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Comments, complaints, broken links, disappointed hopes - please contact the caretaker. 31/07/2009 |
Notes on the History of Ordsall Parish - 14 R.F. Wilkinson, Rector of Ordsall 1925-1941. From the pages of Ordsall Parish magazine. [Wilkinson index] [Previous] [Next] THE MANOR AND SOKE OF DUNHAM. A large part of Ordsall Parish was included in the Manor of Dunham, and was under the Lord of that Manor in former days. The other part West of the Idle was in the Manor of Elkesley, formerly held by the Duke of Newcastle under the Crown. Dunham was a large Manor, and included the following districts :— Dunham, Ragnall, East Markham, East Drayton, Headon, Upton, Little Gringley, Ordsall, Thrumpton, and Whitehouses. Any offences against the laws and custom of the Manor were tried before a jury in the Manor Court. Some of the old record books of Dunham Manor Courts were in the possession of the late Mr. F. H. Wrench of East Markham. The earliest book was dated 1652. The great Courts were held at Easter and Michaelmas In the records of a Court held at Dunham on 30th September, we find the following offences. 1652.
Henry Taylor has trespassed with his swine on other men’s closes in the fields. Fined 12d. Francis Keeton had digged and got plaster upon the Commons, and sold the same for his own benefit. Fined 12d. At the Court 14th April, 1653 we find: . Richard Whitlam bath not paid dues for highway repair. Fined 10/0. Richard Wright enclosed the highway in Broadgate. Fined 3/4. Richard Hall trespassed with his cattle in the townfield. Fined 10/-. East Drayton. Robert Walker hath not coted and shut up his swine 20 several days. Fined 12d. Ordsall. Francis Thornton of the Whitehouses and Over Ordsall hath broken the assize of Bread and Ale. Fined 4d. (These could only be made under licence). Evidently the part of the parish across the river was called Over Ordsall sometimes. These extracts throw an interesting sidelight on village affairs three centuries ago.
At a much later date in 1805 we find a curious account of a Coroner’s Inquest, held under the jurisdiction of the Lord of the Manor. The coroner was John Holmes, a solicitor of East Retford, father of G. K. Holmes, the first Mayor of the Borough in 1835. He had a curious library, built in the Gothic style, which is mentioned in Piercy’s History of Retford. Stephen Hemsworth the Jury Foreman was Parish Clerk of Ordsall, and landlord of the Gate Inn. An Inquisition indented (to wit) taken for our Sovereign Lord the King at Whitehouses in the Parish of Ordsall in the County of Nottingham the 28th day of January, in the 45th year of the reign of our Sov. Lord George III by the grace of God of the U. K. and G. B. and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, before John Holmes, Esq. one of the coroners of our said Lord the King for the said Manor and Soke in view of the Body of John Armsby of Thrumpton in the same Parish Labourer of the age of 70 years or thereabouts, then and there lying dead, upon the Oath of Stephen Hemsworth and John Starr, Francis Sibre, Thomas Clarke Outram, Thomas Hudson, William Ogley, Thos. Robinson, Thos. Hardwick Wm. Wright, Jno. Walker, Jno. Handley, Anthony Morton, William Colton, Thomas Bedford, William Sprentall and Thos. Clayton, good and lawful men of the said Manor, Soke and County, duly chosen as by Law is required who being then and there duly sworn and charged to enquire for our said Lord the King, when, how, and by what means the said John Armsby came to his death, do upon their Oath say that Richard Pearce of Askham in the said County, Farmer, and John Jubb of Moorgate in the same County, Butcher, being riding on the Turnpike Road (from York to London) near Whitehouses aforesaid very quick, the said Richard Pearce upon a Brown Cart Mare and the said John Jubb upon a Bay Mare. It so happened that the said John Arrnsby, who was at his usual work upon the said Turnpike Road, was accidentally, casually and by misfortune, thrown with great violence to the ground by the said Brown Cart Mare so rode by the said Richard Pearce by means whereof he the said John Armsby, by the violence of his said fate did then and there receive divers mortal Bruises and Fractures in and upon the Body, Head, and Skull, of which said Mortal Bruises and Fractures he the said John Armsby then and there instantly died and so the Jurors aforesaid upon their Oath aforesaid do say that the said John Armsby in Manner and by the Means aforesaid accidentally casually and by misfortune came to his Death and not otherwise. And that the said Brown Cart Mare was the cause of Death of the said John Armsby and is of the value of Thirty-Shillings and is the Property and in the Possession of the said Richard Pearce or his Assigns. In witness whereof as well the said Coroner as the said Stephen Hemsworth the Foreman of the said Jurors, on the Behalf of himself and the Rest of his said Fellows in their Presence have to this Inquisition set their Hands and Seals this Day, Year and Place first above mentioned. Jn. Holmes, Coroner. Stepn. Hemsworth, Foreman Inrolled 28th Jan. 1805 Witnesses: William Hunt Edwd. X Taylor. (his mark) John Holmes, Steward. (It was the custom for the value of the animal to be given in compensation to the relatives).
