Westmorland
This section deals with the Croft Family in the historic county of Westmorland (now part of Cumbria).
As has been discussed previously, the Croft family of Lancashire originated in the village of Dalton, Lancashire in the 12th century (see Dalton & Claughton section).
Since the family spread so successfully throughout Lancashire, it is not surprising that there was also spread northwards into Westmorland. Dalton itself, while never actually a part of Westmorland (it was historically always in Lancashire), is right on the border (less than a mile into Lancashire).
The map below shows the southern part of Westmorland, with Dalton just over the border in Lancashire (marked with a blue dot). The areas marked with red dots are those townships in which the Crofts of Dalton are named during the 12th - 16th centuries, either as landowners or as witnesses in deeds of other families.
Since the family spread so successfully throughout Lancashire, it is not surprising that there was also spread northwards into Westmorland. Dalton itself, while never actually a part of Westmorland (it was historically always in Lancashire), is right on the border (less than a mile into Lancashire).
The map below shows the southern part of Westmorland, with Dalton just over the border in Lancashire (marked with a blue dot). The areas marked with red dots are those townships in which the Crofts of Dalton are named during the 12th - 16th centuries, either as landowners or as witnesses in deeds of other families.
As can be seen, the influence of the Croft family is fairly widespread throughout South Westmorland, though as far as I have found, no further north than these places marked (the furthest being about 16 miles north of Dalton).
The publication Records Relating to the Barony of Kendale, Vol 1 and Vol 2, by William Farrer, 1924, lists summaries and transcripts for all documents relating to the parishes of Kendal, Grasmere, Windermere, Heversham, Beetham, Burton and Kirby Lonsdale.
The records which refer to Crofts are as follows, chronologically:
1150–70 William de Lancastre I, for the soul of his son Jordan, grants to the monks of Fountains the fishery in the water of Lon called Chil.
Witnesses: William the priest, Thomas son of Ulvet and Adam his son, Robert son of Lefwin and Reginald his brother, Roger de Croft, Robert the chamberlain, Wlfehil the usher, Robert Quisquis (Roberto Quoquo), Adam son of Richard, Runcin the man of Roger de Molbrai, and Tancrin.
1170–80 William de Lancastre II grants to Gervase de Ainecurt £15 worth of land for the service of ¾ fee in Natland and Bothelford [extending] to the brook of the gallows and to the bounds of Hoton and Stainton, with Sizaritherge, Winderg and the other Winderg, the grantor's part of Lander and that part of Socabret which Waldeve held, all which he gave for £12 10s. worth of land; and for 50s. worth of land in arrears he delivered to the said Gervase the service of Hacatorp in pledge for 50s., until he perfected the said £15 worth of land.
Witnesses: Norman the sewer, Jordan the grantor's son, Gilbert the grantor's son, Grunebald, Robert de Heriez, Orm son of Tore, Roger de Croft, Roger son of Adam, Orm son of Bernulf, Robert Mustel, William parson of Warton John the clerk, Richard the chamberlain, William Pultyngton
1184–89 William Marshal (Marescallus) confirms to Gervase de Eincurt his tenements which William de Lancastre gave him as his charter testfies, "to hold of the said William Marshal and his heirs in fee and inheritance." Witnesses: Thomas son of Gospatrick, Gilbert de Lancastre, Roger de Croft, Roger son of Adam, Henry son of Norman, Geoffrey de Prestun, Geoffrey son of Robert, William Waler[an], Matthew Gernet, William de Kettovill, Richard son of Alard, William de Bevill, Gamel the forester
These three above documents undoubtably refer to Roger de Croft, the first known Lord of the Manor of Dalton, born around the middle of the 12th century. In all three documents he is appearing as a witness to land deeds. The date of the first document, 1150-1170, is the earliest mention anywhere of a Croft in Lancashire/Westmorland. Roger would have been a young man at this time, and as there is no mention in any record of a previous generation, we have to assume that he arrived in Dalton from elsewhere, either from Croft in Winwick, or perhaps from Croft in Herefordshire. Either way, he arrived as a man of some importance, becoming Lord of Dalton.
