Eskdale - Percy Survey 1578

The excellent site on Eskdale - "Past Presented" includes the following transcription which has been copied here by kind permission of David Bradbury to allow me to hyperlink cross-references between it and individuals in whom I am interested

The "Percy Survey" of the estates and privileges of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, in the county of Cumberland, was compiled by Sir Cuthbert Collingwood and others, having been commissioned on 13 May 1578. Among these was the Forest of Copeland, encompassing the whole of the Earl's manors in Eskdale, Wasdale and Miterdale. The surveyors obtained information on the landholdings of each tenant, which was confirmed by committees of "homagers" appointed by the local manor courts. Eskdale and Miterdale were in the "Eskdale Ward", controlled by the Earl's "Bailiff between Ehen & Dudhen". [These abstracts are based on a photocopy transcript of the Survey on the library shelves at Whitehaven Record Office, the original document being retained in the family archive at Cockermouth]

...east to top of hill called Myckell Gavell, then between Wasdale Heads and Boradale by the Styme (or Stee) Head to top of hill called the Wastall great End, then to place called Eske house (source of the Eske) then south down the Eske between Eskdale and ""boundering keld" [i.e. Brotherilkeld]
 then between Eskdale and the lands of Richard Irton and Thomas Stanley in Milla [i.e. Millom lordship] to where sike called Moore Beck [now one of several local streams known from their boundary importance as "Mere Beck"] enters the Eske, and up this sike between Eskdale and Moulcaster through the middle of Forest Mosse, to a way called the Street at Lang garth green; along this to the boundary with Kay howe then along that boundary to the water of Nyte (or Myte); then by a ditch running on the west of the river [possibly an ancient river course] to where another sike called Meare beck enters the Myte and up this sike to Houlegill head, then down Houlegill head to place called Little Houlegill by sike called Cargath syke, then by an old decayed wall to the water of Irte, then down the Irte to where Kidd beck joins it... etc.

The Homage of Eskdale Ward
Nich. Hartley
William Nicholson
Gilbert Hartley
Wm. Willson
Nich. Diconson
Thomas Fisher
Nich. Hartley jnr
Edwd. Tyson
Thos. Diconson
John Wasdale
Robert Jackson
Henry Nicholson
Richard Tyson
John Fletcher
John Tyson
William Wasdale
Henry Nicholson



Holdings of tenants:

Some other unusual terms: "moulture and walker" is the Lord of the Manor's monopoly right to payments for corn milling and cloth fulling [aka "walk milling"]; a "paroke" is a small field [the word is related to "paddock"]; a "moiety" is a half share.


Edward Woodend [Gatehouse 1587]- little house, barn, New Close adj. (1.5r), Guddie Close (3r), Howe Myre (close, 2.5r), parcel of meadow in Robert Diconson's Hollow Myre (0.25r), The Oaks (close of wood & arable, 1.5a): rent 2/6, parcel of land in the Bend garth: rent 3d; "One old improvement full of stones" (1.5a): rent 4d, "And for moulture and Walker, to wit, for a corn mill and a Walk Mill decayed": 2d. Total 3/7 yearly.

"Nich. Nicholson" in margin
John Diconson- Rondall Howe- tenement etc., moiety of croft adj. (1.5r), moiety of of the New Close (1.5r), moiety of Farthwate (close, 1.5a), moiety of Hallow Myre [sic] (close of meadow, 1a 1r), half of Bank Lands (1.5r), moiety "of certain wood land" (2.5a), with sufficient common: rent 2/-, Bend garth (parcel of land): rent 3d. Total 2/4 yearly

Robert Diconson- Rondall Howe- tenement etc., moiety of a croft (1.5r), moiety of New Close (1.5r), moiety of Farthwater [sic] (close, 1.5a), moiety of Hollow Myre (meadow close, 1a 1r), half of Bank Lands (1.5r), "and the" [blank]

John Hartley [Bank House??]- tenement etc., Bank Lands (close adj., 1a 1r), The Meadow (close, 1a), The Hill and Back Stones (close, 1.5a), Barawes (close, 1a 3r), with common: rent 2/6, moulture & walker: 2.5d, "One improvement lying above his house" (2a): rent 4d, "One improvement called Petticote" (4a): rent 6d, Bang garth (parcel of land): 3d. Total 3/11.5 yearly

Henry Nicholson [Hollinghow 1587]- tenement & barn etc., moiety of croft adj. (3r), in Eller crook (1a), "in Woodground in the said close" (c1a), moiety "of certain wood ground" (3r), with common: rent 18d. "a new improvement": 4.5d, moulture & walker: 5d. Total 2/3.5 yearly

