TR10443Q6 - A N Hiftorical Account ofofcflz, O F Kirkftall-Abbey NEAR LEEDS, in YORKSHIRE. L ^ D 5 : Printed in the YEAR 1773. AN; HISTORICAL ACCOUNT, Sec. ENRY DE LACY, being in a bad ftate of health, made a vow, that if he mould recover, he would build an Abbey in ho- nour of the blelled Virgin of the Cifter- clan order, and upon the recovery of his health he accordingly gave the town of Bernoldfwic with its appurtenances, which he then held in fee ofoHugh Bigot, Earl of Norfolk, but foon after, Ae name changed into that of Saint Mary's Mount ; and in A. D. 1147, 12 Stephen, Alexander, Prior of Foun- tains was made the firft Abbot hereof, who on 14. Kaf. of June (19 May,) with 12 Monks and 10 Converts, left Fountains' Abbey, and fettled here, Henry Murdoc, Archbifhop of York confirming this place to them. Here Alexander with the Monks continued fix months, enduring much hunger and cold, as well occasioned by war, as by the fevere weather. The - Abbot having pafled through a woody country, called Airedale, taking its name from the River A ire, which runs almoft from Eaft to Weft. The Abbot finding this vale to abound with wood, water, and ftone, and having come to a place where fome An- chorites lived, judged it a proper place to found a Monaftery upon ; and by the afliftance of Henry de Lacy, obtained a grant thereof frorri William of Poi&ou or Poitevin fPictavenfis/ the Monks paying to him and his heirs tivejiiarks per annum. To L 3 I To this place the Abbot and Monks removed from their fortntr habitation (which they then converted into a Grange; on i4th Kaf. June ( 19 May) A. ]). 1152, 17 Stephen: and Henry de Lacy lad the foundation ot the church dedicated to the b'dTed Virgin Mary, and finifhed it at his own expence, fupplying the Merits with money and provisions. Hugh Bigot, Earl of Norfolk, claiming the lord- fhip of Bernoldlwic, the Abbot, by intreaty, prevail- ed to hold it of him for five marks per ann. which afterwards the faid Earl, at the requeft of King Henry, remitted and gave that land free to the Monks. In this excellent Abbot's reign cf thirty- rive years, the Church, both the Dormitories for Monks and lay Brothers, the Re&ory, Cloyftcr, and Chapter- hou'.'c, with other- Offices, were built with ftone and wood. It appears by the ruins ftill remaining, to have been a ftately Gothic Building. There were at the eaft- 6nd of the church feven altars, as appears by the dif- tincl chapels, viz. three on each fide the high altar, but to what Saints dedicated, is not eafy at this time to difcover. The roof has been down ever fihce the diflblution of the houfe, but the dortoire or dormi- tory, and fome other places that have been converted to private ufes, are yet cover'd. Thetower or fteeple alfo, built about Henry VHIth time, remains entire, and the ftone is fmooth and good. Whatever might be the original Mate of this part of the vale, it became afterwards a moft pleafant dwelling, adorned with gardens, dove-cotes, &c. and whatever -elfe was either for ufe or ornament, all con- veniently feated upon the banks of a fine river, calm and clear, except in floods, coming from a hilly country many miles diftant, with great rapidity ; the hilly brows adjoining the Abbey being covered with wood ; within the ground is yet iron oar in plenty, and the prefent poflelibr has an iron- forge there. Pope Adrian 4th (an Englimman) in A. D. n6, confirmed to thefe Monks their church, :md all other their then po.Teflions. A 2 King [ 4 3 King Henry 2d. confirmed the Abbey with what 'pofleflions then belonged to it to the Monks. In 45, Henry 3d. A. D. 1261, the king took this 'Abbey, &c. into his immediate protection. King Edward ift. in the 4th year of his reign, A. D. 1276, alfo granted his protection to the Abbot and Monks then greatly in debt, and committed the care of them to Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, Baron of Pontefracl their Patron, as heir of their founder. J$n alphabetical lijl of the places wherein lands^ &c. lay, together with the names of the Donors. ADLE William Muftel, gave this town, with the foe. when Helias was