• C 241/105/155
  • Description:

Debtor: John Fleming, knight [held Rathmell in Staincliffe Wapentake, part of Dalton in Agbrigg Wapentake, and part of Wath, in Strafforth Wapentake in W.R..Yorks]

Creditor: William de Reedness, citizen [and wool-merchant] of York.

Amount: 40m.

Before whom: Nicholas de Langton, Mayor of York; William Gra, Clerk.

When taken: 10/12/1333

First term: 02/02/1334

Last term: 15/05/1334

Writ to: Sheriff of Yorks

Sent by: Henry de Belton, Mayor of York; William Gra, Clerk.

Endorsement: Ebor' Coram Justic' de Banco.

  • Date:1334 May 30

  • C 143/174/2
  • Description:

John le Flemmyng to grant to Michael Pigot of Wath the manor of Wath, with remainder for three years to the heirs, executors, and assigns of the said Michael, reversion to the said John and his heirs, retaining the manor of Clifton (York), half the manor of Crofton (Lanc.), and the manors of Rathmell and Dalton (York). York. Lanc

  • Date:17 EDWARD II.
  • Held by:The National Archives, Kew
  • Legal status:Public Record

The manor of Rathmell may be dismissed briefly, for in early days its lords were nonresident. In the I2th century it was held by a family named Le Fleming, probably descended from one of the many Flemish adventurers who came over in the train of the Conqueror's queen, Matilda of Flanders. They may have been connected with Reginald le Fleming, who was seneschal of SkiptonCastle in the reign of Stephen, for they held far more property in the castellate of Skipton than in Giggleswick Parish. We find William le Fleming signing charters about the year 1200, with Laurence, rector of Giggleswick, and he was. followed by John le Fleming, whose gift of pasturage to the monks of Sawley indicates the wide extent of his Rathmell property. An inquisition, taken at the death of his successor, shows that " William le Flemyng died in May 1301 holding the manor of Rathmell from Henry de Percy. His son and heir was Reynerle Flemyng, aged 33 years at the Feast of the Nativity last past."

The survey taken in 13156 shows John le Fleming in possession of the manor, but this appears to be the last notice of the family in the district. The Percies had already rented the demesne lands of the manor from the le Flemings, thus leading to the curious situation that Baron de Percy was tenant of his own vassal: and at some time during the 14th century the manor reverted to the Percies. No resident lord appears in the polltax assessment list of 1379, the highest tax paid in Rathmell being 6d.; but soon afterwards the manor was granted to the Catteral family, a younger branch of the Catterals of Garstang in Lancashire. Apart from a short period of confiscation during the Wars of the Roses, the Catterals continued to hold the manor, with two residences at New Hall and at Hollin Hall, and a lodge in Giggleswick, till they came to grief in the troubled days of Charles I. Their pedigree down to 2585 is given in Whitaker's Craven.

JohnFlemmyng or FlemyngMay 14681468

SirThomasFlemmyng or Flemyng10 July 14661466