The Medieval Inhabitants of Farndale

A reconstruction of a possible grouping of the inhabitants of Farndale in the thirteenth and fourteenth century

Home Page Return to the Home Page of the Farndale Family Website

The Farndale Story The story of one family’s journey through two thousand years of British History

The Farndale Lineages The 84 family lines into which the family is divided. Meet the whole family and how the wider family is related

The Farndale Directory Members of the historical family ordered by date of birth

Themes Links to other pages with historical research and related material

Related Family Stories The story of the Bakers of Highfields, the Chapmans, and other related families

The wealth of medieval records There is such a wealth of historical record about individuals who lived in Farndale in the thirteenth and fourteenth century, together sometimes with records of the relationships between these individuals, that it is a worthwhile exercise to build up a possible matrix of the relationships between the known individuals who lived in Farndale. This helps to identify patterns and to sense check models for the likely pattern of the family. It is to be viewed as a model, to help our understanding. We cannot be sure precisely how these individuals interlinked.	Real individuals and our best guess at their interrelationships Before the age of Parish Records (which began in the sixteenth century), it is impossible to be certain of the whole mesh of relationships. It is though possible to assess how individuals might have been related on a test of probability and possibility. The exercise helps to make sense of the whole community, and to trace lines of relationship that likely passed to the modern family who still bear the name of the dale. All the individuals below are historic figures and their stories are founded on historical evidence. Each individual is therefore founded on the underlying documentary evidence. The relationships may not always be correct, but help to identify patterns and build up a model for the wider family and community. The individuals though, are all real people, and we have historical records of each of them.	The Farndale Family To understand how some of the Farndales, the ancestors of all modern Farndales, left the dale to settle in other parts, the First Farndale Family Tree, takes the Farndales below into the centuries which followed.	The wider inhabitants of the dale The inhabitants of Farndale are best perceived as: · The Farndales. Individuals who adopted the name ‘de Farndale’ to define themselves and might have been part of one larger family group, or might have been a number of different families who used the name of the dale. The survivors of this family or these families eventually emerged as a single family who were the ancestors of the modern family. The Farndales included millers and smiths, working at the heart of the medieval community. Many appeared in the records for poaching offences. · The Westgills. A separate family who can be identified as a unit, who came from Westgill, probably in the area of Low Mill today, in the heart of the dale. · The Monkgates. An individual from Monkgate, who probably had a family living a little up the dale, at the area of Monket House today. · The Wakelevedys. An individual from Wakelevedy, who probably had a family living on the east side of the dale in the area of Wake Lady Green today. · The Priest. De Willelmo Clerico who was probably the priest of Farndale at the turn of the fourteenth century. · The Poachers. A number of individuals who had regular form for poaching in Pickering Forest, along with members of the Farndale family. · The rest of the crowd. A large number of other individuals, who lived in the Farndale community. They can’t be identified to particular locations within Farndale, but sometimes the evidence suggests where they may have come from before their arrival in Farndale.
Navigating the matrix below The colour coding explores a possible mesh of relationships as they might have flowed through the generations. The *s show where individuals are certainly descended as shown, as their parentage was recorded in the medieval evidence. The explanations in grey boxes and smaller font, provide some additional perspective to the overall matrix.	Estimated birth and death dates Each individual is also given possible dates of birth or death. None of these can be evidenced from medieval sources and can only be treated as nominal. It is nevertheless a useful exercise to ascertain possible dates of each person, as a sense check for the wider model. The dates are carefully assessed, based on the known facts, such as dates of offences, dates when taxes were paid and amounts of tax, and other evidence which might be suggestive of potential age. In general deaths are assessed on a circa three score years and ten principle, also considering the known evidence of their lives. A wealthy miller for instance might have been expected to live longer than an outlawed poacher.	The Model The possible genealogy below, and the notional but logical dates for each individual therefore provide a model, from which we can make more sense of the underlying facts. Each individual is a real person whose life story is founded upon medieval documentary evidence.	Meet The Farndales We first meet the individuals who took the name of the dale to define themselves, or were defined in such as way by others. Names started to emerge by referring to individuals’ place of residence, their characteristics, or their roles in the community. In the thirteenth century, these names were likely to have been relatively fluid, and the same individual might have been referred to differently from time to time. Where the same individual was consistently referred to by reference to the dale, it is likely that they were established members of the Farndale community, and in time were the most likely individuals to adopt its name more permanently. Recognisable individuals started to become identifiable at the time when the system of names between non elite communities had begun to evolve. Individuals started to differentiate between themselves by nicknames, occupations and residence. As settlements grew in size, names became more discerning. When de Farndale was no longer sufficient to differentiate between those who all lived in Farndale, folk were referred to by places within the dale such as Westgille or by their occupation. In time it was those who left the dale to move to other places who might use de Farndale as an identifier. As the new practice bedded in, these names started to become hereditary and the de was dropped. Our narrative of the history of Farndale, is therefore able to enrich its depth with the stories of ordinary individuals at the very earliest period when this became a possibility.

