William
Farndale, Vicar of Doncaster
c
1330 to c 1415
FAR00038
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If William was chaplain by 1355, say he was 25, so born in about
1330. William could have been the son of Walter de Farndale (FAR00015) who was himself
vicar of Haltwhistle, Lazonby and Chelmsford.
Nicholaus de ffarnedale (FAR00038A) might
have been his younger brother.
1347
The
Black Death hit Doncaster
badly between 1347 to 1351. William may have been in his teens during the Black Death. The
experience of the Black Death (and his survival) might have turned him to the
church.
By
1334, Doncaster was the wealthiest town in southern Yorkshire and the sixth in
Yorkshire as a whole, even boasting its own banker. By 1379, it was recovering
from the Black Death, which had reduced its population to 1,500.
(The Black Death hit Doncaster again in the late sixteenth
century, with a deadly outbreak in 1582, when about a third of the population
died. But that is after our relevant time)
1355
By 1355, William Farndale
was chaplain at Doncaster.
Nottinghamshire Archives, Reference DD/FJ/1/291/5: Grant. 1) Walter de Thornton, vicar of Doncaster. 2) Wm.
de Farndall, chaplain. Wm. del Wode of Doncaster, King's serjeant at arms. John de
Barneby, chaplain. (1) to (2) 1½a. late belonging to Sir Thos. de Schepley, late vicar of Whaytelagh,
in Whaytelagh. Witn.: John
de Barnburgh of Doncaster, John Boteler, etc. At
Doncaster, Sat. in Easter week, 29 Edw. III. Seal. Date: 11 April 1355 Held by:
Nottinghamshire Archives, not available at The National Archives Language:
Latin
Grant:
1) Walter de Thornton, vicar of Doncaster.
2) Wm. de Farndall, chaplain.
Wm. del Wode of Doncaster, King's
serjeant at arms.
John de Barneby, chaplain.
(1) to (2) 1½a. late belonging to Sir Thos. de Schepley,
late vicar of Whaytelagh, in Whaytelagh.
Witn.: John de Barnburgh of Doncaster, John
Boteler, etc.
At Doncaster, Sat. in Easter week, 29 Edw. III.
Seal.
Date: 11 April 1355
Language: Latin
The
Parish Church of St George at Doncaster
There
is a separate page with more information about the
history of the Parish Church at Doncaster which explores in detail
how the church might have looked in William’s time, and has more evidence about
William Farndale.
1358
The Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward III, 1358 to 1361, 32
Edward III – Part II, P110: October 15, Westminster. Pardon, for good
service done by the king’s sergeant at arms William atte
Wode, to the said William for having enfeoffed John
de Barneby and William de Farndale, chaplains, of the manor of Derleye, held in chief, and then re
entered into the manor, which they quit-claimed to him, without the
king's licence; and grant that he shall retain the same in fee. By K.
Darley
Manor is in Derbyshire, but this is presumably a reference to a place in the environs of
Doncaster.
1360?
Family?
We don’t know if
or who William married. Nor do we have records of his offspring. However we do
think that the earliest direct ancestors of modern Farndales were living just
north of Doncaster by about 1512, and continued to do so until about 1564, when
the family moved to Kirkleatham in Cleveland. So it seems reasonable to suppose
that there was a family of modern Farndales’ ancestors living around Doncaster
back to William’s timed. Perhaps William was an ancestor himself, and after a
couple of generations, Nicholas Farndale (FAR00059) was born
into that family. Or perhaps Sir William Farndale the vicar had siblings, one
of whom was a grandfather or great grandfather of Nicholas.
Well
into the twelfth century as many of a quarter of the secular clergy, bishops,
archdeacons, and parish priests were married, despite the attempt of the Church
to impose sexual abstinence on the higher clergy. Lay and clergy chose marriage
as a union within which sexual relations were sanctioned, albeit only for the
creation of offspring. Given the vocal opposition of a substantial number of
clergy against chaste marriages we must conclude that for these clergy and
their wives the sexual aspect of marriage was a compelling one and to be
preferred to chaste marriage or celibacy. The married clergy were not afraid to
physically defend their right to continue their marriages as sexual unions. A
strong incentive may have had its roots in the emotional attachment and love a
married priest’s couple may have felt for each other.
It is interesting
that we see the name William continue to be used down the known generations.
William was an extremely common name, but this adds to the evidence of our
theory of Farndale ancestry.
It is possible a
descendant (perhaps his son or grandson) also called William Farndale (FAR00056A) married
Rose Farndale:
Short
title: Farndale v Reignold. Plaintiffs: Rose Farndale, late the wife of William – Reference: C 1/201/47 Farndale v Reignold;
Plaintiffs: Rose Farndale, late the wife of William Farndale.
Defendants: John Reignold, of Dodynghurst.
Subject: A tenement and land in Dodynghurst. Essex.
SFP Date: 1493-1500 Held by: The
National Archives, Kew (still to visit Kew to check)
Doddinghurst is a village and civil parish in the Borough of
Brentwood, in south Essex. It is 3 miles (5 km) to the north of Brentwood.
Abstract From Proceedings: “To The Archbishop of Canterbury and
Chancellor of England. Rose Farndale, plaintiff, late wife of William
Farndale that John Reignold of Dodynghurst, Co Essex, husbandman, sold to said William
for a sum agreed and paid, a tenement set in Dodynghurst
aforesaid, called Whitefeldes ‘tenement’ with a
garden and two fields, one called Hornefeld and the
other Barnefeld and the said john Reignold
promised to make ‘sufficient estate thereof’ to said William or to whom he
would advise; before any estate made thereof the same William made his will
by which he willed that the plaintiff should have the said tenement and land to
her and her heirs for ever. Since his death the plaintiff has required said
John Reignold to make estate of the premises to her
and to her heirs and he has refused and has entered into the said lands and
occupies them contrary to all reason and conscience.”
