Roger milne (miller) of
Farndale
c 1255 to c 1345
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The Medieval
Inhabitants of Farndale
Roger was a Miller of Farndale who was caught poaching for deer
and outlawed.
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1255
If Roger was about 38 when he killed a sow and a hart in Rosedale,
he might have been born in about 1255. He was the son of Gilbert of Farndale (FAR00018), who may have
been one of the earliest settlers in the dale.
By 1276, at the time
of the death of Joan Stuteville, about 545 acres of Farndale was under
cultivation (see FAR00017). The bonded tenants paid a standard
rent of 1s per acre. By that time there were seven cottars in Farndale and
further occupation at Duthenwayt, probably in the
area of the Duffin Stone today, up the western side of the dale. Simon’s parents were
likely to have been part of a community of villeins, tilling the land, and
paying high rents to the Stuteville landowners.
Roger’s son De
Willelmo filio Rogeri, or William Farndale (FAR00018C), was born at
about this time.
Perhaps Roger
married at about that time, at the age of about 21.
1278
Roger’s daughter,
Alice de Farndale (FAR00028A), might have been born in about 1278.
Alice is the earliest female we can recognise from the records.
1280
Perhaps by about 1280, Roger was one of the millers of Farndale.
The two early mills might have been constructed in about the
1240s. It would have been the most costly piece of infrastructure in the dale
and the cost of its construction would have been borne by the Stuteville
landowners, at the time Joan de Stuteville, the Lady of Liddell. Joan’s seal
bore the image of a lady riding side-saddle, a style which she is reputed to
have been the first to adopt. Perhaps she was occasionally seen riding through
the dale in that fashion. The landlord would have collected a hefty rent from
the tenants and millers of the water mills. We know that Joan was collecting
eleven marcs per annum from the two water mills in
the mid Twelfth century. A marc was two thirds of a pound, or 13s 4d.
By the mid thirteenth century, Farndale was a thriving community
with two watermills. It is likely that the principal watermill was
at modern Low Mill, with another probably smaller mill, a little upstream, at
High Mill.
It seems likely that the mill at Low Mill was operated by Simon
the miller of Farndale (FAR00021), possibly with
his servant and later partner, John the miller of Farndale (FAR00021B).
Perhaps Roger the Miller took on the second mill at High Mill.
There is an undated Yorkshire Deed
from about the mid thirteenth century: Grant by Nicholas Devias, being in
good health and lawful power (in mea bona sanitate et
ligia potestafe) to Alice
his wife, for life, of an annual rent of 10 li, which lady Joan de Stotevile
gave him for his service, namely, 20s. from the land in Farndale, held of him
by Adam de Ellerschae, and eleven marcs from his
two water-mills in Famedale, and two and a half marcs from his water-mill in Brauncedale,
payable half-yearly at Michaelmas and Easter. Paying yearly at Christmas one
silver penny for all service, etc. Witnesses, Sir Richard Foliot, Sir Adam
Newmarch [de Novo mercato), Sir Henry Biset, Sir
Thomas de Hetun, William de Pligt Peter de Giptun, Clement de Nortun, Robert de Slucropt, Colin de Nortun
and many others.
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The location of the now disused High
Mill, now known better for the Daffy Café. This might have been Roger’s
workplace.
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The River Dove would have provided an
optimal source of power for milling. There was a nineteenth century watermill at High Mill on Mill Lane south of Church Houses, Farndale, which is almost certainly the site
of an earlier mill. The hamlet of Low Mill was also the site of an earlier mill
on the River Dove and is located where the fast flowing West Gill Beck flows
down from the high ground to meet the River Dove. Both these mills were located
centrally within the valley. There are also remains of a watermill at Low Elm House in neighbouring Bransdale.
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Medieval
milling and the mills of Farndale. |
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By 1282, on the
death of Joan’s son, Baldwin Wake, the cultivated acreage in Farndale had risen
to 768 acres in only six years (FAR000020). There were 90
bondmen by this time in Farndale. This must have represented a planned campaign
of settlement and activity in the dale must have been noisy and
constant at this time. Activity at the mill must have been hectic.
1293
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On a
cold Monday in January 1293, five men, including Roger the Miller of Farndale
and Walter Blackhous of Farndale went hunting in a
part of West Rosedale that belonged to St Mary’s Abbey and at an unknown place
in the forest they killed a soar (a sow or female boar), and a hart, an adult male deer, generally a red deer over five
years old, with bows and arrows. They were all outlawed.
