Between 1522 and 1560 fifty Giggleswick parishioners wrote their last will and testament. Each will has the traditional “First I bequeath my soul to almighty god to his blessed mother our lady saint mary and to all the saints in heaven and my body to be buried in the church yard of Giggilswicke” dedicatory phrase although a few are a little more flowery and add “First & principally” “ to the intercession of our blessed lady saint mary the virgin all the holy company of heaven my body & bones to be buried in the church (earth) of saint alkelda virgin of Giggleswick “ depending upon which scribe wrote the will.
However, in 1547 and 1548 nine testators demonstrated the very first signs of the protestant reformation’s impact on the parish. These years coincided with the final nail in the coffin of the traditional church with the dissolution of the chantries, the departure of James Proctor a most traditional vicar (he had paid 20d to the Prior and Convent of Durham in March 1541 for the job which he had been promised the next vacancy by the Prior although the Procter had ……) and the institution of John Nowell by the crown in April 1548. He remained until his resignation in 1556 when Thomas Abbott rector of Slaidburn assumed the mantle.
Adm John NOWELL Peterhouse Michs. 1544 ( Cambridge University Alumni, 1570-1640 (or a bit later)
Ex Giggleswick School only
He was there with not knon too early
THE CHANTRIES AND THE CHAPELS
a fresh Bill for the same purpose, which became law 1548.
CHANTRY CERTIFICATES 2 Edward V1.
(1) “The Chantrey of Our Lady in the Pysh Church of Gyggleswyke. In the pysh of Gyggleswyke is one preist found to sve the Cure besyde the ar the nombre of houslyng people (1) is 1200 and the seyd pysh is wyde. Rychard Somerskayle incombent 60 yeres of age somewhat learned hath one other living then the Chantrye. Goods ornaments and plate as apperith goods value 10/2 plate 10 ozs 1 dwt. p,cell gylt. The yerely value of the seyd Chauntrie paide in annuall rent as apperith by the Rentall £4, Coppiehold £2, whereof Resolutes and deductions by yere £1, and remayneth clere to the Kinges Mtie by yere £4.”
[The earlier certificate adds to the title the words "calld the Stanforde Chauntrey”, and states that the chantry was of the foundacon of Robert Stanforde, Esq to pray for the sowle of the Founder and all Xpen sowles, who did give certen lands to the late Monastery of Salley for the intent that the first Incumbent thereof and his successors for ever should have one annuity of £4 yearlie going forth of the possessions of the said Monastery. . . . The said Incumbent hath and receyveth yerlie one annuity paid by thandes of Sir Arthur Darcye. ~
(2) “The Chantrey of the Rode in the seyd pyshe Churche. Richard Carr Incumbent 32 years of age well learned and teacheth in a grammr schole there lycenced to preache hath none other living then the p’fitts of the seyd Chauntrie. Goods ornaments and plate belonging to the seyd Chauntrie as apperith goods valued at 6/4 plate £2. The yerely value of the freehold land belonging to the seyd Chauntrie as p’ticularly apperith by the Rentall £6-0-12 Coppiehold £2 Whereof Resolutes and deductions by yere 6/- and so remayneth Clere to the Kinges Matie by yere 115/-."
[The earlier certificate states that this Chantry was founded by James Carr, priest, “to thentent to pray for the sowle of the Founder and all Xpen sowles, and to singe Masse every Friday of the name of Jhu, and of the Sat’day of Our Lady, and further that the said Incumbent should be sufficiently done in playnsonge and gramr and to help Dyvyne service in the same Church”. The incumbent at that time was Thomas Husteler, who had died and had been succeeded by Richard Carr, nephew of the founder. The names of the tenants of the land in Otterburn belonging to the Chantry and their individual rents are also given.]
(3) "The Chauntry called Tempest Chauntry in the north syde of the seyd pysh Churche. Thomas Thompson Incombent 70 yeres of age unlerned hath recyved and had one annuity of £4-13-4 by yere unto him payd by Sr John Tempest Knight out of the p’sonage of Kirkby Malhome Dale wch he hath not recyved by the space of 3 yeres past. Goods ornaments and plate belonging to ye seyd Chauntrie as apperith goods valued at 14/4 plate 12 ozs p’cell gylte. The yerely value of the seyd Chauntrye paid in annuall rent is as aforesaid £4-13-4 Coppiehold £2 Resolutes and deductions by yere £2 and so remayneth Clere to the Kinges Mtie £4-13-“4.
