Norton, Cuckeney, Langwath

NORTON, CUCKENEY, LANGWATH, Bonbusk, Walley, Milnethorp, Holme Howbeck, Woodhouse, Hatfeild, Colingthwait, Belgh (or Bellers) Grange.

The principal part of Cuckeney (the chief of all these, and perhaps some other small Hamlets) was the fee of Hugh Fitz-Baldric, and before the conquest the freehold of Swen, who then answered for his manor to the geld (or tax) as two car. The land four car. (fn. 1) (when the conquerour took his survey one.) Richard held it of Hugh, and there had in demesne two car. and three sochm. on two bov. of land, and ten vill. five bord. having three carucats (or plows.) There was a priest and a church, and two mills 8s. pasture wood four quar. long, and four qu. broad. This kept the value it had in the time of king Edward the consessour, viz. 30s. In Cuchenay there was also of the fee of Roger de Busli, where before the conquest Alric and Vlsi had two manors answering the tax for one car. The land whereof was sufficient for two plows or two car. There afterwards Goisfrid the man (or tenent) of Roger had one car. and nine vill. having three car. pasture wood two qu. long, two qu. broad. In the consessours time this was 20s. value, then when Doomsday book was made 2s. less.

(fn. 2) Joceus de Flemangh came to the conquest of England, in the time of William duke of Normandy, and acquired in Cukeney the third part of a knights fee, and the said Joce (fn. 3) (afterwards frequently called Coste) begot a certain son Ric. by name. In the same town of Cukeney (fn. 4) there dwelt (or remained) a certain man who was called Gamelbere (or Gamelkere) who was an old Drenghe (or Dreyinghe) before the conquest (interpreted by the learned sir Henry Spelman. a knight, or one that held lands as it were by military (fn. 5) (or knights) service) and (accordingly) he held two carcucats of land in the same town, of the king in capite, for such service of shooing the kings palsrey upon four feet, with the kings nails (or shooing materials) [de Cluario, or Cloera Domini Regis] as oft as he should lie at his manor of Maunsfeld, and if he put in all the nails [incloaverit] the king should give him a palsrey of four marks (or he was to have the kings palsrey, giving the king five marks of silver, as the jury in 3 E. 3. (fn. 6) found the service; as he was also if he lamed the horse, pricked him, or shod him strait, &c. [inclaudet or includat] as it was found 23 E: 1, (fn. 7) not so agreeably.) And if an army should be in Wales, he was to do service according to the quantity of two carucats of land, and likewise for homage.

Gamelbere died without heirs of himself, and the land was an eschaet in the hand of king Henry the first. And that king gave that land to Richard, son of the said Joce and his heirs, to be held of him by the said service. And the said Richard took a wife in Nottingham, by name N. and begot on her a son called Richard; she died, and this Richard took another wife, cousin of the earl of Ferrers; and that earl would not give him his cousin unless he would give his said cousin, and her heirs of her to be begotten, some land. And the said Richard, before he married Hawife, the cousin of the earl, gave her and the heirs of her to be begotten, two carucats of land in Cukenay, which the said king gave him by the said service; (which some will think had relation to the name of Ferrers). And the said Richard on her begot a certain son, by name Thomas; and the said Thomas was nourished in the kings court, and after the death of Richard his father, held that land by the service aforesaid of the said king well and in peace untill the old war: and then he made himself a castle in the said land of Cukeney; for this Thomas was a warlike man (or souldier) in the whole war.— And after the said war, the kingdom of England being pacisied, and king Henry the second reigning, he founded the abby of Welbeck. This Thomas took to wife Emma, and begot on her a daughter Isabell by name. After the death of the said Thomas, the said Isabell his daughter was in the custody (or wardship) of the king, by reason of the two carucats of land in Cukeney. And the said king gave the custody and marriage of the said Isabell to Simon Fitz-Simon, who married her, who gave the mill of Cukeney with the appurtenances, and custom, and works, lying to it, to the abby of Welbeck; and all their land in Deystorth and Bastegate, and their whole land which they had at Langwaith, and one bovat in the field of Cukeney upon Hattefeild, &c. And the said Simon begot on the said Isabell three daughters, viz. Agnes, Isabel, and Petronilla (or Parnell) and after the deaths of Simon and Isabel their said three daughters were in the kings custody; and the king gave their custody and marriage to sir Walter de Fawcomberg; and the said Walter himself married the said Agnes the eldest; and gave Isabell the second to Walter de Riebos to wife; and Patronilla the third he gave to Stephen de Faucomberg his brother to wife, with the said two carucats in Cukeney, which he held of the king, reserving to himself and his heirs the advowson of the abby of Welbek, quit from the said Petronilla and her heirs, as appears by a fine levyed between them in the kings court. The said Walter and Agnes confirmed to the said abby all the gifts of the said Thomas de Cukeny, and Simon Fitz-Simon, and Isabell his wife, as did Gerard de Glanvill, and Emme his wife, &c.

