Rev. Christopher Wyvill, (fn. 92)
an enthusiastic advocate of
Parliamentary reform and a
member of Fox's party. (fn. 93) He
died in 1822 and was succeeded by his eldest son
Marmaduke, who was twice M.P. for York and died
in 1872. His son and successor Marmaduke, M.P.
for Richmond 1847–65 and 1866–8, died in 1896,
leaving a son Marmaduke D'Arcy Wyvill, (fn. 94) the present lord of the manor.
Wyvill. Gules three interlaced cheverons vair and a chief or.
In 1278–81 Roald of Richmond claimed free
warren in Constable Burton by grant of Henry III
to Roald son of Alan and his heirs. (fn. 95) In 1321
Edward II granted to Geoffrey Scrope and his heirs
a weekly market on Friday at their manor of Constable
Burton and a yearly fair there on the vigil and feast
of St. Mary Magdalene (21 and 22 July), with
another grant of free warren. (fn. 96)
Before 1086 Ghille had a 'manor' and 5 carucates
in HUTTON HANG (Hotun, xi cent.; Hoton
Hange, xiii–xiv cent.). By 1086 it had passed to
Count Alan, whose successors held as overlords.
Landric, the 'man' of Count Alan, possibly his
seneschal, (fn. 97) was under-tenant in 1086, (fn. 98) and was
followed, as at East Cowton (q.v.), by Conan son of
Elias, (fn. 99) whose lands here were probably subenfeoffed
by him, and belonged to Jervaulx Abbey at the end
of the 14th century. (fn. 100)
As mesne lord Conan son of Elias was succeeded
by various persons. In 1286–7 6 carucates were
divided among three fees. Mary de Nevill, lady of
Middleham (q.v.), held half a carucate, her tenant
being Walter son of Alan, but no connected history
of this holding is possible, while the carucate held by
Walter de Egglescliffe probably followed the descent
of his lands in Ellerton (q.v.). The third and
most important fee consisted of 3½ carucates, and was
held by the abbey of Jervaulx, Walter de Egglescliffe
being tenant of 6 oxgangs. (fn. 101) The abbot was returned
as lord of Hutton Hang in 1316, (fn. 102) and in 1342 (fn. 103) it
was described as a grange of the abbey. By the
reign of Henry VII the abbot had acquired some
land of the Nevills, and was owner of 6 carucates in
Hutton Hang. (fn. 104) It followed the descent of East
Witton (q.v.), being granted in 1544 to Matthew
Earl of Lennox. Its present owner is Mr. Hector
Christie.
A manor at STUDDAH (Stodhage, xiii cent.;
Stodehach, Stodhowe, xiv cent.) was held of the
Scropes as of the manor of Constable Burton. (fn. 105)
In 1210 Richard son of Ralph granted to Alan
Gurfant 1 oxgang of land in Studdah for life, retaining a second oxgang with the capital messuage. (fn. 106)
Robert de Studdah, son of Robert and Denise de
Studdah, held the manor with Elizabeth his wife,
and died in 1383. (fn. 107) Elizabeth survived him, and
held the manor till 1401, when she was succeeded by
their son Robert, who came of age in 1404. (fn. 108) In
1482–3 Elizabeth Wilberfosse died seised of the
manor of Studdah, which passed to her son William
Wilberfosse. (fn. 109) No further mention of the manor has
been found, but in 1605 Henry Durham was said
to have died in possession of lands and tenements,
which passed to Robert his son. (fn. 110)
Church
The church of ST. ANDREW consists of a chancel 28 ft. by 14 ft. 4 in.,
with a small north vestry, nave 34 ft. 2 in.
by 15 ft. 10 in., north aisle 7 ft. 2 in. and a west
porch. These dimensions are all internal.
A church probably stood here in the 12th century,
with a nave of the same size and a smaller chancel,
but no details of that date remain unless we except
a blocked doorway in the south wall of the nave,
which from its outline seems to be of about 1140.
A north aisle was added late in the next century
(c. 1290 to 1300), of which the arcade still stands.
The aisle has been rebuilt since, apparently in the
18th century. The chancel underwent a rebuilding
about 1360. Since then no other substantial alterations have taken place beyond the addition of the
modern vestry and the blocking of doorways and
opening out of others, as described below. The
church was restored in 1904.
The east window is 14th-century work of three
trefoiled ogee-headed lights under a pointed head
filled with cusped net tracery; it has a single chamfered order with a small double-chamfered label outside.