The Time Traveller’s Matrix to the earliest history of Farndale

The Geology of Farndale	The context of the Palaeolithic Period or the Old Stone Age Before about 10,000 BCE	The vicinity of Farndale in the Mesolithic Period 10,000 BCE to 3,000 BCE	The vicinity of Farndale in the Neolithic Period, the New Stone Age 3,000 BCE to 1,800 BCE	The vicinity of Farndale in the Bronze Age 1,800 BCE to 700 BCE	The vicinity of Farndale in the Iron Age 700 BCE to 70 CE	The vicinity of Farndale and Roman Britain 70 CE to 400 CE
						The vicinity of Farndale in the Anglo Saxon period 400 CE to 794 CE	The vicinity of Farndale in the Anglo Saxon Scandinavian Period 793 CE to 1066
Medieval Sources A Bibliography of source material used in this research		The ancient routes across the moors Exploring the ancient tracks and roads across the moors around Farndale		The Farndale Story The wider story of our ancestors		An Ancient History of the lands around Farndale A portal to the history of the dale before it was called Farndale FAR00001	The Game of Thrones and the Estate of Kirkbymoorside Kirkbymoorside in a game of chess from 1066
						The first reference to Farndale Rievaulx Cartulary, 1154 FAR00002
	Farndale in 1276 The Inquisition Post Mortem of Lady Joan de Stuteville provides evidence of the extent of cultivated land FAR00017	Farndale in 1282 The Inquisition Post Mortem of Baldwin Wake provides evidence of the extent of cultivated land FAR000020	Farndale in 1301 Detailed evidence of the inhabitants of Farndale from the 1301 Yorkshire Subsidy FAR00029	The Kirkdale Ancestor We cannot know whether Simon, John, Nicholas, Robert, Gilbert, Hugh and Alfred were brothers from the same family or each representative of different families We explore here where their ancestors, who we cannot identify individually, might have come from FAR00006A		The Forest of Farndale as a royal forest and monastic supply base 1128 to 1255 The Crown’s insistence on a Royal Forest and gifts of clearings in Farndale to monastic houses FAR00004	The cultivation and early history of Farndale c 1220 to 1400 The lay settlement of Farndale FAR00004A
Simon the Miller of Farndale c 1255 to c 1334 Perhaps the first significant person we can identify who bore the Farndale name He paid the highest rent of 7s 9d in Farndale in the 1301 Subsidy, suggesting as miller, he was the wealthiest inhabitant Simon had a servant, John, in 1301 We know of four sons, two of whom left the dale to seek their fortunes elsewhere, and two of whom became regular poachers, for which they were fined and outlawed FAR00021	John the Miller of Farndale c 1256 to c 1330 John appears in the records as John the Miller through the misdeeds of his poacher sons. He may have been John, the servant of Simon the miller in 1301, who eventually became a more substantial partner in the business, with both men later being referred to as the miller. He may have been Simon’s brother, or his servant or a business partner, or all of those things He also had poaching sons. FAR00021B	Nicholas of Farndale and of Ellrischaye c 1254 to c 1335 Probably a tenant farmer who paid a significant rent in 1301 FAR00006	Adam de Ellerschae C 1235 to c 1300 Paid rent of 20s in the mid thirteenth century May have been Nicholas’ father. FAR00006B	Robert the Smith of Farndale c 1260 to c 1340 The Smith of Farndale, whose son William probably continued his business and whose son Walter later moved to a village near Scarborough, where he was murdered in 1327 FAR00021C	Medieval Mills The context of the mill industry in Yorkshire and the evidence of mills in Farndale FAR00021A	Gilbert of Farndale c 1235 to c 1300 Possibly oldest person bearing the Farndale name of whom we have a written record FAR00018	Hugh of Farndale c 1260 to c 1330 Perhaps an early farmer of the dale, whose son Henry was fined for letting six oxen, two bullocks and two beasts of burden wander into the royal forest of Pickering FAR00021D	Alfred de Farndale c 1258 to c 1325 An obscure member of the community who we know only through his son’s appearance in court in 1334 FAR0008A
		Go under					Go Under	Go Under
	Richard de Farndale * c 1275 to c 1345 John had a gift of land in Marton in 1300 However he was excommunicated for stealing on 12 August 1316 From 1323 he was in trouble for a string of poaching offences FAR00016	John de Farndale * c 1277 to c 1350 Released from excommunication on 23 February 1324, he was involved in several poaching incidents in the 1330s FAR00016A	Thomas de Farndale c 1280 to c 1350 Excommunicated for stealing on 12 August 1316 FAR00023	William the Smith of Farndale c 1284 to c 1350 William probably continued a family business at the Smithy which was probably located at Low Mill William and his sons enjoyed a spot of poaching, but his sons took poaching to a new level and were later engaged in violent raiding expeditions FAR00037	Walter de Farndale * c 1277 to 1327 His oxen strayed in Pickering Forest in 1310, for which he was fined He later moved to Cayton near Scarborough, where he was murdered FAR00014A	Roger the Miller of Farndale, the ‘Hard Bear’ * c 1255 to c 1345 The miller of Farndale who probably worked at High Mill A poacher by 1293 who was probably the person described as burly as a bear FAR00013A	John Shepherd of Farndale c 1280 to c 1365 John had a groom, Roger, and animals which included nine oxen, and at least three cattle In the 1330s he was a guarantor for several poachers who needed bail FAR00010	Peter of Farndale c 1275 to c 1335 His son was a poacher FAR00008
