Winton

WINTON IS A large and pleasant township lying the extensive parish of Kirby Stephen. In itself it is one of the largest townships in the area, covering almost 5,000 acres, incorporating Winton Fell in the Pennines. It derives its name from a battle which must have taken place here in the Saxon period. Other places in England, such as Winchester, Winwick and Winthorpe commemorate battles so it is thought Winton must also. Unfortunately the details of the battle have long been lost to history.

The history of the Lordship of Winton corresponds very closely with that of the Barony of Westmoreland and was considered, originally, to be a parcel of the Lordship of Brough. After the Norman invasion it was granted to Ralph Meschines, earl of Chester and from from his family is passed to the Morvilles, the last of which was Hugh, one of the four knights who murdered Thomas Becket at Canterbury cathedral in 1170. Winton was seised by the Crown and granted then to Robert de Veteripont. It remained in this family until the male line became extinct and it passed to the Veteripont heiresses, Isabella and Idonea. At the inquisition to determine the division of the Veteripont estate between the two sisters it was found that each of them held a moiety of the Lordship of Winton and the value of the two together was £48 4s 6d. This was a sizable sum for the 13th century.

Winton then descended to the family of Isabella’s husband, Roger de Clifford. In 1315 the following was recorded, after the death of Robert de Clifford.

Held at Winton one capital messuage, worth yearly 1s, 100 acres of demesne

land, worth yearly 6d per acre; 20 acres of demesne meadow, worth 1 s an

acre yearly; that he had also foreland and waste worth yearly 5s;

28 oxgangs of land at 5s a year each; 10 messuages of cottages, worth each

by the year 1s; on water mill burnt, worth yearly £ 4 and there were also

free tenants there, who paid yearly 6s and that Henry de Warthcop held

certain marshy grounds, for which he paid yearly 8s

It is interesting to note both the fall in value of the Lordship since the ownership of the Veteripont sisters. A clue to this can be gleaned from the fact the ,ill is described as burnt. This indicates that the land at Winton had suffered from a Scottish attack, which were certainly common. Given the year, 1315, this probably occurred in the previous year after the English had been defeated at Bannockburn.

This destruction of the manorial lands was repeated during the reign of Henry V. At an inquisition into the death of John de Clifford it was found that on the day he died 20 messuages at Winton, worth nothing in all issues above reprises, by reason of the destruction made by the Scots.

The Cliffords held Winton for three centuries until is passed from the last of the family, Anne, Countess of Pembroke, to the Tuftons, the earls of Thanet. The Tufton’s have continued to hold it until today and the current Lord of the Manor is the present representative of the family, Lord Hothfield. There was a manor house at Winton and this was known as The Hall. It never seems to have occupied by the Cliffords or the Tuftons and at an early time was in the hands of the Scayfe family, who were perhaps the main manorial tenants. During the reign of Edward II (1307-1315) John Scayfe served as a Member of Parliament as a burgess for Appleby. In 1344 his son Thomas also represented Appleby at Parliament. The family continued in the area for many years. During the Commonwealth (1649-1660) the Hall was occupied by a Major Scaife, who appears to have been a prominent local Roundhead. The Hall was later sold to the Andrews family.

Winton was the birthplace of two distinguished 18th century men of letters. John Langhorne was well known and respected poet in mid 1700s . Born around 1730 he trained as priest and was appointed to the rectory of Blagdon in Somerset. He held this position for most of his life and died in 1779. Though his fame during his life time was for his poetry, especially The Country Justice, a Plea for the Neglected Poor, and The Fables of Flora, these are now largely forgotten. What has survived however it his translation of Plutarch’s Lives. This was published in 1770 and had never really been superseded and is considered to be the definitive translation in English. Winton was also the birthplace of Richard Burn, who with Joseph Nicholson, wrote the History of Cumberland and Westmorland (1777). This is one a number of tremendous topographical works published during the later half of the 19th century.

Historical holder / succession information

1. Lord Hothfield
   current_holder_statement · catalogue_stated_current_holder
   Source wording: The Tufton’s have continued to hold it until today and the current Lord of the Manor is the present representative of the family, Lord Hothfield.