Parishes (East Ward): Long Marton

THE PARISH OF LONG MARTON

Including the Manors of Brampton and Knock.

Within this parish there are three Townships each constituting a manor, viz. Marton, Brampton and Knock. Marton belonged to the family of Veteripont in the reign of Henry III, afterwards to the Cliffords by whom it was held during the reigns of Edward III and Richard II, then it passed to the name of Holland and Sir John de Holland, knt., held it 15 Richard II. During the reigns of Henry v and Henry VI it was held by the family of Gray but by some means or other it fell into the hands of Henry VIII.

The manor of Brampton belonged anciently to a family of its own name, afterwards it came to the Graystocks in whom it continued until the latter end of Henry v, when it passed to the Lancaster family and continued therein until the reign of Elizabeth when it passed to the three co-heiresses of the last male heir.

The manor of Knock Shalcock belonged in the reigns of Edward II and III to the family of Boyville, afterwards to the Rookby and then to the Lancaster families.

THE CHURCH.

The original dedication of the church is a little uncertain. John de Morland, rector, in his will (1358) desired to be buried in the quire of the Blessed Margaret of Marton; Hugh Todd and Nicolson and Burn speak of St. Margaret and St. James; while Ecton's Thesaurus only mentions St. James.

The church of Long Marton has been always an ecclesiastical Rectory. The first mention of it occurs in the "Antique Taxatio Ecclesiastica" which was a taxation of Benefices made by the authority of Pope Nicholas IV, about the year 1291, or the 20th year of Edward I. According to this document, still remaining in the King's Remembrancer's office in the Court of Exchequer, the Rectory of Long Marton was then estimated to be of the annual value of £20, there are no particulars of the specific glebe, lands or tithes mentioned but merely the general gross value.

The next valuation was made in 11 Edward II by the Bishop of Carlisle in pursuance of a Royal Mandate directed to him; in this "Novo Taxatio" the Rectory was valued at no more than £4 yearly.

No survey or taxation of the church occurs between this period and that of 26 Henry VIII, 1535, which was made by Parliamentary Authority, as follows:—

The Commonwealth Survey of 1657 gives the following:—That the right of presentation to the church is in the Countess of Pembroke. That Mr. Lancelot Lowther is incumbent there and hath for his maintenance the tithes of corn, wool, lamb and all other small dues and tithes within the parish which are worth £65 by the year and also the glebe land belonging to the same which is worth £15 by the year.

In May, 1334, Robert de Clifford presented John de Morland to the rectory of Merton Parva, when the bishop directed the rural dean of Westmorland and the vicar of Appleby to hold an inquisition into the right of patronage. This was duly held and John de Morland was inducted.

John de Morland, rector of Marton (1334–1358), made his will on 20 March, 1357–8, in which he desired to be buried in the choir of the Blessed Margaret of Marton. He left 40d. to the fabric and tower of his church, and 2s. a piece to four bridges, viz.:—two over the Eden at Appleby and Sowerby and two over the Troutbeck at Kirkby Thore and Marton. Testa. Karl., 17. The church was considerably altered during the 14th century and probably by this rector.

Robert de Wolseley made his will on the morrow of the Feast of St. Peter ad Vincula, 2 August, 1367, in which he desires to be buried in the church of Marton, leaving to the altar there 13s. 4d. Testa. Karl., 86.

On 22 November, 1655, Lancelot Lowther, minister of Long Marton, being summoned by the Commonwealth to give an account of his title to the place appeared and produced an Instrument of Approbation under the seal of the Commissioners of Approbation of Public Preachers, bearing date 30 March, 1655, to invest him in the full possession of that parsonage.

Bishop Nicolson in his visitation of 10 July, 1703, records that the "children were formerly taught in the vestry of the church, but now in Knock porch in the south aisle." The church was restored in 1880 and the churchyard was enlarged in 1910.

A list of the Incumbents whose names have been met with during the present research.

SCHOOLS.

Long Marton School.

Here the school was endowed in 1824 with the interest of £20 left by Thomas Machel, who also bequeathed £20 for the encouragement of a singing master to teach psalmody at the church.

Brampton School.

Indenture made 24 December, 1833, between George Atkinson of the Inner Temple, London, and Isabella Atkinson of Appleby, widow, of the one part, and the rector of Long Marton for the time being, Rev. Thomas Bellas of Bongate and many others of the second part. Whereby George and Isabella Atkinson sell for five shillings to the other parties a freehold piece of land upon which a school house has lately been erected by subscription in the township of Brampton, parish of Longmarton, bounded on the east and northeast by a parcel of land called Top Closes and on the west and south by the highway from Longmarton Church to the King's way, to have and to hold according to the form and effect of a certain indenture and release prepared and engrossed and intended to bear date the day after these presents.

Indenture made 25 December, 1833, between the said parties whereby the said George and Isabella Atkinson release all their right in the said premises to the said parties for the use of a school for instructing children to read, write and cast accounts and such other knowledge as shall be thought useful, and suffer such person as shall be appointed to act as schoolmaster. Close Roll, 11190, pt. 169, n. 2. The school-house was enlarged in 1900.

HALL.

Brampton Hall.

The ancient manor house, Nicolson and Burn say, was built anew by Thomas Burton, grandson of Richard Burton, rector of this parish, which Thomas was a Justice of the Peace for Westmorland in the time of Oliver Cromwell, and was afterwards knighted by Charles 11 for divers services he had performed (though an Oliverian) to the royal party. The said Sir Thomas sold the hall to the ancestor of George Baker of Ellemore Hall, who sold the same to divers of the inhabitants who demolished the hall, leaving only so much as was sufficient for a farm house.

BRIDGES.

