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The Manor of Conisbrough

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An exterior view of Conisbrough Castle.

Conisbrough was the centre of an important administrative unit before the Norman Conquest; it held a strategic position on a hill overlooking and controlling a crossing of the River Don. Its name derives from the Anglo-Saxon Cyningesburh, "the king's stronghold", and at the time of the invasion by William the Conqueror in 1066 it was owned by King Harold.

The Domesday Survey shows that in 1086 the manor of Conisbrough included lands in 28 townships scattered throughout South Yorkshire, including Anston, Aston, Aughton, Barnburgh, Bilham, Braithwell, Bramley, Bramwith, Clifton, Cusworth, Dalton, Dinnington, Edenthorpe, Fishlake, Greasbrough, Hatfield, Harthill, Hoyland, Kirk Sandall, Long Sandall, Ravenfield, Stainforth, Thorne, Tudworth, Wales, Whiston and Wilsick.

After his death at Hastings, Harold's lands were given by the Conqueror to his own son-in-law, William de Warrenne, 1st earl of Surrey. His main interests in the Conisbrough estate were its value as a military centre and the hunting provided in its park, but he also endowed the Cluniac priory of Lewes, and his son gave the church of Conisbrough and all its dependencies to the priory. The Warrennes continued to hold the manor until the 8th earl, John, died childless in 1347, when the manor reverted to the Crown. The manor court roll of that year shows 15 townships with tenants owing suit of court: Aston, Barnburgh, Braithwell, Bramley, Cusworth, Dalton, Dinnington, Greasbrough, Harthill, Hoyland, Morthing, Ravenfield, Sandall, Warmsworth, and Conisbrough (which included Clifton), and these same townships are still listed in the court roll of 1605.

The manor and castle were granted by the Crown for more than 100 years from 1347. The first grantee was Edmund Langley, fifth son of Edward III, who later was created earl of Cambridge and, in 1386, duke of York. His eldest son Edward, duke of York, inherited the manor in 1402 and held it until his death at Agincourt in 1415. Edward's brother Richard, earl of Cambridge, born in Conisbrough castle, had been beheaded for treason against Henry V earlier in the same year. The manor was then held in dower by Richard's widow Matilda, countess of Cambridge, until her death at Roche Abbey in 1446. The strategic position of the castle made it an important place to secure during the fifteenth century Wars of the Roses between the Yorkists and Lancastrians. The next grantee was Matilda's stepson Richard, duke of York, who was killed at the battle of Wakefield in 1460. His son Edward, earl of March, succeeded him in the lordship and the following year was acclaimed king and took the throne as Edward IV. The lord of Conisbrough was now king of England, and the lands again passed to the Crown.

The Tudors rarely visited the North, and the castle was no longer in use. Royal estates generally suffered from neglect and were less profitable than private estates. Absentee landlords tended to keep less of a watchful eye on their estates, and the Crown was perhaps the ultimate absentee landlord. Without a landlord taking close interest, manor officials could run things to suit themselves, and this was not always in the interest of the lord and his profits. With no one resident, even occasionally, in the castle, by 1538 it had fallen into disrepair and part of its curtain wall had collapsed. In 1561 the lordship and castle were granted by Elizabeth I by patent to her first cousin Henry Carey, 1st Lord Hunsdon, who held them until he died in 1596. From then it passed in succession:

George Carey, 2nd Lord Hunsdon	1596 - 1603
John Carey, 3rd Lord Hunsdon	1603 - 1617
Henry Carey, 4th Lord Hunsdon, 1st earl of Dover	1617 - 1668
John Carey, 2nd earl of Dover	1668 - 1677
Lady Mary (Carey) Heveningham	1677 - 1696
Edward and Carey Newton	1696 - 1705
Edward Coke, esq (John Newton, guardian)	1705 - 1722
Edward Coke, esq	1722 - 1733
Penniston and Matthew Lamb	1733 - 1737
Thomas 4th duke of Leeds	1737 - 1789
George 6th duke of Leeds (Francis 5th duke, as guardian)	1789 - 1798
George 6th duke of Leeds	1798 - 1838
Sackville Walter Lane Fox, esq.	1838 - 1874
Sackville George, Lord Conyers	1874 - 1889
Charles Alfred Worsley, 4th earl of Yarborough and Marcia Amelia Mary, Countess of Yarborough and Baroness Conyers	1889 - 1935

