The area to which the documents relate is Fawcett Forest, a manor within the sub-parish of Selside. The Manor is situated on the slopes leading up to the Shap Fells and straddles the Great North Road (A6), and is administered from Forest Hall set alongside the A6 and covers both the scattered farmsteads across the Selside lowlands as well as Banisdale, Borrowdale and the Whatshaw Fell above Crookdale. The areas or divisions within the Rentals are:- Banisdale, Forest, Selside, Whatshaw, Whinfell, Whitwell.
There is no village of Selside in the normally accepted sense, as the Parish is made up of a scattering of farmsteads, a hall or manor house and a church set within rolling countryside sheltered by the dramatic fells to the north. Selside is a sub-parish of the great parish of Kendal. The documents refer to a number of farmsteads (messuages & tenements) dotted across the farmland and fells, more information on the farmsteads is detailed below.
The documents from which this transcription is made are lodged in the archive room at Levens Hall Castle just south of Kendal. They are contained in Box 10 and relate to seventeenth and eighteenth century Jury verdicts and rental tythes of property and lands within the Fawcett Manor Estate. The owners of the Estate were the Graham family. The Fawcett Estate is now part of the Levens Hall Estate. The Levens Hall Estate archives is one of those rare examples of continuity where documents, from medieval times onwards, are still held by the family. The documents can only be viewed by special request via Kendal Record Office.
The items selected were photographed and then transcribed by Bryant Bayliffe and myself Julian Rawes. Many were very difficult to decipher, partly due to them being in Latin or faint or in some cases very poor handwrinting. Since we are not experts in this field some allowance must be made for omissions or errors.
The documents were written between 1626 and 1740. Some of the transcribed pages mention members of the Rawes, Huck and Kitchen families. There was a good degree of inter-marrying and the relationship between the families most have been complex. The Huck's lived at Borrow or Huck's Bridge where the Great North Road cuts through Borrowdale.
As in previous attempts to find the Rawes family on the Shap Fells and in Selside (see 007.htm), great hope was placed on finding details of their residence within the Forest and also the origins of William Rawes of Selside (married by license in 1737). Parish Registers and marriage licences had already placed them in Fawcett Forest, Selside, Wastdale, Whinfell and in particular at High House in Borrowdale since at least the late 16th century. Amongst the first documents obtained from the Levens Hall papers, there is mention of a Robert Rawes at High House. It is possible that this Robert Rawes is the son of Gerard Rawes of 'Fawcett Forest', an area that includes High House in Borrowdale. At first glance, after transcription, the documents did not give the 'great breakthrough' that had been hoped. They have however added to our knowledge of the Rawes. It is beginning to appear that there was no fixed dwelling house throughout the 17th century. It now seems apparent that Robert Rawes only obtained occupancy of High House in 1676, following the demise of Richard Kitchen in 1674, since in 1676 Robert Rawes appears to be making his first payment as tenant. Robert was buried in Kendal, 24 June 1703. Richard Rawes, Robert's presumed son, is recorded as 'of High House' in the Shap Registers when baptising his children in the early 18th century. The last mention of Richard at High House is on the baptism of his daughter Agnes in 1705. Richard (then styled of Orton) was buried at Selside church along with