The following is a list of Resiants, or tenants who owed suit and service to the Lord of the Manor. Resiants of Ordsall and Thrumpton in 1760: Richard Kent, Richard Keaton, George Ryley, Widow Palmer, Thomas Turner, Richard Palmer, Thomas Clarebrough, John Foe, Thomas Scott, John Thornhill.
Freeholders in Ordsall and Thrumpton, 1768. George Mason, Esq.; Walter Stevens, Gent.; Robert Hayther; Rev. Seth. Stevenson (Headmaster of the Grammar School; Rector of Treswell); William Simpson, Esq.; James Goodhall; Earl of Fitzwilliam; The Bailiffs and Burgesses of East Retford; George Dunstan, Esq.; Michael Whitaker; Thomas Dickenson, Esq.; Ann Cocking (widow).
The two Manors of Dunham and Elkesley are clearly marked on the Enclosure Award Map of 1813, now in the custody of the Town Clerk. The Manorial System was the ancient way of holding land, and the Manor was not a Manor house, but a village or a group of villages under one Lord. It was a system inherited from Saxon days, and is full of interest for those who have time to study it. The ancient record books are known as Manor Rolls, and the Public Record Office is now collecting as many as possible. No doubt there are many books relating to the Manor of Elkesley in the Clumber Estate Offices, but they are not accessible at present. Most of the Dunham records are either scattered or lost. A short time ago the Rector saw an ancient parchment document for sale in a London shop, and purchased it for a few shillings. The title was :— "An Account by Tristram Dayntrie of Retford for the Manor of Ordsall belonging to the Countess of Devonshire from 1622—1624." There are two sheets 2 feet long, of rents collected and allowances made, written in a very neat hand. This manor was part of the parish, east of the Idle, and had belonged for centuries to the Hercy family of Grove. The last Sir John Hercy had eight sisters who inherited his property. The seventh, Ellen, married Francis Mackworth and her share of the estate included Ordsall. Their son sold it to Samuel Bevercotes, whose monument is in the North Aisle. His only child, Ann Bevercotes, married Thomas Cornwallis about 1610. Mr. Cornwallis shortly afterwards sold the Ordsall estate to the Countess of Devonshire, who settled it on her eldest son, Sir Edward Wortley. The patronage of the Church went with the Manor, and this continued in the Wortley family for nearly three centuries. At the head of the first page are the words "An account made by Tristram Dayntrie of Retford, for the Manor of Ordsall belonging to the Right Honourable the Countess of Devonshire for 3 Rent dayes, viz: for parte of Candlemas rent 1622 and for Lady day 1623 and for May day following being the latter end of the profits 1622, and the first that my Lady received, as also for a whole years profit of the said manor, due at 6 Rent dayes, viz: Lamrnas, Michaelmas, Martinmas and Candlemas, and Lady day and May day 1624, being for the year 1623, taken the 17th of September.
The total received was £605/14/3, but there were expenses and allowances of £535/15/7, so there remained £69/18/8. The mill and long bridge were repaired at Ordsall and much else had been done. At the end is "Paid my Lady in money £58/14/7." [Wilkinson index] [Previous] [Next] |