	Desperate times and illegal hunting Don’t judge our ancestors too harshly. These were desperate times and the rural folk of Farndale had few options. FAR00015C	From Nicholas of Farndale				Alice de Farndale * c 1278 to c 1340 Perhaps the first female member of the family who can be identified Had one cow, worth 3s taken from her in Pickering Forest in 1310 FAR00028A	Willelmo filio Rogeri * c 1276 to c 1340 Paid 3s 11d tax in 1301 FAR00018C
							From Hugh of Farndale Henry of Farndale * c 1285 to c 1350 Had 6 oxen, 2 bullocks and 2 beasts of burden, worth 38s taken from him in Pickering Forest in 1310 FAR00028B
	The Poachers of Pickering Forest The story of the inhabitants of fourteenth century Farndale who were the poachers of Pickering Forest.		The Duchy of Lancaster and the Honour and Forest of Pickering FAR00015A			The 1334 to 1339 Eyre of Pickering Forest The itinerant court which picked up about 40 years of prior business. FAR00015B	The Start of the Hundred Years War 1337 to 1340 Tumultuous times in England. FAR00015D
	Waltero de Ellerscaye c 1275 to c 1340 Paid 2s 2d tax in 1301 FAR00011B	Adam de Farndale * c 1280 to c 1350 Paid a fine as guarantor of a poacher who didn’t turn up at court FAR00022A	Alan de Farndale * c 1282 to c 1350 A poacher who was also fined for the misdeeds of others FAR00011
	Thomas Wake’s Planning Dispute regarding Farndale and the Founding of a House of Friars 1325, 1347 FAR00039	Farndale after 1400 The dale in the Late Middle Ages FAR00004C			Walter de Farndale c 1300 to c 1370 Vicar of Haltwhistle, Lazonby, Illisahaghe hospital, Upmeadon, Chelmsford FAR00015	John de Farndale * c 1295 to c 1350 A poacher and fined as the guarantor of other poachers who didn’t turn up to court FAR00041B	Nicholas de Farndale * c 1296 to c 1350 Fined as a guarantor of poachers who didn’t turn up to court FAR00041A
Adam de Farndale * c 1274 to c 1350 Adam was accused of murder by the victim’s wife Agnes, and found himself in court on many poaching charges FAR00025	John de Farndale * c 1278 to 1372 John left Farndale and settled in Egton for a while, before returning via Farndale to live in Rosedale for many years, where he farmed 6 acres In 1336 he took a loan of Ł8 and perhaps shortly afterwards set up a business as a saddler in York, of which city he later became a freeman FAR00030	Robert Farndale * c 1282 to c 1345 A regular poacher, eventually outlawed FAR00031	Willelmo de Farndale c 1279 to c 1340 A tenant in Danby in 1301 FAR00013		William Farndale of Sheriff Hutton c1332 to c1397 A chaplain of Darley near Harrogate, pardoned for the death of John de Spaldington, he later moved to Sheriff Hutton where his family found themselves in Neville lands during the Hundred Years War and the Wars of the Roses FAR00036	The Fair at Farndale 1350 FAR00041	Farndale Folk 1350 to 1400 More poaching stories from Farndale FAR00042
					Settled at Sheriff Hutton at the heart of the Neville lands during the Wars of the Roses See The First Farndale Family Tree
Nicholas of Farndale * c 1292 to c 1350 Had 6 oxen and one cow, worth 27s seized in Pickering Forest in 1310 Gave evidence on 3 October 1334 regarding the Westgill boys FAR00025A	Went to Egton, Cropton in Rosedale, Hovingham and then York. Family also went to Doncaster. This is the branch of the modern Farndale family See The First Farndale Family Tree	Dispersal The story of those who left the dale, including those who took the first steps of the pioneering Farndale family. FAR00030B		John de Farndale * c 1315 to c 1390 John Farndale was another of the family poachers. He slew a hart in Leashow in 1331, promised to behave in 1334, but took a hind and calf in Rotemir in 1336. Then, in 1384, having raised his game to a new scale, he took part in a major cattle rustling expedition in Northumberland, assaulting and threatening the landlord’s servants FAR00042A	William the Smith of Farndale the Younger * c 1317 to c 1375 He carried out two violent raids in Egton and Danby, taking deer and other goods and assaulting the landlord’s servants in 1348 and 1367 FAR00040	Joan the Fair Maid of Kent en son temps la plus belle de tout la roiaulme d'Engleterre et la plus amoureuse The most glamorous owner of Farndale FAR00046A		Robert of Farndale * c 1300 to c 1360 Another prolific poacher, eventually outlawed FAR00012
				John Farndale c 1360 to c 1450 On 14 April 1445, by then residing at Stillington, County Durham, he answered a hearing on trespass in County Durham. FAR00037A				From Alfred de Farndale Roger de Farndale c 1280 to c 1340 Son of Alfred de Farndale Was a guarantor but had died by a hearing on 3 October 1334 FAR00011A

