Art. XII.-Barwis of Cumberland. Part II. By the Rev. F. B Swift.
Read at Barrow-in-Furness, July 10th, 1951.
THIS Article on the Barwis family of Cumberland is a continuation of that printed in the previous volume of these Transactions (CW2 I 135-151); it incorporates much new information which has been gathered during the past few years. The Ilekirk branch usually spelt their name "Barwis", without a final "e", but as the name is spelt in different ways in the records, several varieties of it appear in the following pages.
Thanks are due to Lord Leconfield and Colonel Halton for permission to quote from the Cockermouth Castle muniments and the Holme Cultram Manor Books respectively; also to the incumbents of the parishes whose registers have furnished information, and to Mr W Atkinson, who has allowed me to make use of James Jackson's diary.
Richard Barwis vi of Ilekirk, who died in 1599 (CW2 1 146 f.), had issue by his wife Mabel Dalston,
I.Anthony, of whom next viii.
2.John, of whom later at viiiB.
3.Richard and 4. Francis, both mentioned in the I.P.M. on their brother Anthony in 1617.
viii.ANTHONY BARWIS II OF ILEKIRK, 1580-1616.
The I.P.M. on his father in 1599 gives his age as 19 years and his wife's name as Grace. She was the daughter of William Fleming of Rydal (Dugdale, p.47).
Chancery Proceedings show that Anthony was concerned in suits over land in Gilcrux and the manor of Troutbeck.
He was buried on 5 July 1616 and his wife on 26 July following.
An I.P.M., held at Carlisle on 13 Jan. 1617, shows that Anthony died possessed of the manors of Thornthwaite in Le Fell, and Blencogo, the half manors of Dearham and High Ireby, the village of Ruthwaite, the capital messuage of Ilekirk Grange, lands in Hameshill, Keswick, etc., and that an annuity of £13. 6s. 8d., granted by his father, was payable to John Barwis (Anthony's uncle). It also states that by Indenture made in 1610 all lands and manors were entailed on Anthony's son Richard and his heirs male, in default on Anthony's brothers John, Richard and Francis in turn. The I.P.M. says that Anthony died on 5 July 1616, and that his son and heir, Richard, was 14 years old.
Anthony and Grace Barwis had issue,
I.Richard, of whom next ix.
2.Grace, baptized 28 Nov. 1609. She married Thomas Lamplugh of Ribton (CW2 xxxix 83). The Lamplughs of Ribton later became "of Dovenby", which probably explains how the portrait of Great Richard Barwis came to be at Dovenby Hall. The statement on it that Grace was Richard's heir is incorrect as will be seen later in this Article. Grace was buried at Bridekirk on 1 July 1640 (Par. Reg.).
3.John, baptized 28 and buried 30 March 1613.
ix.RICHARD BARWIS VII of Ilekirk, 1601-1648.
He was known as "Great Richard Barwis"and a number of stories have been handed down illustrating his great strength. One, recounted by the late Mr Barn of Dryholme, is that while on a journey he arrived at an inn and ordered supper. On its arrival two highwaymen who had come in helped themselves to it. Richard ordered a new supper and one of the robbers tried to repeat the attempt, but Richard throwing them both to the ground, one on top of the other, imprisoned them by doubling the poker round their necks.
At Ilekirk Hall there is a large stone which Great Richard is reputed to have thrown the length of his court-yard and nearby are some big round stones with which he is said to have played bowls. There is also a tradition that he used to walk along a bridge at Ilekirk with his wife seated on his hand (see Appendix III).
He married Frances, daughter of Sir Edward Musgrave of Hayton Castle, by his wife, Catherine Penruddock.
Great Richard Barwis was clearly great not only in stature, but also in mind and character. The positions he held proves this: MP. for Carlisle from 1627 (at the age of 26) till his death, sheriff in 1634, and first mayor of Carlisle, under the new charter of Charles 1, in 1637. He was probably the ablest of the local Parliamentarians and if he had lived to the normal span (he died at 47) he might well have played an important part in national, as well as local politics, during the exciting days of the Restoration.
