Kirketon and Willoughby

KIRKETON & WILLOUGHBY,

Kirketon is not very clearly found in doomsday book, except a place there named Schidrington be for it, and that is there said to be of diverse fees, one parcel Soc to Grimston, the kings land, which answered the publick taxation for two bov. So there was in Wilgebi, and Walesby, two bov. ad Geldam. The land one car. There four sochm. had one car. Wood four perches long, and four broad. (fn. 1) Another parcel of Schidrington was Soc to Laxington, of Goisfrid de Alselins fee, and rated to the geld at two bov. The land was four bov. There five sochm: had one car. In Wilgebi there was a garden or yard (Ortus) belonging to Laxington. There was also a manor in Wilgebi, which Tochi the lord of Lexintune had before the conquest, rated to the Dane-geld at one bov. and an half. The land for four oxen was waste. There was half a mill, and twelve acres of meadow, which afterwards became likewise the fee of Goisfrid de Alselin. Another parcel in Schidrinton and Walesby was Soc to Tuxferne of Roger de Buslies see, and that paid the geld for two bov. The land being for six oxen. There five sochm. and one bord. had two car. Another was of the fee of Gislebert de Gand, where Ragenale in Schidrinton had two bov. for the tax in his manor.— The land whereof was half a car. There four vill. had two car. Pasture wood one qu. long, one broad. This in the Confessours time was 20s. in the Conquerours 10s. value.

Jordan Fitz-Alan lord of Tuxford was sheriff of these counties in the fourth year of king Stephen. (fn. 2)

(fn. 3) Halan Fitz-Jordan gave to Galfr. de le Phremunt the land of Wallesby, and of Circheton, in fee for half a mark of silver yearly.

(fn. 4) William, son of Galfr. de le Fremunt, the younger, sold to Hugh Bardulf for five marks of silver all his inheritance in Nottinghamsir, viz. all the land which his brother Gaufr. had in Kirketon and Walesby. and in Bestorpe, and in Birchewude: The witnesses were Hugh de Bobi, Henry de Wicheton, Henry de Norhanton, then the kings justices, William de Perci then sheriff of Yorkshire, whereby I suppose it was 5 Joh.

(fn. 5) Galfr. de le Fremunt held two knights fees in the time of H. 2. of the old feoffment of the barony of Robert de Cauz, and one of the new.

(fn. 6) Matilda de Chauz being in her own free power, without husband, confirmed to Hugh Bardulf, all the land which Galfr. de le Fremunt held of her ancestors in Kirketon, Walesby, Wilgheby, Bestorp, and Birchewude. viz. that which William, son and heir of the said Galfr. gave the said Hugh in those said towns, to be held of her and her heirs, by the service of half a knights fee, for which the said Hugh gave her an hundred shillings Esterling.

(fn. 7) Hugh Fitz-Raph for the safety of his soul, and of Agnes his wife, and Hugh his son, gave to God, St. Mary, the church and monks of Rufford, his whole demesne in Kyrketon, with all the appurt. which he had of the fee of William le Fremunt, in exchange for all that land which the said monks sometime had in the territory of Muscham, on the east part of the park of Muscaam, and all the residue which he had of the said fee in Kirketon, Wilgebi, Walesby, Bestorp, and in all other places wheresoever, as well in men as in homages, wards and reliefs, issues and customes and escheats, and in all other things, which by reason of the said land could fall or happen, except the advowson of the church, to be held of him and his heirs for 30s. per an. which rent he afterwards also released, of which they paid but 20s. yearly, during the life of the lady Margaret de Furnes, who held the moyety of that land in dower. (fn. 8)

(fn. 9) To the venerable (or worshipful) and most beloved lady in Christ Oliva de Mungebun, her devoted knight Hugh Fitz-Raph sent notice, that for his profit he had delivered to the monks of Rufford, the lands which he had of her fee in Walesby, aud Kirketon, and earnestly begg'd that she would be pleased to accept of them as atturneys, to do the customs and services which he ought, and was wont.

(fn. 10) The lady Oliva of Tuxford, daughter of Alan Fitz-Jordan, in her widowhood confirmed to the monks of Rufford, all the land which Hugh Fitz-Raph gave them in Kirketon, and Walesby, belonging to her fee of Tuxford, viz. 7 bovats, with the appurt. they paying the half marks of silver, which the said Hugh did for all services, except the foreign, and suit to her court at Tuxford, which was to be done by Reginald, son of Robert Carpentar of Walesby, and his heirs, for which they gave her two marks of silver.

Robert de Lexinton for the health of the soul of his lady Oliva de Montebegonis, and of his own, his fathers, mothers, and ancestors, released to Simon, the abbat, and monks of Rufford, the half mark yearly, which they were wont to pay him for the seven bovats of the fee of Tuxford, which they had of the gift of Hugh Fitz-Raph, but reserved suit to his court at Tuxford.

(fn. 11) Alan, son of William Lancelene of Kirkton, granted and confirmed to Richard, son of Robert de Laxinton, his whole wood of Kirketon, with the land in which it stood, reserving [Argenteum] a silver penny within the twelve days of Christmas yearly.

