|
Robert
de
Halstead,
could have
give his
name to
the area
of
'Halstead.
Having
held a burgage (land
leased by
the Crown
with legal rights to erect a stall on market day in the town square) and land in
the
district
of Bowden
Edge in
1249.
Halstead
farm is
situated
in the
area of
'Halstead
in the
Township
of Bowden Edge. Which
is
presently
in Dove
Holes
today. See
map.
Halstead
farm took
its name
from the
land to
which it
belonged.
Halstead
being a
district
of the
Township
of Bowden
Edge in
the Parish
of Chapel
en le
Frith.
Sittinglow
farm is
also
situated
in the
district
of Halsteads.
Sittinglow
taking its
name from
the Hill
it is
situated
on. Sitting
- Low.
Bowden
Edge was
well know
for
producing
fine
horses and
many stud
farms were
present
around
1200A.D.
In 1280.
Queen
Consort
(Isabella)
had a stud
of 115
mares
&
their
foals in
Campana to
the great
injury of
the
forest,
and other
people had
135 horses
and mares
in Campana
on the
pasturage
on the
pretence
that they
belong to
the Queen
Robert de
Austead
(
Halstead), Forester,
who had
six horses
and mares
for which
the
pasturage
was rated
at 2s. was
fined
and
ordered to
pay the
pasturage
( give it
back) and
remove the
animals.
Due to
grazing
his beasts
on the
Crowns
herbage's
without
authority.
1650.
On the
eastern
side of
the
Township
of Bowden
Edge
abutting
on Peak
Forest
were three
"Herbage's
" or
pastures
leased out
by the
Crown and
ultimately
granted to
subjects.
The
Herbage
(pastures)
of
Halstead
was rented
at 6s. 8d.
in the
year 1650.
Part of
this
pasture
seems to
have been
sold to
the
Bagshawe's
of Ridge
possibly
through
the
Thornhill
family
to which a
building
was
erected
called
"Hall
stidds". But this is of an early date and has no bearing on the origins of
the name Halsteads.
In 1742. a
Mr
Gisborne
was in
possession
of the
land and
opened a
Limestone
quarry,
this
became
the
terminus
of the
Peak
Forest Tramway which is near the Bullring momument.
Before
1715 the
greater
part of
Halstead,
comprising
most of
the
village of
Dove Holes
in Bowden
Edge to which Arnold
Kirk of
Martinside held some of the area (Martinside
being
situated
next to
the area
of Halsteads)
who's
Grandson
Richard
Kirk of
Groeyltt
in
Denbigshire
sold to
Henry Kirk
of the
Eaves in 1807. ( Eaves Hall:
south of
chapel
Township,
next to Martinside).
Since then
the land
was sold
in
plots for
building
purposes
which led
to the
growth of
Dove Holes
village. The area of Dove holes is Hallsteads and as such the land is in a
valley with a good drainage area the area is also on the geological split
between the White Peak being limestone and the Dark peak being Millstone grit.
Foresters
It
is without
doubt that
the
Marchington's
have been
recorded
as farming
the area of
the Peak
Forest
since the 12
century.
They arrived as
Foresters at the request of either William Peveral Lord of High Peak manor and custodian
of the Royal Forest, working
for the
Crown and
as such
were given
land (Burgage)
in return
for
services
to the
Crown.
Around
A.D. 1100
the Forest
was split
into three districts,
being
Longdendale
to the
north and
north
west,
Hopedale
to the
East and
Campana to
the south
&
south
west. As
such this
area
covered
some 40
square
miles and
a number
of
Forester
were
required
to enforce
Forest
Law. It is
a
coincidence
that Henry
of Ferrers,
Norman
nobleman,
as mention
in the Domesday
book for
Staffordshire
and
Derbyshire
is stated
as owning
the
village of
Marchington,
situated
just
inside the
Staffordshire
border.
Henry
Ferrers
also held
Peak
Forest
villages
which
included, Wormhill, Middleton
by Youlgrave.
The
Marchington's
arrive in
the Peak
Forest
from the
village of Marchington
within
some
capacity
of
authority
on William Peverals request to Henry Ferrers who held the Royal Forest of
Needwood which contained the ward of Marchington and the village.
With this
in mind it
is
possible
that Henry
Ferrers
employed
his
trusted
men who he
employed
throughout
his
lordship
to the
positions
of Foresters.The other possiblity is that the Marchignton's arrived in1216 when
the younger Ferrer's took over the custodianship of the Forest and the Peveral
lands.
