Thorphine de Alverstean, son of Uctred, son of Gospatric, is the first
lord of the manor of which there is any account. In 1140 he gave the
church, with lands in the manor, to Whitby Abbey. He was succeeded by
his son, Alan de Alverstean, who reclaimed the church, but afterwards,
in 1174, confirmed all previous grants of his father. In 1218 Hugh
de Hastings had a grant of free warren in Crosby and Tibbay; he held
the manor under John de Veteripont, son of Robert. In 1221, Thomas
de Hastings, grandson of Alan de Alverstean, confirmed all previous
grants to Whitby Abbey. Also in 1243, this Thomas, who was brother of
Nicholas, Lord of Alverstean, again confirmed all former grants.
He was succeeded by Thomas, his son, who freed the monks and their
tenants from suit to his mill there, and gave them leave to grind their
corn where they pleased. In 1265, William, son of Thomas de Hastings,
confirmed all previous grants.
In 1313, Nicholas de Hastings, on the Inquisition post mortem of Robert
de Clifford, held this manor, and Nateby, by homage and fealty, and
27s. 2d. cornage. The wardship whereof, when it should occur, was
estimated at £40. In 1350, Ralph de Hastings held it in like manner,
and in 1423 it was in the hands of Richard de Hastings by like cornage.
In 1453 by a feodary it appears that Edward Hastings held Crosby by
cornage of 13s. 7d. subject also to wardship, marriage, relief, and
suit to the county court; and about the same time Lancelot Threlkeld
seems to have held the same of the said Edward. From this time there
are no more of the name of Hastings in connection with Crosby. The only
relic of this family is a slab which was found in the churchyard,
having an incised cross and shield upon it, bearing the arms of the
Hastings; which differ from those of the Threlkelds only in colour.
The principal residence of the Threlkeld family was at Threlkeld in
Cumberland; but they had large possessions at Crosby long previous
to this time, for in 1304 and 1320 Henry Threlkeld had a grant of
free warren in Yanwath, Crosby, Tibbay, &c., and in 1404 occurs the
name of William Threlkeld, Knight, of Crosby. Sir Lancelot Threlkeld,
Knight, was the son of Sir Lancelot Threlkeld, by Margaret, daughter
and heiress of Henry Bromflatt, Lord Vescy, and widow of John de
Clifford. He was wont to say he had three noble houses; one at Crosby
Ravensworth for pleasure, where he had a park full of deer; one at
Yanwath for comfort and warmth, wherein to reside in winter; and one at
Threlkeld, well stocked with tenants, to go with him to the wars. This
Sir Lancelot has been buried in Crosby Church beneath the large tomb
in the chapel belonging to Crosby Hall. The tomb is solid mason-work,
ornamented with flutings on all sides, and on the south side with
three blank shields, on which the armorial bearings would probably be
painted. On the top is an immense polished limestone slab, without any
ornament whatever; but on which it may have been the intention to have
afterwards placed an effigy. Above this as a canopy is a low, flat
arch, richly moulded, and on the north side enriched at each end with
the arms of the Threlkelds, and in the centre the same impaling that
of Bromflatt. At a later period the vault beneath was appropriated for
the occupation of Robert Lowther, Esq., of Maulds Meaburn Hall, and
probably at the same time the tombs underwent some alteration.
Sir Lancelot Threlkeld had three daughters, coheiresses; one was
married to Thomas Dudley, Esq., who with her received Yanwath; the
other two married two brothers, sons of Sir Christopher Pickering of
Killington, Knight, by his wife Anne, who was daughter and sole heiress
of Sir Christopher Moresby, Knight. One received with his wife the
Threlkeld property; the other, James Pickering, and his wife Elizabeth,
received Crosby. In 1527 this James Pickering held the manor of Henry,
Earl of Cumberland, by cornage of 13s. 7d., owing also wardship,
marriage, relief, and suit to the county court. He was succeeded by his
son, William Pickering, Esq., who in 1532 was an arbitrator in a cause
between Guy and Hugh Machell of Crackenthorpe. William was succeeded by
his son Lancelot, who lived many years at the Hall. In 1568 he married
a daughter of Thomas Blenkinsop of Helbeck; he had two sons, Thomas
and James, and several daughters; who were married to different people
in the parish, amongst others, some of the Thwaytes, at that time a
numerous and respectable family in Crosby. James was bailiff of Crosby
and lived at Craik Trees. He died in 1607. His father Lancelot died in
1603, and was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas. He, in the reign of
James I sold the manor and part of the demesne to Sir John Lowther,
Knight, of Lowther; and thus ended the dynasty of the Pickerings.
About this time there were considerable disputes between the lords
of manors and tenants, the lords claiming an absolute estate in the
tenements, and the tenants insisting upon an inheritance therein,
according to the customs of the manor. The dispute between Sir J.
Lowther and his tenants of Crosby Ravensworth was brought to issue in
the High Court of Chancery, and a decree obtained in 1624; whereupon a
grant was made to the tenants of all the lands upon payment of certain
fines. This deed bears date 1629, but for eight years longer the fines
remained unsettled. Sir John Lowther was at last compelled to agree
and to confer to the tenants their estates to descend according to the
common law, except that the eldest daughter or sister should inherit
and not all; paying only two rents for a fine, reserving nevertheless
the freehold estate therein, and suit of court and mill; but releasing
to the tenants all services of ploughing, harrowing, shearing, raking,
peat-leading, &c. This dispute lasted about fifteen or sixteen years.
Previously and about this time Sir John Lowther and also other lords
sold many parcels of land totally free, reserving only the royalties
and suit of mill after the twentieth moulter.
About the same time another dispute arose about the cornage, commonly
called noutgeld, and serjeant oats or bailiff corn throughout the
barony of Westmorland. In 1634 it was decreed that these duties were
due to the Earl of Cumberland, and were to be paid according to the
following agreement: the cornage was to be paid in money, and Sir John
Lowther, escheator-general for the North, regulated the measure of
oats. Instead of the old pecks containing eight and ten quarts being
up-heaped, they were to pay thirteen quarts straked measure.[10] There
is a list also of pout-hens collected by the land serjeant. These
duties in Crosby parish were as follows:--Cornage: Crosby Ravensworth,
13s. 4d.; Maulds Meaburn, 20s. 2d.; Wickerslack, 2s. 6d. Serjeant oats:
Crosby Ravensworth, 44 bushels 3 pecks; Maulds Meaburn, 70 bushels 1
peck. Pout hens: Crosby, 10; Gilts, 9; Harberwain, 6; Maulds Meaburn,
30; Odindale, 7; and Wickerslack, 8.
Sir John Lowther gave the manor and estate of Crosby in marriage with
his daughter Frances to John Dodsworth of Thornton Watlass, Yorkshire;
he had issue John, who succeeded his father about 1659. This John
Dodsworth had a son Robert,[11] who, it appears, though he lived at
the Hall, or at least in the parish, did not succeed his father;
for, according to Dr. Burn, John devised the estate to Francis Bayly
in 1673, his faithful servant and steward, second son of Dr. Bayly of
Penrith. He had issue Margaret Bayly, who was lady of the manor in
1696; and about the year 1700 she sold the whole manor and estate to
the Worshipful Richard Lowther, Esq., of Maulds Meaburn Hall.
[Illustration: CROSBY HALL