his son Robert on 17th February 1725. Lancelot Rawes of Barugh in Orton, is a presumed son of Richard Rawes. Robert's assumed father, Gerard Rawes of Fawcett Forest, was baptised at Shap on 29th Oct 1598, the son of Robert Rawes of 'Fawcett Forest'. Amongst the documents some dating from circa 1620's. They list this Garard (Jarat) and also record another Robert Rawes (assumed father of Gerard). styled 'of Derbyes'. It is apparent that in the 1620's, this Robert Rawes took possession of a property occupied by William Derbye. As yet this property has not been identified on the ground. This Robert is believed to have married Elizabeth Darbie at Kendal 24th February 1595. Elizabeth was buried Kendal; 14th January 1625. Robert's father was another Gerard Rawes of Fawcett Forest, who was buried Kendal 12 June 1625. This Gerard is the first known 'Rawes' in the area. Also in these documents is listed a Richard Rawes. This Richard is believed to be the Richard Rawes of Whinfell recorded in the hearth Tax of 1669 as having three chimneys, a possible son of Robert Rawes of Derbyes. The following pedigree is a very rough and tentative attempt at sorting out the relationships of the Rawes in Selside. There are however a number of other Rawes in Kendal and New Hutton. GERARD RAWES = of Fawcett Forest | Bur Kendal 12 June 1625 | | ROBERT = Kendal 24 Feb 1595 Became an occupant of a property | Elizabeth Darbie called Derbyes in the 1620's | Bur 14 Jan 1625 from William Derbye. Styled of | Derbye 1632, 1643, 1659 | ----------------------------------------------------- | | | GERARD = WILLIAM RICHARD Bap Shap 29 Oct 1598 | of Bretherdale In Hearth Tax 12 Jan 1669 of Fawcett Forest | Tenant who failed having 3 chimneys in Whinfell | to appear in Court In Fawcett Rental 1663-70 | 1619 = | | --------------------------------- ---------------------------------- | | | | | | ROBERT JAMES JANE ROBERT GERARD ELIZABETH Took over High House from Bur Kendal Bap 16 Aug Bap Kendal Bap Kendal Bap Kendal Richard Kitchen 1676 13 Dec 1685 1629 15 May 1624 5 Nov 1627 5 Jan 1631 also of Longsleddale Bur 14 Dec 1694 Bur Kendal 24 June 1703 of Whinfell = Ellin ------------------------------- | Bur Longsleddale |From at least 1699 High House| | 17 Jan 1693 |was held in demesne. | ------------------------------- ------------------------------- | | GERRARD RICHARD (Jarrat) of High House of Wasdale Head Styled of Orton Bur Shap 18 July when Bur Selside 1695 17 Feb 1725 along = Crosby Ravensworth with his son Robert | 1687 ------- = ?Agnes | Thompson | | | The documents show a relatively stable and close knit community with the occasional newcomer and the loss of a surname. The surnames are few and fairly unchanging. The Thornburgh's, Stevensons, Stricklands and Tunstalls seem to lead the pack as they mostly appear at the top of the lists and three members of the Thornburghs, Stricklands and Stevensons are armigerous. This may seem surprising for tenants living in such a remote and rugged terrain. It is of course possible that tenants may not necessarily imply living on the Estate but may simply be the holding of plots of land. The surnames that appear regularly are Ayrey, Bownas, Braban, Dennison, Hayton, Holmes, Huck, Hugill, Jackson, Kitchen, Lickbarrow, Minster, Mowfort, Rawes, Sleddale, Somer, Tunstall, Warrener, Wilkinson, Willeson, Wilson. Similar documents appear in "Records Relating to the Barony of Kendal" compiled by William Farrer and published in several volumes in the 1920's. Although this transcription only covers a small proportions of the material within Box 10, there is still however much information here relating to the other families, their comings and goings and complaints etc, It is a most valuable source for local history.