There are no further references to Roger, and he certainly died before 1194 as he is succeeded as Lord of Dalton in this year by his son, Gilbert.
Next there are documents naming Gilbert de Crofte, dated between 1170 and 1236. Several of these have Gilbert as a witness in land deeds in the Levens and Sedgwick areas (about 7 miles north of Dalton), as well as one in the area of Hutton Roof (about 2 miles north east of Dalton). There are also two documents which refer to Gilbert de Crofte and his son, Henry, one dated 1200-16 in which they are witnesses to a deed in Burton in Kendal, and the other dated 1236, naming Henry as Gilbert's heir of Dalton. Gilbert died around 1240.
Henry is named in one further document, dated 1237, again with Henry as witness. It is not surprising that Henry appears in so few documents, as he died in 1243, having only been Lord of Dalton for seven years. However, although Henry was Lord of the manor for only a short time, he turned out to have an substantial influence on the future fortunes of the family, since he married Alice de Kellet, whose family held the manor of Claughton at this time. It was through this marriage that the Crofts ultimately came be Lords of Claughton, and one of the most influential families in the area. Henry was succeeded as Lord of Dalton by his son, Roger. There are no Westmorland documents which mention this Roger, who was Lord of Dalton until his death in 1255. Perhaps Roger's interests were elsewhere, further south in Lancashire, or perhaps the records have simply not survived.
Westmorland documents during the second half of the 13th century are confined to two individuals - Roger de Crofte and William de Crofte. This Roger was the grandson of the previous Roger discussed (who died in 1255), there being no Westmorland records which mention his father, Henry, who had himself died in 1288.
The records which refers to Roger are:
1283 William de Lindesey held at his death one moiety of Kirkeby in Kendale, which Roger de Croft held at farm for £4; the mill there which renders 26s. 8d. yearly; the moiety of a garden, 2s.; the moiety of the fishing of Kent used to render 53s. 4d. but is now in the lord's hands and worth as much.
There is also a land deed, dated 1293, in which Roger is named as a witness.
There is one further record of this Roger, dated 1306:
1306 Robert son of Adam de Conyers of Effingham, co. Surrey, grants to Roger son of Henry de Croft land known as Stirkeland Conyers and his manor in the dale of Sleddale.
Roger son of Henry de Croft of Dalton in Kendale grants to Nicholas de Layborne and Margaret his wife the grantor's lands in Sleddale Conyers which he had by the grant of Robert son and heir of Adam de Conyers of Effingham, co. Surrey.
So here is land being transferred to and from Roger de Crofte, some distance from Dalton. Stirkeland Conyers (Strickland) is about 13 miles north, and Sleddale is about 16 miles. Roger was also joint Lord of the manor of Claughton in 1297 (his great grandfather Henry having married into the Kellet line who had previously been Lords here). Roger subsequently transferred his share of this Lordship to his brother, Henry, from whom descended all the future Lords of Claughton, peaking in wealth and influence in the 16th century.
The second member of the Croft family in the Westmorland records during the late 1200's is William de Crofte. He was not himself the Lord of Dalton, but one of the brothers of Roger de Crofte, who was Lord of the manor at this time.
William had married very well, taking for his bride Isolda de Conyers, and thus adding further lands to the Croft estates.
William appears in Westmorland records several times, between 1281 and 1288, witnessing deeds in Hincaster and Dillicar (16 miles north east of Dalton), as a juror in Hutton Roof, again as a witness in Sedgwick and Beetham. William died around 1289, but his wife Isolda continues to appear in the records, acquiring land and property on her own behalf, and presumably for her son, John de Crofte.