Abbot, together with the ad- vowfon of the church, and the fervice of the Free- holders in this foe. viz. of half a Knight's fee of the Lordfhip of Arthington, and of two carucates in Brerehages and Thofum, with the mill of Wyke. Jn the fame tsrritcry were the following benefafiions, viz. Andrew de Adel, fon of Henry de Mora, gave one oxgang of land. Henry, fon of William Hunter, in A. D. 1349, one mefluage and a croft, with eight acres of land in an affert, or improved place called Richardrodo. William Painel confirmed what his men had given. Andrew de Adel gave a toft, with a building. Hugh Crefxceld gave two oxgangs, and Adam Bayldon, in A. D. 1346, gave one mefTuage and ten acres of land. Ralph, fon of Geoffrey de Arthington, quit claim- ed his right in two oxgangs of land. Ralph, brother and heir to William, fon of Hugh ne-iaye i'" Broad-Ley.; Kighky Adam Fitzpeter gave two carucates of land, with a mill here, of the fee of John Birkin, Lord of Everingham. The priorefs of Haverholme, gave the Monks two carucates of land in this place in exchange. Kirkftal Henry de Lacy, the founder, prevailed upon William Poitevin ^Piclavenfis) to give this place to the Monks firft fettled at Bernoldfwic, whence they removed hither in A. D. 1152, 17 Stephen, hav- ing converted the place of their former abode into a grange, this was confirmed to them by king Henry 2d. Kyddal~~ William, fon of Thomas de Ledes for- merly r 19 i merry Rectof of Saxymhmthorp in the diocefe of Norwich, gave the homage and fcrvice of Adam de Kyddal, and his heirs, being the annual rent of 75. for a tenement here. Leedes---An agreement was made between the Ab- bot of Kirkftal, and the prior of St. Trinity at York, by which the former was to pay to the latter i\. per annum in lieu of all the tythes of fuch lands as the Monks of Kirkftall held in this parifh of Leeds, viz. four carucates in Weft Hadigleia (Heddingley) half in Eaft Hadingley, and half "in Weft-Alretune , Al- lertonj and one oxgang in Eaft-Alretune whenever the Monks (hall occupy the fame at their own ex- pence ; and one ellart in Linley in Midaley, in the enclofure of Weft- rode, and the vale of Bramley. But if the Aionks acquired any other cultivated lands within the faid parilh, they were to pay tythe of corn grown upon fuch premiffes. Lofthoufe Robert le Sawfer, gave 2 oxgangs of lands here. Marchefdcn9iiakctt de Laci, gave pafture in his foreft here. Marten -Henry de Lacy gave both the towns of this name. Menbal, cr Wurhal Jordan Sccrthys gave all his lands in this place. Miclftbwaiti-Tbe Monks had lands given to them in this place, in the time of the iirft Abbot. King Henry 2d. confirmed to them the land in this town given by Herbert de Morevill, and Richard his fon. There was an agreement made about the tythes of this place, as in the appendix. Midkion, in Pid-erir? Lytbc -On the igth of De-' cembcr A. D. 1456, William Boothe, Archbifhop of York, appropiiated this church (antiently of the patronage of the Lords Wake of Lydel, to the Ab- bey of Kirkftal, and in recommence of the damage done to his cathedral church, referved to himfelf and fuccefibrs fucceflbrs, the annual pen (ion of il. and to his and cnanter 5^. payable by the faid religious out of the fruits thereor, ot Pentecorl arid --.as, by equal portions. Alfo il. i6s. 4d. per annum, to be diftributed ainongv*- v'v.- poor of the parifh at Chrift- mas and Eafter. Moreover he ordained that there be one perpetual fecular vicar in the church, preventable by the faid Abbot and convent, the portion of en- dowment of which vicarage (hall be in this manner, viz. In a competent mansion for the vicar^s habita- tion taken out of the redtory, and built-the firft time by the faid religious. Alfo the vicar ihall receive yearly out of the Abbot and Convent's coffers, the fum of jol. 6s. 8d. in money quarterly, paid upon the high altar of the church of Midleion, And that 6s. 8d. more, for the charge and exhibition of bread, wine, and lights, neceflary for the fa:d high altar. And the faid Abbot and Convent ihali for ever bear and fuftain the chancel, and all other bur- thens ordinary