The manor court rolls show a strong continuity in certain families owing suit of court for lands in the manor. Not all of these resided in the manor. For example, two Scropes appear in the 1349/50 roll, one of them being Richard, 1st lord of Bolton, who built Bolton castle. Scropes continue to appear, and can be seen in the 1483 and 1536 rolls. A number of local gentry families appear over long periods in the records. One is the Bosvile (or Boswelle) family. At the spring court leet in 1350, the wife of William Bosvill was amerced for brewing. The 1379 poll tax returns list Robert Bossevill, tailor, (and his wife Emma), one of three who paid above the standard rate. In 1483 the heirs of John Bossewell owed suit of court, Katherine Bossewell paid fine for suit of court, Thomas Bossewell of Wadworth surrendered land in Conisbrough, and Richard Bossewell was serving as bailiff. Thomas Bosewell owed suit of court for lands in Conisbrough in 1536, and Richard Bosewell for lands in Clifton. William Bossevile, who held land in the graveship of Clifton, and Thomas Bossevile, gentleman, served as jurors. Both were among the many who were amerced for soaking hemp contrary to the statute, William in Conisbrough and Thomas in Braithwell, while Gervase Bossevile was guilty of the same offence in Warmsworth. In 1607 Thomas Bosvile (son of Gervase) purchased the manor of Warmsworth. Richard Bossevile appears on the 1631 rental for the graveship of Conisbrough. Thomas Bosvile in Conisbrough and Jarvas Bosvile in Clifton are listed in the Hearth Tax returns of 1672.

Other names appear repeatedly: Westby (a Henry de Westby was the parker of Conisbrough deer park in Edward III's reign), Rokeby, Clarel, Fitzwilliam, Sandford, Wombwell, Mapples (or Mapulls), etc. There were also new surnames coming into the manor: in 1483 Inkirsel (Inkersall) from Derbyshire, Haworth (Notts), Rishworth (near Elland), and Marsden (on Yorks-Lancs border). In 1536 Gledhill (near Halifax) and Lepton (near Huddersfield). In 1605 Hirst, Byngley, Watterhouse, Roebuck, Armitage, Hawksworth,Woodhead, HoldHold. The action or fact of having in charge, keeping, guarding, possessing, etc.; keeping, occupation, possession; defence, protection, rule.

closesworth, Broadhead, and Hogley all come from West Yorkshire. There was a general drift of such names into South Yorkshire at the time.¹

The manor court rolls and other documents provide ample material for local historians to add substantially to the history of the manor.

Footnote

Thanks to David Hey for this information.

Conisbrough Timeline

4d. Brook.

