Bakerstead NY159023

Location shown on main Miterdale page.

(Converted to an outdoor pursuits centre)

The tenant at the time of the General Fine of 1547? was Nicholas Nicholson

Occupied by Henry Nicholson in the Eskdale 24 Book of 1587. Henry Nicholson's tenancy is described in the Percy Survey of 1578 as

Henry Nicholson - tenement, little garth + orchard adj. (0.25r), the Myre (parcel of ground) + old call garth (2.5a), the Outrake (parcel of waste ground, 1r), Long Lea (parcel of ground, 1.5a), Overmost Field (close, 1.5a), wood ground (0.5a): rent 4/-, also New Close (old improvement, 2a): 4d, the Lend (new improvement, 1r): 2d, Eme Garth: 2d, moulture & walker: 3d. Total 4/11 yearly ²

By the time of the general fine of 1633, Bakerstead was tenanted by John Wilkinson. He died in 1669 leaving a will and inventory and in 1674 (his son?) John Wilkinson mortgaged the property to Thomas Hartley for £40. (A daughter Dorothey was baptised in 1674). John Wilkinson died in 1710 leaving a will and inventory and his son William Wilkinson was admitted in 1712. Another John Wilkinson was tenant at the time of the general fine of 1750, but he sold the property to John Bowman in 1761. It appears that John Wilkinson was farming Bakerstead along with Low Place and had moved to Low Place by 1732 since John Wilkinson of Low Place is mentioned in the Eskdale Jury verdics for the following 5 years 1732-1737.

1758 survey: Bakerstead; tenant John Wilkinson (good house & barn etc. + c10 acres improved land + 10 acres rough ground- QR 4/11 + improvement- QR 3d; annual value £6/10/0)

On the 25th on November 1760 Mary Nicholson married James Russel of Bakerstead at St Catherine's. James Russel 'formerly of Miterdalehead' died at Randlehow in 1829 - a Beth Russel married from Randlehow in 1828. James bought Swordhouse in 1779.

John Bowman resold the property to Stephen Nicholson in 1771. Stephen died in 1814 at the fine age of 101. Bakerstead (along with 'Brow Gate' and Low Place) was inherited by his son, Reverend Thomas Nicholson vicar of Muncaster and, on his death in 1825, by Thomas's son John Nicholson, gentleman, of Nether Stainton.

Children of Chrispin and Sarah Pharaoh were baptised from Bakerstead between 1782 and 1786. The last reference to Bakerstead in the burial register is Sarah Pharaoh in 1799.¹

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Notes

1    Deserted Farmstead Sites at Miterdale Head, Eskdale, by Angus J.L. Winchester
        (CWAAS 1979 pp150-155)