John Farndale (Johannis de Farnedale, De Johanne de Farndale)

c 1278 to c 1370

The York 1 Line

The First Family Tree

The Medieval Inhabitants of Farndale

A saddler who was made a freeman of York

FAR00030

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Low Mill, Farndale

1278

John might have been born in about 1278. He was the son of Simon the Miller of Farndale (FAR00021), and probably born in the mill at Low Mill in the heart of Farndale.

Egton

At about the turn of the fourteenth century, John Farndale, who was almost certainly on the direct line of the modern Farndale family, left Farndale for the last time and travelled north to settle first at Egton. As he climbed out of the dale with his young wife, although he didn’t know it, he took the name of the dale for his descendants, but the family were never to return.

The pioneer left Farndale for Egton

1301

By the time of the 1301 Subsidy, John was in Egton, to the north of the North York Moors. He paid 22d tax at Eggeton’ cum Lecerigge et Westingby et Cokewalde in the Wapentake of Langburgh, in the levy known as the Yorkshire Lay Subsidy, to fund Edward I’s Scottish wars (the Subsidy: Wapentake of Langbaurgh, Yorkshire Lay Subsidy 30 Ed. I (1301). Originally published by Yorkshire Archeological Society, 1897. 'The Subsidy: Wapentake of Langbaurgh', in Yorkshire Lay Subsidy 30 Ed. I (1301), ed. William Brown 1897), page 28, also British History Online). See further details at FAR00029.. The reference is to Egton, Lease Rigg (at Grosmont), Westonby (north of Egton) and Cucket Nook. 22d or 1s 10d, was equivalent to perhaps £70 today. The levy was a fifteenth of wealth, so this suggests John’s overall wealth was in the region of £1 7s 6d. He paid less tax than many others of his community.

Eggeton cum Lacerigge et Westingby et Cokewalde are Egton, Lees Rigg, Westonby and Cucket Nook all still in the Parish of Egton).

As late as 1410 a villein moving into Farndale was obliged to return to his place of origin by its manor court. Freeholders could move, and a lively land market had developed in their properties. Many were of that broad class, often of knightly descent from which the knights were drawn. Many a minor manor lord never saw knighthood, while some freeholders already had taxable wealth comparable with those who did. All lived on a grain diet, with ale as their drink. Peas and beans made puddings and pigs were widely kept. Hens and geese occur and nuts were valued. Meat was scarce, though more was eaten as time passed, but fish was relatively cheap. The prob!em was to survive the winter and the all too frequent pestilences. (Life in Ryedale in the 14^th century, J H Rushton, Ryedale Historian, Volume 8, 1976, page 19).

John must have therefore been of freeholder, not villein status, to have moved from Farndale to Egton, which might further support the model that his father was the more wealthy Simon the Miller.

This was the full list of the taxpayers of Egton and the young John, perhaps in his early twenties, was yet to establish himself.