Henry Nicholson (as above) [i.e. probably a second tenement at Hollinghow]- tenement with barn & hemp garth, moiety of croft adj. (3r), the Old Croft (close, 1.5a), Lady Croft (close, 0.5a), moiety "of certain wood ground" (3r), with common: rent 18d, moiety of an improvement (1r): rent 1.5d, moiety of another improvement (2.5a): rent 3d, "a garth called Lang garth": 5d. Total 2/3.5 yearly

Thomas Fisher- Hollinghead [probably the present Fisherground]- tenement, barn &c., Moor Inge adj. (croft/close, 6a), Some [?] Close (3a), Overmost Field (close, 3.5a), Will Acre (close, 1.5a), Calf Close (0.5a), Long Land (close, 3a), Berepott Helme (close, 2.5a, part on S side of the Esk), in Wood ground (2.5a), "in the Long lands and Highway of wood ground" (3a), with common: rent 7s 4d. Also "an old improvement in the Hill above his house" (8a): 3/4, another improvement adj. (6a): "rented with the same as he alleges", "Bromeable and a little parcel of ground" (1/2 rood): 18d, moulture & walker: 5d, Bagge Garth: 5d. Total 13/- yearly.

William Singleton, clerk (curate) [presumably at the Rectory]- house, barn, Beck Foot adj. (croft, 2a), Priest How (parcel of wood ground, 1.5a): 14d yearly; held only "during the term of his ministry there".

Robert Jackson [part of Spout House 1587]- tenement & other buildings, Nether Crook (arable & meadow close, 1a 3r), Moor Inge (meadow close, 1a 1r), the Orchard (parcel of ground, 1r), Will croft (close, 1a), the Holmes (3 closes beside the Esk, 2.5a), Long Lands (close of arable & wood ground, 2a), "with sufficient common": 4/3. Also "the moiety of an old improvement" (8a): 3/4, moulture & walker 4.5d. Total 7/11.5 yearly.

Henry Nicholson [part of Spout House 1587]- tenement, barn etc., Overmost Crook adj. (close, 2a), Tom Howe (close, 0.5a), Corn Field Wood (pasture close, 2a), little island by Corn Field Wood, on S side of Esk (1.5 r), the Corn Field (close, 3a), Crook Head (close of wood ground, 1a), wood ground in Corn Field Wood (1.5a), "with sufficient common": 4/4. Also an old improvement (8a), moulture & walker, 5d. Total 8/1 yearly.

William Hartley [Borrowdale Place 1587]- tenement, barn, other buildings, the Orchard ("a little grass garth", 0.5r), the Meyne (meadow close, 2.5r), the Croft (close, 3r), the Far Field (close, 2a 1r), the Field End (close, 0.5a), with sufficient common: rent 2/6.5, also 2 old improvements adjoining the above grounds (1a): rent 6.5d, half of Hound Holme (1r): 2.5d, moulture & walker: 3d. Total: 3/6.5 yearly

James Willson [probably in Boot]- cottage, "little garth adjoining" (2 perches): rent 4d yearly

Gilbert Hartley [in Boot 1587, possibly Bridge End]- tenement, barn & other buildings, croft with little garth adj. (2a), Boramdale (close, 1a), Dale Beck (meadow close with "a little paroke", 1a 1.5r), Cokman Hole (close, 1.5r), Brode Dale (close, 2.5r), parcel of wood ground (3a), sufficient common: rent 3/8, also an improvement (2a 3r): 4d, half of Hound Holme (1r): 2.5d, moulture & walker: 4d. Total 4/6.5 yearly

John Nicholson- Thornes- tenement, barn etc., Long Paroke (garth & little close adj., 3r), Crabtree Close (0.5a), Eel Beck (close, 1a 0.5r), Long Lands (close, 2a), Nether Field (close, 1a 0.5r), Hodge Close (0.5a 0.5r), Commons ("close of coarse pasture", 1a), Far Wood (wood ground, 2a), with sufficient common: 3/9, also 1 improvement (1a 3r): 4d, moulture & walker: 3d. Total 4/8 yearly

Richard Hartley [in Boot 1587]- tenement, barn etc., Beck Peat adj. (close, 2.5a), Kiln Myre (meadow close, 2a), land "in the Netherfield" (1a), house with little close "in the Bought" (1a), Far Wood (wood ground, 1a), wood ground in the Netherfield (1a), with sufficient common: rent 4/6, also an old improvement at Green How (1a 3r): 4d, moulture & walker: 4d. Total 5/2 yearly