[The earlier certificate states that there is none Incumbent, but in the meantime it has been discovered that the last incumbent is still living though he has received no stipend for 3 years. The founder is stated to be Sir Richard Tempest.]
(4) A Some of money gyven for the meyntenance of a preist for yeres in the seyd Chyrche. John Malhome pst. Dec’d dyd gyve and bequeath by his last will and testament as apperith by the Certificate of Gyggleswyke aforesaid the some of £33-6-8 whereof one Thomas Edon Pst hath been found by the spce Of 7 yeres last past and hath recvved every year for his stypend after the rate of £4-3-4, amounting to the some of £31-5-0 and so remayneth 40s/20d.
(5) “A some of money geven for the maintenance of a Scholernr there. The seyd John Malhome and one Thomas Hustler disseassed dyd gyve and bequeath by their last will and testament as apperith by the seyd Certificate the some of £24-13-4 towards the meyntenance of a Scholernr there for certen yeres whereupon one Thomas Iveson pst. was p’cured to be Scholemr there wch hath kept a schole this 3 yeres last past and hath recyved every yere for his stypend after the rate of £4 wch is in the holle £12 and so remayneth 12-13-4."
The last two endowments are not included in the earlier certificates. It will be noticed that while three of these five foundations simply provided additional priests who mainly spent their time, like modem curates, in assisting the vicar in the care of his wide parish, two the chantry of the Rood founded by James Carr and the endowment of John Malharn and Thomas Husteler were expressly designed for the furtherance of education, which then and for many years after was regarded as entirely an ecclesiastical matter.
By the confiscation of the Chantry endowments the school which James Carr had established as a private venture was threatened with extinction. But Giggleswick found a worthy champion in its new vicar, John Nowell. He had previously been chaplain to the king, and used his influence at court with good effect. Out of the money taken from the Chantries the king was persuaded to endow a free grammar school on the foundations laid by James Carr, and so preserved to Giggleswick for all time its most famous institution.
Our knowledge of the two free chapels in Giggleswick Parish comes from the records of the Court of Augmentations, a special department formed by King Henry VIII to deal with the confiscated ecclesiastical properties. On July 12, 1549, the Court issued a circular letter concerning a number of chapels within the West Riding of York to which "the Kyng s Majestie is intytled".
The writers complain that these chapels have already suffered damage and been spoiled of some of their goods, such as plate, lead, bells and iron, and appoint certain local gentlemen to inspect the premises and "take such order as the same may be and remain in safety without further spoil" until the king’s pleasure be made known to them. In the list that follows occur
“The Chappell of Settyll-covered with leade”.
“The Chappell of Settillbrige."
Among other lists preserved in the records of the Court of Augmentations is one of free chapels in the West Riding with lands and tenements belonging to the same; of sums of money given for religious purposes: and of plate and ornaments belonging to chantries and chapels, which had not yet been accounted for. The paragraphs referring to Giggleswick Parish are as follows:-
"Covered with leade- the Chapell of Settill with lands belonging to the same."
“Covered with stone- The Chapell of Settillbrigg ende."
“There is remaining in the hands of the Churchwardens and pochanors [parishioners] of Gigleswyke as well a stocke or some of money amounting to the some of £140 or thereabouts founded for the use of the lamps and lights.”
"There is in the hands of the Churchwardens of Gigleswyke a chalice and vestment late belonging to the Roode Chauntrey their."
Of the earlier history of these two chapels we know nothing: but we get another glimpse of one of them in the record of a fine paid on the conveyance of property in the year 1572. In that year Henry Bankes, esq. and Isabel, his wife, conveyed to William Watkynson "a chapel, a messuage and a fulling mill, with lands in Settell". Sold as an item in a miscellaneous lot of property, the building had evidently already lost its sacred character and associations, and its ultimate fate is unknown.