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William
Everle on the evening of Sunday, 5 April, 1293, was found by moonlight holding
two gazehounds … Richard Mosyn, of that part of Rossedale
which belongs to the Abbot of S. Mary's (i.e. Rosedale West), William Troten of
Spaunton, Roger del Mulne
of Farndale, Robert son of Peter of Rossedale, Walter
Blackhous of Farndale, went on a Monday in
January to some unknown place within the forest and killed a soar and slew a hart with bows and arrows." All are
outlawed.
de eadem die Lune proximo post festum Epiphanie
Domini vencrunt in foresta
quo loco ignorantur cum arcubus
et sagittis et occidenterunt
unum sourum et bersaverunt
unum cervum utlagentur
“On the same day, the Monday after the feast of the Epiphany of
the Lord, they fought in the forest, in an unknown place, with bows and arrows,
and killed one boar and killed one deer.” Ulagentur,
literally ‘they will cry’, means outlawed.
A hart is a male deer and a soar is a
sow or pig.
1301
We don’t find a record of Roger the Miller of Farndale in
the 1301 Lay Subsidy record (FAR00029). There was a De Rogero Bernard who paid 21d and lived in
Farndale. The Germanic Bernhard is derived from bern
or "bear" and hard or "brave, hardy". Its Anglo
Saxon form was Beornheard, which was replaced or merged with the French
form Bernard that was brought to England after the Norman Conquest.
It is possible that Roger was variously named for his profession,
the place where he lived, and his burly character.
Roger’s son, De Willelmo filio
Rogeri, paid 3s 11d tax in the same subsidy.
1310
A number of local folk had taken draught
beasts into Pickering Forest in the reign of Edward III in 1310 or 1311, where
the draught animals were forbidden to wander. Some pasturages were reserved for
the use of the King where there was no right in common and here, cattle were agisted at a fixed price, to be paid to the bailiff.
These sums were collected by the agisters, of whom there were two in each ward,
men of substance it seems by their assessments in the Lay Subsidies.
Not the least of the profits derived from the possession of a
forest was that arising from the agistment of cattle in waste grounds. (The Duchy of
Lancaster Records, from the North Riding Record Society, The Honour and
Forest of Pickering, Edited by Robert Bell Turton, Volume IV, 1897, page
xxvii).
There was a lengthy list of those individuals from Farndale found by the
agisters in about 1310 with their cattle in the forests. Thomas Wake, the Lord of Liddell, whose
tenants they were, said the price had already been paid and the tenants should
be discharged of the matter. Amongst those fined was Alice (FAR00028A) daughter
of Roger (FAR00013A) who had
one cow, worth 3s agisted (North Riding Records Yorks Volume III, The Honour and Forest of Pickering, 1894, Edited Robert Bell
Turton, page 61, The Great Cowcher of
the Duchy of Lancaster, The National Archives, DL42/1 Folio 273, 273v, DL 42/1/23/U64 folios 273 to
274v).
1330
In 1330, Richard Mosyn, of that part of Rossedale
which belongs to the Abbot of S. Mary's (i.e. Rosedale West), William Troten of
Spaunton, Roger del Mulne
of Farndale, Robert son of Peter of Rossedale,
Walter Blackhous of Farndale, went on a Monday in
January to some unknown place within the forest and killed a soar and slew a hart with bows and arrows. All were
outlawed.
A hart is a male deer and a soar is a sow or pig.
3
October 1334
At a hearing at Pickering before Justices Richard
Willoughby and John de Hambury on 3 October 1334, a
long list of offenders including Robert (FAR00031),
son of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021), Roger del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012),
son of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002), were ordered for apprehension by the sheriff by Easter 1335 (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National
Archives, DL42/1 Folio 276v to 277v).
Nicholas of Farndale (FAR00022),
gave bail for Roger (FAR00013A) son of Gilbert of Farndale (FAR00018) who had been caught poaching in 1334
and 1335. Robert (FAR00031) son of Simon the miller of Farndale (FAR00021) and Robert (FAR00012),
son of Peter of Farndale (FAR00008)
were co-offenders. (North Riding Records Yorks Volume III, The Honour and Forest of Pickering)
Roger del Mulne of Farndale, Robert, son of Peter of the same, Walter Blakhous
of the same, and Ralph de Heued of the same: On
Monday next after the feast of the Epiphany, they came in the forest in an
unknown place with bows and arrows and killed one four-year-old buck and hunted
one stag and carried away with them the game and thereupon did their will. They
have not now come, etc. Therefore the sheriff is ordered to cause them to
come
As mainpernor
(guarantor) for John, son of Albe, indicted for hunting, Roger (FAR00013A), son
of Gilbert Farndale (FAR00018) was
fined 20d because John did not turn up (The
Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National Archives, DL42/1 Folio
336).
