The Thurcroft Estates from 1464
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Thurcroft
Mirfin Wills
The Marrian deeds held at the Sheffield Archives provide some details of the Thurcroft Estates from 1464.
The deeds relate mainly to copyhold property in the manors of Laughton-en-le-Morthen and Slade Hooton, Yorks. Thurcroft itself appears to have been copyhold, though there are very few deeds relating to the capital messuage itself. The deeds do not appear to form a complete title to the estate.
Thurcroft was at an early date in the possession of the Mirfin or Mirfield family. William Mirfin's messuage in Thurcroft is mentioned in 1493. It continued in this family until 1644, when Robert Mirfield died without children, leaving a widow Margaret (née Ellis) who was his step-sister. She married secondly William Beckwith, whose family held property at Aldborough and Ripon. There is little in the deeds here to show exactly how Beckwith and his heirs acquired the Thurcroft estate; he is first mentioned as William Beckwith of Thurcroft, esquire, in 1653.
The Beckwiths continued at Thurcroft until the early years of the 19th century. The marriage of a later William Beckwith to Elizabeth Woodifield in 1714 brought the Manor of Trimdon in Co. Durham to the family.)Elizabeth was the daughter and heir and executrix of the last will and testament of John Woodifield, late of Fishburn, in the County of Durham) The last of the family to be 'of Thurcroft' apparently got into financial difficulties, raised what money he could on the Thurcroft estate and moved to Durham. When his son came of age in 1817 the estate was mortgaged for £10,000. It was not until 1841 that the last representative of the family surrendered the estate in the Manor Court of Laughton-en-le-Morthen and John Drabwell, late of Conisborough , was admitted. The Drabwells were at Thurcroft only a very few years. A lease dated 1859 records Harriet Drabwell of Bawtry, widow, to Charles Frederick Younge of Thurcroft Hall, esquire. The messuage called Thurcroft Hall with all its outbuilding and gardens etc., the close called The Park containing about 9 acres, and another small piece of ground, with all rights of hunting and preserving game etc. over the whole Thurcroft estate. For a term of 10 years and 3 months from 25th March, 1859 at a yearly rent of £100.
The estate was later acquired by the Marrian family, who also held land in the Manors of Laughton-en-le-Morthen and Slade Hooton. and then the National Coal Board.
In the will of Robert Mirfin of Thorcrofte, yeoman dated March 1626; he bequeaths to each of his daughters a 15s. piece of gold, £5 to the poor of Laughton, (the interest to be distributed yearly by the minister of the Church), a 20s. piece of gold to his brother George, 20s. yearly to be paid to his brother Francis by the executor, an ingell (angel) towards the repair of the schoolhouse of Laughton, and the residue of the estate to his son Robert, sole executor.
Extracts from Marrian papers
- 1421-2. Grant by John Henhede, chaplain, to John Forest, clerk, and others of the lands and tenements etc which John Henhede and others had by grant of William Wasteneys in Brampton', Laghton' in Morthyng, Thropon', Anstan', Wykersley Brokehouse Thurcroft' and Sladehoton' (Brampton, W Yk Laughton En Le Morthen, W Yk Throapon, W Yk Anston, W Yk Wickersley, W Yk Brookhouse, W Yk Thurcroft, W Yk Slade Hooton, W Yk). Source: Nottingham archives Ref : DD/SR/12/64
- In May 1464 - Henry Ragyer surrendered one acre of land with appurtenances in le Savumore - Manor of Laghton to William Myrfyn and Cecilia, his wife. They were admitted on payment of a fine of 4d. and did fealty
- May 1464 - John Asteley and Hugh Myrfyn surrendered a messuage and 18½ acres of land and meadow with appurtenances in Brukehous and Laghton lately received from Thomas Myrfyn and Isabella his wife, to William Myrfyn and Cecilia, his wife.
- 1493 - William Mirfyn senior surrendered the reversion after his death of a messuage in Thurcroft and 40 acres of land and meadow with all appurtenances in Sladehoton to the use of his son William and his son's wife Agnes, daughter of Robert Bradford and their legitimate heirs; but if they should die without a legitimate heir with remainder to the right heirs of William Mirfyn senior and their heirs in perpetuity, to hold according to the services and customs of the manor. William and Agnes were admitted on payment of a fine of 20d.
- Feb 1505 - Manor of Sladehoton. Agnes Marr, widow, surrendered a messuage and 48 acres of land and meadow with appurtenances in Thurcroft to Ralph Marr.
- 22 Jan 1841 - William Fretwell Hoyle of Rotherham, gentleman, steward of the manor of Laughton on-le-Morthen, appoints Abraham Story, John Ward, and Graville Leveson Gower Ward, all of Durham, gentlemen, to be his deputies to take surrender from William Beckwith of Yetholm Hall (in the county of Roxburgh), esquire, and from William Beckwith the younger, late of Trimdon House but now of Silksworth (in the county of Durham) a lieutenant colonel of infantry. All their copyhold lands in the manor of Laughton to John Drabwell, late of Conisborough but now of Thurcroft Hall, esquire.
Source: Sheffield Archives, Ref:Mar D/1-214
Described by Baines in 1822 as the seat of Captain Butler in the township and parish of Laughton-en-le-Morthen, and parish of Maltby, upper division of Strafforth and Tickhill, liberty of Tickhill; situated 6 miles from Tickhill, 6.5 miles from Rotherham and 9 miles from Bawtry.
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