A Forester would be an hereditary title which would be passed down
through the male line. Here are some scene of noblemen & foresters hunting
in the Norman period. Scene 1 hunting with dogs.
Scene 2 hunting for hares and the most important
hunt for deer scene 3
The
position
of
Forester
held great
statues
and was hereditary. Many
historic
Chapel
families
have held
these
positions,
as such
the
Foresters
held land leased by the crown to live off. This led
to the
creation
and
building
of the
Chapel in
the Forest
and the
foundations
of the
Township
of Chapel
en le
Frith.
There were 16 Offices in the Kings
forest as follows:
High
Steward, Ranger,
County Bailiff, Master
Forester, Forester of Fee, Bailiff's
Receiver, Bow Bearer , Collector Constable,
Bere Master,
Keepers and Lieutenant,
Bailiff of Franchises, Verderers,
Warreners, Bailiff
of Winland & Woodward.
Bailiffs
& Warreners were paid 4/ per annum in the 13 century along with Robes
(uniform).
Wolf
forester 'hunters of Wolfs' received an extra 6/ per annum and there services
& skills were highly prized. There is a mention of King Henry taking some
High Peak Wolf Foresters to Normandy to remove wolfs in a forest there.
The
biggest poacher charged in the forest was the Forest Steward himself, in
1216 William de Ferrers was charged with stealing 2000 deer along with 4 others
being the Earl of Arundel & De Grelleys.
No
man was allowed to build a house in the forest or assart without a licence from
the King. Many did like William Marchington who had is house raised to the
ground.
Courts
were held to deal with infringements within the forest and as such there are
many accounts of poaching amongst other misdemeanors.
Robert
de
Halstead
was
granted a
burgage
around
1249-51 as
stated
here:
1249-51.
Amongst
others at
Bowden:
Elias fil
Ralf de
Bowden 2a.
Ir. Wm del
Clow 3a,
Rich. de
pratis
(meadow).
2a. 1r. Ad
de Holrenshaw,
Prior of
Lenton
half of a,
Rich le
Ragged in
Vill de
Coraz ( ?
Courses)
2a and in
Berde 1
2a,
CHAPEL IN
LE FRITH
(an early
mention in
this
form),
Twenty
persons
are named
as holding
burgages
or
half
burgages
amongst
whom are
William de Baggeshaw,
Robt
de Hausted
(
Halstead),
Wm, Capella,
Rich,
Carp, (-
Cooper), Elias
de
Marchenton
and Richard
de
Marchenton
1
burgage
each,
Matilde de Thornley,
Wm, de Cimeterio,
It should
be noted
that these
are
presented
for
building
without
licence
and
therefore,
if within
the
Borough
boundary,
they would
not enjoy
the
privileges
of the
original twenty-seven.Many
names
occur
under Courcis,
Malcave
and
Whitehall:
In Chapel
Wm, Silcock,
Rich, Shackelcross,
Wm.Marchinton,
Wm. le
Mercer,
Rich, Sibberty.
Roger
Cocus had
in Corcis.
1281,
Coombs,
Nic de Rugg, Ric.
fil Thamas
le Dene
(?an
ancestor
of the
Dain
family), Robt. Astonleigh,
John of
the same,
John W ildknave,
( knave: a
child, a
man-child)
Wm. Godknave,
Wm, de
Bradshaw,
In Coursis,
Rd, atte
Lydgate, Elias
de Merches
(marchington)
and five
others.
Burgage
tenures
occupied
1280:In
Chapel
twenty
three
names
including
John fil
Jo de
Smalley
and Evoka
de Capella.
At a
Swainmote
held at
Chapel in
the Frith
Of the
Feast of
St,
Gregory
I280
William
Foljambe
came
before
Thomas le
Ragged
then
Bailiff
and
reported
that Henry
de Medwe
(Meadow)
took a doe
with a
certain
black
greyhound
called.......ref:
Court
Roles.
Burgage:
land
leased by
the Crown
with legal
rights,
being an
plot of
land of
some
80 to 60
feet . The
oweners of
Borough
lands (Burgage)
were
entitled
to set up
stalls in
the Market
place, for
which they
paid a
small rent
all the
profits of
the Market
rents were
divided
between
them on
the Morrow
of Holy Thursday:
The
holders of
burgages
were
exempt
from all
offices
except
that of Headborough.
|
|