Peter, son of Walter de Faucomberg, released from himself and his heirs to the said abby all the right in that demand, which he had against the said abby concerning the prestation or performance of one palsrey to him, to be done of every abbat newly made or created.

Walter de Faucomberg, son and heir of Peter de Faucomberg, likewise released all that demand which he exacted concerning the palsrey, &c.

Walter, son of Walter de Faucomberg, granted to the said abby all the right and claim which he had in that tost upon Humbre in Whiten.

John de Faucomberg, son of Walter de Faucomberg, confirmed to Simon, son of Galfr. de Whiten, the lands and tenements given to the said abby in Whiten, and that demand concerning one palsrey, or the value as before.

Stephen, who married the third daughter Petronilla, begot on her a son named William. This William was in the custody of king John, and the said king gave his wardship (or custody) and marriage to Adam de St. Martin, and the said Adam gave to the said William, Ida his daughter to wife, and the said William begot on the said Ida a son Henry by name. Between the said Henry, and William, son of Thomas, a certain sine was levied of all lands and tenements in Cukeney, and the said Henry took up the said land, and gave for relief to the king 100s. and to the said king did homage. The said Henry begot a son by name William, who took to wife the daughter of Maltilda, lady of Goushull, and begot on her three sons, John, Henry, and William, The aforesaid William, father of the said John, Henry, and William, released to the said abby his whole right concerning all customs and services, and concerning the prestation (or giving) of a palfrey at every removal or creation of the abbat of the said abby, as appeareth by the fine. That John the first begotten of the said William was a fool, neither could he hold the land of his father. But Henry the second son made fine with the king for the said land, with such condition that he shall sustein his elder brother, but he died shortly after. And so that said Henry held the said land, and afterwards espoused the daughter of sir Robert de Hertford, Elena by name, and as it is more fully found in the book of Memorand's in the exchequer, 31 E. 1, William de Faucomberg, knight, son and heir of sir Henry de Faucomberg. knight, granted for himself and his heirs to the abby and covent of Welbek, all and all manner of common which they had in Burneflat, &c.

(fn. 8) Petronilla, daughter of Simon Fitz-Simon, in 2 Joh. ought 20s. for having her imparlance [Loquela] in the kings court at Westminster against R. (W.) de Faucomberg, and Agnes his wife, and Walter de Rieboef, and Ysabel his wife, concerning her reasonable part of the xxth part of one knight in Kukeney, and the sixth part of one knights fee in Hocwell.

(fn. 9) Sir Henryde Fawconberg, knight, by his deed dated at Yorke the last day of September Anno Dom. 1329, 2 E: 3, (mistaken for 3 E: 3,) passed to John de Hotham, bishop of Ely, his whole manor of Cukeney, with the appurtenances, together with the knights fees and advowsons, as well of the abby of Wellebecke as others, with all his lands and tenements in Holbeck by Cukeney, as well those which he lately acquired in fee of Thomas de Furneux, as others, &c. in the towns or hamlets of Cukney, Langwath, Bondbusk, Holbeck, Woodhouse, Milnethorpe, Cloun, and Norton, or otherwhere in this county, &c. all which the said bishop conveyed to the abbat and covent of Wellbeck, in the time of the justices itinerant at Notingham, 4 Dec. 1329, 3 E. 3, by his deed then inrolled.