De Willelmo de Lellom paid 8s 7d

De Willelmo Pecche paid 4s 10d

De domino Retro de Malo lacu pro maneriode Cukewalde paid 4s 9d

De Alano le Rous paid 4s 9d

De Rogero Cementario paid 4s 7d

De Waltero filio Thy paid 4s 3d

De Lyolpho filio Laurencii paid 3s 11d

De Roberto Bernarde paid 3s 10d

De Roberto Patrike paid 3s 7d

De Hugone de Thorningtwayt paid 3s 7d

De Hugone Baty paid 3s 7d

De Alano de Daneby paid 3s 6d

De Petro Wyles paid 3s 6d

De Willelmo filio Laurencii paid 3s 4d

De Roberto filio Willelmi filio Thy paid 3s 3d

De Thoma Venatore paid 3s 2d

De Johanne filio Ugtredi paid 3s 2d

De Gilberto filio Liolphi paid 3s 2d

De Thoma Wyndegge paid 3s

De Alano Pecche paid 3s

De Ricardo del Huntersty paid 3s

De Johanne Morolf paid 3s

De Thoma Been paid 2s 11d

De Willelmo de Maulay paid 2s 11d

De Roberto de Hoton paid 2s 11d

De Roberto de Valle paid 2s 11d

De Rogero de Botten paid 2s 10d

De Johanne de Ryswarp paid 2s 10d

De Henrico Hersaunt paid 2s 9d

De Rogero filio Ugtredi paid 2s 7d

De Thoma Ducke paid 2s 7d

De Lyolpho de Brigholme paid 2s 6d

De Rogero Nuncio paid 2s 4d

De Henrico filio Johannis Utting paid 2s 4d

De Thoma de Glasdale paid 2s 3d

De Liolpho Marsigalle paid 2s 3d

De Willelmo filio Thome paid 2s 3d

De Radulpho Stulpy paid 2s 3d

De Johanne Pecche paid 2s 2d

De Alano filio Thome paid 2s 2d

De Stephano filio Juliane paid 2s 1d

De Alano Tockman paid 2s

De Juliana Carpentario paid 23d

De Johanne de Farendale paid 22d

De Gregorio Hert paid 20d

De Ada Venatore paid 20d

De Willelmo Fraunceys paid 20d

De Domo de Grauntmoun paid 17d

De Alano Sutore paid 15d

De Roberto Natour paid 14d

De Henrico Forestario paid 13d

De Thoma filio Walter paid 12d

De Petro filio Presbiteri paid 11d

Farndale and Pickering Forest

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 were John (FAR00030), son of Simon of Farndale (FAR00021) had 3 oxen, worth 12s 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).

Perhaps John was back in Farndale, pasturing the family oxen, either temporarily or permanently.

Hartoft in Rosedale, near Cropton

1314

By 1314, John de Farndale (FAR00030) was a sub tenant of Thomas Wake in 1314, who in turn held the land of the King in Rosedale, the dale adjacent to Farndale. John held 6 acres of land near the vill of Cropton. He grew 5 acres with oats, which had been grown every year between about 1314 and 1334 and 1 acre was wasteland. It is not clear for how long John Farndale continued to sub lease the land from Thomas Wake and whether he still held it in 1334 (The Great Cowcher of the Duchy of Lancaster, The National Archives, DL42/1 Folio 248).

Cropton is at the head of Rosedale, but from later records, it is apparent that John’s land may have been at Hartoft, near Rosedale Abbey today, or near the vill of Cropton.

The isolated valley of Hartoft has a very different feel to most other dales in the North York Moors. Most of the area's valleys resemble the flat bottomed, steep sided dales of the central moors (of which nearby Rosedale is a Upper Hartoftgood example). In contrast Hartoft has gentle slopes with the steepest sections close to the beck. This sort of valley is not uncommon on the moors, but most are either heather-clad or shrouded in timber. In contrast Hartoft is a pastoral valley, split into slices by stone walls. The valley probably never contained many more houses than at present. It had a population of 168 in 1848, and the 1914 ordnance survey shows roughly the same twenty houses at today. The name is probably most familiar to visitors because of the pub at Hartoft End, on the main road into Rosedale.

John wasn’t of course listed in the taxable tenants of Rosedale in 1301 (De Johanne filio Galfridi is an unlikely fit), as we know he was in Egton then, so presumably John de Farndale moved from Farndale to Egton, then, perhaps via Farndale again, to Rosedale before 1314.

In the County of Yorkshire, Pleas of the forest of Henry, Earl of Lancaster, of Pikeryng [Pickering], were held at Pickering before Richard de Wylughby (Willoughby), Robert de Hungerford and John de Hambury, justices itinerant on this occasion assigned to take pleas of the said forest in Yorkshire. The record of 1334 suggested that twenty years before, in about 1314, John de Farndale had an interest in six acres of land at the vill of Cropton in Rosedale, of which five acres grew oats and the sixth acre was wasteland. This is almost certainly a reference to Cropton at the entrance to Rosedale a short distance from Lastingham (The National Archive, DL 42/1/23/U44, 25 January 1334 to 24 January 1335, Folios: 248 to 249v).

