Heraldry 

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The Lindley's

History and Origins

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 The  name Lindley comes from the old English for a clearing in the midst of lime trees,  Lind - meaning lime tree and Ley - meaning clearing.   The place name Lindley occurs at least four times in the West Riding of Yorkshire,  Old Lindley and Nether Lindley ( between Elland and Huddersfield),  Lindley in the ancient parish of Otley and Lindley in Healingly a lost locality.   There are at least two distinct surnames derived from these and they cannot always be kept apart.  What follows is an account of the Otley family drawn from various sources.   The Lindley's took their name from the hamlet of Lindley near the township of Otley now represented by Lindley Hall,  a substantial farm on the northern side of the reservoir of the Washburn Valley.

    Lindley was one of the small hamlets of the Liberty of Otley which came into being in 937 AD by a grant to the Archbishop of York by King Athelstan after the battle of Brunanburgh  The Liberty was cantered around Otley,  the market town with church,  court house,  pinfold the Archbishops Hall and chapel.

 The custom of identifying a person by his place of origin seems to have started in the Saxon times but did not become common until Norman times and in many cases much later.   Early references to the surname may be unrelated individuals,  many occur in undated deeds,  but it is fair to assume that the Lindley name was an hereditary surname from the 1200's.

The first Lindley to appear in writing was a Sivard and Thomas de Lindele in the York Assize Court Rolls in 1204.   Folcasuis,  known as Falk appears in the Extent of Otley in 1307,  his son William was in Otley in 1292.

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 In the 1200's a certain Edard or Udart de Lindley was farming the land around Lindley Hall,  his grandson William de Lindley was betrothed to Alice Fulk of Wakefield.   Alice was well connected as her father known as Fulk the Butler was a manservant to the Archbishop of York,  as a result of his connections to the Archbishop  Fulk was enabled to buy half the Manor of Farnley as a wedding present for Alice and son-in-law William de Lindley and as a result of this it marked the rise to prominence of the Lindley's who throughout the middle ages were to become an important family in Yorkshire.

 Sometime in the 12th century the Lindley's moved to the next township of Leathley when the township became part of the Forest of Knaresborough but returned to Lindley after the signing of the Magna Carta.

A Robert de Lindeley was at Lindley in 1378 and is described as an Armiger,  a William de Lindley became Lord of Farnley  a township to the east in about 1230,  the Lindley's continued as Lords of the Manor of Leathley until the 1524 period when Isobel the sole heiress of Thomas Lindley of Lindley married Brian Palmes of a York family.   During this time the Lindley's became established at Otley and are named in many records.

Sometime during the 15th century a branch of the family became established at Leathley and at Skutterskelf in Cleveland,  this is shown in the Will of Thomas Lindley gent., in which he mentions his son and heir Percival and William Lindley of Leathley,  amongst his possessions he mentions "My suit of armour in the tower at Hexham".   In a footnote of the extract of the will there is a reference to Skutterskelf and the Gower family,  So now we have an ancient family land  owning and with some influence in three locations,  Lindley, Leathley and Skutterskelf in Cleveland.

Heraldic and Pedigree connections

 To find out more about the armigerous connections of the Lindley's we must turn to the Heralds Visitations of the 16th and 17th  centuries and Glovers Ordinary,  these show clearly that the three branches of the family were arms bearing.

The original Arms of the family were "Argent on a Chief Sable three Griffins heads erased Argent" this is a simple design and almost certainly of an early period as shields tended to be of a simple pattern in earlier times.   The three branches of the family had differences to distinguish them from each other.

 Lindley Hall

             
Lindley of Lindley    ARMS: Argent on a chief Sable 3 Griffin heads erased Argent

 In Thomas Lindley's Will of 1439  he leaves his son and heir Percival his land and property in Lindley and personal effects of silver spoons and covered cups.   Percival his son is mentioned in records of Otley dated June 3rd 18 Edward (1478) that he holds land and tenements in Lindley by Military service.   Most influential people of this period had some connection with the Military such as Lords of the Manor who, because of the land and  property they owned they were expected to provide men and arms in support of the King.

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In the Will of Thomas Lindley of Lindley 1439, he mentions 'My Brother Robert' as well as Percival below. (See notes about Robert Lindley).( My thanks to John Lindley of North Yorkshire for the information)

Percival's Will of 1495  mentions land in Skegby, Nottinghamshire and he leaves this as well as personal effects to his son and heir Thomas.   Other bequests were also made to the Churches of  Otley and Leathley and the Chapels of Stainburn and Farnley.