During the Civil War he was kept busy serving on the county committees for raising money for the forces, settling the militia, etc., sequestrating "delinquents" and acting as a commissioner of Parliament to Scotland. After the capture of Sunderland by the forces of Parliament, he and two others were appointed as sequestrators in that area. They were rewarded with the freedom of Newcastle.
In 1644 there occurred an episode which brought Richard no little fame among his fellow Parliamentarians.
A Royalist has left this account of it(spelling modernised): -
"Richard Barwisea Burgess in Parl't for Carlisle, solicited David Leslie to draw his horse into Cumberland to subdue the Gentry and to set beggars on horse back; this he effected in 1644. Leslie marched about 800 horse as far as Salkeld without opposition; but when he came to pass the ford of Eden which was not very shallow he found the other side manned with regiments of horse and foot which the Gentry of Cumberland and Westmorland had raised to oppose him; which so appalled him that he refused to march on and fell arailing at Barwise, who had persuaded him that he would meet with no enemies. And needs he would return to Newcastle, till great Barwise set himself first into the water and the rest following him, so frighted the fresh country whiggs that all of them answered the motto, veni, vidi, fugi; . .
Richard appears to have been responsible for provisioning the Parliamentary forces after the siege of Carlisle, and the State Papers contain letters which passed between him and the Earl of Leven on this subject and also correspondence between him and Leven and Lord Kirkcudbright in connection with the movement of troops at Botcherby.
In 1648 a small force of Royalists scaled the walls of Carlisle, entered the castle and took Great Richard prisoner, marching him off to Scotland. On 17 June 1648 the Committee of both Houses of Parliament wrote to Major Lambert "we desire you to send and demand him from them, which if they refuse to comply with, you are to use the best means you can for his freedom".
Protracted negotiations at length secured his release.
Richard Barwis died on 13 Feb. 1648 without issue and was buried the same day. His tomb was table-shaped (Bp. Nicolson's Miscellany, p.5) and stood at the west end of Westward Church. All that now remains is one of the sides which is built into the interior of the west wall and has affixed to it two memorial brasses, one of which is inscribed with the well known epitaph beginning,
"A memorative epitaph for the excellently accomplished gentleman Richard Barwise late of Ilekirk Esqr. He dyed the 13 of Feb., 1648, in the 47th yeare of his age.
Belowe good Barwise Clos'd in bodye lyes, .
The full epitaph will be found in CWI xiii 150, plate xii. The coat of arms is that of Barwis impaling Musgrave (for Richard's wife), viz.: Dexter Argent a chevron between three bear heads couped Sable muzzled Or impaling Azure six annulets Or.
Richard's Will (at Somerset House), dated 22 Jan. 1648 and proved 22 March following, is involved but the gist of its contents is as follows:
By indenture 26 March 15 Chas. 1 (1640), Richard had granted to Sir Wilfred Lawson of Isel and Richard Musgrave of Hayton, the capital messuage and tenement of Ilekirk Grangethe water corn mill, Ilekirk Park, the manors of Blencogo and Dearham, etc., for the uses of such persons as would be specifiedreserving to himself the power to alter this arrangement.
Subject to the above, he bequeathed to his wife Frances Barwis for life the capital messuage and tenement of Ilekirk, the water corn mill, Ilekirk Park, the manor of Blencogo, and messuages at Hameshill (rent 53/4) all of which he had sold by Indenture of Sale dated 10 Aug. 1647 to John Barwis of Waverton, esq., and Thomas Barwis of Wolsty Castle, gent., deceased, together with enclosed grounds called Eastclose, Millerclose (rent 3/2), Cleamyre (rent 4/4) and certain intakes, subject to the condition that he (Richard) and his wife should occupy Ilekirk, the manor of Blencogo and the messuages and tenements at Hameshill during their lives and the longer life of either of them.
Richard also left to his wife the manor of Dearham, the water corn mill and tithes thereof, etc., and the salt pans at Canonby for life. After her death they were to go to his right heirs on condition that within four months they shall pay £300 to whom he specified by Will or schedule attached. In default Sir Wilfred Lawson and Richard Musgrave and their heirs shall be seized of these premises with power to sell the whole or part of them and to pay the £300.
He left the following legacies,
To the poor Westward £5; to the poor of Dearham £5.