1290 Grant by John de Mithop to Isolda, late the wife of William de Croft, of a messuage, 1 a. land and a fulling-mill in Crakangthorp in the vill of Bethom on the water of Betha for a term of 21 years. Witnesses: Thomas Travers, Nigel de Cayrous. Dated 18 Edward I
1332 Grant by Iseult de Croft to John de Croft, her son, for his life of the land and fulling-mill in Bethom (granted to her in 1290) with the fishery in the water of Betha. Dated 8 Edward III
1356 Inquest taken at Kirkby in Kendale, 21 December, 30 Edward 111 1356, by the oath of Thomas de Redmane, (and others) who say that Roger son of Gilbert de Lancastre was seised at his death of one moiety of a pasture called Banandesdale in Stirkland Ketel, held of the king in chief, as of the fees late of William de Coucy, by homage and service of 2s. yearly, worth 50s. yearly clear; and of the other moiety of the same pasture held of the heir of John, son of Isolda de Croft, who is within age, by fealty and service of 2s. yearly, worth 50s. yearly clear
The Crofts evidently had other interests in the area of Strickland, Bannisdale and Longsleddale (around 16 miles north of Dalton as mentioned above) as lands in this area are mentioned in an inquest of another John de Croft, of Durslet, the nephew of William and Isolda.
1347 John de Croft held at his death, among other things, a rent of 2s. 6d. issuing out of the moiety of a several pasture in Banandesdale, by the hands of Roger de Lancastre.
Also appearing in the Westmorland records during the 14th century are:
Adam de Crofte - son of John de Crofte of Durslet. Named in the inquest of his father in 1347 (above)
Roger de Crofte - (1358) - Roger Oteway demands against Roger de Crofte one messuage in Kirkeby in Kendale; Roger de Crofte calls to warranty John
de Crofte of Dalton
- (1359) Roger de Crofte is named alongside John de Crofte of Dalton as witnesses in a land deed in Burton in Kendale.
(While the exact identity of this Roger is unknown, he was almost certainly the brother of John de Crofte, who was Lord of Dalton at this time.)
John de Crofte - (1332) - Named in Lay Subsidy Rolls (tax records) in the Hutton Roof area. Exact identity of this John is uncertain (there were Johns in several
branches of the family at this time), but he pays the third largest amount of any person, so presumably has considerable wealth.
- (1334) - Acting as a juror in the inquest of Christiana de Gynes over her possession of the manor of Casterton.
- (1349) - Named in an inquest of John de Durslet. He holds rights to certain lands in Beetham, and is named as son and heir of Roger de Crofte.
(this may well be the same Roger as above, brother of the Lord of Dalton).
- (1365) - In a complaint by Joan, late wife of John de Coupland, that Roger son of Gilbert de Kentmere, William de Colperthwayt, Nicholas de
Warton, chaplain, Walter, son of Thomas de Stirkland, knight, John son of Richard de Kentmere, John de Crofte (son of John de Crofte
of Dalton), and others, broke her parks at Troutbek, Calgarth and Kirkeby in Kendale and entered her free chace at Kirkeby in Kendale,
fished in her several fisheries at Troutbek and Casterton, felled her trees at the said town of Kirkeby and carried away trees, fish and
deer from the parks and chace.
(the identity of this John is clear - he is the son and heir of John de Crofte, current Lord of Dalton, who evidently has little regard for other
peoples property!)
- (1388) - Grant by John de Crofte of Yheland and Nicholas Faysand to John de Berwyk and his heirs of a yearly rent of £10 out of their lands
and tenements of Staynton, co. Westmorland, and Le Hirst in Dokker, co. Lanc.
(Identity of this John uncertain, but as William de Crofte had acquired Yealand Conyers by his marriage into the Conyers family in the
previous century, he is probably a descendant of his).
Richard de Crofte - (1397 and 1398) - Commissions were issued to Ralph earl of Westmorland, Thomas de Tunstall, James de Pykeryng and Alan de Penyngton,
knights, Richard Roos, Richard de Crofte, Richard, Oliver and William de Hodeliston (and others), to arrest and bring before the king,
John son of Thomas de Middelton, and Richard brother of the said John, William Ridere, Adam Toke, William de Thornton John de Bland,
William de Bland and Roger de Bland, charged with unlawful assemblies in the counties of York and Westmorland and lying in wait to kill
John Preston and his friends.
