Parishes: Marton

MARTON

Martun, Martune, Martona (xi cent.); Marton (xii cent.).

The parish of Marton lies south of Middlesbrough, covering an area of 3,520 acres, of which the surface is clay on a subsoil of Keuper marls. The arable land, where wheat, barley, beans and oats are grown, amounts to 1,247 acres, the pasture to 1,355 acres, and the woodland to 154 acres. (fn. 1) From the north of the parish, where the ground is 25 ft. above sea level, there is a regular and easy ascent to 300 ft. in the south.

The northern district of Marton is now included in the civil parish of Middlesbrough, and forms part of the suburbs of that town. Ormesby station, on the Middlesbrough and Guisborough branch of the North Eastern railway, stands within the parish. The village is small, and consists chiefly of a few farm-houses and cottages ranged irregularly on the summit of a gentle elevation. It lies about a quarter of a mile from the highway on the road from Middlesbrough. To the north of the village is the Hall, the residence of Mr. Carl Ferdinand Henry Bolckow; it is a large building of brick and stone, erected in 1874–5 on the summit of a gentle slope commanding a view of the sea. It is on the site of an earlier dwelling built in 1786 and burnt down in 1832. (fn. 2) The site of the birthplace of Captain Cook is marked in the grounds by a granite vase, and in a field known as Cook's Close in 1846 once stood a cottage where his parents afterwards lived. (fn. 3) At the west end of the village is the church with the school, erected in 1850 in honour of Captain Cook, and not far off is a Wesleyan chapel, built here in 1857. Among extensive grounds to the west lies Gunnergate Hall, the property of Mr. C. F. H. Bolckow.

In the hamlet of Tollesby, west of Marton village, is Tollesby Hall, the residence of Mr. Eleazer Biggins Emerson, a manor-house built in the last century on the site of an old Elizabethan mansion. The farm known as Newham Grange stands south-west of Tollesby, and at the south-eastern corner of the parish is Newham Hall, the residence of Mr. John Mills.

Ormesby Beck, rising near High and Low Gill in the east of the parish, and West Marton Beck water the parish.

Of the numerous ancient names of places here, two of the 12th century, Prestsic and Langlandes, (fn. 4) may survive in the modern Prissick Farm, north of Marton Hall, and Longlands and Old Longlands Farms near Middlesbrough. (fn. 5) Others no longer preserved in modern maps are: in Marton, Brackanhou, Alfelebricd, Crossebidale, (fn. 6) Northlangpeselandes, Fetherplasic, Elvescarebrec, Niderigges, Caldehow, Bladacker, Selyher, Thounoker, Slecthenges, Proudi, Berewald flat, Grenesic and Haraldsic; in Tollesby Benelandker (fn. 7) (xii or xiii cent.); in Marton, Mylnehyll Close, le Mille Crofte and le Kilne Close (fn. 8) (xvi cent.), Aslerton's Garth (fn. 9) (xvii cent.), and in Tollesby in 1622, Tom Man land, Brode Close, Lath garth and Yarke dore. (fn. 10)

Manors

A 'manor' of 5 geldable carucates in MARTON, once Edmund's, belonged in 1086 to Robert Malet. (fn. 11) After his forfeiture it came to the Crown, (fn. 12) of which some part seems to have been held in the 13th century. (fn. 13) An overlordship here, assigned to Henry Percy in 1316, was possibly only temporary. (fn. 14) The fact that from 1548 to 1638 the manor of Marton was held of John Lord Conyers and his heirs as of their manor of Skelton (fn. 15) (q.v.) favours the conjecture that the overlordship of most of Robert Malet's fee passed to the family of Brus. In the 12th and 13th centuries part of this manor seems to have been held by the Malebiche family. Hugh Malebiche, donor of land in this parish to Byland Abbey (fn. 16) and Guisborough Priory, (fn. 17) was brother of William Malebiche, whose son Richard (fn. 18) in 1200 gave £100, besides goshawks, greyhounds and palfreys, to recover lands in Marton and elsewhere which he had forfeited by his attack on the Jews of York, (fn. 19) and the next year subinfeudated Marton to his cousin William son of Hugh. (fn. 20) In 1206 William granted to Constance widow of his brother Hugh, with her second husband Robert de Luttrington, part of Hugh's tenement in Marton in dower. (fn. 21) Both brothers must have died without issue, (fn. 22) as their lands came to their sister Amice and her husband Stephen de Blaby, (fn. 23) descending through their son John to his son Sir John de Blaby, lord at his death in or before 1301. (fn. 24) He left six daughters, the eldest of whom, Joan, aged thirty-six at her father's death, was then wife of Adam de Hurworth (fn. 25); as his widow in 1345 she successfully sued Sibyl de Hurworth and her sisters Joan and Ellen for a sixth part of the manor of Marton of which Adam had enfeoffed them. (fn. 26) From Joan this fraction seems to have come at the death, about 1363, of Ellen de Hurworth, possibly a son's widow, to Ellen's heir, John de Hurworth, pardoned for adherence to Andrew de Harcla in 1365, (fn. 27) and probably the ancestor of the John Hurworth who held I carucate in Marton once of Richard de Marton in 1428. (fn. 28) No other record of the tenure of this family or of that of Joan de Hurworth's sisters, who held with her the 3 carucates of their father's inheritance in 1303, (fn. 29) seems to survive.