To his servant William Bargett an annuity of 40/ -and the same to Mungo Dalston.
To every manservant 20/ - each and to every woman servant 10/-.
The rest of his goods and chattels to his wife, Frances Barwiswhom he makes sole executrix. Sir John Lowther, kt., Sir Patricius Curwen, bart., William Lawson and Henry Tolsonesqs.to be supervisors of the Will.
The Will shows that Great Richard had secured Ilekirk and the manor of Blencogo etc. to the Barwis family by selling them to John and Thomas Barwis, his uncle and cousin.
Mrs Frances Barwis i survived her husband and lived at Ilekirk, in which she had a life interest, until her death in 1670. The monument in Westward Church bears a record of her gift of a piece of land at Stankbank, Wigton, in 1657 for the poor of Westward and Wigton (A similar record appears on a board in Wigton Church porch). "The book of Francis (sic) Barwise's Legacy of Stankbank to the poor of Westward & Wigton town" was still preserved at the former in 1893 (CWi xiii 104).
As will be seen by her Will, she was the donor of a beautiful Communion Cup to Westward. It is described in Old church plate of the diocese of Carlisle, ed. R. S. Ferguson, p.66-7 and in the Supplement thereto, p.13. There is also an account of the cover, lost in 1882 but subsequently recovered, and an illustration of the Cup in CWi vii p. 77. It is pleasing now to recover the name of the donor and to assign honour where honour is due. Her burial entry is in the Bishop's transcript of Westward Par. Reg. and reads, "April 1st 1670 Mrs Frances Barwis of Isle-kirke buried". By her Will (Carlisle P.R.), dated 12 March 1669 and proved 2 April 1670, she left legacies to various relations.
To Richard Musgrave, son of my brother Richard Musgrave deceased, 40/ - when 21.
To my sister Anne, wife of Leonard Milborne, £20.
To my brother Richard's two daughters ffrances wife of Richard Barwise, & Elizabeth Musgrave and to my niece ffrances Waterhouse household stuff. To Catherine daughter of my brother William Musgrave deceased 20/- To ffrances Barwis my goddaughter, wife of Will: Barwis 40/-. To my niece Catherin Hudleston £5. To Wilfrid son of William Lawson £5. To my nephew Richard Barwis my gold signett. To the parish church of Westward a gilt cup with cover for use at the Lord's Supper. I confirm the gift I made of a parcel of ground called Stankbank for relief of the poor of Westward & Wigton and appoint as ffeofees the master of Ilekirk, the minister of Newchurch, John Watson & John Robinson & their heirs. 40/- to the poor of Dearham & Blencogo. To Leonard Hutton 20/- to Mr James Steward minister 40/-. To my servants 20/- each. I make Lady Jane Lawson my sister sole executrix. Supervisors of my Will - Sir Edward Musgrave knt., and William Lawson esq., my two nephews.
The Richard Barwis mentioned is "Little Richard" who died in 1699. The goddaughter Frances Barwis was the wife of Capt. William Barwis of Huddlesceugh (see under viiiB).
The Will bears a seal which, though rather indistinct, shows the Barwis arms of three bears impaling what appear to be the three luces of De Dearham. This is interesting in view of the statement in N. & B. ii, 113, that the De Dearham heiress married a Barwis. The back of the Will is endorsed "Frances Barwis of Holme Cultram".
Though Ilekirk was a capital messuage and tenement, the H.C. Survey of 1603 describes it as being in the manor but not in the lordship of Holme Cultram.
An Inventory attached to the Will gives a most interesting list of the household furnishings, etc. of a county family of the mid-seventeenth century (see Appendix I).
Sandford, writing shortly after Frances' death, is rather unfair in his reference to Great Richard when, after referring to Langrigg, he states: "And not farr of Mr. Berwis of Ilekirk: was a faire estate, but trifled it away, wold not Thrive with him; wear diuers of them; and he a burges for Carelile ag't the king in p'lament."
His concluding statement can hardly have been true, "And now not one of name or fame of any of them, nor any man much remembers them or speaks a good word of them."
viiiB. JOHN BARWIS OF WAVERTON iv, died 1662.