There are full
details of this hearing at another
webpage.
A number of individuals from Farndale were fined following prior indictments
for poaching in 1334 and not turning up at the Eyre. They paid bail or had bail
paid for them (North Riding Records, Volume IV by the North Yorkshire Record
Society, the Honour and Forest of Pickering, 1897, page 23, 28, and 34 not on line
but I have a physical copy).
|
Date of Hearing |
Notional date of Offence |
Payer |
Guarantor (malpernor) |
Poacher |
Amount of Fine |
|
3 October 1334 |
c 1315 |
Nicholas de Repyngale |
John son of
Abbas (ADA00003) |
1s 8d |
|
|
3 October 1334 |
c 1316 |
Roger son of Gilbert
of Farndale (FAR00013A) |
Thomas Makaunt |
Thomas Makaunt |
1s |
There are further details of these offences at another
webpage.
2 January 1335
On 2 January 1335, Richard Moryn of Rosedale,
acting on the behalf of the abbot of St Mary, William Trotan
of Spaunton, Roger the Miller of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter of Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blakhous
of Farndale (BLA00001), and Ralph de Heued
of Farndale
(HEU00002) came into Pickering Forest at an
unknown place with bows and arrows and killed one four-year-old buck and hunted
one stag and carried away with them the game and thereupon they did their will.
They were ordered to appear at a hearing of the matter on 3 October 1334, but
although they were living in the country, they did not appear. Therefore the
sheriff was ordered to make them come. However the Sheriff failed to apprehend
them, since they had withdrawn into hiding, and so the search was continue
while meantime they were declared to be outlaws (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National Archives,
DL42/1 Folio 222, DL 42/1/35/U9, Folio 221v to
223v).
See details and research notes.
Poachers
Pleas were held at Pickering on Monday 13 March 1335, before Richard de Willoughby and John de
Hambury. A long list of names including Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon de Farndale (FAR00021), Roger del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), and Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter of Farndale (FAR00008) were convicted before the Justices on the evidence of
the foresters, verderers, and other officers. They did not appear, and the
Sheriff gave evidence that they could not be found and had nothing in his
bailiwick by means of which they could be attached. The sheriff was therefore
ordered to seize and secure them, so that he could produce them before the
Justices on Monday, 15 May 1335. There are records of further hearings in the
matter on 22 September 1337 and 29 March 1338 when they could still not be found.
At a hearing on 15 September 1338 the sheriff was ordered to search for
them from county to county and they were to be outlaws if they still failed to
appear. Were he to find them the sheriff was ordered to take steps in such a
way that he has their bodies here at this day to make satisfaction to the earl
about their redemption for trespasses of hunting whereof they are convicted
before the said justices by the foresters, verderers and other ministers. (North Riding Records Yorks Volume III, The Honour and Forest of Pickering, 1894, Edited Robert Bell
Turton, page 67, The National Archives DL 42/1/30/U1 (Folios 284v to
286), DL 42/1/31/U1 (Folios 286 to 287),
DL 42/1/32/U1):
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See details and research notes.
April or 15 May 1335
In
a case last heard on 3 October 1334, at a hearing at Pickering, again before
Justices Richard Willoughby and John de Hambury at Easter
1335, a long list of offenders including Robert, son of Simon of Farndale, Roger
del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002), had still not been apprehended and
were ordered for apprehension by the sheriff by the Tuesday three weeks after
Michaelmas 1335 (ie by Tuesday 17 October 1335)(The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National
Archives, DL42/1 Folio 277v to 278v).
17 October 1335
and 10 February 1337
More Poachers at Large
In a case last heard in April 1335, at a
hearing at Pickering, again before Justices Richard Willoughby and John de Hambury at Easter 1335, a long list of offenders including
Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021), Roger
del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002), had still not been apprehended. As a
follow up, on 10 February 1337, the original judicial panel of Richard
Willoughby and John de Hambury were to be replaced by
the King by a new judicial panel comprising two of Richard de la Pole, Richard,
Robert de Hungerford and John de Hambury (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National
Archives, DL42/1 Folio 279 to 280v).