Meet the Westgills

Richard de Westgill c 1270 to c 1340 A farmer from the slopes around Low Gill in Farndale who seems to have lived at Kirkbymoorside by the 1320s alongside the elite classes, including the landowner, Lord Thomas Wake WES00001		Radulpho de Westgille c 1272 to c 1345 Paid 3s 2d tax in Farndale in 1301 WES00002	Willelmo Westgil c 1273 to c 1345 Paid 2s 6d tax in Farndale in 1301 WES00003
John de Westgill c 1300 to c 1370 A prolific poacher with his brother Robert WES00004	Robert Westgill c 1302 to c 1372 A prolific poacher with his brother John WES00005

Meet the Monkegates

Willelmo de Monkegate

c 1275 to c 1335

Paid 3d tax in 1301

Associated with the route onto Rudland Rigg from the dale known as monkegate, possibly Monk’s Way or from mon or maen, a stone, and kett or chett, a wood

MON00001

The Wakelevedys

Willelmo Wakelevedy

c 1260 to c 1320

Paid 3s 2d tax in 1301

From Lady Wake’s Green Field, later Wake Lady Green and later Lady Green

WAK00001

The Cleric

Willelmo Clerico

c 1270 to c 1340

The clerk, but perhaps the priest

Paid 23d tax in 1301

PRI00001

Some other folk who regularly poached in Pickering Forest

Walter Blackhous of Farndale c 1275 to c 1350 A regular poacher from 1293, the subject of the Eyre from 1334 and eventually outlawed BLA00001 William Blackhous of Farndale c 1320 to c 1390 By the 1360s William Blackhous was carrying out regular violent raids to Danby and beyond BLA00002

John del Heued of Farndale c 1290 to c 1355 Provided a guarantee at a hearing on 3 October 1334 HEU00001

Ralph del Heued c 1291 to c 1350 A regular poacher from 1293, the subject of the Eyre from 1334 and eventually outlawed HEU00002