(fn. 10) Henry de Faucomberg, 10 E. 2, had market and fair granted at Cokeney, and (his grandfather) Henry de Faucomburge in 38 H: 3, (fn. 11) had free warren there.

(fn. 12) The process of the land of Cukeney of the honour of Tikhill was as followeth.

(fn. 13) Joceus le Flemingh came to the conquest of England in the time of William duke of Normandy, and got in Cukeney the third part of a knights fee; and the said Joce begot a certain son by name Richard. This Richard took a wife in Notingham, by name N. and begot on her a certain son, by name Richard. This Richard enseoffed the house of Welbek of the whole third part of a knights fee aforesaid, viz. of the land of Langwat, with the Hay of Cukeney, reserving to himself the capital mess. in Cukeney, and nine bovats of land, and did the service to the chief lords of the fee of Tikhill for the said abbat and his successours. This Richard begot a son named Richard, who confirmed the gift of his father. This Richard begot a son, by name Thomas. This Thomas impleaded the abbat of Wellebek concerning the third part of a knights fee, and at length there was a final concord made between them before the justies itinerant at Bristoll, so that the abbat should give him 10s. per annum, for making suit to the court of Tikhill, for the said abbat and his successours. This Thomas begot a certain son, by name William Goschite. This William begot a certain daughter, by name Joane, and enfeoff d the house of Welbek of six bovats of land, reserving to himself two bovats of land and the capital messuage; afterwards he sold all his right to John his brother, who for thest (or larceny) was hanged at Notingham, and his land was an eschaet in the hands of the lords of Tikhill. Afterwards came Joane, the daughter of the said William, and impleaded the lords of Tikhill concerning the said land, and got it before the justices at Nottingham, and enseoffed Robert le Porter of Welbek, who afterwards married her. That Robert afterwards enseoffed Henry de Screveton of that land. That Henry enseossed Petronilla de Sulkholm, and afterwards married her; Henry died without children. And the said Petronilla feoffed Benedict de Thornebiry, who afterwards married her. That Benedict after the death of Petronilla, sold his whole right to the abbat and covent of Wellebek by the kings licence. And the abbat did suit at the court of Tykhill from three weeks to three weeks for the said land.

Memorandum, anno dom. 1201, 2 Joh. the day of the translation of St. Martin, John, son of Thomas de Cukeney, was convict by a certain appealer, viz. Raph de Edenestowe, and afterwards hanged, and the justices to deliver the goal were Raph de Frechevile, William de Mortein, Hugh de la Chapele, Simon de Hedon.

(fn. 14) Joane, the daughter of William, son of Thomas, 8 E: 1, offered herself the fourth day against Aymon earl of Cevenne, and Constancia his wife, in a plea of fifteen acres of land, and 20s. rent, with the appurtenances in Cokenay, which she claimed as her right, &c.

(fn. 15) Raph Silvan was brother of Thomas the founder of Wellebek; his son Osbert Silvan had the manor of Woodhouse, and Raph Silvan was his son and heir, and had a son and heir Osbert Selvan, all of them benefactors to that house.

(fn. 16) Robert Pyrpount, 3 E: 3, offered himself against Anketin Salveyn concerning a plea of the manor of Wodhous near Cokeney, with the appurtenances, except one mess. and twelve acres of land in that manor, and he came not, &c. (fn. 17) Robert Perpount chr. pleaded likewise for land in Kirkeby in Ashefeld. Anketine Salveyn it seems, 15 E: 1, (fn. 18) was son and heir of Raph Salveyn, and Margery his wife, one of the daughters and co-heirs of Nicolas, son of Anketine Malory. This family of Silvans seem to have had their name from their residence at this manor in these woods.

