|
|
|
|
|
|
1301 - A Parliament at Lincoln in this year authorised a "Lay Subsidy". This was a tax on the
whole population and was based on a fifteenth part of each person's movable possessions. Among the taxpayers of Skelton
were a 'a merchant, a fuller, a weaver, a potter, a tanner, a baker, a smith, a butcher, 2 carpenters and 3 carriers
[pannierman,wainman and a carter].' There were 63 taxpayers in Skelton who paid a total of £5 13s 0¾d. Multiplying this by 15 gives the total value of these villagers possessions as £84 6s 8¼d. Total taxpayers in other places in the North Riding of Yorkshire were Guisborough 85, Whitby 96, Marske and Redcar 89, Yarm 72. There must have been many poorer, labouring people who did not pay tax. To see a full list of the Skelton taxpayers - Click here. |
 |
1304 - Walter de Fauconberg of Skelton Castle died on the night of November 1st and was
buried at Nunkeeling, Holderness, where there was a nunnery that had been founded by one of his ancestors. His inquest
was on the Feast of St Edmund the King and Martyr, November 20th [33 Edward I]. It is said the effigies of Walter
and Agnes are on the North side of the altar of Nunkeeling Parish Church. He was succeeded at Skelton Castle by
his son, also called Walter, aged 40 at this time, who was married to Isabel, daughter of Robert, Lord Ros of
Helmsley.
There is a mention of 12 tenants in Stanghow, called 'gresmen' who held 10 'oxgangs' of land. 1306 - Robert de Bruce murdered his rival John Comyn
and was crowned king of Scotland. In the words of J Walker Ord in his "History and Antiquities of Cleveland" - "This small obscure and insignificant village will for ever
stand renowned, not only in the history of Cleveland, but in that of
the empire of the world, as the birthplace of a lofty and illustrious
line of nobles, and the ancient cradle and nursery of warriors,
princes, and kings. |
|
1307 - Robert de Bruce was a fugitive in the West of
Scotland. Death of Edward I and accession of Edward II. 1310 - Robert de Bruce ravaged Northumberland as far as the Tyne. |
 |
1312 - Edward II was at odds with his own
barons. The Scots sacked Durham and Hartlepool and plundered as far
South as
Skipton. Skelton Castle was damaged.
1314 - Robert de Bruce defeated Edward II at
Bannockburn. 1318 - Death of Walter de Fauconberg II of Skelton
Castle. He was succeeded by his son John. John was married to Eva,
daughter of William de Bulmer. 1319 - John de Fauconberg had a grant of a weekly market on a Saturday and a fair on a Whit Monday and the following two days. Tolls from the fair in Skelton were 13 shillings and 4 pence. 1320 - Around this time an Act of Parliament ordered the cessation of markets on Sundays to prevent any profanity of the Lord's day and it was changed to Saturday. At the same time a licence for a yearly fair on the Monday in Whitsuntide was granted. 1325 - A new church was built on the site by the Castle where the Anglo Saxon one stood. A piece of stone now kept in All Saints Church in the High Street is thought to have come from a sun dial that decorated the Anglo Saxon building. 1327 - Civil war in England. Edward II was deposed and
accession of Edward III. |
| 1330 - Much of the castle was rebuilt. It is likely
that it had suffered from attacks of the Scots on this area.
1334 - Skelton is assessed for the Subsidy at £2, compared with Yarm £9, Guisborough £4 and Stokesley £1 : 4s, indicating a not very wealthy group of tradesmen, craftsmen and villeins. 1335 - There is a record in this year of John de
Fauconberg granting some land to Guisborough Priory, but retaining - 1339 - Repairs were made to Skelton castle. 1342 - The Archbishop of Canterbury ruled that all
having property in a parish should pay towards the maintenance of the
local church furnishings and its fabric, according to their possessions
and revenues. |