In 1513 Thomas had exchanged land in Stainburn for the Abbeys (Fountains) tofts in Otley.

 In Thomas's Will of 1524  it shows that he had no male heir,  but had two co-heiresses, his daughters,  Isabel and Elizabeth.   The two daughters both married  into arms bearing families,  Isabel into the York family of Palmes and Elizabeth into the family of Everingham.

 On the death of Thomas in 1524 not having a male heir the Lindley family of Lindley ceased and the Palmes family through the marriage of Isabel to Bryan Palmes became the principal owner of the Manor of Lindley.   However,  Bryan Palmes only lived for a further three years leaving his son Francis to continue the Palmes line at Lindley.   Isabel Palmes (nee Lindley) then married Sir Thomas Johnson of Northumberland descent.

Arms - Argent on a chief Sable three

griffins heads erased Argent

Information from:

             1.  B.I.H.R. Vol  3  Fol  584

            2.  Y.A.S. (Record Series) Vol  X111 Page 15

            3.  B.I.H.R.  Prob Reg  V  3 ff  338 R-V

            4.  Fountains Abbey Lease Book Page 256

            5.  B.I.H.R. Vol  9  Fol 291

            6.  B.I.H.R. V11B f 513 r  Lyndley  Lindley

 Lindley of Leathley  

Leathley St Oswalds

 A branch of the Lindley's had been established at Leathley by the mid fifteenth century as William Lindley of Leathley was mentioned in the Will of  1539 of Thomas Lindley of Lindley.

The Heralds Visitation of 1612 shows a pedigree of a Christopher Lyndley clearly as the head of the family in the early part of the sixteenth century.   The Will of Christopher Lyndley of 1540 shows him to be a wealthy man with the number of farms he bequeathed to various members of his family.   Christopher had several sons, but with Lawrence being his heir.

   ARMS:  Ermine on a Chief Sable 3 Eagles heads erased Argent

Bolling Hall

 Bolling Hall

  Location and Architecture.

South West Front

14th Century Tower

South East Front

The hall stands on a elevated site on the slope of a hill,  south of Bradford,  commands wide views over the adjoining countryside.   The ground to the west of the hall slopes steeply away offering a good natural defence and the other may have been protected by a wall and ditch.   The hall has two fronts,  the south,  flanked at each end by a square tower,  and the north,  a centre with two wings.   At first glance the building appears to be symmetrical but closer study of the south front shows that although the doors match the windows on each side of the hall are balanced they are of different kinds.   It has taken several centuries of alterations and additions to the existing medieval building to bring about this symmetry.

Caroline Lindley Nee Finch

The Younger Frances Lindley

 

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The Housebody

The term housebody was used in the West Riding in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries for the room which was the most important in the house.   the significance of the present housebody in the seventeenth century can be gauged from the size of the window,  which contains and important collection of heraldic stained glass.   Much of this glass had been removed from Bolling Hall in 1825 and had been taken to Copt Hewick Hall near Ripon,  but in 1949 it was presented back to the city by Mr. R.R. Ackernley,  through the Bradford Historical and Antiquarian Society.   Also included in the gift were nine armorial panels of a later date from another of the Copt Hewick windows.   They were all immediately taken to York to be cleaned and repaired for they were still covered by black paint,  and it was there discovered that the Bolling glass was both older and more interesting than had been assumed.   It was also in its original lead.   It was then decided to place all the glass which was associated with the Bolling armorial glass in the Copt Hewick window in the two lower tiers of the dining hall window.   The quarries and panes which had been found in the tower shaft were moved to the top row of lights and the six modern shields placed in the window of the central staircase.   As this had rather pseudo-Gothic arrangement in plain glass these shields improved it's appearance immensely.   The nine later panels,  which were larger than the older glass,  were inserted in the lower panes of the two late eighteenth century windows of Room 9,  once Captain Charles Wood's dining room.