The second son of Richard and Mabel Barwis, he lived at Waverton (Warton) though he was at Ilekirk in 1612 when his son John was born. He engaged actively in the Roundhead cause, serving on many of the Cumberland committeesand being a commissioner for England.
He was sheriff of Cumberland in 1648, 1649 and 1652, and as a magistrate he took part in marriage ceremonies during the Commonwealth period, being mentioned several times in the Wigton Parish Registers in this connection. His wife's name is unknown and she is not mentioned in her husband's will, but she was alive in 1635, when a daughter was born. (See Appendix II for his Will).
John Barwis was buried at Wigton on 9 Jan. 1662. He had issue,
1.John, of whom next ixB.
- Thomas, of whom later x.
- William, baptized at Wigton 12 June 1627. He is described in N. & B. ii, 193, as "Captain William Barwise of Huddlesceugh and sometime of Warton". He married Frances, daughter of Thomas Salkeld of Brayton (Dugdale, 114). He was buried at Kirkoswald 19 Feb. 1700 and his wife, Frances, on 14 Feb. 1711. They had issue,
(i)Thomas, baptized at Kirkoswald 8 Sep. 1659 as "sonne of William Barrow of Hudleskew."
(ii)Ann, named in the Will of her grandfather, John Barwis, of Waverton, in 1662.
4.Frances, baptized at Wigton 26 May 1629.
5.Anne, baptized at Wigton 16 April and buried there 9 Oct. 1635.
ixB. JOHN BARWIS v. He was baptized at Westward 8 June 1612.
From Bromfield Grammar School he went to St, John's College, Cambridge, where he was entered a pensioner 20 June 1631 at the age of 18 as "son of John Barwis gent. of Waverton, born at Hailkelch, Cumbd"(St. John's Coll. Alumni).
Isaac Tullie in his account of the siege of Carlisle says that in 1643 "John Barwise and his sonne" with others prevailed upon Great Richard Barwis to solicit the Parliamentary commander at Newcastle to advance into Cumberland. This shows that John Barwis v (the son) was active in the Roundhead cause. Beyond this nothing definite is known about him except that he was married (his wife's name is unknown) and had two daughters Frances and Barbara, the former being baptized at Wigton on 9 Oct. 1638. John v is not mentioned in his father's Will, so probably died before 1662.
FRANCES, daughter of John v, married John Orfeur of Waverton (Dugdale, 96). Both were buried at Wigton, John on 17 Sep. 1680 and Frances on 25 Aug. 1681, and had issue.
x. THOMAS BARWIS OF WOLSTY CASTLE, HOLME CULTRAM, 1621-1648.
The second son of John Barwis IV of Waverton, he was an officer in the Roundhead army. Like his father he served on various committees for Cumberland.
A number of references to him as Major Barwis occur in the Holme Cultram MSS. and in Isaac Tullie's account of the siege of Carlisle. Tullie mentions a curious incident in which Thomas figured. Captain Forester, a Parliamentarian, had been killed in a sally, and shortly afterwards it was said that his ghost appeared frequently "at the roundheads work at Botcherby; fiercely demanding of them if they were not yet converted to the King; when they replied 'no' he was wont to call on Cap. Philipson (a Royalist) to fall upon them with horse and foot." So affected were the Roundheads that they imagined that such assaults were taking place and they replied with shots. Tullie concludes, "Major Barwis, being asked by Philipson at the parley of the truth hereof, protested he could bring 500 souldiers eye witnesses of it.''
Thomas Barwis possessed Wolsty Castle and adjacent property in Holme Cultram through his wife Julian, daughter of Robert and Mary Chambers of Wolsty Castle. Her brother Robert Chambers of Carlisle, merchant, died in 1641, before his father, and in his Will (Carlisle P.R.) left £5 "to my sister Julian Chambers" - The Administration Bond of Robert, the father, dated 1644, is at York P.R., but there is no Will. The 1649 H.C. Survey gives the ruined castle, Wolsty Cowbiers and certain land as being in the possession of Mrs. Julian Barwis as heir and executrix of Robert Chambers.
It will be seen that this clears up the problem of the relationship of Julian to the last Robert Chambers of Wolsty Castle, which was left undecided in CW2 i 207.