489	Aurelius Ambrosius captured Hengist at the battle of Maesbelli and brought him to Conisbrough as a prisoner and executed him.
627	Christianity came to Camulodunum (Conisbrough) following the baptism of Edwin of Northumbria at York on the eve of Easter.
750	St Peter's church was built as a minster church.
827	Egbert came to Conisbrough when he ratified a treaty at Dore with the Northumbrians.
1010	Wulfric Spot (earl of Mercia) bequeathed Connigesburg in his will, and through that it eventually passed to Harold Godwinson.
1066	Harold came through Conisbrough September 28 - 29 on his way first to London and then to Hastings.
1069	William de Warenne was given Conisbrough and its dependencies by William the Conqueror. De Warenne had married William the Conqueror's stepdaughter Gunreda.
1078	The revenues of St Peter's church were bestowed on the priory of Lewes by Earl de Warenne.
1086	Domesday survey; the manor of Conisbrough contained 28 townships.
1087	William de Warenne was created earl of Surrey.
1089	First Earl de Warenne died and was succeeded by his son, also named William. The second earl's daughter, Ada, married Henry earl of Huntingdon, who became the king of Scotland. One of her sons was known as William the Lion, and it was he who gave Scotland its banner. His son became Alexander II of Scotland, and he married Joan of England (King John's daughter). Alexander III married Margaret, daughter of Henry III. The second Earl de Warenne gave further land at Conisbrough and lands at Harthill, Dinnington, Braithwell, Hatfield, Fishlake, Sandal and Armthorpe to Lewes Priory.
1138	The second Earl de Warenne died and was succeeded by his son William.
1148	The third Earl de Warenne died in the Holy Land. His heir was his only daughter Isabel, who married King Stephen's youngest son William of Blois, who took the arms of de Warenne and Surrey.
1160	The fourth Earl de Warenne (William of Blois) died without issue.
1163	Isabel, widow of the fourth earl, married Hamelin Plantagenet, illegitimate brother of King Henry II. Hamelin took the arms of de Warenne.
1170-1190	The present castle was built by Hamelin de Warenne (Plantagenet).
1193/4	The fifth earl was empowered, along with the earl of Norfolk, the archbishop of Canterbury and the bishop of London, to raise the ransom to free his nephew King Richard I.
1201	King John visited the castle and on 5 March gave a market charter for a market to be held one day a week (this allowed stocks to be built).
1202	The fifth earl died and was succeeded by his son William, whose first wife was Maude, daughter of the earl of Arundel. After her death he married Maude, the daughter of William Marshall of Pembroke, and after his death the king presented her with the earl marshal's staff as hers by right.
1215	Magna Carta was signed, with Earl de Warenne principal to its ratification.
1240	The sixth earl died and was succeeded by his son John, aged 5. He was married at 12 years of age to a half-sister of King Henry III, Alice of Acquitane. The youngest daughter of Earl de Warenne married John Bailiol and became queen of Scotland.
1250	Gallows were erected at Conisbrough.
1265	Earliest surviving manor court roll.
1286	The seventh earl's son died at a tournament at Croydon. The last Earl de Warenne was born 30 June.
1296	King Edward I appointed Earl de Warenne guardian of the land (Scotland) and gave him the additional title of earl of Strathern.
1298	At the battle of Falkirk (Scotland) de Warenne led the charge with Edward I, using for the first time an army equipped with the long bow.
1304	The seventh Earl de Warenne died and was succeeded by his grandson John.
1306	The eight earl married Joan, daughter of Henry Count de Bar, on 25 May. He was 19 years old; she was 10.
1317	On 17 November Thomas earl of Lancaster attacked the castle with a large force of men, gaining entry by scaling the walls. He found only six men inside, one of whom was the miller of Conisbrough who lived at Warmsworth. Three of the other men were Thomas, Henry and William Greathead, men at arms. Earl de Warenne had taken Lancaster's wife to Reigate Castle; they wished to divorce their respective spouses and marry each other. On 6 December the earl of Lancaster, with his constable John Lasseles, brought the six men captured to trial and found them guilty of fighting and drawing blood. They were fined sixpence each.
1319	The ferry at Conisbrough was controlled by a man known as Henry the ferryman.
1321	The earl of Lancaster held a two-day banquet in the castle. Total cost was 15s.
1322	The earl of Lancaster was captured at the battle of Boroughbridge and brought to Pontefract Castle for trial, where he was found guilty and beheaded. One of the judges was Earl de Warenne, whose castles at Conisbrough and Sandal Lancaster had seized in 1317. King Edward II spent a few days at the Conisbrough Castle and ordered 40 marks to be spent on repairs to the walls and tower.
1326	The castle and lands were given back to de Warenne by the king.