Thomas Diconson- Armit House- tenement, barn etc., Great Field + Coal + Call Garth + Riddinge + Stoodfall Lees (5 closes adj. tenement, 5a), Acre Inge (close in the Bothome, 1a 2.5r), Kirk Close (near church, 2a), Morrell Wood (close of wood ground, 3a), parcel of wood ground (2.5a), with sufficient common: rent 6/-, also 1 old improvement called Deed How (3a): 6d, moulture & walker, 5d. Total 6/11 yearly

Richard Tyson [Hollins 1587]- tenement, barn etc., field adjoining (2a), the Nook (close, 3r), Long Lands (close, 2a), the Tole (close, 0.5r), close of wood ground (3a), with sufficient common: rent 4/-, also 1 improvement adj. (3a): 2d, moulture & walker: 4d. Total 4/6 yearly

Nicholas Tyson [Gill Bank?]- tenement, barn etc., croft adj. (2a), Guddie Field (close, 1a), Slake (close, 2.5a), Moor Inge (coarse pasture close, 2a), Gill Brow (close, 1a 0.5r), 2 parokes (3r), Out Rake (parcel of coarse ground, 1.5r), the Green Howes (1r), parcel of wood ground (1a), with sufficient common: rent 4/-. also an old improvement adj. the above grounds (1a): 14d, moulture & walker: 3d. Total 5/5 yearly

John Nicholson- Howes- tenement, barn etc., Middle Field Meadow adj. (2a 1r), Far Howes (close, 1.5a), the Wood Close ("certain parcels", 1a), Shakfield (close, 2.5a), a peat moss (3r), Wokain Slake (parcel of ground, 3.5a): 4/-. 3 old improvements (2.5a): 14d, Kidman Garth (improvement, 1a): 6d, moulture & walker: 4d, with sufficent common. Total 6/- yearly.

Edward Nicholson [of Paddock Wray 1587]- tenement house, barn etc., garth + arable & meadow close adj. (2.5a), Wood How + Moss (parcel of wood ground, 3a), with common: rent 3/-, also an old improvement "lying above the said tenement" (3a): 6d, moulture & walker 2d. Total 3/8 yearly

Nicholas Tyson [part of Christcliff 1587]- tenement, barn etc., garth + little croft adj. (1a), Close Head (close, 0.5a), moiety of Eskdale Field "lying near the church" (1a 0.5r), the Calf Close (0.25r), moiety of Ryse Brigg + New Close (wood & waste ground, 2a), with common: rent 2/-, also an old improvement adj. (2a): 3d, moulture & walker: 3d. Total 2/6 yearly

William Wilson- Christ Clife- tenement, barn etc., 2 little garths + croft adj. (1a), Close Head (close, 2.5r), moiety of Eskdale Field (close) "lying near the church" (1a 0.5r), moiety of Ryse Brigg Moss + New Close (wood & waste ground, 2a), with common: rent 2/-, also an old improvement "lying on the north side of his house" (1.5a): 3d, moulture & walker: 3d. Total 2/6 yearly

John Hartley [possibly Church House]- tenement, Kirk Close adj. (2a 3r): rent 2/-, moulture & walker: 2.5d. Total 2/2.5

Nicholas Hartley [part of Peel Place 1587]- tenement, half a barn "together with Nicholas Nicholson", little garden + grass garth adj. (2.25r), 1/3 part of the Long Field (0.5a), half of Tarn Inge (close, 2a 3r), moiety of Little Croft (close, 1.25r), moiety of 1 close of wood ground (3.5a): rent 2/-, also the Bank (improvement, 2.5a): 2.5d, moulture & walker: 2.5d. Total 2/5 yearly

Nicholas Nicholson [part of Peel Place 1587]- tenement, half a barn "together with Henry Nicholson", 2 little garths (4 perches), 2/3 share of Long Field (close, 1a), half of Turn Inge (arable & meadow close, 2a 3r), moiety of Little Croft (close, 1.25r), moiety of Hoge How (close of wood ground & peat moss, 3.5a), with sufficient common: rent 2/-. Also an old improvement "lying on the north side of the said house" (2a): 3.5d, moulture & walker: 5d. Total 2/8.5 yearly.

