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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 Repealed in 1548.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. |