The Central Hall

The Kitchen

Mrs Lindley's House Book

Detail of House book

There are now forty-seven shields,  panes and quarries in the middle and bottom row of lights in the dining hall window.   Of these the most important is a set of twenty-four shields of arms surrounded by wreaths.   These are nearly all of early sixteenth century date and the wreaths with one exception are in black enamel and yellow stain.   There is also a set of six seventeenth century quarries bearing the arms of local families and a shield of a different type in a small pane.   These are in enamel colours.   Four panes bear ciphers.   Two of these have obviously been part of a set and have the monograms W.C. and  S.C. and the date 1690;  above the initials in the surrounding foliage decoration is written William Clifton and Susannah Clifton.   Another pane with three figures,  apparently those of Susannah and the Elders,  may have been part of the set.   On one pane is a true lover's knot and the initials I.I.E. with the sun above;  on another I.I. in a true lover's knot with a purple tulip above and the date 1703 below.   A set of eight allegorical panes of Dutch or Flemish work is of a kind often found in English houses in the seventeenth century.   there are two badly damaged Dutch panes with animals and a church quarry with a bird in black enamel outline.  

Another View of the Central Hall

The shields in wreaths which make slightly irregular circles between eleven and twelve inches in diameter are in the following order,  in a double row in the ten bottom lights with the remaining four in the middle tier.   The list begins from the left of the photograph with the upper shield in each light given first.   Where a name is in italics it means that the name in that form is written over the shield;  unless it is stated otherwise the initial letter is in the round Lombardic form and the remainder in the black letter which began to oust it in the fifteenth century.   They are all scraped out of the black enamel.   Unless a charge is said to be abraded it is leaded in separately. 

            1   a.  Gules a fess argent bewteen 3 water bougets ermine - Meeres

                 b.  Sable a fess between 3 fleur de lys argent - Welby

            2   a.  Quarterly 1 and 4 Or a lion azure (Percy)  2 and 3 Gules 3 luces (pikes)  argent (Lucy) -   Northumberland    The luces are abraded.

                 b.  Argent 3 hammers sable (Hamberton impaling Argent a bend  between  6 stormcocks sable         Tempest) - Hamton  This shield has been repaired

            3   a.  Quarterly within a border gobony azure and ermine 1 and 4 France

                      modern 2 and 3 England - My lady the king's mother.   Margaret   Beaufort, Countess of   Richmond and Derby,  mother of Henry V11. The   leopards are abraded.

                b.  Gules 3 tirrits or (Tyrrwhit)- Tirwhite,   A punning or cantling coat. Tirrits are lapwings. The  gold is yellow stain.

            4  a.  Gules 3 scallop shells argent - Dacre.

                b.  Chequy azure and or a fess gules - Clifford. The name is  almost  obliterated Clifford of Skipton.  The gold is yellow stain.

            5  a.  Sable an escutcheon ermine an orle of marlets argent - Bolling.The  name was there but has been deliberately scratched away.

                b.  Quarterly,  1 Argent on a bend sable 3 bucks heads or (Stanley).  2 Gules 3  legs conjoined argent spurred or (Affleck of Man).  3 Chequy or and azure (Warenne).  4 Or on a chief azure 3 plates (Lathom) - Stanley. The  bucks heads are in yellow stain applied to the plain glass. the shield is fifteenth century and is in a green wreath.

            6  a.  Tempest impaling sable fretty argent a label of 3 points gules                              (Harington) - Tempest with a black letter initial.  The label is probably a patch.

                b.  Stanley as above but on an escutcheon of pretence azure a lion argent

                     (Montalt) - Stanley with a black letter initial. The bend in the first

                     quarter is azure and the legs of Man are abraded. All the gold is yellow                         stain.

            7  a.  Gules a bend ermine (Rye of Bosberton) - Tempest.

                b.  Quarterly,  1 and 4 Azure a bend or (Scroope)  2 and 3 argent a saltire                     engrailed gules (Tiptoft) - Scrappe.

                     Scroope of Bolton.

            8  a.  Quarterly,  1 and 4 England  2 and 3 France modern a lable of 3 points    argent. Probably the arms of Arthur Tudor,  elder brother of Henry V111  The    eopards are abraded.

                b.  Gules 2 chevrons argent an annulet of the second - Pannel The name is  practically obliterated

            9  a.  Gules 3 chevronels braced argent on a chief azure a leopard passant or -

                     Mallam.  This is Malham of Elslack.  the detail of the leopard has   pratically disappeared.

                b.  Or a lion azure - Percy of Northumberland.   This is a fourteenth century    shield made up of twenty six separate pieces.  The pot-metal gold is  diapered with black enamel.