When Thomas Shuttleworth, the Abbot of Sawley s servant, listened to the gossip in the alehouse at Kettlewell, he reports that the talk turned upon the leniency shown by the Cliffords to those they had caught poaching in Langstrothdale, and one of the company present, who had himself been imprisoned in Skipton for the offence, spoke of the excellent treatment he had received. There is another instance in the case of a Gigglesmick parishioner. We read that in 1575, Thomas Frankland, of Nichels Ing (Neals Ing), was ordered, "for killing and destroying deere, as well tame as wild and savage, in Littondale and Langstroth, to yield himself as prisoner into the castle of Skipton, and there to remain during the Earle’s pleasure, and until the said Earle shall declare his pleasure for the enlargement and deliverance of the said Frankland out of the said castle".
But within a very few years we find Thomas Frankland not only at large but sufficiently prosperous to buy his own freehold in Stainforth township. The Cliffords method seems to have been to pass a harsh sentence in order to strike terror into the hearts of other offenders and then to win popularity by its remission: certainly it compared favourably with the tactics of Cromwell and Norfolk, who first granted free pardons and then took a cruel vengeance in their own time.
Turning to individual parts of the parish, we cannot help noting the different treatment accorded to the tenants of Sawley Abbey, which had resisted the king’s commands, as compared with that received by those of St. Cuthber’s Priory and Furness Abbey, both of which had promptly yielded to his suggestion of a voluntary surrender
. In the estates of the two latter houses, i.e. Giggleswick Church property and Stackhouse, there was no noticeable change. Sir Marmaduke Tunstall, of Thurland Castle, who already held from the prior of Durham a lease of the farm of Giggleswick rectory, was confirmed in it for another term, paying the same rent to the Crown as he had paid to Durham. Life in Stackhouse, too, continued as before. For many years Furness had let the land to tenants, and they all remained in their holdings at the same rent. As soon as the Abbey was surrendered, the same Sir Marmaduke Tunstall was put in charge of its property. The instructions given him by Cromwell are still preserved:
"He shall on coming thither assemble the tenants, and tell them that I, the lord Privy Seal, have made him my deputy to have the rule of them, to execute justice, and to exact no payments except those hitherto paid to the Abbot of Furneys, and that as the King’s tenants they will be better used than under the abbots” ...
This promise, at any rate, seems to have been kept. The "Account of Marmaduke Tunstall, holding the office of bailiff there", for the year 1538-9, may be seen in the Record Office:
"Rent in Stackhouse And of the rent of divers lands, etc. payable at Whitsuntide and Martinmas, viz
Thomas Carre for 1 tenement and 27 ac. (9 acres each of land, s d
meadow and pasture) 28 2
Thomas (S)tackhouse for 1 tenement and 15 ac. 25 1
Oliver Stackhouse for 1 tenement and 19 ac. 27 10
Richard Brayshawe for 1 tenement and 10 ac. 12 91/2
Richard Claphame for 1 tenement and 10 ac. 12 91/2
Comparing this list with a roll of 1524-25, twelve years before the Dissolution, we find that four of the tenants are still the same. James Carr, who headed the earlier list, had died in 1528, being succeeded by his son, Thomas Carr, in the honour of paying the highest rental, while Richard Brayshaw appears occupying the former holding of Thomas Carr. Judging by the family names, we may suppose that the tenants were eventually enabled to buy their own freeholds. But in the grant of the Sawley Abbey estates my lord Privy Seal made no conditions of kind treatment as in the case of Furness. The whole was handed over to the grasping and unscrupulous Sir Arthur Darcy, with free leave to treat the inhabitants as he liked. The second son of Lord Darcy, Sir Arthur had become possessed of a vast quantity of land in the recent upheavals: and in 1539 his eldest brother, Sir George Darcy, conveyed to him the estates which he had inherited from their mother, Douce Tempest, viz. "the manors of Awstwicke and (Knight) Staneforth, and 6o messuages and 12 cottages with lands there and in Clapham, Feisser, Gyggelleswyke, and Settell”.
Sir Arthur Darcy was purely a land speculator. He grasped at the monastic properties because he got them at what appeared to be much below their value and hoped to make money therefrom: he had ten sons and five daughters to provide for. But he had not reckoned on the new conditions, for the simultaneous confiscation of all the abbey Lands – amounting, as it is estimated, to one fifteenth of all the area of England had necessarily upset the estate market. So far as the records go we can only find that he was able to sell one piece of property in the parish before he died in 1561. From the lists of Fines paid in 1547 We find that Sir Arthur Darcy and Mary, his wife, sold to Thomas Procter and Anthony Watson