1347	The last Earl de Warenne died without legitimate heir, and the lordship of Conisbrough passed to Edward III, who passed it to his fifth son, Edmund de Langley, then aged six. He was earl of Cambridge and later became the first duke of York. Alice, sister of the last earl, married Fitzalen, earl of Arundel, and took into her marriage the title of the earl of Surrey, the coat of arms of the de Warennes and the earl marshal's baton. (The duke of Norfolk is the premier duke with this baton and his son bears the title earl of Arundel and Surrey. The de Warenne coat of arms is included within the duke of Norfolk's coat of arms to the present day.)
1360c	Richard earl of Cambridge was born at Conisbrough Castle and was known as Richard of Conisbrough.
1392	580 deer were killed on the Great Haye, or hunting forest, of Conisbrough.
1415	Richard of Conisbrough, earl of Cambridge, and Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham, a landowner in Conisbrough manor, were executed for conspiracy against Henry V. The executions took place at Southampton on the eve of the king's departure for France (Agincourt). Edward duke of York (elder brother of the earl of Cambridge) was killed at Agincourt. His nephew Richard earl of Cambridge succeeded to the dukedom.
1460	The duke of York fell at the battle of Wakefield with his eldest son.
1461	The former duke's youngest son, who inherited the title, became Edward IV. He was born in 1442 at Rouen after the battle of Towton. The Conisbrough estates again passed to the Crown.
1495	The grant of the Conisbrough estates to the Crown was confirmed in perpetuity.
1526	On 12 June the manor of the priory of Lewes at Conisbrough, including lands at Braithwell, Dinnington, Harthill and Sandal, passed to John Waterhouse and his son Robert for £150.5.10 per annum.
by 1538	The curtain walls around the castle keep had fallen down and the castle was abandoned.
1560	Elizabeth I created her cousin Henry Carey first Lord Hunsdon and granted him the manor of Conisbrough.
1612	A bequest from Richard Maxwell (or Maxfield) allowed a school to be set up in Conisbrough.
1613	A further bequest from Phillip Waterhouse, combined with that of Maxwell, established a grammar school.
1630	The river Don became diminished in size to approximately present-day dimensions due to extensive drainage works in Hatfield Chase and northwest Lincolnshire carried out under the direction of Cornelius Vermuyden, the Dutch land engineer.
1645	Copley's iron works had water wheels on Kearsley
1649	Conisbrough played no real part in the Civil War, and only superficial damage was caused within the church. The castle, having played no part in the conflict, was allowed to remain standing.
1681	Waterhouse surrendered to the archbishop of York the advowson (right to appoint the vicar) of Conisbrough.
1690	Nailmaking operation commenced.
1694	Henry Saxton makes a further bequest for education in Conisbrough.
1737	On 16 June the castle and manor of Conisbrough were sold to the duke of Leeds for £22,500.
1774	A peal of three bells, made by Edward Hilton of Wath on Dearne, bell founder, were hung in St Peter's church.
1776	A turnpike road was begun between Clifton Hill to Hill Top. Locks on the river Don were put in at Burcroft.
1777	A blacksmith's shop and two cottages and stable were built at Burcroft by Walkers of Rotherham.
1778	A grinding wheel and two houses were erected, and the second Newcomen engine was installed at by Walkers of Rotherham. Joseph Walker was placed in charge at Conisbrough.
1779	Canon boring works were erected in Burcroft by Walkers of Rotherham. Eighty canon on Nelson's ship "Victory" at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805 were manufactured by Walkers. The artist J. M. W. Turner visited Conisbrough and made a sketch of the mill at Burcroft and surrounding buildings, including Ferry Farm and the castle.
1806-1810	The village green between the churchyard and the priory was removed. The village stocks were removed and taken to be used as gate posts. The market cross was broken up and used as building material for new boundary walls around the town centre.
1821	Canon Boring works became Sickle Manufacturing.
1840	A brickyard opened in the castle grounds and closed in 1856. Before leaving, the owner Elizabeth Smith planted the trees that stand today in the grounds.
1841	Population of Conisbrough: 1445. The road from the Star Hotel to Swinton railway station was laid.
1843	The first post office was opened in Conisbrough by Mr Edward Harrison.
1847	A brickyard was opened on Ashfield (Clifton Hill, Sheffield Road) by Mr T. H. Simpson.
1850/1	A railway was laid from Swinton to Doncaster, and Conisbrough got its first railway station.
1851	Population of Conisbrough: 1551
1861	Population of Conisbrough: 1655
1863	Sheffield flood. A baby was found alive in its cradle and rescued at Conisbrough. Kilners built a glassworks at Conisbrough. A Primitive Methodist chapel was built (New Hill).
1866	St Peter's church was restored, during which much of its ancient interior was removed and destroyed (cost: £1800).
1867	The first coal was obtained froma colliery in the area, Denaby Main.
1870	Gas works were erected at Burcroft. Gas was laid on at the Red Lion, the first building illuminated this way in the area.
1871	Population of Conisbrough: 2119. The moot hall of the castle was pulled down. The courts baron and leet of the manor were held in various public houses.
1874	Morley Place School was opened.