Other Individuals of Farndale

Nicholas Ruddock c 1260 to c 1320 Paid 4s 7d tax in 1301 RUD00001	William Ruddock c 1262 to c 1330 Paid 2s 3d tax in 1301 RUD00002		Robert of Brakanthayt c 1265 to c 1340 Paid 4s 7d tax in 1301 BRAK00001		Nicholas de Harland of Farndale c 1280 to c 1340 Had one ox and one bullock, worth 7s taken from him in Pickering Forest in 1310 Harland moor is just south of Farndale Perhaps an ancestor of Raymond Harland Hayes From Harland Moor, a site of ancient settlement evidenced by the stone circle HAR00001 Walter de Harland c 1302 to c 1350		Galfrido de Hoton c 1250 to c 1320 Paid 3s 6d tax in 1301 Probably from Hutton le Hole HOT00001
Richard Ruddock of Farndale c 1290 to c 1360 Fined 1 mark for breaking into land at Egton, taking deer and stolen goods, and assaulting the men and servants of the owner on 17 January 1348 RUD00003		William ad Portam c 1260 to c 1315 Literally, ‘to the gate’, perhaps living at an important gate or entrance to Farndale Paid 3s 3d tax in 1301 Had 5 oxen, worth 20s taken from him in Pickering Forest in 1310 POR00001		John of Bransdale c 1275 to c 1340 Paid 2s 6d tax in 1301 From neighbouring Bransdale BRAN00001		John de Hutton c 1270 to c 1350 A poacher HOT00003	Willelmo de Hoton c 1275 to c 1340 Paid 5d tax in 1301 HOT00002
	Willelmo de Almeheved c 1272 to c 1343 Paid 2s 9d tax in 1301 Almeheved is associated with Holme Head and later Elm House at the head of the east dale road ALM00001		Roberto ad Pontem c 1278 to c 1340 Literally, ‘to the bridge’, perhaps living at a bridge across the Dove Might he have been the first inhabitant of Lowna at the entrance to the dale, later home of Sarkless Kitty or perhaps at the dale end bridge Paid 6d tax in 1301 PON00001				Thoma Kerelle c 1280 to c 1340 Paid 13d tax in 1301 KER00001
Richard de Beverley of Farndale c 1280 to c 1333 Paid 9d tax in 1301 Was a guarantor but had died by a hearing on 3 October 1334 BEV00001		Thoma de Birkeheved c 1278 to c 1340 Paid 6d tax in 1301 BIR00001		Hugone de Redmyre c 1270 to c 1340 Paid 2s 7d tax in 1301 Had 6 oxen, worth 24s taken from him in Pickering Forest in 1310 RED00001		William Stibbyng of Farndale c 1275 to c 1335 Had 6 oxen, which were of worth 24s taken from him in Pickering Forest in 1310 Stibbing is associated with Stepin Turn on Blakey Moor above the dale FAR00033
William de Beverlaco c 1302 to 1353 We have some details of his will BEV00002			Golde c 1245 to c 1299 GOL00001 Roberto filio Golde c 1279 to c 1340 Paid 5d tax in 1301 GOL00002		Henry c 1248 to c 1300 HEN00001		Harpino Coyly c 1279 to c 1340 Paid 4d tax in 1301 COY00001
					Willelmo filio Henrici c 1280 to c 1340 Paid 5d tax in 1301 HEN00002
Laurencio Syffewrythe c 1279 to c 1340 Latin for ‘suffocation’ Paid 4d tax in 1301 SYF00001		Syther and Syther' vidua (Syther and his wife) c 1240 to c 1310 Paid 4d tax in 1301 vidua is Latin for widow VID00001		Radulpho de Capite c 1270 to c 1320 Literally ‘from the head’ Paid 3d tax in 1301 CAP00001		Willelmo de Fademore c 1250 to c 1310 Paid 3d tax in 1301 Likely to have moved to Farndale from Fadmoor immediately to its south FAD00001