The history of another family, who bore the name of the parish and were benefactors to Guisborough and Whitby, is even more obscure. Hyrp and Thomas, sons of Roger de Marton, living in the first half of the 12th century, (fn. 30) were perhaps succeeded by Thomas, William son of Maynard, and Robert, all of Marton, in the second half of the same century. (fn. 31) Nicholas son of Baldric de Marton, living between 1200 and 1222, was a kinsman of John Sturmy, descendant doubtless of Robert Sturmy, (fn. 32) sub-tenant of Robert de Brus a century before, (fn. 33) and in 1272 the heir of Ralph de Marton held land of Peter de Brus. (fn. 34) Richard de Marton held I carucate in 1303 (fn. 35) and the eighth of a fee in 1316, when he was described as joint lord with the Blaby heirs (fn. 36); he was represented in 1428 by John Marton, then lord of the three Blaby carucates, whilst Richard's carucate had come to John Hurworth. (fn. 37) These 4 carucates were united, probably with other lands, (fn. 38) in the later manor of Marton in Cleveland, of which Christopher Burgh, recently a tenant of Guisborough Priory, (fn. 39) died seised by right of his wife Agnes, the daughter and heir of John Marton of Marton, in 1547. (fn. 40) Marton then descended to Clara daughter of their son Giles and her husband Thomas Layton, (fn. 41) and on the death of Thomas in 1593 to their third son Anthony, (fn. 42) lord the next year. (fn. 43) The next owner, another Thomas Layton, sold the manor in 1633 to Sir John Lowther (fn. 44); from his son of the same name it passed to his younger son Ralph, who died in 1696. (fn. 45) John Lowther, Ralph's son, died without issue in 1729, leaving one moiety of the manor to the three daughters of his sister Elizabeth wife of Robert Frank, the other to Margaret and Dorothy, daughters of his sister Margaret wife of William Norton. (fn. 46) After Dorothy's death Margaret held the Norton moiety alone, (fn. 47) and in 1738 her husband Thomas Bright and Mrs. Mary Lowther, probably her uncle's widow, were in possession. (fn. 48) Margaret, now a widow, bought her cousins' other moiety in 1741, (fn. 49) and afterwards brought both to her second husband, Sir John Ramsden, bart., lord ten years later. (fn. 50) In 1786 their son Sir John Ramsden, bart., sold Marton to Bartholomew Rudd, (fn. 51) lord in 1823, (fn. 52) whose descendants owned it until 1846. (fn. 53) The estate was sold in 1853 by the Rev. J. A. Park to Mr. Henry William Ferdinand Bolckow, whose nephew Mr. Carl Ferdinand Henry Bolckow is now lord of the manor. (fn. 54)

A windmill belonged to this manor in the 14th, 16th and 17th centuries. (fn. 55)

Two 'manors,' one of a geld carucate held before the Conquest by Ulchil, and the other of 3 geld carucates held by Archil, were in the king's hands in 1086, and were assigned to Robert de Brus at the close of the Survey. (fn. 56) A considerable part of this land probably came to Guisborough and other religious houses. The overlordship of the rest was attached to the manor of Acklam (q.v.) until 1488. (fn. 57) Gifts from this fee and from the manor, once of Robert Malet, afterwards formed the MANOR OR GRANGE OF GUISBOROUGH PRIORY in Marton. (fn. 58)

