Loversall
The history of a small village and
church just south of Doncaster, where William Farndale held land
Loversall
1857
The
Romans at Loversall
When the
Romans established their fortification at the crossing point on the River Don,
the main road from Lincoln approached Danum from the south with
a minor crossing at Rossington Bridge, south of Doncaster, not far from
Loversall. There is considerable evidence of Iron Age and Roman field systems
in this area. The road then continued to cross the Don at Danum.
Four miles
south of Doncaster and in the vicinity of the fort at Rossington Bridge, the
rich farm lands encouraged wealthy Roman Britons to build their villa
at Stancil, which was later the place of a medieval village. A wide range
of vessels have been found in this area which evidence trade as far north as
lowland Scotland.
Anglo
Saxon Loversall
The area of
modern Doncaster was likely not to have been open land, but forested until it
started to be cleared in the late Saxon period. It was part of the Great Brigantian Forest. At some stage perhaps from late Saxon
times, areas were cleared for settlement in the process called assarting. The
growth of population and villages, including Campsall and
Loversall, by the time of Edward the Confessor suggest that assarting had been
pursued vigorously by that time
There were
some 170 vills of human settlement by the late
Saxon period. Settlement was sometimes influenced by the need to cross a
watercourse, but often may have been the inclination of a family to settle on
land, which larger grew into a larger habitation. This informal process of
settlement was soon replaced by recognition of rights of occupancy from the
lands of the elite class who owned large estates. It therefore ceased to be
open to every citizen to clear woodland for his own use, but by the Doomsday
record, a right had been recognised in overlordship.
Thus Saxon
lords came to surround themselves with dependents who held portions of land
from him, in return for rendering services. This is reflected in culture, such
as the Beowulf saga, which provided an encouragement
to live within the protection of the elite class, as protection against the
perils of unsettled places.
The larger
seats of population came to be governed under the authority of a bors holder who was elected at a general
assembly. Townships were grouped in tens under a hundreder,
a superior officer who held courts. These hundreds came to be called wapentakes
in the areas to the north. Doncaster
and Loversall fell within the Wapentake of Strafford. Campsall fell
within the Wapentake of Osgodcross.
Norman
Conquest
By the
Norman Conquest, 28 townships in what is now South Yorkshire belonged to the
Lord of Conisbrough.
At the time
of the Conquest Loversall was a berewick of
two caracutes in the manor of Hexthorpe. Estorp (Hexthorpe) is a small village now part of Doncaster
and at the time about a mile downstream from the town. To Hexthorpe were
appended an extensive soke which included Doncaster and Loversall and other
places. The Domesday Book recorded In Estorp, Earl
Tosti had one manor of three carucates for geld and four ploughs may be there.
Nigel has [it] of Count Robert. In the demesne, one plough and three villanes and three bordars with two ploughs. A church is
there, and a priest having five bordars and one plough and two mills of thirty two shillings [annual value]. Four acres of meadow.
Wood, pasturable, one leuga and a half in length and
one leuga in breadth. The whole manor, two leugae and a half in length and one leuga
and a half in breadth. T.R.E., it was worth eighteen pounds, now twelve pounds.
To this manor belongs this soke – Donecastre (Doncaster)
two carucates, in Wermesford (Warmsworth) on carucate, in Ballebi
(Balby) two carucates, in Geureshale
(Loversall) two carucates, Oustrefeld
(Austerfield) two carucates and Alcheslei
(Auckley) two carucates. Together fifteen carucates for geld, where eighteen
ploughs may be. Now [there is] in the demesne one plough and twenty
four villanes and thirty seven bordars and
forty sokemen. These have twenty seven ploughs, wood,
pasturable in places, in places unprofitable.
There is a
suggestion from that Fulk de Lusoriis had two bovates
at Loversall and Geffrey Alselyn had four bovates.
The church
of St Katherine dates to the twelfth century. The simple interior of the nave
is supported by eight thirteenth century columns.
There was significant
building of monasteries and parish churches after the Conquest. The building of
churches was attractive since this allowed the lords to extract tithes from
distant churches to which it had been paid and settle it on churches of their
choosing, perhaps closer to their own residence. During this period churches
were built at places including Coningsborough, Campsall, and Doncaster. Most of
these churches had one officiating minister at their foundation, the persona
or rector. The churches were often placed under the patronage of monastic
institutions. Certain of these churches were parish churches in form, but were
also referred to as chapels, which meant that they were given rights of
baptism, nuptial benediction and of sepulture, but
were not able to participate in tithes from the lands around them. These
churches included St Mary Magdalene at Doncaster and the chapel at Loversall.
Medieval
Loversall
In the early
thirteenth century, the hospital of St Nicholas in Doncaster had lands at
Loversall.
By the ninth
year of King John’s reign, in 1208, the Fossards had
erected a chapel at Loversall. Robert de Turnham tried to recover the rights in
the Doncaster church which Nigel Fossard had given to St Mary’s Abbey, York,
but had to acknowledge the continued rights of the abbey, but
was given a right to the chapels at Loversall and Rossington, which were part
of the parish of Doncaster.
