FIELD SYSTEMS AND PLACE NAMES
OF OLD KNOTTINGLEY
TERRY SPENCER B.A. (Hons), Ph D.
INTRODUCTION :
BEGINNINGS :
DOMESDAY :
PORT OF KNOTTINGLEY :
MANORIAL RE-ORGANISATION
GAZETTEER OF PLACE NAMES
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YARDS |
MANOR FARM
Lying just west of St Botolph’s Church and within the former demesne
of the manorial lords, Manor Farm is commonly mistaken for an old manor
house. Although of considerable antiquity, the farm house is of later
construction than either of the two buildings which were the manorial
halls. By the seventeenth century the tenant of the newly established
manor farm, had an obligation to supply the nearby manor house occupied by
the Ingram family, the manorial lords, with victuals and to oversee the
working of the adjacent farmland. It is claimed that the last bull baiting
in England was held in a nearby garth shortly before the ‘sport’ was
outlawed in 1823.
MANOR FOLD
An area on the north eastern edge of Racca Green now occupied by Foundry
Lane and its environs. Manor Fold was the place to which the town pinder
brought the beasts which grazed the greens and commons and lanes and verges of
the town by day for safety during the night.
MANOR PARK
An enclosure in excess of two acres situated behind the Manor House of the
Ingrams at Hill Top. By the time of the construction of the mansion in the
seventeenth century parkland was no longer an exclusive hunting preserve but
had become a retained area of natural beauty close to the manor house and
regarded as an amenity and a status symbol. The rectangular park bounded by
the river, is still discernible today, being retained as pastureland, although
only a few of the trees which provided adornment in past ages remain.
MARINE GROVE
An area of land lying at the northern end of Middle Lane at its junction
with Weeland Road and Morley Lane. The Morley Lane housing estate now occupies
the major part of this site.
MARINE VILLA
The residence of the Moorhouse family, Marine Villa was built in the
eighteenth century, its name reflecting the prominence of the maritime trade
of the town, being one of the major business interests of William Moorhouse
Senior. The pleasure gardens which formerly stretched in front of Marine Villa
occupied the ground on which the Knottingley Swimming Pool and Sports Centre
and The Close now stand. Following the departure of Moorhouse Junior’s
successors from the town in the third quarter of the nineteenth century,
Marine Villa was purchased by William Jackson and held by his heirs until
shortly after the Great War. During that time the building became known
locally as the Hall. The house was occupied by the Hartley family for some
years in the mid twentieth century. From the mid 1960s Marine Villa was in the
ownership of the Knottingley building and construction company, McLauchlan
Ltd., being utilised as company offices. Thereafter, the building served the
same function for the supermarket company, G.T. Smith & Sons for several
decades until the end of the twentieth century. When Smiths’ sold the business
to the Co Operative organisation, the building became defunct and fell into a
state of disrepair. Early in 2004 the supermarket group W. Morrison acquired
the existing supermarket and Marine Villa site and demolished both buildings
in order to erect a new, enlarged store and filling station. Thus was a
further element of the town’s heritage despatched to oblivion in the interests
of commercialism. O tempora O mores.
MARINE VILLA (ROAD) LANE
A roadway to the south of Hill Top which connects Weeland Road with Spawd
Bone Lane via Knottingley Playing Fields. Marine Villa Lane (Road) is but the
latest of several other names which have identified the location. Originally
the Lane was merely a headland dividing two furlongs of the open fields of the
manor of Knottingley. The nature of the land was obviously unstable leading to
the adjacent pathway becoming known as Shiften Lane, which over time became
corrupted linguistically to Shitten Lane. In the more decorous society of
subsequent centuries the Lane was referred to as both Ratten and Rotten Row
until with the construction of Marine Villa in the eighteenth century, the
name Marine Villa Road was adopted.
MARLPIT CLOSE / LANE
Situated within the South Field the marlpit consisted of an area of soil,
the composition of which was sandy, containing elements of fine gravel. Such
soil was used on the heavy clay soils found in some areas of the great fields
in order to make them more suitable for cultivation.