Adam del Tunge: Adam made one close in Haretoft [Hartoft] outside the lordship in the fee of Thomas Wake, and it contains in itself three acres of land, and it pertains to the vill of Cropton, whereof he enclosed two acres 22 years ago, and the other was enclosed two years ago, and does not and did not grow crops, but two acres are mown 10 times, the price of a crop of each acre 10d a year, and for the time when they are not mown each acre is worth 4d a year, and the third acre is worth 4d a year. Sum total 25s 4d. for which William Lambe, who is now the tenant, will answer, and the land is to be taken into the hands, etc, and William is in mercy, etc.

John de Farndale: Twenty years ago, John made a certain close in Roscedale [Rosedale] in the fee of Thomas Wake, and contains in itself six acres of land, and it pertains to the vill of Cropton, whereof 5 acres grow crops of oats 20 times, the price of each acre 12d a year, and the sixth acre is waste and worth 4d a year. Sum total £5 6s 8d. For which Thomas Wake and Roger del Wyrkheued, now the tenants of the same, will answer, and the land is to be taken into the hands, etc, and Thomas and Roger are in mercy, etc.

William Stacy of Haretoft [Hartoft]: Sixteen years ago, William made a certain close in Haretoft [Hartoft] outside the lordship in the fee of Thomas Wake, and it contains in itself four acres of land, and it pertains to the vill of Cropton, and they do not and did not grow crops, but three acres thereof are mown seven times, the price of a crop of each acre 10d a year, and the fourth acre and similarly the three acres at the time, when they are not mown, are worth each acre 4d a year. Sum total 31s 6d. For which William Erwart, who is now the tenant, will answer and th land is to be taken into the hands, etc, and William is in mercy, etc.

Alan Erwart: Twenty years ago, Alan made a certain close in Haretoft [Hartoft] outside the lordship in the fee of Thomas Wake, and it contains in itself one acre of land, and it pertains to the vill of Cropton, and grows summer crops eight times, the price [of each] 12d a year, and at the time when it is does not grow crops it is worth 4d. Sum total 12s 6d. For which Alan, who is now the tenant of the same, will answer, and the land is to be taken into the hands, etc, and Alan is in mercy, etc.

John son of Elias: Fifteen years ago, John made a certain close in Haretoft [Hartoft] outside the lordship in the fee of Thomas Wake, and it contains in itself two acres of land, and it pertains to the vill of Cropton, and it does not and did not grow crops, but three roods thereof are mown ten times, the price of a crop 7d a year, and 5 roods, the rest, and similarly those three at the time, when they are not mown, are worth each acre 2d a year. Sum total 13s 1d. For which John de Clif, who is now the tenant of the same, will answer, and the third is to be taken into the hands, etc, and John is in mercy, etc.

Henry del Tunge: Twenty-two years ago, Henry made a certain close at Haretoft [Hartoft], and it contains in itself one acre and a half of land, whereof one rood grows crops of oats 14 times, worth 6d a year, and one acre of the rest is mown 12 times, the price of a crop 12d a year, and at the time when they do not grow crops or are mown an acre is worth 4d a year. Sum total 24s 10d. For which Henry, now the tenant of the same, will answer, and the land is to be taken into the hands, etc, and Henry is in mercy, etc.

Henry del Tunge: Ten years ago, Henry made a certain close at Haretoft [Hartoft] outside the lordship in the fee of Thomas Wake, and it contains in itself four acres of land, and it pertains to the vill of Cropton, and does not and did not grow crops, but one acre thereof is mown five times, the price of a crop of an acre 12d a year, and the other three acres and, similarly, that acre at the time when they are not mown each acre is worth 4d a year. Sum total 16s 6d. For which Henry, now tenant of the same, will answer, and the land is to be taken into the hands of the lord, etc. and Henry is in mercy, etc.

John Stirkhirde: Twenty-two years ago, John made a certain close at Haretoft [Hartoft] outside the lordship in the fee of Thomas Wake, and it contains in itself two acres of land, and it pertains to the vill of Cropton, and does not grow crops, but one acre thereof is mown 8 times, the price of a crop 10d a year, and another acre and similarly that acre at the time when they are not mown each acre is worth 4d a year. Sum total 18s. For which John, now the tenant, will answer, and the land is taken in the hands, etc, and John is in mercy, etc.