(fn. 19) Barth. Monboucher chr. of the county of Northumberland, and Robert Martell of this county, and others, 15 July, 6 R: 2, personally undertook in the kings chancery for Edmund Perpont chr. under the pain of 1000l. that he should not do or procure any mischief to the abbat of Wellebec, his canons or men of his council, or men summoned in a certain assize of novel disseisin between the said abbat and him, to be taken before the justices of assize at Nott.

(fn. 20) King Henry the eighth for the sum of 617l. 6s. 8d. July 15, 32 H: 8, granted to George Perpoynt of Walley in the county of Derby, esq. the manors Bondbusk, Langwith, Howbeck, and Woodhouse, with the appurtenances, (except the tythe of Nether Langweth) late belonging to the monastery of Welbeck; sir George Pierpont likewise bought the tythes of corn and hay in the towns Cuckney, Norton, Hatfeild Grange, Milnethorpe, Howbeck, Woodhouse, Bondbusk, and Colingthwait; and in 6 E: 6, the manor of Cuckney, with all the appurtenances, and the granges of Hatfeild and Colingthwait, Langwith and the Park are now the inheritance of William earl of Devonshire. The rest descended to Robert earl of Kingston, who dwelt at his ancient house of Woodhouse the most part of forty years, but his son and heir Henry the marquess of Dorchester resides at Holme by Nott.

(fn. 21) The owners of Norton Cuckney town in 1612, are said to be Robert Perpoint, esq. Geossrey Snowden, Will. Barker, John Jepson, one mess. one cott. two orchards, forty acres of land, and Richard Sandford.

(fn. 22) The vicarage of Cukney was 10l. when the abbat Welbeck was patron: 'Tis now 9l. 8s. 6d. ob. value in the kings books, and the marquess of Dorchester patron.

[Throsby] Cuckney and Langwath.

Lord Bathurst is principal proprietor of land here; it is enclosed.

The village, within these few years, has increased considerably in magnitude. Its present consequence has been occasioned by the worsted and cotton manufactory established lately here. Here are children from the foundling hospital, London, who are employed at the respective mills, and are kept in excellent order. They live in cottages, built for the purpose, under the care of superintendants; boys under one roof and girls under another: an apothecary attends them at stated times to preserve health. They are trained to the duties of religion and are sed plentifully. It is happy that these little aliens to kindred affection, should, by the bounty of the good and opulent, be made such useful members of society, and ornaments of philauthropy.

Cuckney church, from the chanoel end to that of the tower, is about 42 yards. The tower is handsome. Part of an old stone, on the floor of the church, retains in blackletter, I think, the date 1351. Part of another has a cross, and in old characters, Hic jacet Frater Simon de—afterberry. qu'od a' rector hejus ecclesia. Here are several other remains of old stones, in the cossin form.

I have noticed, page 103, vol. 2, two lines on a gravestone in this church-yard, merely to shew how ignorance may pervert the best of meanings. It is a pity but the clergy would be somewhat careful, in their respective parishes, that no perversion of things of a religious tendency, at least, should appear in churches or church-yards.— In Cuckney church-yard is this offensive, but most probably affectionately intended thing, by the same scribe:—

A longe flattering sickness did me Greeve No helpe Nor Medicin Could me Relieve then patiently i did Resign My Breath in hopes To find More Comfort after death.

Langwath near Cukney,

Langwath near Cukney, is the seat of earl Bathurst. (fn. 23) This family residence is seldom used as such by the present owner, indeed it is not frequently visited by the family. The principal seats of earl Bathurst are at Cirencester, in Gloucestershire, and Fairy Hill in the county of Kent. There is not much of field embellishment about this seat; and in conse quence of its being so little used, as such, no great attention appears to be paid to the pleasure grounds, or any of the appendages to the dwelling; doubtless at the chief seats of this venerable nobleman, field scenery and the groves richly abound.