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Scholes Manor in the Mid-Eighteenth Century
From The Barwicker No. 67
Sept. 2002
Preserved in the Leeds District Archives
at Sheepscar is a 'Survey of the Lordship of
Scholes surveyed for the use of the Chief Owner,
Sir Edward Gascoigne Bart. by Henry Walker'.
There is no date on the survey but it is
described as c.1750, although the names suggest
that a date a decade before this would be more
accurate. It contains detailed information
concerning the land divisions in the manor and
their acreages, whereas the 1678 survey (see 'The
Barwicker' No.66) was, in the main, a record of
the rentals paid.
The land holding of each occupier is
described in detail and is divided into
'Inclosures' and 'Field Land' where appropriate.
Each parcel of enclosed land is described
('close', 'garth' etc) and the exact extent give
in acres, roods and poles. Some of the closes
are named but there is no accompanying plan to
locate them. The land in the still existing open
fields (Town End Field, Sun Sike Field and South
Field) is recorded in 'lands (ploughing strips of
about 1/4 of an acre) with sometimes the name or
number of the 'flatt' where the 'land' is
situated.
There were only two 'freeholders' in
Scholes at the time - Sir Edward Gascoigne, Bart.
with 282a.3r.5p., and Sir Bryan Cook, Bart. with
18a.3r.30p. All the land of the latter is
described collectively as 'inclosures'. All the
land of the former was let out to tenants, whose
enclosed holdings are described in
detail in the survey and are summarised in the
table below. Some holdings are described as
'house and close (or garth)' or 'housing and
close, etc.' and are included separately in the
table
| Name of tenant |
No. of |
Total extent |
'Houses' |
'Housing' |
| |
'closes' etc |
a |
r |
p |
(no.) |
(no.) |
| Charles Wright |
14 |
68 |
2 |
00 |
2 |
1
|
| Andrew Bursell |
1 |
0 |
1 |
31 |
0 |
0
|
| Widow Outhitt |
1 |
0 |
1 |
37 |
1 |
0
|
| Stephen Vevers |
5 |
42 |
3 |
24 |
0 |
0
|
| Samuel Lumb |
8 |
83 |
3 |
32 |
0 |
0
|
| Ann(a) Shipman |
4 |
18 |
0 |
35 |
0 |
0
|
| Mr Joseph Emmerson |
2 |
62 |
1 |
18 |
0 |
0 |
| (A wood) |
1 |
3 |
1 |
04 |
0 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Totals |
36 |
280 |
0 |
11 |
3 |
1 |
The only one of these tenants with land in
the open fields was Charles Wright who occupied
two 'lands' in Town End Field with an extent of
0a.2r.14p. In addition there were 13 copyholders
in Scholes. Under 'Inclosures' are recorded their
closes, etc., named if appropriate, with extents
and details of houses etc. These listings are
shown in the table below.
| Name of copyholder |
No. of |
Total extent |
'Houses' |
'Housing' |
| |
'closes' etc |
a |
r |
p |
(no.) |
(no.) |
| Seath Lofthouse |
1 |
4 |
2 |
06 |
0 |
0
|
| Andrew Jackson |
1 |
3 |
1 |
11 |
0 |
0
|
| Gabril Taylor |
1 |
3 |
1 |
07 |
0 |
0 |
| William Taylor |
2 |
5 |
0 |
18 |
0 |
1 |
| Charles Wright |
1 |
1 |
0 |
32 |
0 |
1 |
| Mary Stalker |
1 |
1 |
2 |
24 |
0 |
1 |
| Mr Wm. Emmerson |
6 |
16 |
0 |
01 |
1 |
0 |
| George Dixon |
1 |
0 |
0 |
04 |
1 |
0 |
| Thomas Selby |
5 |
6 |
0 |
13 |
3 |
0 |
| Andrew Bursell |
1 |
0 |
1 |
02 |
1 |
0 |
| Mr Wm. Vevers |
44 |
122 |
3 |
05 |
6 |
3 |
| The Poor of Barwick |
5 |
11 |
0 |
36 |
1 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Totals |
69 |
175 |
1 |
39 |
13 |
6 |
Some copyholders occupied land in the open
fields as is shown in the table below :
Number of lands in the Open Fields
| Name of Copyholder |
Town End Field |
Sun Syke Field |
South Field |
Total extent |
| |
|
|
|
a |
r |
p |
| Anna Shipman |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
| Alexander Thompson |
3 |
9 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
37 |
| Richard Taylor |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
09 |
| Mr Wm. Emmerson |
0 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
02 |
| Mr Wm. Vevers |
2 + Flatt C + Flatt D |
13 |
15 |
41 |
1 |
06 |
| The Poor of Barwick |
5 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
21 |
|
|
| Total |
14 + 2 Flatts |
36 |
20 |
54 |
1 |
07 |