(fn. 12) Robert de Laxton for the health of his soul, and for the souls of Richard his father, and Matilda his mother, gave and confirmed to the monastery of Rufford, the gift which the said Richard his father gave to them, viz. one bovat in Walesby, which William the clark held, and two tofts with a croft and meadow adjoining in Kirketon, and twenty acres of arable, with meadow, &c. and the wood which the said Richard de Laxton had of Alan Lancelene. He likewise granted them the wood which his father had of the fee of Alice de Bosco, sometimes wife of John Burdun, and a toft in Welhagh, which Gumbert held of his father. He likewise granted about two acres of meadow, to the fabrick of the church at Rufford, Mr. Peter, Mr. Stephen, and sir Henry his brothers were witnesses, and Mr. William de Marcham.

(fn. 13) Adam de Everingham, son and heir of Robert de Everingham, knight, released all foreign and other services to the said monks for lands which they held of his fee in Kyrketon, Wylughby, Walesby, Bestorp, and one acre in Almeton.

(fn. 14) Thomas de Maresey, about 26 E. 1. left his son Thomas, his heir of some lands here.

(fn. 15) John Burdun about 4 E. 2. held in Maplebek, Kirketon, and Bucketon, one knights fee of the fee of Gaunt.

(fn. 16) The monastery of Rufford got many several small parcels, which made the monks interest here to be the most considerable, yet the advowson of the church remained with the heirs of Hugh Fitz-Raph, and William de Douseby was parson here, (fn. 17) upon the presentation of Nicolas de Cantelup, about 16 E. 3. notwithstanding this had been esteemed a member of the chapelry of Blyth, and given by king John to Walter arch-bishop of Roan, amongst many others, as Bridgeford, Gonaldeston, &c.

(fn. 18) John le Vavasor was rector of the church of Kyrketon, and acquired many parcels of land of Robert, son of Robert Fraunceys of Kyrketon, which sir Robert de Streley, and Elizabeth his wife, and Robert de Streley, knight, their son, confirmed to Robert, and John, sons of the said sir John Vavasor, which the said John, his son, passed to Robert, son of Robert Lancelene, 6 E. 2. John Burdon of Bucton, son of sir John Burdon, knight, Henry de Sutton of Wyleby, and others being witnesses.

(fn. 19) Hugh Fitz-Raph gave the homage and service of John Burdon, for the lands which he held of him in Kirkton, Willughby, Walesby, and Besthorp. Roger Burdun confirmed the homage and service of Johel de Kirketon, which Robert de Scelford gave to the said monks. Robert, son of Galfr. de Kirketon. passed a toft and one bovat in Kirketon, to Robert, son of Nicolas, the baker of Tuxford, which Richard, son of Teke, sometimes held of the said Galfr. his father in vilenage, who gave it to Albreda his wife, and the said Robert his son, after her decease; and Robert the baker gave it to the abby of Rufford.

(fn. 20) In the year 1369, there was an agreement between the prior and covent of Newstede, and the abbat of Rufford, that the prior should have 13s. 4d. a year for releasing the common he challenged in Kirketon Park by reason of his parsonage of Tuxford.

There was a fine 37 H. 3. between Galfr. the abbat, and Osbert Sylvan, concerning 4s. which he was to pay the abbat yearly for a mess. and two bovats in Wilheby, for which upon failure he might distreyn at Thorp in Yorkshire.

All the manor and grange, land and tenements of Rufford, were granted with the monastery, at the dissolution, to the earl of Shrowsbury, as in that place will be noted.

The family of William Clarkson, esquire, hath had a fair capital mess. and goodly demesne in Kirketon, and Willoughby, for many descents. (fn. 21) The first I have noted was John Clerkson, husband of Margaret, by whom he had William Clerkson, esquire, who married Isabell, daughter of George Nevill of Ragnall, esquire, who bore him Dorothy, the wife of Edmund Hunt of Normanton, esquire. and Barbara married to Cuthbert Bevercotes, esquire, and Leonard, and John, but the eldest was Michael Clerkson, esquire, who had to wife Saunch, the daughter of John Poutrell, esquire, and by her John Clerkson, who married Elizabeth, daughter of sir George Rodney, who bore him several sons, Michael married Dorothy, daughter of William Hartup, and by her had William Clarkson, esquire, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Williamson of Great Markham, and by her had John Clarkson, who married Sarah, daughter of sir Raph Knight, knight.

(fn. 22) The owners of Kirton 1612, were Gilbert earl of Shrowsbury two oxgangs, Michael Clarkson two oxgangs, the bayliff and burgesses of East Retford, one oxgang, William Ingham one oxgang, Henry Wright one oxgang, John Eastwood half an oxgang, Robert Ingham two cottages and almost half an oxgang, John Lucas one cottage and two acres of land.

(fn. 23) The rectory of Kirkton was 10l. when Mr. Turwhait was patron: 'tis now 7l. 14s. 9d. 0b. value in the kings books, and the earl of Clare patron.

[Throsby] Kirton

Lordship is in the hands of several. Mr. Knight owns a considerable portion. The church and village both small. The former is dedicated to the Holy trinity.

Patron, Mr. Pierrepont. Incumbent, Rev. Richard Moreton, R. K. B. 7l. 14s. 9d. ½. Yearly tenths, 15s. 5d. ½. Archiepisc. pro Syn. 2s. Archidiac pro Pros 6s. 8d. Val. in mans. cum ter. gleb. dec. &c.