The vicar of
Doncaster nominated the curate for the chapel at Loversall. The chapel was
originally a very small structure, but was extended to
a large chapel by the Wyralls in the sixteenth
century. There are several sepulchral stones from the earlier age, associated
with the Ripers, including an alter tomb and the tomb
of a child. Within the Wyralls chapel is a tomb which
might be that of William de Middleton.
By 1241 the mesne
lord William de Middleton had passed land in Loversall by fine to Robert de Ripariis or de Ripers, in whose
name ownership of the land continued until the sixteenth century. Robert de Ripers also obtained others lands here from the monks and
abbots of Roche in exchange for other lands and £100. Robert de Ripers received lands and meadows at Wadworth, Alverley and Loversall, with their woods and mills, with an
annual rent of 27d.
In Edward
I’s reign, the Survey of the County of York by John de Kirkby known as Kirkby’s
Inquest, (the Nomina Villarum for Yorkshire) was taken in 1277: De
Johanne de Ripariis for the 4th part of one fee in Loversale.
There was Feoffment
by Adam son of Pain (Pagani) of Alworthlay,
to Robert son of John de Rypers of Loversall and
Alice his wife in survivorship, and the heirs begotten between them, of a
messuage [in Loversall]. Witnesses:—John de Rypers, lord of Loversall, and others (named). Tuesday, the
feast of St. John of Beverley, 1331.
On 7
December 1368, Robert Ripers transferred five acres
of land at Loversall, just south of
Doncaster, to Sir
William Farndale, who was still a chaplain.
The Patent
Rolls on 7 December 1368, in the forty second regnal year of Edward III
recorded 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 ½ 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.
There is
evidence of the close relationship between Loversall and the Vicar of Doncaster
in Jackson’s
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. The title Sir does not indicate a
knighthood.
A fourteenth
century table tomb stands in the churchyard. It is thought that a knight of St
John of Jerusalem is buried there, as such a person owned property in
Loversall.
William
transferred his 5 acres of land at Lovershall to John
Burton in 1402. The Patent Rolls on 6 April 1402 in the third regnal year of
Henry IV, recorded 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.
On 10 August
1421, Indenture being a grant by Robert Twyer of Doncastre, Thomas Chamberlayn,
William de Wombewell, and John Frankys
to Thomas Rypas of Loversall and Joan his wife of the
lands in Loversall which they had by his gift and feoffment, those lands there
and in Heghellers excepted which they had granted by
charter to Thomas son of the said Thomas Rypas and
Isabel his wife, in tail; to hold to the said Thomas and Joan for their lives
in survivorship with remainder, land in 'le Mydelfelde,'
&c. excepted, to the said Robert son of Thomas Rypas,
in tail, with remainder to Thomas' heirs, and with remainder as to the said
land in 'le Mydelfelde,' &c. to the said Robert
and Isabel, in tail, with remainder to Thomas' heirs; attorneys to deliver
seisin, [Thomas] Rypas of Doncastre
or John de Lee. Witnesses:—John Rypas
of Doncastre, Robert Rypas
and others (named).
In 1427 Feoffment
by William Mar of Loversall to Robert Repas, John Yowll,
John York and John Anten of the same and the heirs
and assigns of Robert, of a dovecot there. Lady Day, 6 Henry VI. Seal.
Victorian
Loversall
A
Topographical Dictionary of England in 1848 described 1848: LOVERSALL, a
parish, in the union and soke of Doncaster, W. riding of York, 3½ miles (S.)
from Doncaster, on the road to Worksop; containing 159 inhabitants. The parish
comprises about 2150 acres, of which 720 acres, with the manor and Hall, are the
property of the Rev. Alexander Cooke, and 1300 acres that of Miss Elizabeth
Banks; the scenery is generally of pleasing character, and in many parts
beautifully picturesque. Loversall Hall, the seat of the Rev. A. Cooke, is a
handsome mansion of stone, in a well-wooded demesne. St. Catherine's, the seat
of Miss E. Banks, is a spacious and elegant structure in the later English
style of domestic architecture, embellished with porticos, turrets, and pinnacles,
and beautifully situated on an eminence commanding richly-diversified
prospects: in the grounds is St. Catherine's well, much celebrated in former
times, and from which the house derives its name. The substratum of the parish
abounds with limestone, which is quarried for the roads and for building. The
living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £53; patron, the Vicar of Doncaster.
The church, originally a small ancient structure, was enlarged in the reign of
Henry VIII., by the erection of a chapel on the south side of the chancel, by
the Wyrrall family: it contains an altar-tomb over
the remains of the founder; in the chancel is a recumbent effigy of a knight,
probably one of the Middleton family, and in the churchyard is a tablemonument with a cross fleuri.
or
Go Straight to Chapter 11 –
the Vicar of Doncaster
There is a
separate Loversall webpage with research
notes and a chronology.