Nicholas Wilson [part of Dawson Place 1587, now Woolpack]- tenement etc., little meadow garth adj. (1r), moiety of the Long Field (close, 3r), moiety of the Croft (close, 0.5a), moiety of the Holme (close, 1a), moiety of Tippie Close (3.5r), moiety of Brerie Land (parcel of ground, 1r), moiety of "certain wood ground in two places" (4a), with common: rent 18d, also an old improvement (3a): 2d, a new improvement (1.5r): 1d, moulture & walker: 2.5d. Total 23.5d yearly.

Roger Tyson [part of Dawson Place 1587, now Woolpack]- tenement, barn etc., the Paroke adj. (meadow garth, 1r), moiety of Long Field (close, 3r), moiety of the Croft (close, 0.5a), moiety of the Holme (close, 1a), moiety of Tippie Close (3.5r), moiety of Brerie Land (parcel, 1r), moiety of "certain wood ground in two places" (4a): rent 18d, also an old improvement "lying on the north side of his house" (3a): 2d, moulture & walker: 2.5d. Total 22.5d yearly.

Henry Vicars [Wha House 1587, probably Low Wha House- later Bleabeck]- tenement, barn & other buildings, croft or great field adj. (6a), with common: rent 18d, also 2 old improvements "one on the west side and the other on the east side of his house" (1.5a): rent 8d, moiety of 1 new improvement (6a): 4d, moiety of a mill with little garth adj. (together with his brother Robert Vicars, 0.25r): 4/- [marginal note "4/- of this is imposed on the Mill now in the possession of Mr Stanley"], moulture & walker: 4d. Total 6/10 yearly

Robert Vicars [High? Wha House 1587]- tenement, barn & other buildings, Field Head ("close or parcel of ground", 3a), Great Allen; also known as Island (close of meadow & wood ground, 2a), 3 "little parcels of ground lying on the south side of Esk" (3r): rent 18d, also an old improvement "joining to the field head" (1.5r): 4d, moiety of a new improvement (6a): 4d, moiety of a water corn mill (with his brother Henry Vicars) & little garth adj. (0.25r): 4/- [marginal note "4/- of this is also on the mill in the possession of the said Mr Stanley"], moulture & walker: 4d. Total 6/6 yearly

William Vicars jnr [part of Taw House 1587]- tenement, half a barn (with W. Vickers snr), 1 close of infield land adj. (4a), ditto of outfield land (3.5a), with common: rent 20d, also 1/4 share of Green Cove common: rent 5/-, moulture & walker 7.5d. Total 7/3.5 yearly.

John Vicars [almost certainly Birdhow]- tenement, barn, the Lunes or Lanes (2 closes, 1.5a), John Holm Head + Holm Head Foot (2 parcels of ground on south side of Esk, 1a), Birdshaw (arable & meadow close, 1.5a), Birds (close, 2a 1r), meadow close "joining to his house" (0.5a): rent 20d, also 1/4 share of Greencove common: 5/-, an old improvement (2a): 2d, a new improvement (6a): 6d, moulture etc. 3.5d. Total 7/7.5 yearly

William Vicars snr [part of Taw House 1587]- tenement, barn + half a barn (with Wm. Vicars jnr), 2 garths adj. (1.5r), the Great Field (close, c5.5a), Reed Lands (close, 1a 1r), Gestfield (close, 1.5a), Skale Closes (closes of outfield land, 5.5a), with common etc.: rent 3/4, also half of Greencove common: 10d [recte 10/-], moulture & walker 7.5d. Total 13/11.5 yearly.

William Robinson- "a grass land there, to wit, the common of pasture for eight beasts upon the common called Burnam Moor (his lordship's friths excepted)": rent 8d yearly.

"The tenants of Eskdale do pay yearly for door toule to wit, for every tenement or househoulder's door 2d, for the which"... [ends abruptly at the bottom of a page- the next page, which should contain the Eskdale summary and totals, having presumably been missed from the photocopy]

MITREDALE

Nicholas Stevenson (within age) [one of 3 tenants at Miterdale Head? (Sword House 1633 AJS)]- tenement, barn & other buildings, 3 little parokes adj. + the Myre (little close) (1.5a), 1/3 share of the Younge Field (3a), 1/3 share of the Cragg Wood + Gill Wood Side (2 parcels of wood ground, 1.5a), with common: rent 6/-, also 1.3 share of improvement in the Brust (3r): 2d, Eme Garth: 2d. Total 6/4 yearly.
[N.B. Of the two Miterdale Head tenements marked on the map, the western one was known in later years as "Sword House". Local legend has it that there was also once a public house nearby for travellers over Burnmoor, called "Nannyhorns", but I have yet to find any evidence that the story is not simply 19th-century fiction]

Henry Nicholson [Bakerstead 1587]- 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