The totals of the extents for the different categories are given as follows:
| |
a |
r |
p |
| Freehold land |
301 |
2 |
35 |
| Copyhold land |
229 |
1 |
01 |
| Whinn Moor |
147 |
2 |
30 |
| Waste Land |
9 |
1 |
26 |
| |
|
|
|
| Total |
688 |
0 |
12 |
What are we to make of this mass of
figures? What do they tell us about the lives of
the people of Scholes at the time? They indicate
that the appearance of the surroundings of the
village would have changed markedly since
medieval times when the open field system of
agriculture was used. At that time, the
inhabitants of Scholes could look out with an
uninterrupted view over these fields with their
parallel, gently curving ploughing strips, which
have given rise to the 'rig and furrow' features
still common in the present day landscape.
The ploughing strips were grouped together
in what were called 'furlongs' or in these parts
'flatts'. The direction of ploughing was
determined in each flatt by the slope and
drainage, and the flatts were separated by no
more than wide earth baulks which allowed plough
teams to turn and were also used as access roads.
The only obstacle to the view would be a few
patches of woodland - valuable and jealousy
guarded by their owners.
The old open field system required careful
organisation and timetabling as the arable fields
were used as common grazing land between harvests
and during periods of fallow. Good practice was
ensured by the manorial court. What it was like
to work this ancient system we know very little
as the peasants were illiterate and have left no
written record.
In 1740/50 the surroundings of the village
would look very different. Only about 10% of the
land is described as remaining in the old open
fields system. The rest of the landscape was
made up of 'closes', hedged round with quickthorn
to make them stock proof. It was a view which
was commonplace in much of England before the
introduction of the modern practice of rooting up
hedgerows to produce vast prairie-like fields.
In 1740/50 in Scholes, there were 105 of these
closes varying from less than an acre to more
than 20 acres in extent with an average of about
4 acres. They could be used as arable or grazing
land completely independent of neighbouring
closes, but the manorial court would ensure that
hedges and drains were kept in good order.
The number of dwellings is difficult to
calculate as they are listed as 16 'houses' plus
7 'housing' entries, which are likely to contain
more than one house each. There might not be
much change from the 38 dwellings and c.170
inhabitants of Scholes and Morwick calculated
from the 1678 survey.
There are 20 tenants on the list, if we
include Sir Bryan Cooke, but this will not
include all the families living in Scholes at the
time. As far as land occupation is concerned Mr
William Vevers dominates the list, with about 164
acres. He came from an old local family (see
'The Barwicker' Nos. 65 and 66) and probably
lived at Scholes Hall. If all his land was
cultivated in one unit it represents a very
substantial farm, with perhaps a farm manager and
several labourers. Farms of moderate size were
occupied by Charles Wright and Mr Joseph
Emmerson, whose surnames appear in the 1678
survey (see 'The Barwicker' No.66), Samuel Lumb
and Stephen Vevers, the latter living at Morwick
Hall. They too would need to employ one or more
labourers.
The lands of Ann(a) Shipman and William
Emmerson are best regarded as small holdings
which could be worked by a family and would
likely be their most important source of income.
The rest of the holdings are small and would
probably be used to supplement the main
occupation of the occupier who might be a farm
labourer or a craftsman such as blacksmith,
wheelwright, tailor, etc. Andrew Bursell is
likely to be Andrew Burdsall, the buckle-maker
and early Methodist (see 'A Greater Wonder' A
History of Methodism in Barwick). The very small
holdings are house plots with perhaps a garden or
small enclosure for grazing the 'house cow'.
Scholes at that time was a very 'mixed'
community.
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