Pledges for the Prosecution; William Brecas of London, Yeoman,
John Nores of the same, Yeoman. Written on dorse; Before the Lord King in His
Chancery in the quindene of St Hilary next. (No
answer recorded).
(Translation of chancery proceedings)
1368
On 7 December 1368, Robert
Ripers transferred 5 acres of land at Lovershall (just south of Doncaster) to
Sir William Farndale, still chaplain:
From the Patent Rolls (source still to be
re-checked): Transfer of land; ‘Know men present and to come that I Robert
Ripers of Loversall have given, granted, and by this my present charter
confirmed to Sir William Farndale, chaplain, 5 acres of land with
appurtenances lying in the fields of Loversall, extending from the meadows
of the Wyke to the Kardyke, of which 1 acre 1 rood lie in Wykefield between the
land of Robert son of John son of William, son of Robert on both sides. And 2
1/2 acres lying in the Midelfild between my own land on the west and the land
of Richard son of Robert on the east. And 1 rood lying in Wodfild between my
own land on the west and the land of John of Wakefield on the east. To have and
to hold the said 5 acres of land with appurtenances to the said William and his
heirs and assigns, freely, quietly, well and in peace, from the chief lords of
the free by the services then owed and customary by right. And I, said Robert,
and my heirs, will warrant the said 5 acres with appurtenances to the said Sir
William, his heirs and assigns against all men for ever. In witness whereof I
have affixed my seal to this present charter. These being in witness; Sir John
of Loversall, Chaplain; William Vely, Robert Clerk, Richard Rilis, John son of
William son of Roger and others. Given at Loversall on Thursday after the Feast
of St Nicholas, 42 Edward III. (7 Dec 1368).’
Loversall
is a parish 3.5 miles south west of Doncaster. There is more evidence of the
relationship between Lovershall and the Vicar of Doncaster in the history of Doncaster
Parish Church.
‘Sir’ was used
when referring to a vicar, so he was already being referred to as Sir William
Farndale by 1368, though he was still a chaplain then.
1370
There
is also the following reference in the Patent
Rolls, 7 May 1370, 44 Edward III Part 1, page 393: May 7, Westminster. Pardon to William Farndale of Caleys of the king’s suit for the death of John de Spaldyngton, whereof he is indicted or appealed, and of any
consequent outlawry. By p.s.
The index refers to Farndale, William of Calais. This is probably
a different William Farndale (see also FAR00047A), but it is not certain where Caleys is
a reference to.
1396
Sir William Farndale became
the Vicar of Doncaster from 8 January 1397 (aged about 61) to 31 August 1403
(aged about 68) when he resigned.
On 8 Jan 1397
William Farndale, priest presented by the same on the death of Alan Rasyn.
Register 14 f.62
(recto) entry 4:
Entry Type: Institution, Induction, Presentation
(person)
Section Type: Register, Vicar-general
Summary: Memorandum of the presentation by the abbot
and convent of York, St Mary, of William Farnedale [Farndale], priest, to the
vicarage of the parish church of Doncaster, vacant by the death of Alan Rasyn,
the last vicar, followed by his admission and institution by the vicar general,
and an order to the archdeacon [? of York] for his induction (two entries).
Dates: Document date: 1397/01/08 (certain)
People and
Groups: Subject of document:
York, St Mary Abbey, Benedictine (abbot and convent)
Places: Place of event: Scrooby,
Nottinghamshire, England (none given); written as Scroby'
Benefice:
Doncaster, West Riding of Yorkshire, England (rectory)
(Fasti Parochcales Vol 1)
Memorandum
of the presentation by the abbot and convent of York, St Mary, of William
ffarnedale [Farndale], priest, to the vicarage of the parish church of
Doncaster, vacant by the death of Alan Rasyn, the last vicar, followed by
his admission and institution by the vicar general, and an order to the
archdeacon [? of York] for his induction (two entries):
1402
He appears to
have transferred his 5 acres of land at Lovershall to John Burton in 1402:
Patent Rolls: Transfer of Land;
‘Know men present and to come that I, William Farndalle, Vicar of the Church of
Doncastre, have given, granted and by this present charter confirmed to John
Burton of Waddeworth, his heirs and assigns 5 acres of land with appurtenances
lying in the fields of Loversall. Viz, those 5 acres of land which I had as
gift and feoffment of Robert Ryppes of Loversalle and which extend from the
meadows of the Wyke to the Kardyke as the charter drawn up for me by Robert
Ryppes more fully sets out. To have and to hold the said 5 acres of land with
appurtenances to the said John Burton, his heirs and assigns from the chief of
the lords of the fee by the services thence owed and customary by right. And I
William Farndalle and my heirs will warrant the said 5 acres of land with
appurtenances to the said John Burton, his heirs and assigns against all men
for ever. In witness whereof I have affixed my seal to this present charter.
These being witnesses; John Yorke of Loversalle, Robert Oxenford of Loversalle,
William Ryppes of the same, John Millotte of the same, William Clerk of the
same and many others. Given at Loversalle 6 April 3 Henry IV. (6 April 1402).
If William de
Farndale, was born in 1355, then he was 67 when the second transfer was made,
would have been about 33 when the first transfer was made.
31
August 1403
Archdeaconry
of York. Institution, by Master Richard Rasyn, his proctor, and order
for induction of William Couper [Cooper], priest, to the vicarage of
Doncaster, vacant by the resignation of William Farndale, the previous
vicar, patron: abbot and convent of York, St Mary's Abbey (two entries).
1420
Sir William
Farndale died after 1403. If he lived to 85, then he would have died in about
1415.