MARSH END / LANE
Marsh End was the name of the area to the east of Aire Street which was
the location of the water meadows forming the common pasturage of the manorial
vill and Marsh Lane (often mistakenly referred to as Stocking Lane) was the
pathway which provided access to Bank Dole and the adjacent pastureland and
following the extension of the town fields eastward, via Trundles Lane to
Stocking Lane and the outlying common fields.
MATT ALLEN CLOSE
A personal place name for an enclosure of about one acre of land situated
in the South Field. The Tithe map of 1842 refers to Matthew Allen Close and
the 1857 Rate Book names the site as Matt’w Allen Close, confirming the origin
of the name.
MEABY CLOSE
Meaning of name and location unknown, perhaps an enclosure named for an
individual.
MEDLEY GARTH
Probably land composed of various types of soil. The location of the close
was within the furlong known as Waithwaite Field which also contained another
furlong known as Stoneylands, indicating the variable texture of the soil.
METHLEY CLOSES
Two areas of pastureland situated south of Simpsons Lane near its junction
with Spawd Bone Lane. Comprising six acres of land, the smaller two acre plot
contained several scattered buildings indicative of a homestead and
accompanying croft.
MIDDLE FIELD CLOSE
A two acre enclosure situated on the west side and adjacent to England
Lane which cut through the north-east corner of this site.
MIDDLE LANE
Leading off Weeland Road at the south side of the section originally named
Banks Lane (c.f. supra) this lane, as the name implies, ran through the middle
of the smaller of the three common fields of Knottingley Manor. From the
eighteenth century, following the opening of several quarries in the Middle
Field area, the lane became one of several busy lime routes along which
limestone was conveyed to the town’s waterways.
MIDDLE FIELD QUARRY
Opposite the east end of the pathway presently known as The Bendles,
situated close to the southern side of Cow Lane Bridge, the site is one of the
early quarries which were located close to the centre of the township, being
worked out in the eighteenth century. The defunct quarry site was owned by
Widow Sefton at the clos of the century but by the early decades of the
nineteenth century a public house known as the Mariners Arms had been erected
thereon under the proprietorship of George Sefton. By 1870 the inn was closed
but the derelict building remained until it was demolished in the early
twentieth century. The site remains overgrown and unoccupied to this day.
MIDGLEY CLOSE
A location adjacent to a stream or into which seepage from a manure heap
drained (c.f. Old English ‘micge’ meaning liquid). Alternatively, the name
could indicate a place plagued by gnats or nidges (O.E. ‘mycg’). Lack of data
concerning location prevents identification and the name may merely be a
personal one.
MILL CLOSES
Land adjacent to Kings Mills which was originally demesne land but by the
late eighteenth century was a series of closes known collectively as Mill
Fields. One close was the site of a dry dock for the repair of vessels using
the river Aire which flowed at the northern end of the close. Another, to the
south and subsequently separated by the construction of the canal between
1821-26, was the site of the brewery built by Mark Carter and partners in 1808
and sometimes thereafter referred to as the Mill Close Brewery.
FIELDS LANE
A lane leading from Mill Bridge via the Kings Mill yard and the fields
beyond and terminating at the junction of Chapel Street and Aire Street near
St. Botolph’s Church. The route was through the manorial demesne and was the
one taken by the local peasantry to have corn ground at the lord’s mill. Owing
to common usage from time immemorial a right of way through the Mill yard was
established and was observed until the late 1970s when the potential danger to
the public, resulted in the path being diverted along the canal bank and
around the mill instead of through the yard.
MIREY BUTT CLOSE / LANE
Land in the south field lying between Simpsons Lane and Cattle Laithes
Lane amidst the irregularly shaped strip holdings formed by the edge of the
common field and known as butts. The initial name element suggests land of
poor quality, probably due to the draining of rainwater onto the lower level
of the butts situated at the bottom of the sloping land.
Mirey Butt Lane was the access route to the said butts, situated close to
Simpsons Lane Hill.
MOOR DYKE
Name of a drainage ditch lying in the great East or Low Field. An adjacent
parcel of land is named as Moor Dyke Close.