What is particularly valuable are connections between individuals and property. Following is a list of surnames associated with a particular property. Ashstead: see Great Ash Banisdale: a dale on or below the Shap Fells Banisdale Head: Still inhabited at the head on Banisdale. Strickland, Thornburgh Biggersbank: messuage & tenement, in Whitwell area of Selside Kitchin, Mowfort Birk Close: tenement, not known - Birk Fells high up on the right of the A6 Baxtor, Braban, Hebblethwaite, Hugill, Stevenson Blaickthwaite: tenement, place not unknown Braithwaite, Hall, Kitchen, Shepherd Borrow Bridge messuage & tenement, still inhabited, next to the A6 in Borrowdale Huck, Jacques Borrowdale: a dale above Banisdale and Selside Brackenfald: Maybe Brackenrigg in Whitwell area of Selside Withinson/Wittinson Brickrigg: tenement, place not known Kilner Brigghouse: place not known Bownes, Tunstall Brigghouse, High: place not known Bownes, Jackson, Lickbarrow, Stevenson Broad Reyet?: tenement, another name for Borrow Bridge Huck Capshill House: see Coppehill Clarkes: place not known Clark, Minster Cooper House: (Cowper House), messuage & tenement, inhabited, near Plough Inn in Selside Kitchen Coppehill House: tenement, place not known Huck Crakensale: place not known. Ther is a Crake Hall in Selside Williamson Deep Slack: still inhabited, below Whinfell Fairer, Tunstall Derbies: tenement, place not known, home of Robert Rawes Derbye, Lancaster, Rawes Dongarigge?: tenement, place not known Garnett Dow Ouse: land, place not known Boatman, Hugill Dryhowe: in Banisdale Archer, Thornburgh Faw Close: land, place not known Bethouse Forrest & Banisdale: an area administered by Fawcett Hall and in which Banisdale is part Strickland, Tunstall, Walker, Warriner, Wilson, Great Ash: believed to be the present Ashstead, near A6 below Martclose. Tunstall Greenside: place not known Sleddall, Tunstall Hare Borrow: messuage & tenement, still inhabited, below Whinfell Stevenson Has Close: situated within Forrest & Banisdale Hazell Bank: place not known, possibly an area High Borrowbridge: see Borrow Bridge High Borrowdale: messuage & tenement, now a ruin in Borrowdale Braithwaite, Jacques High Brigg House:, (see Brigghouse), meeuage & tenement, place not known Lickbarrow, Stephenson High Close: messuage & tenement, cauld be in Crookdale Warrener, Wilson High House: used as a hunting lodge in Borrowdale Kitchen, Rawes (Rawes is only connected to High House in other documents) Hill Cragg/Goat Pott: tenement, place not known Blackstock, Mawson, Tunstall Hobsons: messuage & tenement, situated within Forrest & Banisdale Hobson, Lickbarrow, Sleddall, Stephenson Hollowgate: tenement, still inhabited, close to the A6 Edmondson, Huck Hose Brow/House Brow: messuage & tenement, could be Hausefoot in Crookdale Warriner, Wilson House Foot: messuage & tenement, probably Hausefoot in Crookdale, still inhabited Huck, Warriner, Wilson Huterbank Court: Court in Long Sleddale Inkes? Close: place not known Braban Kitt Crag: in Selside near Yaud. Mart Close: messuage & tenenment, still inhabited, situated below Hollowgate. Bownes, Harrison, Jackson, Parson, Willison Inewt?: tenement, styled as "at Mart Close" Edmondson Mosers?: tenement, still inhabited in Selside Lickbarrow, Warriner Mosse Close: messuage & tenenment, probably in Whitwell, Selside Harrison, Lickbarrow, Warriner Nab Close: tenement, place not known Lickbarrow, Stephenson Scale Gill: messuage & tenement, could be in or above Crookdale Wilson Selside: There is no village as such, Selside Parish covers a large area to the north east of Kendal. Baxter, Braban, Cowperthwaite, Hall, Hitching, Moroson, Stephenson, Warriner Skale Green: place not known, there is a Scale Fell high up above Borrowdale Willison Snowden/Snaden: messuage & tenenment, in Selside near Greyrigg Hodgson, Johnson, Wilson Stubbs Croft: tenement, place not known Shepherd, Stephens Whatshaw: a fell above Crookdale, also an area Whinfell: an area in Selside Johnson, Shepherd, Sumers, Wilkinson Whitecross: place not known Harrison Whitwell: an area of Selside Atkinson, Lickbarrow Wolfhow Bank: messuage & tenement, somewhere above Forest Hall, west of the A6 Dennison, Walker Yaod (Yaud Pott): messuage & tenenment, in Selside Braban, Harrison
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