Several landholders in Marton besides the Malebiche and Marton families (fn. 59) were benefactors of Guisborough Priory, amongst others being William de Bernaldby and his son John, whose gifts were confirmed by Robert de Marton and Peter de Brus (fn. 60); William Tosti, sub-tenant of William de Acklam, also probably holding of the Bruses (fn. 61); and William de Mowbray, living in 1252, who gave a carucate, also presumably from the Brus fee. (fn. 62) A lease of these and other lands forming the manor of Marton was granted in 1536 by the prior to James Blackburne and renewed in 1543 by the Crown. (fn. 63) In the next year the manor was granted to Sir Ralph Bulmer, jun., and John Thynne, (fn. 64) who in 1545 received licence to alienate it to William Blackburne, (fn. 65) lord at his death in February 1563–4. (fn. 66) Thomas, his brother and heir, died seised in March 1580–1, (fn. 67) and Marton descended to his son Luke, who entered into possession in 1584 (fn. 68) and sold it eight years later to Thomas Wildon. (fn. 69) From John Wildon, successor of Thomas, the manor came in February 1621–2 to his daughter Isabella, and on her death in 1628 in her minority to her uncle Henry Wildon, lord in 1630. (fn. 70) In 1635 he sold it to Sir John Lowther. (fn. 71) From that date it seems to have been merged in the larger manor (q.v.) already in Sir John's possession.

A dovecote was an appurtenance of this manor in the 16th century. (fn. 72) A capital messuage is mentioned in the 17th century. (fn. 73) View of frankpledge was included in the sale to Sir John Lowther. (fn. 74)

Two 'manors' in NEWHAM (Neuueham, Niweham, xi cent.; Neuham, xiii cent.), together containing 2 carucates and 2 oxgangs, once held by Lesing, were in 1086 in the king's hands (fn. 75); they were included in the fee of Robert de Brus, (fn. 76) who gave them to Whitby Abbey on condition that the monks should serve the church of St. Hilda in Middlesbrough. (fn. 77) Newham, a part of the liberty of the Abbot of Whitby in the 13th and 14th centuries, (fn. 78) was valued amongst the possessions of its cell of Middlesbrough in 1535, when it was rented by Sir George Conyers. (fn. 79) After the surrender of the abbey it remained in the Crown until 1560, when Elizabeth granted it in fee as the grange of Newham to Ralph Tailbois. (fn. 80) From his son Robert, owner in 1599 and 1602, (fn. 81) it came to Ralph Westropp, who settled it on himself, with remainder to his nephew Ralph, in 1604, two years before his death. (fn. 82) From the younger Ralph, who died in 1618, Newham passed to his brother Thomas, (fn. 83) lord in 1622, 1642 and 1646. (fn. 84) It does not appear that Edward his son, described as of Newham and living in 1665, (fn. 85) had issue, and in the 18th century the grange or manor was the property of the family of Cookson, from whom it came by marriage to Thomas Simpson, (fn. 86) and was afterwards broken up into several holdings. (fn. 87) In 1859 Newham was in the possession of the Burrell family; it was bought from them in 1875 by Mr. John Mills of Newham Hall, owner in 1890. (fn. 88)

Another 'manor' of Domesday Book, consisting of 10 or 6 oxgangs and held by Robert Malet at the time of the Survey, (fn. 89) seems to have followed the descent of the manor of Marton (q.v.), but to have been subinfeudated in the 14th and 15th centuries, Christiana de Camera holding 4 oxgangs, the heirs of John Skelton 2 oxgangs in 1303 and 1316, (fn. 90) and Thomas de Newham holding Christiana's lands in 1428. (fn. 91)