John Nicholson [one of 3 tenants at Miterdale Head?]- tenement, barn & other buildings, nether part of the Paroke (0.5r), the Myre (meadow close, 0.5a), the Low Garth (close of coarse ground, 3r), Skale inge (close, 1r), 1/9 share of the Tongue Field (1a), Stokefold Garth (parcel of wood & pasture ground, 3.5a), 1/9 share of Crag Wood and Underside (wood ground): rent 6/2, Eme Garth 2.5d, 1/3 share of the Brust (improvement): 2d, "decayed rents of the corn Mill and walk Mill there (called moulture and walker)": 2d. Total 6/8.5 yearly

William Nicholson- Mitredale Head- tenement etc., 3 little closes adj. (1a), upper part of the Paroke (0.5r), New Close (1r), 2/9 share of the Tongue Field (2a), moiety of Brode Garth (parcel of ground, 2.5a), 2/9 share of Crag Wood and Underside (wood ground, 1a), with common: rent 6/8, also 1/3 share of an old improvement (3r): 2d, Eme Garth: 2.5d, moulture & walker: 2d. Total 7/2.5 yearly

Nicholas Nicholson [near Miterdale Head 1587- probably the farm later called Browyeat]- tenement, garth + Goose Myre + Dry Myre + Silk Myre (3 parcels of meadow) (1a 1r), New Garth (close, 1a 1r), moiety of Brode Garth (parcel of ground, 2.5a), 1/3 share of the Tong Field (3a), Underside (parcel of waste & wood ground, 1r), the Rake (1r), 1/3 share of Crag Wood and Gill Side (2 parcels of ground, 1.5a): rent 9/-, old improvement adj. New Garth (3r): 3d, another improvement (3d), Eme Garth: 3d, moulture & walker: 6d. Total 10/3

William Nicholson- Low Place- tenement, orchard + croft adj. (3.5a), "a little pighill" (0.5a), "in two closes called the How and Foxhole of meadow" (3a), Lyme Croft (meadow close, 3r), 2/3 share of Nether Field (parcel of wood ground, 4a), wood ground in the How and Foxholes (4a), with common: rent 8/8, also Pighill (1 improvement, 4 perches): 1d, moiety of Hole Gill common (not enclosed): 18d, Skale Garth: 6d, moulture & walker: 4d, also 1/3 share of Nether Field- from the surrender of Henry Nicholson (close of wood ground, 2a): 8d. Total 11/9 yearly.

George Porter gent. [presumably of Easthwaite in Wasdale, where later generations of the Porter family lived]- moiety of Hole Gill common (not enclosed) with William Nicholson as above: 18d yearly

Henry Porter [Low Holme?]- tenement, barn & other buildings, orchard + garth adj. (0.25r), the Low Field (close, 2a), 1 parock (0.5r), the Crook (close, 2.5a), Cow Butts + Rigg Garth + Rake Rigg (3 closes, 4a), Brod Inge (close, 2.5a), How (close, 3r), "divers parcels of wood ground" (3a), with "sufficient common of pasture": rent 7/-, also rents a parcel of the Bank Garth: 11d, moulture & walker: 5d. Total 8/4 yearly

Nicholas Hartley- Langrigg Green- tenement, barn & other buildings, orchard + garden + croft adj. (0.5a), the Holm + the Great Field + the Guddie Field (3 closes, c4a), 2 parocks (1a), Moor Inge (meadow close, c1a 1r), Crookt Acre (close, 1a), the How (close, 3r), the Green (meadow close, 1a 0.5r), Long Lee (parcel of ground, 3r), parcel of waste & wood ground 1a), with "sufficient common of pasture": rent 8/-, also 1 improvement in the Craggs (1a 1r): 4d, a parcel in the Bang Garth: 13d, moulture & walker: 7d "and for bromeale (5 for license of brewing)": 18d. Total 11/6 yearly

Door toule for Mitredale tenants: 2d yearly "for every tenement or household door" ... "in consideration whereof they are free of toule within all markets and fairs within Coupland within the seignory of Egremont"... Total from all tenants 16d yearly.

"The Frith or Fence called Lingmole and Ratragill is worth by estimation four pounds and is in circuit a mile or thereabouts"

Richard Hartley of Eskdale & his son Nicholas have made the new wall around the new fence or frith in Wasdale Head, and are to be paid 53/4 yearly for life to maintain it.

Heriots are payable to the Earl on the death of any tenant in the four manors (Eskdale, Mitredale, Nether Wasdale & Wasdale Head)