17 October 1335 and 10 February
1337
In a case last heard in April 1335,
at a hearing at Pickering, again before Justices Richard Willoughby and John de
Hambury at Easter 1335, a long list of offenders
including Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021), Roger del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002), had still not been apprehended. As a
follow up, on 10 February 1337, the original judicial panel of Richard
Willoughby and John de Hambury were to be replaced by
the King by a new judicial panel comprising two of Richard de la Pole, Richard,
Robert de Hungerford and John de Hambury (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National
Archives, DL42/1 Folio 279 to 280v).
13 February 1337
In a case last heard on 17 October
1335, at a hearing at Pickering, before Justices John de Hambury
and Richard de la Pole on 13 February 1337, a long list of offenders including
Robert (FAR00031), son
of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021), Roger del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002) had still not been apprehended. The
King ordered at Leicester on 1 October 1337 that a fresh writ be issued by
Monday next after the feast of St Andrew the Apostle (The feast is on 30
November) with an adjourned hearing to Wednesday next after Ascension (39 days
after Easter) 10 Edw. III (The Great Cowcher
of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National Archives, DL42/1 Folio 280v to 282).
1 December 1337
In a case last heard on 13 February 1337,
at a hearing at Pickering, before Justices John de Hambury
and Richard de la Pole on 1 December 1337, a long list of offenders including Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon of Farndale
(FAR00021), Roger del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002), had still not been apprehended. (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National
Archives, DL42/1 Folio 282 to 283v).
16 March 1338
In a case last heard on 1 December
1337, at a hearing at Pickering, before Justices Richard Willoughby and John de
Hambury on 16 March 1338, a long list of offenders
including Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021), Roger del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002),
had still not been apprehended. (The
Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National Archives, DL42/1 Folio
283v to 284v).
21 September 1338
In a case last heard on 16 March
1338, at a hearing at Pickering, before Justices Richard Willoughby and John de
Hambury on 21 or 28 September 1338, a long list of
offenders including Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon of
Farndale (FAR00021), Roger del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son
of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002), had still not been apprehended. (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National
Archives, DL42/1 Folio 284v to 286).
5 April 1339
In a case last heard in September
1338, at a hearing at Pickering, before Justices Richard Willoughby and John de
Hambury on 5 April 1339, a long list of offenders
including Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021), Roger del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002), had still not been apprehended. (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National
Archives, DL42/1 Folio 286 to 287).
14 or 21 September 1339
In a case last heard on 5 April 1339,
at a hearing at Pickering, before Justices Richard Willoughby and John de Hambury on 14 or 21 September 1339, a long list of
offenders including Robert (FAR00031), son of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021), Roger del Milne of Farndale (FAR00013A), Robert (FAR00012), son of Peter de Farndale (FAR00008), Walter Blachose (BLA00001), Ralph del Heued (HEU00002), had still not been apprehended.
Exacerbated at the lack of progress in apprehending the gang, the sheriff was
ordered to hunt for them from county to county and if they were still not
found, they were to be outlawed (The Great
Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National Archives, DL42/1 Folio 287 to
289v).
Clearly
efforts were made to apprehend Robert, son of Simon of Farndale, Roger the
miller of Farndale, Robert son of Peter of Farndale, Walter Blackhaus, Ralph Heved and apparently even the chaplain of Ergom in 1335 and 1337 and in 1338 they were outlawed with
orders that they be apprehended and brought before the forest officers if
found.
Ergom seems
to be a reference to the ancient village of Argham, 6
kilometres west of Bridlington, or Arram near Hornsea, both near the coast.
So it is not obvious why he was part of the gang.
Perhaps
Roger the miller became an outlawed vagrant, who might have poached and lived
in the forest, escaping justice. If so, he seems to have been something of a Robin Hood
character, though we can’t tell whether he was a noble rogue or a violent
criminal.
1350
If this model of Roger’s life is correct, then he was in his
seventies when he was at the height of his poaching affairs. This may not be
realistic and the model may need some more thought. However the poaching events
may have taken place much earlier, say about 1315, and in the later records, he
failed to appear at court until eventually the exasperated judge ordered a
final search from county to county after which he was to be outlawed. It is
possible therefore that he had died much earlier, and was simply assumed to
have been still at large on each rehearing of the case. If he had become a
fugitive by the hearing in 1334, he must have died by say 1350.
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How does Roger Milne de Farndale relate
to the modern family? It is not possible to be accurate about the early family tree,
before the recording of births, marriages and deaths in parish records, but
we do have a lot of medieval material including important clues on
relationships between individuals. The matrix of the family before about 1550
is the most probable structure based on the available evidence. If it is accurate, Roger Milne de Farndale, was
related to the thirteenth century ancestors of the modern Farndale family,
but not on the direct line of later Farndales. |