The north wall is unpierced, except for a modern doorway into the vestry. In the south wall are two windows,
each of two ogee-headed trefoiled lights under a
square head with a label and head stops; both are
apparently of late 14th-century date. There are
indications in the walling outside that the second
window occupies the site of an earlier and larger
window. Between them is a modern priest's doorway; over this doorway are the stones of a former
flat-arched doorway and the jambs of an earlier
window, while to the west is another blocked squareheaded doorway apparently contemporary with the
windows. The chancel arch has been much mutilated
and altered; the inner order of the arch is missing,
the responds have been cut away, while the south capital
is mutilated and the north capital has either been recut
or replaced by one with 18th-century mouldings.
There are three windows in the south wall of the
nave; the first is of two trefoiled lights under a
square head, the second is similar except that the
middle foils are wider; both windows are late 14thcentury insertions. West of the second window are
a straight joint and the quoins of the blocked doorway
mentioned above. The third window is modern; it is
of two trefoiled lights under a square head, and occupies
the site of another large blocked doorway of uncertain
date. The marks of its porch are also visible on the
wall. Further west is the blocking of a small modern
window. The north arcade consists of three bays;
the columns are round, the responds half-round, with
bases moulded with a double roll and plain capitals
octagonal above the bell; the round arches are of two
chamfered orders.
The north aisle is lighted by two modern windows.
Near the west end is a blocked doorway with a lintel
arched below. In the west wall is a late squareheaded single light. There is also a blocked modern
square-headed window in the east wall of the aisle.
This wall abuts upon the nave wall with a straight
joint, but there is no straight joint at the west end.
An 18th-century doorway in the west wall, with a
contemporary porch, forms the chief entrance to the
church, over which is a small rectangular window.
The roofs are gabled with plastered and ribbed
pointed barrel vaulting to the chancel and a lean-to
roof to the aisle. The furniture is modern. A gallery
stands at the west end of the nave. There are some
remains of ancient painted cheveron decoration on
the eastern arch of the arcade and on the north jamb
of the chancel arch.
A gravestone of 14th-century date stands against
the north wall of the chancel inside; on it is a raised
cross with a floreated head and foliated stem ending
in a trefoil; flanking the stem are a pair of shears
and a book. Several very early stones also remain;
one is part of the head of a cross, on which is carved
the Crucifixion, with expanded arms and knot-work
in the spandrels, and there are two other pieces of
similar design with knot-work.
The two bells are hung in a small cote over the
chancel arch, with two round-headed piercings and
a coped top. The first bell is undated, the second is
inscribed 'God save his church 1620.'
The plate consists of a pewter flagon and plate and
a silver cup bearing the York marks, with an illegible
date-letter. The maker's mark is I. T., for John
Thompson of York (Lord Mayor 1685, died 1692).
The registers begin in 1593.
Advowson
The advowson of the church of
Fingall was in the king's hands in
1236, as part of the lands late of the
Duke of Britanny, lord of the honour of Richmond. (fn. 111)
In 1281–2 it was held by Sir John le Breton, (fn. 112) and
descended with his fee in Eppleby (fn. 113) (q.v.). In 1332
Richard Alman of Newsham with Julia his wife gave
it to Sir Geoffrey Scrope, (fn. 114) and in 1351 John de
Gonerby quitclaimed to Sir Henry Scrope his
advowson of Fingall Church, (fn. 115) which henceforth
descended with the manor of Constable Burton (q.v.).
Roald II granted the 'chaplainship (capellania) of
my house, that is one third of the tithes of Burton,
Aldbrough and Caldwell, and whatever belongs to
the chapels of these places' to Easby Abbey on condition that they provided a chaplain, and he and the
abbey came to a final agreement on this point in
1229. (fn. 116)
Charities
A principal sum of £5, formerly
in the hands of the overseers as
poor's money, the interest of which
was regularly distributed at Christmas, has been lost
sight of. A weekly sum of 4s. was also formerly paid
to the use of four poor widows of the township of
Constable Burton by the Wyvill family, which was
considered by them as a voluntary payment only.
Thomas Knight, by will proved 1858, bequeathed
£100, the interest to be distributed among the poor.
The legacy is represented by £96 12s. 10d. consols
with the official trustees, the annual dividends of
which, amounting to £2 8s. 4d., are usually distributed in equal shares among twelve poor persons.