A 'manor' of 2 geldable carucates in TOLLESBY (Tollesbi, xi cent.; Tolesby, Thollesbi, xii cent.; Tollerby, xv cent.; Towlesbie, xvi cent.), once Lesing's, belonged to the king in 1086, (fn. 92) when his thegns held 4 carucates here and Robert Malet 3 carucates, (fn. 93) both holdings being berewicks of Marton. Three carucates were shortly afterwards transferred to Robert de Brus, (fn. 94) to whom it may be supposed that all eventually came, as no record of other overlordship earlier than the 17th century survives. A considerable part of the township, in the possession of the Malebiche, Blaby and Marton families, followed the descent of the manor of Marton (q.v.), and other lands held by the Acklams and Boyntons under the Brus overlords descended with Acklam (q.v.). Robert Sturmy, William de Acklam and other Brus subtenants gave largely to Guisborough Priory, (fn. 95) which at its surrender enjoyed rent and services in Tollesby not very inferior in value to its Marton property. (fn. 96) A small part of the Guisborough tenement seems to have been granted to Robert Taverner, who obtained licence in 1544 to alienate it to James Lasynby, (fn. 97) but the rest descended with the Guisborough manor of Marton (q.v.).

The origin of the so-called manor of Tollesby, of which Robert Foster died seised in 1622, when his son William succeeded him, is not clear. (fn. 98) It is said that his lands here were eventually sold by his descendants to the Earl of Lonsdale, and purchased from the earl's heir in 1803 by Bartholomew Rudd, (fn. 99) lord in 1823. (fn. 100) His heir John Bartholomew Rudd was lord in and after 1846, (fn. 101) but in 1886 the estate was sold to Mr. Emerson of Easby. (fn. 102) Mr. Eleazer Biggins Emerson is the present owner.

A capital messuage here was the residence of the Fosters in 1622 and later. (fn. 103)

Lands in Marton were held by the Abbots of Byland (fn. 104) and Whitby, (fn. 105) in Marton and Tollesby by the priory of Healaugh Park (fn. 106) from the 13th to the 16th century. In 1586 Elizabeth granted to John Awbrey and John Ratcliffe a capital messuage and lands in Marton and Tollesby which had been given by Robert Conyers of Hutton to two chantry priests to celebrate mass at St. Saviour's, York. (fn. 107)

Church

The church of ST. CUTHBERT (fn. 108) consists of chancel 30 ft. by 15 ft. with north vestry, nave 56 ft. 6 in. by 14 ft., north and south aisles 6 ft. 8 in. wide, north transept 15 ft. by 13 ft., south transept 14 ft. 6 in. by 12 ft. 9 in., and south porch 7 ft. 9 in. by 4 ft. 6 in. The total width across nave and aisles is 31 ft. 6 in. These measurements are all internal. There is a bell-turret containing two bells over the west gable. The building is of 12th-century date with a late chancel probably erected in the 13th century, but was almost entirely rebuilt in 1843–6, the only original structural features left being the north arcade, the lower part of the north aisle wall, and part of the north transept. All the rest, with the exception of one or two features mentioned later, is new, being a more or less faithful copy of the building it replaced, and on that account of some interest. From the antiquarian point of view, however, the building has lost the great interest which it once possessed and externally the hard lines of the modern Norman architecture have as yet been scarcely affected by time or weather, and have little to offer in the way of picturesqueness. Ord, writing before this rebuilding was completed, states that the south transept, aisles, and one arch at the west end had been destroyed previous to 1630 (this date having been discovered under the plaster when the church was lately rebuilt). (fn. 109) The building had been 'greatly out of repair' some years before 1843 and the work then or shortly afterwards carried out included 'three of the arches, the chancel arch and south porch and a vestry added on the north side of the chancel.' (fn. 110) The south transept and the rest of the rebuilding as it at present exists followed. Ord further states that 'the transepts were early Norman, the nave of late Norman verging on transition,' but the style of the old chancel was difficult to trace 'owing to the numerous alterations which had taken place.' (fn. 111)

The nave and aisles are under one wide roof, which, like that of the chancel, is covered with blue slates. The chancel is in the style of the 13th century with a three-light east window and three lancets on the south side. The only ancient feature is a 13thcentury piscina in the usual position, replaced there when the chancel was rebuilt. The bowl is in the thickness of the wall and the opening has a line of nail-head ornament all round, including the sill. In the opposite wall is another but taller recess with trefoiled head, in which the dog-tooth ornament occurs, and corbelled sill now used as a credence, which, if old, has been much restored. The semicircular chancel arch is modern and of two orders, the inner with cheveron ornament springing from half-round responds with scalloped cushion capitals and moulded bases. The outer order is plain and goes down to the ground, and the hood mould is continued along the north and south walls of the nave and over the arches of the arcades rising from above the spring. On the north side this feature is original, and probably the chancel arch is a copy of the one destroyed in 1843.

