Mexborough and Swinton Times July 12, 1929
Ancient Wombwell
Gleanings From Parish Accounts.
Vanished Landmarks
To many of the present generation living in the important bustling township of Wombwell it may be interesting to glance back a few centuries in an attempt to depict some ancient features of their one-time peaceful village.
The march of industry has, alas, caused the destruction of what few building remnants existed of its mediveval days—the Chapel of Saint Mary in which in 1507 Roger Wombwell founded a chantry was demolished within our own time—its hallowed stones now adorn various backyard rockeries, and indeed some of them were incorporated in the walls of nearby residences.
Of the once imposing manor house of the Squires of Wombwell, which stood on the site of the present Wombwell Hall, and which the illustration depicts in its latter state of decay, only a minute portion remains in some of the outbuildings.
From shortly after the Norman Conquest and for many generations afterwards, the whole of the village belonged to the family of Wombwell, their estate reaching to Blacker, Stairfoot, Darfield, and into West Melton, for a Wath deed of 1507 refers to some land in Winterwell adjoining that of John Wombwell, of Wombwell.
Six hundred years ago Robert-de Wombwell held the lordship, and about 1440 his great-grandson, Thomas Wombwell, being desirous of “improving” his estate was allowed to enclose a certain part of the King’s Highway “from the Greene Lane in Wombwell towards the south as far as Tunstall Cross.” Green Lane was later known as Well Lane, and is present-day Station Road. So we may assume his home park stretched between the present Town Hall and Tunstall Cross, and extended from BroomhiII to Low Valley and to the foot of Darfield Hill. It is interesting to note that even in these far-off days permission had to be obtained for such enclosures—doubtless somewhat easier than would be the case today. Anyhow, we now know the cause of the narrowness of Park Street !
Imagine, then, dense woodlands reaching from Summer Lane to Blacker Hill and to Ardsley, with open farm lands from Hemingfield towards Brampton; indeed, here is a list of tenants who farmed hereahouts 347 years ago:—
“A List of the tythe hay money as it was gathered in ye year 1582 from Hemingfielde,”
| 1582 | John Kettlewell | 0s 7d |
| Wm. Beamond | 1s 6d | |
| Richd. Scales | 0s 7d | |
| Wm. Johnson | 0s 7d | |
| Thos. Popplewell | 0s 7d |
evidently a much better hay crop than our farming neighbours expect to get this year!
It was the second son of Squire Wm. Wombwell, the Rev. Thomas Wombwell, B.D., who was appointed Vicar of Wath in 1652, but for some reason—probably he wanted Darfield Rectory—he at first refused the engagement, and was actually ejected from a Fellowship of his College for so doing. He, however, shortly afterwards accepted the living, was reinstated to his Fellowship, and died in 1661. This reverend gentleman evidently had no great opinion of the Wath folk, for in his will demising them £30 to build a school he stated:
“I have observed a negligence among the people of Wath and there backwardness in public concernment.”
And not being certain that even the lure of the £30 would produce the school he provided an alternative—not for Wath, mind you, but for his native place:—
“If so be that the inhabitants of the parrish of Wath doe not take advantage of this my charitable intention within the space of three yeares after my death that then the said summe of thirty pounds shall be layd out for the relief of the needful poore of the chappelry of Wombwell for ever.”
But the Wath people were not quite seeing this £30 go to Wombwell, so they built the school, and evidently made a solid job of it, , for a portion still remains intact.
In the ancient documents preserved in the Wath Museum there are notes of visits to the Squires Wombwell by the Constables of Wath and Brampton, showing they were magistrates and dispensed justice locally—it is also presumed that the dungeon known to have existed under the Hall was used as a lockup for offenders.
1680—”For myselfe and John Sheppard going to
ye Justice Wombwell about ye child that was lost at Wombwell 2s 0d
“pd. for ale when we went about ye abovsaid child 1s 4d
1711—”For going twice with John Holland to see Mr Wombwell 1s 0d
“pd. to Will Healds for charges about ye thiefe that was taken before Mr. Wombwell 5s 0d
As Mr. William Heald kept a public house on the way to Wombwell we fear some liquid refreshment would enter into this transaction.
1713—”Pd. in charges at Wombwell ye 13 August for ye jury
at ye death of Will Sutcliffe, Caryer, he being slain at Wombwell 7s 0d
“pd. foy Thos. Branum before Mr. Wombel 6d.; and for witnesses against him at Wombels 3s 6d
1715,—”Thomas Wade and myself going to Justice Wombwells with Widdow Hartley 1s 0d
The last of the family of Wombwell resident at the Hall (William Wombwell, died 1733) has been described as “a wealthy rough country squire who kept much shooting company and lived in baronial splendour. Had a pack of hounds, deer in his park, fine gardens attached to the Hall, with fishponds beyond. A vast retinue of servants surrounded him, and he maintained the authority of feudal times.”
These fishponds would be connected with the River Dove, which joined the Dearne in his park—-we must, of course, remember that neither canal nor railway intersected the property in those days.
