Serleby, Barneby on the More, Ranskill and Torworth

SERLEBY. BARNEBY on the More. RANSKILL, and TORWORTH.

Aluric had a manor in Serleby before the conquest which paid the geld for one bov. and an half. (fn. 1) The land being then one car. There Gislebert the man of of Roger de Busli, whose see it was afterwards, had one car. and five vill. and eight bord. with three plows or carucats, and one mill of 3s. The value was 20s. in the Conquerours time as it had been in the Confessours.

(fn. 2) Matilda de Mules, 10 R. 1, ought one mark for licence to make a ditch between the wood of Serleby, and the fields. Matild de Moles in the former part of the reign of Henry the third, paid one mark for half a knights see in Serleby; (fn. 3) and another time Hugh de Serleby paid 30s. for three parts of a knights see in Serleby of the honour of Mumbray.

(fn. 4) Hugh de Sereleby married Matild de Moles to whom Roger de Mowbray gave the manor of Serleby in the time of king John (or before.) There was a fine levied at Leicester the first Monday after the feast of St. Andrew, 10 Joh. (fn. 5) between Osmund the abbat of Roch, petent, and Thomas de Sandale. and Matild his wife, summoned to warrant to the said abbat one bovat of land, with the appurtenances in Torthewrth, whereof the said abbat and covent had the charter of the said Matild in these words, Be it known, that I Matildis de Moles have given, and, by this my charter confirmed to God and St. Mary of Roch, and the monks there serving God, one bov. of land, with the appurtenances in Torthewrth, viz. that which was Alexander Crassi's, and one culture of land of thirty and eight acres in the territory of the said town, and pasture for an hundred sheep every where in the common pasture of the said town; and furthermore, all the lands which the men of Blyth held of Hugh de Moles my brother, and afterwards of me, in the fields of Serleby and Torthewrthe, and all the rents of those lands, &c.

(fn. 6) In Turdeworde before the conquest Brixi and Caschi had two manors which, paid to the geld for six bov. The land being one car. Afterwards Azo the priest had it of Roger de Busli, and it was waste. There was pasture wood one leu. long, and one qu. broad. In King Edward the confessours time this was valued at 20s. in the conquerours at 3s.

(fn. 7) Hugh de Molis for the health of his soul, and of his fathers and mothers souls, & also of his predecessours, gave to the church of St. Mary of Blyth 5 bov. of land & an half, with all their appurtenances of Tordeord, viz. two bov. ½. which Osbert held, and one which Reginald held, and one which Robert held, and one bovat which his own mother held, on condition that the children of Henry de Bilbi should hold the said land of the said monast. by right of inheritance, yielding to the monks a pound of pepper yearly at Blyth fair for all services, saving the foreign service. This gift he made to those children for the payment of eight marks, which he ought them of the divise (de divisione) of Henry their father. (fn. 8) Hugh de Moles granted and released to God, St. Mary and the monks of Blyth, Robert, son of Siward, who was his man and native: he renounced also his claim which he had against Ginet Magnus of Blyth, and Thomas Leman, and all his brothers and sisters, and their whole progeny then present and to come, this claim he quit before the Kings justices at Blyth, viz. Hubert Walter and other who were with him when the King caused him to gather the tenths through England.

(fn. 9) Maud, the daughter of Henry de Wincester, by the consent of Richard de Lindesey her husband gave to the monks of Blyth the whole medow which lay to that bovat of land which sell to her in Blyth of the land of Hugh her brother: this alms she gave that day in which the said monks took her for a sister.

(fn. 10) Matildis de Moles in her widowhood granted to Robert de Kelesolt the firm of three acres which Roger Knodi held of her in the fields of Torrewrd, and the whole service, &c.

William, son of William de Kelesalth, gave to the prior and covent of Blyth 12d. rent to be received yearly of Roger Cnodis and his heirs for three acres of land in the fields of Torthewrd.

(fn. 11) Serleby and Tordworth, 9 E. 2, answered for half a villa, and Hugh de Serleby was then lord.