John Stirkhird: Ten years ago, John made a certain close at Haretoft [Hartoft] outside the lordship in the fee of Thomas Wake, and it contains in itself one rood and it pertains to the vill of Cropton, and does not grow crops, but is worth 1d a year. Sum total 10d. For which John, now tenant, will answer and the land is to be taken into the hands, etc, and John is in mercy, etc.

John Forester: Twenty-two years ago, John made a certain close at Haretoft [Hartoft] outside the lordship in the fee of Thomas Wake, and it contains in itself two acres of land, and it pertains to the vill of Cropton, and does not grow crops, but half an acre thereof is mown seven times, the price of a crop 5d a year, and the other acre and a half and, similarly, that half acre at the time when they are not mown each acre is worth 6d a year. Sum total 16s 5d. For which Thomas, now the tenant, will answer, and the land is taken into the hands, etc. And Thomas is in mercy, etc.

Peter Gervaus: Twenty-two years ago, Peter made a certain close at Haretoft [Hartoft] outside the lordship in the fee of Thomas Wake, and it contains in itself half an acre, and it pertains to the vill of Cropton, and does not grow crops, but is mown 7 times, the price of a crop 5d a year, and at the time when it is not mown it is worth 2d a year. Sum total 5s 5d. For which Peter, now the tenant of the same, will answer, and the land is to be taken into the hands of the lord, etc, and Peter is in mercy, etc.

Held on: Monday next after Michaelmas 8 Edw III

1325

John de Farndale, signed a surety 23 Feb 1325 (Patent Rolls).

1327

Johanne de Farndale, paid taxes at Cropton de Arthoft of 2s 1d in the Lay Subsidy of 1327 (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 143).

.

The 1327 Lay Subsidy

In late 1326 a popular rebellion led by Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March resulted in King Edward II being deposed and imprisoned. The King’s closest supporter Hugh le Despenser the elder, who was lord of the manor of Fairford at that time, was captured and executed. The King’s son was crowned as Edward III on 25 January 1327 and his father died, probably murdered, while imprisoned in Berkeley Castle in September of that year. However, as the new king was only 14 years of age at that time England was in effect ruled by Mortimer and his lover Queen Isabella, Edward III’s mother. One of the earliest pieces of legislation of the new reign was passed in September to order a Lay Subsidy, a nationwide tax of the laity intended to raise money to renew hostilities against Scotland which Edward II had pursued unsuccessfully for some years.

The Lay Subsidy of 1327 was a flat rate tax of one twentieth of the value of each person’s moveable goods, hence the tax is also known as the Twentieth. The majority of moveable goods were cattle, sheep and crops and therefore the tax fell harder on the rural population than it did on those in the major towns. Two prominent local men in each county were appointed as Chief Taxers, those for Gloucestershire being Sir William Tracy and Robert de Aston. They then appointed other local men, known as Subtaxers, to conduct the assessment and collect the money from people. Those who were taxed included everyone from the lord of the manor down to his peasant tenants (both freemen and serfs), traders and craftsmen as long as they had moveable possessions worth at least 10 shillings. The list of names, the Roll, was drawn up and sent to the Exchequer in Westminster for approval. The assessment took some time to complete and it was not until between February and June of 1328 that the money was actually collected.

John de Farndale, witnessed a Deed 27 Jun 1327 (Yorkshire Deeds).

1330

His eldest son may have been William Farndale (FAR00038), who later became the vicar of Doncaster, perhaps born in about 1330.

1332

Nicholas de Farndale (FAR00038A) may also have been his son, born in about 1332 and who later also lived in Doncaster where he paid the 1377 Poll Tax which led to the Peasants’ Revolt.

1333

Johanne de Farndale, paid taxes of 2s at Cropton cum Hartoft in the 1333 Lay Subsidy (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 154).

1334

Johannes de Farndall (FAR00035), his son, was born in about 1334. He later became a freeman of York through the patrimony of his father’s freemanship.