The old records show that although the local authorities looked well after their own poor people they were keen to see that no strange vagabonds or cripples planted themselves in their respective townships, lest perchance they became chargeable to the rates, and indeed there is ample proof that at Wath and Brampton the constables made a practice of dumping such interlopers justacross Wombwell’s border!
Let this official regulation speak for itself :
1680—”That ye Constables shall when any stranger come unto them . . . shall get them away as sharpe as they can. Ye Constable shall have for carying a cripple on horseback to Wombwell or Hemingfield for every horse or time 1s 0d
and if in a cart or waine 1s 6d
Joseph Halmshaw was Constable of Brampton and Melton in 1680, and his accounts show:
“For carrying a cripple on horse Backe to Wombwell 1s 0d
Gave him and three of his companions 0s 2d
“For carying one cripple in a waine to Wombwell and reliefe for him 2s 0d
“For reliefe and lodging three strangers all night and carrying them away on horsebacks to Wombwell 1s 4d
surely a pretty hefty load for the poor horse’s back !
Tradition states that the Wombwell Constable being quite alive to this dumping game, duly transferred all the rogues across to Barnsley, and unkind people have said they all remained there.
Here is an interesting document:-
1712—”From the Chief Constable to the Constable of Wombwell.”
I require of you to give notis to ye collectors of ye land fax with in yor township that the assesment will be based and determined at Rotherlaam on Friday ye sixth of this instant, and at Doncaster on Saturday of ye day following by 12 of ye clocke in ye afternoon of sch. day.—Given under my hand at Nuhall ye 9 of May, 1712.
Will. Marsden.
There were 15 of these Chief constables throughout the West Riding, and this one, Mr. William Marsden, resided at New Hall, Darfield.
These old village Constables had quite a variety of duties to perform, for, in addition to Land Tax. Window and Hearth Tax (fancy taxing household light and heat!), and tythe apportionment, they made payments of relief to wounded soldiers, kept in good order the lock-ups, pinfolds, stocks, etc., saw to the repair of the town’s gates and fences–.nay they were even responsible for cleaning out the ditches and dykes, and for the mainteance of bridges and culverts.
Here is a Constable’s item concerning the Knoll Beck Bridge at the boundary of Wombwell and Brampton:
1729—”Paid for Knobeck Bridge mending £2 9s 0d
“ for ale when stones was led for same £0 3s 6d
Even working in a stream seems to have been a thirsty job.
Well, their ghosts may now he thanking goodness that in addition to all this they hadn’t present-time Saturday night’s traffic to control at the bottom of Church Street.
We come to a later period, and find that in the year 1822 Wombwell had a population of 811, and that Mr John Garland. of Wood Hall. was the chief resident—this house was later known as Netherwood Hall. He married Miss Bertha Birks, daughter of that much respected solicitor and man of affairs. Mr, John Birks, of Hemingfield. The Garlands were an old county family, and it is of interest to note that the daughter of an earlier generation. Miss Elizabeth Garland was a Maid of Honour at the English Royal Court, and became the friend and companion of Queen Caroline, wife of George II. Nor can we at this juncture resist a peep into the Garland private household book, for it gives us some idea of her parents’ costly preparation for their only daughter’s entry into London Society:—
| 1698 | —”Spent when at London for Betty,
and coach hire forrard and backwards |
£61 10s 0d |
| 1704—For Betty Garland and her maid going to London | £3 0s 0d | |
| “pd Lady Frenchville for bord for Betty Garland and her maid | £125 0s 0d | |
| and to her Ladyship for severall things disburst for Betty | £100 12s 5d | |
| “pd. for setting ye diamond buckle | £ 2 5s 0d | |
| 1705 | “pd. Mr. Ederington for Betty’s gold watch | £23 0s 0d |
the varied items of expenditure pertaining to the domestic matters of their estate. one is glad to observe the frequent repetition of such charitable entries as this:—
1698—”Gave away to severall poore people 10s 0d
Miss Garland was doubtless as winsome a Yorkshire maiden as ever graced the Royal Court of England.
How one longs for the return of such food prices as these—which also are extracts from the records in this local household book :—
| 1697 | —”For a leg of mutton and a couple of rabbits | 2s 1d |
| 4 Chickens | 1s 0d | |
| 18 Pigeons | 1s 6d | |
| For a couple of ducks | 1s 6d | |
| 25 Partridges at 4d. each | 8s 4d |
One hundred years ago the tradesmen were as follow:
Wm. Ailler, Wheelwright.
Matthew Belk. Maltster.
John Bramer, Stonemason.
John Clapham, Grocer.
Thos. Thomas, Maltster.
John Smith, Victualler and Veterinary Surgeon, of the “Three Horse Shoes” Inn.
This latter still exists—re-modelled, of course—as “The Horse Shoe Hotel.”
The Wombwell Council have appropriately adopted the arms and motto of their ancient Squire. May one suggest that a picture of the old Manor House hung on the walls of their excellent Council chamber would serve as an interesting memento of their township’s feudal days?
In addition to original details obtained from the Wath Museum. the writer acknowledges certain information and the view of the old house from Wilkinson’s “Worthies of Barnsley and District,” published about 60 years ago.