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1401 - The Statute of Heresy was enacted which provided
that all heretics (people whose beliefs were not those of the Church)
were to be imprisoned and if they refused to give up their heresy to be
burned alive. Repealed in 1548.
On the death of Isabel de Fauconberg the whole manor of Skelton was put in the charge of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. 1403 - The Skelton estate was taken into the custody of Henry IV, due to the insanity of Thomas Fauconberg. 1407 - Owing to the madness of Thomas Fauconberg, one
third of the estate of Skelton was settled on his wife Joan until her
death which
occurred in 1409. The other two thirds on Walter de Fauconberg. |
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An inventory of the estate mentions "a waste burgage", "4 waste
messuages", and cottages either ruinous or waste or "paying nothing."
It appears that the Black Death which appeared in 1348 and repeatedly
during the previous century had decimated the population of Skelton,
which was about 400 at the beginning of it.
1408 - There is a reference to a John Potter holding a burgage, a close of herbage and a plot of land for making pots. 1413 - Death of Henry IV and accession of Henry V. 1422 - Death of Henry V and accession of Henry VI. |
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1428 - Alterations were made to Skelton castle.
1429 - William Nevill of Skelton was summoned to Parliament as Lord Fauconberg. 1450 - Beginning of the War of the Roses. 1461 - Deposition of Henry VI and accession of Edward
IV. 1462 - William Nevill de Fauconberg of Skelton died. |
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1470 - Deposition of Edward IV and return
of Henry VI.
1471 - Death of Henry VI and return of Edward IV. 1483 - Death of Edward IV, murder of Edward V and accession of Richard III. 1485 - Death of Richard III at Bosworth and accession of Henry VII. 1490 - Mad Joan de Fauconberg of Skelton Castle died
and the estate was inherited by her grandson, William Conyers. |
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1494 - The Vagabonds and Beggars Act was enacted
providing that - "Vagabonds, idle and suspected persons shall be set in
the stocks for three days and three nights and have none other
sustenance but bread and water and then shall be put out of Town. Every
beggar suitable to work shall resort to the Hundred where he last
dwelled, is best known, or was born and there remain upon the pain
aforesaid". Beggars who were too infirm to work were to remain in their
Wapentake and be permitted to beg.
1509 - Death of Henry VII and accession of Henry VIII 1527 - People in the middle ages believed that, after
death, the soul spent a certain length of time in Purgatory and that
the prayers of the living hastened the soul's passage to Paradise. Rich
people built almshouses where poor people were cared for. In return,
those who relied on this charity had to attend daily Catholic masses -
religious services where they said prayers especially for their
benefactors. |
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There were many people in medieval England who, while not
having the wealth of the landed gentry to pay for such chantries, had
become relatively rich through trade and they formed religious guilds
to ensure a less painful progress to Heaven. Membership fees were paid
to the guilds as well as bequests etc and these funds were used to pay
a parish priest to ensure a proper funeral and to say masses for the
souls of he departed. The amount paid to the Skelton priest is recorded
for this year:-
"St Mary Gild - Robert Westland, husbandman of the parish of All Saints: 13s 4d" 1531 - Justices of the peace were ordered to issue a licence to beg to the infirm poor, thus making begging by the sturdy an offence. 1538 - Parish records began. Priests were ordered to record all births, marriages and deaths within their boundaries. |