We have collected a number of Manorial documents of relevance to Adamthwaite researchers, including images and transcriptions of rental agreements relating to various members of the Adamthwaite family who lived in Ravenstonedale  in 16th to 18th centuries (courtesy of EA) and an Indenture concerning Wood etc. in Ravenstonedale AD 1592 (transcribed by R J Adamthwaite)

• 1541/68 these tenancy agreements are some of the oldest documents we have found relating to the properties at Adamthwaite and Artlegarth.  These sheets are written in Latin, using old English script - I had great difficulty transcribing them, apart from picking out the Adamthwaite names, but I have recently been sent detailed transcriptions of the contents, and I hope to expand our History section with this new information.

• 1592  Indenture concerning Wood, etc - Bob's transcription of this document lists the names of all the tenants and occupiers of land in Ravenstonedale and sets out an agreement between Lord Wharton and the tenants listed about the usage of all woods and underwoods growing on the land.  (It is in pdf format and is three pages long)

• 1591 Ravenstonedaille  William Adamthwaite sone of Robte Adamthwaite is admitted Tenante of the Moytie of a Tenement laute in the tenure of the said Robert which moytie of the yearlie Rente of xs id viz of auncyente grounde vs viid and newe improvementes iiiis vid.  And the said William to paye fyne for the said auncyente one yeare Rente vs iid and for the said new grounde eighte yeares Rente xxxvis beinge in all as in the head  (see here for a full translation of this document, with explanatory notes, provided by Paula's son)

• 1597 Ravensto.  Christopher Adamthwaite upon the surrender of Michaell Chamberlayne is admitted tenant of the mortn of a house and a garth in Ravenstonedaille town late in the tenure of the said Michaell of the yearlie rente of … the said Christofor to …..  (see here for a full transcription of this document, with notes, also from Paula's son)

• 1683 Adamthwaite, Fell End  Tho Adamthwaite upon the surd. of John Alderson is admitted tent of one … or close called Upcast (?) with th’apptances situate at Adamthwaite at Fellend aforesaid of the anc. Yearly rent of six pounds and he to pay fine for the same six pounds in hand to for lycence four shillings

• 1684 Adamthwaite, Fell End  Rich. Mowland upon the surd. of Thomas Adamthwaite is admitted tent of one close called Meane Close with two gates in Adamthwaite sslass (?) with th’apptances at fellend aforesaid of the annual or yearly rent of two shillings whereof one shilling old rent and one shilling new and he to pay fine for the same nine shillings in hand and eight shillings licence

• 1685 Ellergill, Russendale Town  Rich. Adamthwaite upon the surr. of James Adamthwaite is admitted tent of a mess and tenemt with th’apptances situate at Ellergill in Russendale  aforesaid of the annual or yearly rent of five shillings nine pence whereof two shillings eleven pence anct and two shillings ten pence new and he to pay find for the same one pound five shillings  seven pence in hand.

• 1686 Ravenstonedale Town Head  Wm Adamthwaite upon the surd. of Henry Bousfield is admitted tent of one fine house and a garth and a barn with a cart house situate at Ravenstonedale Town Head with th’apptances of the annual or yearly rent of one shilling nine pence new and he to pay fine for the same fourteen shillings in hand and licence ten shillings.

• 1689 Town Angle (1)  John Adamthwaite sen as son and heir to Edw Adamthwaite decd is admitted tent of a mess. and tenemt with th’apptances in Russondale Town Angle aforesaid of the yearly rent of fifteen shillings nine pence whereof eleven shillings six pence anc and four shillings three pence now and he to pay fine for the same two pounds five shillings six pence in hand.

• 1689 Town Angle (2)  John Adamthwaite as son and heir to Edw Adamthwaite decd is admitted tent of a mess. And tenemt with th’apptances situate at Russondale Town Angle aforesaid of the yearly rent of four shillings ten pence whereof five pence half penny old and four shillings four pence half penny new and he to pay fine for the same one pound fifteen shillings five pence half penny in hand.

• 1690 Adamthwaite Fell End  Mannor of Ravenstonedale.  At the Court Baron Howe Holden for the Rt Honourable Philip Lord Wharton Baron of Wharton in the County of Westmorland the 22nd day of October 1690 before Thomas Ffletchar esq Steward and Wm Mortimor Gent Comr. Sybill Adamthwaite daughter and heir to her father John Adamthwaite is admitted tenant of a messuage and tenement with thappurtances lying at Adamthwaite of the yearly rent of seven shillings two pence anct and six shillings eleven pence new and she to pay fine for the same  three pounds two shillings six pence in hand.

• 1690 Russondale Town  Wm Hewitson upon the surrender of Wm Adamthwaite and Eliz. His wife who was solely and secretly (?) examined by the Steward is admitted tenant of a mess. and tenemt with th’appurtances in Russondale Town aforesaid of the anct yearly rent of two shillings and he to pay fine for the same two shillings in hand.

• 1692 Town Angle  Hen Ffothergill by purchase from John Adamthwaite is admitted tent of one whole messuage and tenement with the appurtances of ye yearly rent of one shilling eight pence and whereof five pence due and one shilling three pence new rent and he to pay ffine for the same ten shillings and five pence in hand.

• 1694 Fell End  Mich. Knewstub by virtue of a deed of purchase from Tho. Adamthwaite proved in Court is admitted tennt of one whole messuage and tenant with th’appurtances situate at Fellend aforesaid and yd yearly rent of four shillings and two pence anct and six shillings and two pence new rent and he to pay fine for the said … two pounds and thirteen shillings and six pence in hand.

• 1732 Adamthwaite  William Adamthwaite in like manner is admitted tent upon the surrender and allionacion of Thos Adamthwaite and Sybell his wife as appears by deed dated 25th December 1731 to a messe and tenemt at Adamthwaite of the yearly old rent of seven shillings and two pence and six shillings and eleven pence new rent. Whereupon the said Lord by his said Steward on payment of Three pounds two shillings and six pence for an allionacion fine in hand being the time appointed doth hereby admit the said William Adamthwaite tenant of the said premes to have and to hold … et supra

• no date, but probably c1750 Russdale Town  Wm Bayliss by virtue of a Deed of purchase proved in Court from Thos Adamthwait is admitted tenant of a parcel of ground or a housestead situate in Russdale Town and head in ye said mannor of the yearly New Rent of one farthing and he to pay fine for the same two pence in hand.

• no date, but probably c1750  Richd Adamthwait is admitted tenant of a messuage and tenement of ye yearly rent of 0:0:9 and 0:0:1 new and he to pay fine forye same both 3:9:9 in hand

• no date, but probably c1750  Thos Adamthwait is admitted tenant of a cottage of ye yearly new rent of 0:1:9 and he to pay fine for the same 0:14:0

The most exciting development has been my purchase of a CD containing digital images of all pages of The Great End Book of Ravenstonedale from the Cumbria Archives.  This Book records the meetings and decisions of the Grand Jury of Ravenstonedale - 24 men elected from the families in the parish (13 men in the earliest years), who held the responsibility of maintaining law and order within the parish, recording such matters as the setting of poor rates and allocation of poor relief.  I am slowly transcribing this book, whenever I have any 'spare' time - and will of course add transcriptions of the most interesting pages on the website in due course.  Rev William Nicholls drew heavily on this volume when writing his lectures which were eventually published in 'The History and Traditions of Ravenstonedale' - mentioned on the 'Ravenstonedale Registers' page.