or extraordinary, on the church in- cumbent. And the vicar mal! bear nothing. Morton Symon de Mohant, gave pafture for 200 fheep here, and in Ridlefden. Thomas, fon of Ralph de Befton, with his corps, gave ii acres of land in this town. Neuhale^ now NfwbaH, near Otley Man;! daugh- ter of Robert de Neuhale, gave all \\w i:uu: here in Stodfald and Rie-rode. She alfo gave them one ox- gang here, which they farmed her. Arnald, fon of Peter de Neuhale, gave common of pafture in this place, and Peter de Neuhal .c 3 acres in the fame territory. On the roth of Sept. A. D. 1444, 22d Hen: . i, William de Mirfeld, Efq; and William Hyk, quit claimed all their right in one mefluage, and all the lands the Mini's had !r > I. ^,-hale, in the Hamlet of Boiling (Bowling^ near Bradford. John, fon of Rober .ie, granted a car- riage roavion vhe fouch fieiiitn The lands which the cell of Birftal had here, were granted to the Abbey of Kirkftal. Mapkt?n-T\\\$ church was given to the Abbot and Convent of St. -Martin in Normandy, but in A. D. 1 230, it was appropriated to the Arch deaconry of the Eall-Riding, by Walter Gray., Arch-Bifhop of York. Mexjktt This chapel and lands civen to Birftal, was granted, with the other polTelTions, to the Ab- bey of Kiikftal. v This chapel and lands here, were con- veyed to Kirkftal Abbey. Xciuton- Conjljlk^ Newton-Eaft^ or Neivton- Spittle The lands in thefe townlhips were conveyed, with the others, to Kirkftal-Abbey. Nutth This chapel being a dependent of the mother church Schekeling and Burftwyk, paid there- to, in token of fubjecbon, the annual pen fion of 2s. per annum, to the Reclor or Proprietors of the church, and one mark to the Vicar thereof. Ou;h;rm, <;!lns Sijfer-Kii'k -This church was given by Stephen Earl of Albemarle, to his cell of Birftall, and granted with the other poikilions thereof to the Abbey of Kirklhl ; and on the 6th of October, A. D. 1453, William Booth, Archbiihop of York, newly ordained and decreed that the vicar of this church before appropriated to the Abbey ot Kirk.l\al, . ihall have yearly paid to him by the iaid Abbot and Convent, [ 29 } Convent, in the name of his entire portion'of the vi- carage, 12 marks fterling, at Esfter and Michaelmas, by even portions ; and that the vicar a]fo mall have the manfion-houfe, which was antiently afligned to the vicarage ; and that the faid Abbot and Convent's proprietors mall, in right and name of the church, receive all kind of tythes, oblations, profits and emo- luments to the fame appertaining, and mail bear all burthens, ordinary and extraordinary whatfoever in- cumbent on the church. Pagula t or PaulholmeT\\Q founders of this cell gave this church, with the tythes thereof, and it was afterwards granted to the Abbey of Kirkftal. Prejlon in Holdernefs Stephen Earl of Albemarle, alfo gave this church to the Abbot and Convent of St. Martin, in Normandy, who granted it, with the ap- purtenances, to the ordination of Walter Gray, Arch- bilhop of York, and he gave it to the fub-deanry of York. Ravenfei\ Ringburch^ Rifum y Rugemont, Ryhill and Rymcfwell Thefe pofTefllons of Birftal cell were conveyed over to the Abbot and Convent of Kirkftal, together with the chapel of Rymefwell. Skeffing,fee BlrJlalSkekelmg, fee Burftwic. Thorny Thorngumbald, and Thorp All the lands in thefe places, belonging to Birftal priory, were granted to the Abbey of Kirkftal, with the chapel of Thor- gumbald. TunJlalThz founder gave the church of this, but the Abbot and Convent of St. Martin, in Normandy, affigned it to Walter Gray, Archbifhop of York, who appropriated it to the fuccenterfhip of the canons in that cathedral. Wagken, or Waune--- Stephen de Albemarle gave the church of Waghu, which belonged to the patron- age of the Abbot and Convent of St. Martin, in Nor- mandy, 'till the ides fijth day,) Nov. A. D. 1230, that they fubmitted their church to the ordination ' [ 30 ] - Walter Gray, Archbifhop of York, who annexed it to the Chancellorfhip of his cathedral church. Waxbam^ alias Wafham^ or fPaffaud The land and chapel in this town were granted to the Abbot and (Jonvcnt of Kirkftall. /' 7/