	Galfrido Saunder c 1255 to c 1320 Paid 3d tax in 1301 SAU00001		John c 1256 to c 1320 ADA00001		Hugh Leverok of Farndale c 1275 to c 1330 Had one cow and one stirk, worth 4s 8d taken from him in Pickering Forest in 1310 LEV00001		William de Waldehus of Farndale c 1265 to c 1320 Had 5 oxen, 4 cows and 4 stirks, worth 38s 8d taken from him in Pickering Forest in 1310 Wold House in Farndale WAL00001
	Nicholao filio Galfridi c 1279 to c 1340 Paid 5d tax in 1301 SAU00002		Ada filio Johannis c 1278 to c 1340 Paid 3d tax in 1301 ADA00002
Alan de Wrelton of Farndale c 1270 to c 1330 Had 4 oxen and two cows, 19s taken from him in Pickering Forest in 1310 WRE00001		William c 1250 to c 1310 WIL00001	John son of Abba c 1300 to c 1380 Guarantor at 1334 hearing Hearing for trespass on 3 October 1334 Roger Farndale was fined 20d on 3 October 1334 because John did not turn up ADA00003	Helewise c 1245 to c 1312 HEL00001	John Wraghby of Farndale c 1290 to c 1360 Provided a security for bail at a hearing against Richard and Adam de Farndale for trespass on 3 October 1334 WRA00001		Stephano Alberd c 1265 to c 1330 Paid 2s 3d tax in 1301 ALB00001
		Stephen c 1275 to c 1340 Had 2 bullocks and one ox, worth 12s taken from him in Pickering Forest in 1310 WIL00002		John c 1270 to c 1340 Had 4 oxen, 3 bullocks, one cow, 2 beasts of burden and one stirk, worth 38s 8d taken from him in Pickering Forest in 1310 HEL00002		Roberto Cokerell c 1270 to c 1340 Paid tax in 1327 and 1333 Subsidy in Cropton in Rosedale COK00003	John Alberd de Farndale c 1290 to c 1360 Provided a guarantee at a hearing on 3 October 1334 ALB00002
			William Kyng of Farndale c 1265 to c 1333 Was a guarantor but had died by a hearing on 3 October 1334 KYN00001		William Knyth of Farndale c 1279 to c 1340 KNY00001	Elias Cockrell c 1290 to c 1350 Paid 1333 subsidy in Cropton in Rosedale Paid a guarantee to bail poachers in the 1334 Eyre Court COK00002
Hugh Moigne of Farndale c 1330 to c 1390 Fined for poaching Fish in 1366 MOI00001		John Colinman of Farndale c 1320 to c 1375 Involved in livestock raiding in the 1350s FAR00043			John c 1310 to c 1370 Fined half a mark for trespass and hunting on 30 November 1336 KNY00002	John Cokrell the Younger of Farndale c 1315 to c 1380 Involved in violent livestock raiding in the 1360s COK00001
John Porter of Farndale c 1345 to c 1400 Involved in a violent raid in Danby in 1372 PORT00001		Hugh Bailly of Farndale Involved in a violent raid in Danby in 1372 BAI00001	Adam Bailly of Farndale Involved in a violent raid in Danby in 1372 BAI00002	Robert de Wodde of Farndale c 1350 to c 1420 Pardoned on 19 April 1396 for the death of John Hawlare of Kirkbymoorside FAR00053 The Wood Family still lived in the dale in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and beyond		Thomas Wolthwayt of Farndale c 1352 to c 1410 Involved in a violent raid in Danby in 1398 FAR00054
	Lawrence Hoggeson of Farndale c 1400 to c 1470 A trespasser in 1445 HOG00001