Long Marton, over the Troutbeck.

John de Morland, rector of Long Marton, in his will dated 20 March, 1357/8 bequeathed 2s. to the bridge over the Troutbeck at Merton. Testa. Karl., 18.

On 9 January, 1737/8, Quarter Sessions received a petition from the inhabitants setting forth that this bridge was a public one and that the way at the ends thereof was founderous and bad; ordered that the High Constables of the East and West Wards with all convenient speed do view the said ways and report to the next Sessions. On 10 April following it was ordered that 1d. in the pound be assessed and levied for repairing the public bridge.

On 3 April, 1780, Quarter Sessions ordered the High Constable of the East Ward to pay the contractor for rebuilding Long Marton Bridge. During the great flood on 2 February, 1822, when so many of the County bridges were destroyed, this bridge was damaged considerably. On 22 October, 1830, it was ordered that 60 feet of iron railing be erected at the north end of the bridge to give an overflow and prevent danger from floods and that the rest of the road be protected by a wall three feet high. On 17 August, 1892, it was reported to the County Council that the bridge is only 13 feet 6 inches in width between the parapets; and in 1929 the Council suggested widening it by 6 feet on the upstream side.

Sandie.

On 9 January, 1681, upon the petition of the inhabitants of Dufton, Quarter Sessions ordered that the inhabitants of Brampton do appear at the next Sessions to answer why they do not repair Sandie Bridge or show good cause to the contrary.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

1295 3 May.

William de Cumbe, rector of Long Marton, owes £10 to the executors of Isabella de Clifford. By August, 1298, the rector having become blind W. Bonkes was put in charge of the church as coadjutor.

1300

John de Medburn, who was a minor at the time, was admitted to the living, and on 6 March, 1299–1300 William de Brampton was given the custody of the church and of John until he became of age. He is to provide for John's maintenance in the schools and the supply of the cure. On 9 October, 1303 John de Medburn was instituted. Bp. John de Halton's Register.

1371

Know all men etc. that I Christopher de Lancaster have given and granted etc. to Sir John Boukyn, rector of Marton, and Sir Adam de Brokelstowe, chaplain, as interim feoffees, my manor of Hartsop with its belongings, to have and to hold in lands, etc. without retention of anything belonging, of the chief lords of the fee by service, etc. for all time. Dated on Wednesday next after the Purification of St. Mary, 45 Edward III. The release was granted on the Friday next after the Feast of St. Gregory the Pope.

1378–9 Hilary.

Thomas de Musgrave, knt., by Adam Crosseby his attorney, against William de Loundres, late parson of the church of Merton in a plea that he render unto him £117 which he owes. De Banco Rolls 473, m. 201d.; 474, m. 167d.; 475, m. 109d.

1379 Trinity.

John parson of the church of Merton against Robert Walker of Merton, whereas it was ordained by Edward, late King of England, and grandfather of the present king, that if any servant was retained in the service of any one by agreement, and withdrew without reasonable cause or licence he should be subject to imprisonment, the same Robert being formerly in the service of the said John at Merton withdrew from his said service without cause to the grave damage of the said John. De Banco Rolls, 475, m. 43d.; 476, m. 366.

1415

Long Marton paid a fifteenth as a subsidy to the king amounting to 22s.; Knock, 10s. and Brampton 14s. 6d. A total of £2. 6s. 6d. Excheq. Q.R. Miscell. Books, vol. 7.

1669–1672 Hearth Tax Roll

1669–1672 Hearth Tax Roll, Lay Subisdy, 195, n. 73.

LONG MARTON.

Seventeen householders were exempted from paying the Tax by Certificate.

BRAMPTON.

Twenty householders were exempted from paying the Tax by Certificate.

KNOCK.

Four householders were exempted from paying the Tax by Certificate.

1677 23 April.

Ordered that a warrant of good behaviour be issued against William Stephenson of Brampton, for not assisting the other constable to execute a warrant directed by Robert Hilton one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace.

1706 7 October.

Presentment that William Raisbeck of Long Marton, yeo., Mary his wife and Elizabeth Raisbeck, spinster, did forcibly erect a stone wall upon Long Marton common, encroaching 15 yards in length and 15 yards in breadth upon the common of the Rt. Hon. Thomas lord Wharton to the injury of the inhabitants and tenants of the manor of Long Marton. They were fined 6d.

1770

Brampton Common was enclosed in 1770; 500 acres in Long Marton and 500 acres of stinted pasture called Marton Park were enclosed in 1804, Robert Lumb of Lowther, John Housman of Corby and John Hobson of Dufton being the Commissioners. Knock Common was enclosed in 1815.

1796 26 November.

For the provision of soldiers to serve in the army, as requested by a late Act, the parish of Long Marton together with the Townships of Milburn and Smardale, having 101 inhabited houses had to provide two men or be fined £20 for each man missing from that quota.

1802 15 January.

John Stephenson of Great Strickland and John Ellison of Colby, being Protestant Dissenters from the Church of England, produced a certificate that a house in Long Marton now in the occupation of Thomas Pearson, heretofore licenced by the Bishop of Carlisle, is intended to be a place of meeting for religious worship. They both took in open court the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy the oath of Abjuration and made the Declaration against the doctrine of Transubstantiation and subscribed the same according to Law.

1818

The Wesleyan Methodist chapel at Long Marton was erected at a cost of £400 with one hundred sittings; it was built upon land given by Mrs. Mary Brunskill, who afterwards bequeathed two acres of land which sold for £160, to assist in paying off the debt of its erection. At Espland Hill in Brampton the Wesleyan chapel was built in 1866 with eighty sittings. At Knock the same Denomination built their chapel in 1873 with sittings for sixty persons.