(The identity of Richard de Crofte is unknown, and I can find no other mention of him)
The 15th century involved a marked change in circumstances for the Crofts, with the decline in the Crofts of Dalton and at the same time a rise in the status of the Crofts of Claughton, further into north Lancashire. This is reflected in the frequency of Crofts appearing in Westmorland records:
There are two documents involving Sir John de Crofte, who was Lord of the manor of Dalton in the early part of the century
1409 Grant by Robert de Urswyke, chivaler, to John son of John de Croft, knt., Richard Belingham and John Thornton, chaplain, of all his manors, messuages, &c., namely in Blakehall and Bradley in Stirkland Ketell, one messuage in Overkellet, 2 messuages in Cauncefeld, 2 messuages in Robrundale in Hornby, and divers lands &c., in Stokbrigg, Ivehow, Lawgyll and Ewardclogh in Tatham. Given at Tatham, II Henry IV
1420 John de Crofte, chivaler, died seised of a messuage in Farleton in Kendale. Nicholas his son, aged over 30 years, was his next heir;
Nicholas Crofte appears in no records in his own right as Lord of Dalton - in fact he didn't remain as Lord for long, granting the manor to his son James in 1428, though he lived until at least 1442.
James Crofte appears in the Westmorland records several times; In 1437, as a witness to a land deed in Strickland Ketel, and again as a witness to another deed in Preston Patrick, near Kendal. He appears one more time, in 1440 as a witness to an inquest at Burton in Kendal. He does not appear again in Westmorland records, and died in 1457, leaving no male heir. James was therefore the last Croft to be Lord of Dalton. The Croft estates were subsequently divided between his two daughters, Mabel (who married Piers Legh in 1455) and Alison (who married Geoffrey Middleton in 1438). The manor of Dalton was assigned to Piers Legh, and descended with the Legh family for the following three hundred years.
Despite the loss of the manor of Dalton, and the obvious reduction in local status as a result, there would have remained many Crofts living in the area, as wealthy farmers and landowners. We would not expect these, or their descendants, to appear in the records in the way the Lord of the manor had done however, and the Croft name appears only twice over the following 100 years;
1493 Grant by Thomas Strikland, knt., to Walter his son and heir of a messuage and 60 a. land etc. in Sigiswyke in Kendale, which the donor had by the gift and feoffment of Thomas Chambir and Robert his son and heir.
Witnesses: Thomas Middilton, William Lambert, esquires, John Crofte, chaplain. Dated 20 November, 9 Henry VII
So as we see here, two generations after the last Croft was Lord of Dalton, there is a John Crofte who is chaplain of Sedgwick (about 7 miles north of Dalton).
1526 Letter of attorney of John Garnet of Johnskalles appointing Gabriel Crofte and others to deliver seisin (possession) of a tenement in Cruk (Crook, about 3 miles north west of Kendal) and the third part of a close called Aldclose (in Staveley) to Thomas Bellingham of Helsington, gent. Dated 22 November, 18 Henry VIII
We can see here that in 1526 Gabriel Croft was appointed to deal with property in Crook, near Kendal, on behalf of a third party, though I have no idea of the exact identity of this individual. (He was most probably a member of the Croft family of Claughton.)
As discussed above, following the loss of the manor of Dalton, and the subsequent division of the Croft estate in the second half of the 15th century, there is a noticeable lack of 'Croft influence' in Westmorland. There would certainly have been Crofts still living in South Westmorland during the following few generations, but probably only as (relatively wealthy) farmers, clergy, etc.
Beginning in the middle of the 16th century, however, the Croft name began to appear again in Westmorland, around the area of Heversham, south of Kendal.