(fn. 12) The jury, 29 E. 1, said that Hugh de Serleby held the manor of Serleby, with the hamlet of Tortheworth by the service of a knights fee of Roger de Moubray then dead. This Hugh was son of Robert, son of the first Hugh, and Matildis de Moles, and his son was Oliver de Serleby, who, 3 E. 3, (fn. 13) claimed to have free warren in all his demesne lands of Serleby and Thoreswath granted to Hugh de Serleby, 25 E. 1. (fn. 14)

Serleby hath been anciently enjoyed by one of that name until our time, that (Anthony) Serleby, esquire, the lord of that lordship, and of Harthill, and Woodhall in Yorkshire, having no issue, estated them both upon Gertude his wife, the daughter of (Raph) Leek of Hasland, esq; for her life, and twenty one years after, whereupon the heir of the family and name being poor hath sold it to Mr. William Saunderson of Blyth (fn. 15)

She was afterwards wife of sir George Chaworth, which easily brought Harthill and Woodhall to that family, so that it was very lately the inheritance of my lord Chaworth, who indeed is descended from a daughter of Serleby, as in Wiverton may be seen. The arms of Serleby, which are at Annesley, are Gules a Crosse Moline Arg. charged with Mullets of six poynts Sable, and over all a Bendlett Countercompony Arg. and Azure.

(fn. 16) In Barneby of Roger de Buslies see were two manors which before he came were Turverts and Sores, who paid for them to the geld as one bov. ½. The land was for four oxen (or four bovats.) It was waste. There was one acre of medow, pasture wood one qu. long, half a qu. broad. In the time of Edward the confessour the value was 10s. in the conquerours 12d. There was some of Barneby with Lund ancient demesne of the soc of Bodmescell.

(fn. 17) Adam de Barneby, by the assent and will of his wife and his heirs, quit-claimed to the monks of Blyth, all the right he had in the more of Barneby which the prior had inclosed within his court, and within his walls, and released to them for ever all nusance which should happen to his see from the walls and waters of the said prior.

(fn. 18) William, the chaplain of Gameleston, released to sir William the prior of Blyth his whole right in the whole land of Barneby within the town and without, except that bovat which Wyot held.

(fn. 19) Wyot de Barneby released to the said prior and covent in the year 1235, all his right in the wood of Barneby, and in one rood of land within the inclosure of their manor of Barneby, viz. that rode next the two rodes which Rob. son of Richard, gave, saving to him the said Wyot, and his heirs, only common pasture of herb and acorn for the cattle of his own rearing [nutriture] with common of Feuger, and common of dry boughs prostrate on the earth by blast of wind or age, so that neither the said Wyot de Barneby, nor his heirs should without the special licence of the prior stretch forth his or their hand to any vert or green [viride] in the said wood.

Thomas the clark of Barneby released also his right in the said wood of Barneby, so did Walter, son of Thomas de Barneby, all that he pleaded to belong to seven bovats or oxgangs which he the said Walter, and Robert, and William Leman, held of the said prior and covent, whereof he impleaded them by the Kings writ in the time of Stephen de Segrave, saving to him his common pasture and herb and acorn of (or for) his proper cattle of his own nurture (or rearing) while the said wood should endure, which it was lawful for the said prior and covent to assert and till, when ever they should please, without the impediment of the said Walter or his heirs, and when the fruits were carried off, the said Walter, with the rest of the men of the town were to have common; for this the said prior and covent gave him six marks of silver. Several others released what they had in the wood called Ravelound.

(fn. 20) — the daughter of William Frer. of Barneby, made fine with sir William Burdun, prior of Blith, for Leyerwith (mulct for incontinence) and for having licence of marrying herself whither she would; she gave 2s. 6d. the Thursday in Easter week 1290.