The nave is of five bays, that at the east end on either side being open to the transepts, and the arcades consist of semicircular arches of two square orders. There are modern transverse arches between the transepts and the aisles springing from corbels and abutting on to built-up masonry piers with responds east and west. The original north arcade is alone of antiquarian interest. The first arch opposite the transept springs on the east side from a square respond with slightly chamfered angles and plain moulded capitals, and on the west from a half-round respond with cushion capitals and moulded base with foot ornaments. The first and third piers of the nave arcade proper counting from the east are octagonal and the middle one a quatrefoil in plan, while the responds are both half quatrefoils. The west respond is modern. The piers and responds have all carved capitals with chamfered abaci and moulded bases with foot ornaments. The capital of the eastern respond is carved with early foliage adapted from the volute, and that of the middle pier has also conventional foliage of different type. The first octagonal pier has a grotesque animal amid foliage at each angle and the other two are carved with dragons and what is apparently meant to represent a boar hunt. The carving in all cases has been refaced and spoilt. The modern south arcade is only of interest so far as it reproduces ancient work. The carving of the middle capital is certainly copied from the old one, as the original mutilated capital with portions of the old clustered shaft has been preserved. The south transept arch is a copy of that opposite.

The north wall has an embattled parapet, which may be old, but the windows are modern Norman, though the wall with its flat buttresses and string at sill level may be partly ancient, and the lower part has been apparently left untouched. The north transept has two original flat buttresses on the north end, but the window between them is modern and the stepped gable has been rebuilt. There is also a stepped gable at the east end of the nave, following the embattled parapet of the north transept.

The font and all the fittings are modern. A new organ was erected in 1910 at the west end of the nave. The churchyard is entered from the road by a lych-gate at the south-east corner erected in 1897.

The bells are of 17th-century date and bear the inscriptions 'Gloria in excelsis Deo' and 'Gloria Deo in altissimis.'

The plate consists of a chalice, paten and flagon of 1861 and an almsdish of 1862 of mediaeval design by J. Keith of London. On the rim of the almsdish is inscribed, 'This Alms Plate with silver paten, chalice and flagon were given by Harriet the wife of H. W. F. Bolckow of Marton Hall through the Rev^d Charles Bailey, M.A., Vicar, to the glory of God for the use of the Church of St. Cuthbert's Marton in Cleveland Xmas Eve, a.d. 1862.' (fn. 112)

The registers begin in 1572. (fn. 113)

Advowson

A moiety of the church of Marton was given to Guisborough Priory at its foundation by Robert Sturmy and confirmed by Robert de Brus. (fn. 114) Probably before 1187, about which time the whole church was appropriated to the priory, (fn. 115) the other moiety was also given by Adam de Sothewast and by his brother and heir Eudo after him. (fn. 116) A vicarage is said to have been ordained by Archbishop Walter Gray. (fn. 117) Some claim to the advowson seems to have been advanced by Richard de Marton in 1303, (fn. 118) but the church remained with the priory until its surrender, (fn. 119) and was granted by Henry VIII in 1545 to the see of York, (fn. 120) to which it has ever since belonged. (fn. 121) The rectory has always followed the descent of the advowson.

The site of a dwelling-house which belonged to the vicarage in 1535 (fn. 122) may have been that of the house which Robert, parson of Marton, granted to Guisborough Priory. (fn. 123) About 1199 William de Bernaldby gave land to this priory to find every year a wax candle, weighing half a pound, to burn on St. Mary's altar in Marton Church at Christmas. (fn. 124)

Charities

Poor's Lands.—It appears from a tablet in the vestry that the parish was in possession from time immemorial of 4 acres in Skelton and 6 acres in Broughton. The land in Skelton has been sold and the proceeds invested in £627 4s. 9d. consols with the official trustees. The dividends, amounting to £15 13s. 4d., together with £7, the rent of the land at Broughton, were in 1905 applied in the distribution of money to sixteen poor persons.

In 1878 Henry William Ferdinand Bolckow, by will, left £200, secured by a mortgage bond of the Tees Conservancy bearing interest at £3 10s. per cent., as an endowment of the National school known as Captain Cook's Memorial School.