MOORWAY CLOSE
As with the above, the name of this plot is derived from its adjacency to
the lane leading onto the moor or common land.
MORLEY HOUSE
The detached house at the junction of Middle Lane and Weeland Road at the
eastern corner of Marine Grove. The house was the residence of the Spoforth
family, farmers and lime merchants, and later in the ownership of T.H.
Bentley, auctioneer and valuer. During the twentieth century the premises were
converted into a houses and shops but in recent years one property has again
become solely residential.
MORLEY LANE
A short pathway connecting Weeland Road with Spawd Lane. The construction
of the Wakefield – Goole Railway Company’s line in 1845 cut through the bottom
end of Spawd Bone Lane at its connection with Morley Lane adjacent to Banks
Garth. Thereafter, the connection with Spawd Bone Lane was restored by means
of a short right angle, left turn over England Lane railway crossing.
MOUNT The
A large detached brick-built house of the late nineteenth century situated
off Grove Lane, Hill Top. The house was the residence of the medical
practitioner, Erasmus Stone, for whom it may have been built. Stone retained
the ownership into the following century until it was acquired by J.W. Bagley
and was later lived in by his son, Dr. S.B. Bagley.
During the early years of the Second World War the house was commandeered as
the headquarters of a detachment of Army personnel and was later a sub-divided
dwelling.
MOWEY CLOSE
Situated in the Middle Field near the boundary with Darrington Leys, this
enclosure of two acres plus, takes its name from the Old English ‘muga’
meaning land on which a stack stands.
NARROW CLOSE
Situated between Middle Lane and England Lane, this one-acre plot is named for
the nature of its shape and size.
NARROW LANE
c.f. Dark lane (supra)
NATIONAL SCHOOL The
The development of the national school movement from the late eighteenth
century resulted in the purchase of a plot of land at Tenters Balk (lower
Ropewalk) in September 1840 for the erection of a school to be under the
trusteeship of the Vicar and five laymen and managed in accordance with the
denominational principles of the National School Society.
Following the establishment of the parish of East Knottingley in 1848 the
administration was transferred as the school was situated within the boundary
of that parish.
As a denominated establishment the school experienced many vicissitudes and
was even compelled to close during the period 1869-72 but reopened under the
joint trusteeship of the two vicars and three members of each parish.
The schoolroom frequently served secular purposes and was a venue for the
annual Town Meeting each March when the members of the Select Vestry and the
town’s officers were elected.
As an educational establishment the school was incorporated into the central
education system administered by the West Riding County Council, being
commonly known within the town as the Church School.
NAVIGATION HOUSE
A stone built house situated on the canal bank between Kings Mills and Gaggs
Bridge and originally at the northern foot of Butler Bridge. The house was
built as a residence for the local manager of the Navigation Company and was
in danger of demolition some years ago but was spared.
NEW HALL The
The name of a large storehouse and its appurtenances built on part of the
Flatts by order of Henry VIII in 1527. The precise location is uncertain. The
survey plan in the National Archives, Kew, suggests that the Hall was situated
at the east end of the Flatts close to the Crown land at Pickhill Garth.
However, both the Kings Houses and the Kings Ferry were situated at the west
end of the Flatts on or near the site of the former religious house of the
Cistercian Monks of Meaux, known as the Priory, which was later the site of
the Waggon & Horses Inn. From the late Middle Ages the Priory site was the
only property in the township which was not freehold.
NINE NOOKS CLOSE
Situated in the Middle Field, this six acre close was distinguished by having
nine right-angle corners or nooks, hence the name.
NORFOLK HOUSE
End house of a limestone built, cement rendered terrace in Chapel Street which
was used by the Salvation Army in the late nineteenth century and was latterly
the headquarters of the Knottingley Womens’ Unionist Association and the local
Conservative Party. The property was a popular venue for wedding receptions
and other social gatherings until demolished in the 1960s. The origin of the
name is not known.
Terry Spencer
INDEX |
A-B |
C-D |
E-F |
G |
H |
I-J |
K-L | M-N |
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P |
Q-R |
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T-U |
V-W |
YARDS |
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