Hovingham

1336

John de Farndale of Hovingham in the Wapentake of Ryedale was a debtor to Thomas de Wrelton, a chaplain of Yorkshire in the sum of £8 and the transaction was recorded by Henry de Belton, Mayor of York and William Gra, Clerk taken on 16 April 1336. The first term of the loan was to last until 19 May 1336. The writ was sent by Nicholas Fouke, Mayor of York; and John de Arnold, Clerk, with endorsement by Ebor' Coram Justic' de Banco. (The National Archives C 241/115/94).

Debtor: John de Farndale of Hovingham (Ryedale Wapentake, North Riding of Yorkshire); Creditor: Thomas de Wrelton, chaplain (of Yorkshire); Amount: £8 taken on 16 April 1336 before Henry de Belton, Mayor of York; William Gra, Clerk. The first term from 19 May 1336 (National Archives Reference: 241/115/94, in Latin)

York

1338

John de Farndale, signed a surety 23 Aug 1338 (Lay Subsidy).

Perhaps by about 1338, having taken a loan when living at Hovingham, Johannis set up a business as a saddler in York.

1363

At some point after this, John became a saddler in York. In 1363, after he had presumably established himself in that trade, since he became a freeman of the City of York.

A Medieval Saddler

How to make a medieval saddle.

Johannis de Farnedale, a saddler, was made a Freeman of York in 1363 (Roll of Freemen, York).

There were two types of medieval guilds. Trade guilds regulated the activities of a particular trade or craft, while religious guilds were for the spiritual benefit of their members. In York the weavers were first recorded trade guild in 1163, paying the King £10 a year for the privilege. By 1180 glovers, saddlers and hosiers had grouped together, and butchers, drapers and vintners had their own guilds at the end of the 13th century.

Medieval saddles, built from leather thick and resistant, were often richly decorated and designed to offer comfort and safety to riders. Saddlery craftsmen in the Middle Ages used specific methods to manufacture saddles and saddlery accessories. Making leather required skills such as precise cutting of pieces, strong stitching with linen or silk threads, and the use of specialized tools such as awls, punches and dies to embellish the leather. Knights attached great importance to their saddles (equestrian leather) and equipment, often regarding them as valuable objects handed down from generation to generation.

His son was Johannes de Farndall, who also became a freeman of York.

Johannes de Farnedale, 1363, Saddler, Admission Register of Freemen of the City of York

Johannes de Farnedale, sadler.

https://archive.org/details/registerfreemen01collgoog/page/n82/mode/2up

A considerable hide and skin trade centred on York but rural tanners were at Oswaldkirk-Ampleforth, Helmsley, Rievaulx, Bilsdale and Keldholme. Tanners enrolling as York freemen in King Edward II's time included Richard of Rievaulx, Hugh of Oswaldkirk and Robert of Ampleforth. Leather was used to make clothes, pitchers, gloves and saddlery. A lorimer made bridles at Helmsley and shoe-making was an early rural craft.

(Life in Ryedale in the 14^th century, J H Rushton, Ryedale Historian, Volume 8, 1976, page 19).

It appears that he was later a tailor.

(Surtees Society. 1897. Register of the Freemen of the City of York, Volume 1, 1272 to 1558 pages 58, 59).

1365

In 1365 a fellow saddler of York, John de Cotyngham and others, was accused of assaulting a peleter (fur merchant) at the Guildhall on the occasion of the election of the future mayor (Patent Rolls of the reign of Edward III, 1364 to 1367, page 208). This could have been John, though Cottingham is on the outskirts of modern Hull. Could John have been involved?

1372

There was a John de Farndale whose will was proved at York on 27 September 1372 (Register York Wills, this needs more research). If this was John, he would have been in his nineties.

1389

There was a John de Bulmer, saddler of York, pardoned for murder in 1389.

(Patent Rolls of the reign of Richard II, 1388 to 1392, page 41)

How does De Johanne 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 model based on the available evidence.

If it is accurate, De Johanne de Farndale, was related to the thirteenth century ancestors of the modern Farndale family, and it seems likely that his descendants were the York Line and the individuals who settled in Doncaster from whom the modern Farndales probably descend.