(fn. 21) Roger, son of Randulf, son of Roger de Maresey, granted and confirmed the whole gift of his fee in the town of Barneby, as his ancestors had made it, to God and St. Mary, and the monks of Blyth, to whom Thomas de Maresey also released all demand of homage, fealty, and fuit of court. (fn. 22)

(fn. 23) Raneschell was of arch-bishop Thomas his fee, with Ostone, and paid to the geld as four bov.½. The land one car. It was waste before the conquest, and so continued in King Williams time. Godric held it before, and the said Thomas arch-bishop of Yorke after the Norman change.

(fn. 24) The owners of Serleby, Tarworth, and Farrworth in 1612, are thus set down, George Chaworth, knight, 13l. 6s. 8d. — Wood, gent. 20s Richard Newcombe, junior, three oxgangs, John Dobson, Richard Olsyver 13s. 4d. Robert Sturton 20s. Anthony Denton 20s. Henry Hawson, Thomas Chawner, Robert Tibbott, Richard Newcombe, senior, — Cartwright of Wheatley, — Browne, widow, Mrs. More, widow 13s. 4d.

(fn. 25) The owners of Barneby town 1612, are thus, sir Peter Fretwell, knight, Robert. Eyre, John Lyllye, Thomas Crumwell, Robert Upton, Thomas Meare, Raph Wilson, Andrew Barret, alderman and Burgesses of Newark, Roger Gregory.

(fn. 26) The vicarage of Blyth was twenty marks, when the prior of Blyth was patron: 'tis now 14l 9s. 4d. ob. value in the Kings books, and the patronage belongs to Trinity Colledge in Cambridge.

[Throsby] Serleby,

Is owned by Lord Galway, about 500 acres. The river Righton runs thro' this lordship. Here stands much wood divided into walks, and ridings.

In Serleby was formerly a chapel, a member of Hareworth, but destroyed.

Sereleby Hall,

The seat of Lord Galway, (fn. 27) before it was rebuilt, was the resident mansion of Mrs. Sanderson, of lord Castleton's family; from whom the earl of Scarborough obtained, by will, their estates in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. On Mrs. Sanderson's decease, the estate, here, came to the Vincents, of Yorkshire, as heirs, who sold it to the first lord Galway, in 1727, soon after his marriage with lady Elizabeth Manners, daughter to the duke of Rutland. He, from that time, continued to plant, improve and adorn this estate, and laid the foundation of a mansion house where the new one is now built. However that foundation was removed, and the house that Mr. Williams now or did occupy, 1795, he was about to live in himself. I have recently heard it was built by peice meal, that is at different periods within this thirty years, by the late lord Galway, father of the present.

The old house was in the form of an H, one wing of which was pulled down, and the steward lived in the other. On the present lord removing to Allerton, in Yorkshire, an estate, which came to his father, from his aunt, lady Arundal, he let his new house. And on selling Allerton to the duke of York, he was prevented by his lease, to Mr: Williams, from occupying the new mansion, he therefore lately lived, when in this part of the country, in the old house, with his brother-in-law, Mr. Bennet.

The present building is of brick and stone, built by Pain. The front, you approach by a spacious lawn. The building appears rather skulking as the offices are chiefly under ground: the stables and out-buildings are on the east side of the house. Within are rooms of elegance and convenience: the terrace is esteemed beautiful.

Some of the views from the terrace, over the little stream, are charming and delightful to the eye: they abound with extent, happily blended with the choicest requisites of a landscape. Here has been a large park well stocked with deer; but like many others it is used now for more ordinary, perhaps for more useful purposes. This is esteemed a sporting country.

Barneby on the More, Ranskill and Torworth,

The other places mentioned by Thoroton, under the head Serleby, I have just to notice. Barnaby on the More appears intolerably bad land, that part particularly I passed over on my way to the hamlet: however, over this moor ground, they have made a most excellent road. What may be said to constitute this place are a few scattered farm houses. Beyond, on my way to Blith, the land is light and sandy, and immoderately full of twich, which the farmers had raked out by the land ends when I was there, and piled up like little hay stacks.

Ranskill and Torworth also he on the high road to Doncaster, and are hamlets. Lord Galway is a principal owner of the land.