            10a.  Gules 3 running greyhounds argent collared or (Mauleverer) - The king f England. This heading is a mistake.  Possibly some glazier working   from a rough sketch mistook the greyhounds for the leopards of    England.  It is a canting coat;  the French word for greyhound is    levrier. b. Sable   2   lions passant argent crowned or - Dymock. Dymoke of Scrivelsby.

            The second row of lights:-

            2      A patched shield with a green cross.  The 3rd quarter appears to be part of a larger Tempest shield - Bischop of ...

            4      Baron argent a cross sable impaling argent on a cross gules a bezant.  Sinister  quarterly or and gules 1 and 4 a marlet vert - Puresme. So far  this  shield has not been identified and it may be a patch.

            7      Argent on a bend sinister sable a bezant - Pynchbek   Pinchbeck.

            9      Quarterly of six.  1 Gules on a saltire argent a pellet (probably an annuletis intended for Neville,  Lord Latimer).  2  Gules a fess between 4 crosslets or (Beauchamp of Warwick).  3  Chequy azure and or a chevron ermine (Newburgh).4  Gules a chevron between 4 crosses formy argent

                   (Berkeley).  5  Gules a leopard argent crowned or (Gerold for Lisle). 

                   6  Argent a chevron gules (Tyas) - Lattemar.  Neville,  Lord Latimer.

                   The gold is yellow stain.  There should be 6 crosslets in the Beauchamp        quarter and 10 crosses in the Berkeley but they are leaded in, not abraded  and the glass painter obviously found the space at his disposal too small.

                 The set of seventeenth century quarries is in the two central lights .From top to bottom they are as follows:

            5  a. Gules a fess between 6 garbs or - Midgeley.

                b. Argent a lion's head between 3 bugle horns stringed sable - Bradford of   Heath.

                c. Argent a chevron sable between 3 thorn trees proper - Thornton of  Tyersal.

            6  a. Argent a cockatrice sable - Langley.

                b. Argent 2 bars sable each charged with 3 mullets or -Hopton

                c. Tempest.

            10    Gules 3 acorns slipped or - motto Vitria Vita. Probably the arms of de

         Hennezel,  a family of glass painters who left the Continent during the  religious persecutions and settled in Staffordshire and Gateshead on Tyne.

The Blue Room

            J. C. Brook , F.S.A., Somerset Herald,  visited the Hall in 1774 and possibly again in 1783,  while collecting material for his History of Yorkshire.   He died before it was written but his manuscripts are at the College of Arms and the authorities their kindly allowed access to them.   He listed the arms as follows,  commenting that some were ancient and had the names written over them:-           

The Hall Window

 The Housebody Window

1, Pinchbeck;  2, Dacre;  3, Mallom;  4, Gules 3 ..... passant argent.  This is probably the Mauleverer shield although Brook does not say so.  5, Or a lion rampant azure - Lacy.  This a probably a copyist's error for Percy.  6, Northumberland;  7, Gules a fess between 3 water bougets ermine.   This is the Meeres shield  8, Clifford;  9, Scroope and Tiptoft;  10, Sable 2 bars inter 3 Fleur de lys argent - Welby.   This shield is made up of two pieces of glass and it is the lead join which makes the fess look like two bars.  11, Panell;  12, Tempest impaling argent fretty and a canton sable - Middleton of Stockeld.   This is the Tempest/Harington shield.   There is no canton sable now but perhaps the upper part of the sinister half is a patch.  13, Sable an escutcheon ermine an orle of owls argent - Bowling.   The birds are marlets.  14, France modern quartering England a label of 3 points argent - Prince of Wales.   The quarters are reverse.  15, Broken,  but " & Tempest" written over it.  This may be the patched shield in the second light of the middle row but it distinctly begins with Bischop and does not seem to follow  " & Tempest"  16,  Dymmok;  17, My Lady the King's  Mother;  18, Stanley.   Probably the earlier unnamed shield is intended here.  19, ---quarterly or and gules in 1st and 4th a parrot vert.   This must be the Puresme coat.  20, Latimer.

Window Detail

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He also lists the seven shields in enamel colours now in the central lights and in addition gives the following:-

1, Argent on a chief sable 3 griffins heads erased argent with helm and mantle.   This is for Lindley.  2, Ermine 3 lozenges conjoined in fess sable.  Crest on a wreath a wolf's head erased - Pigott;  3, Argent a chevron inter 3 griffins passant sable.  Crest a Pegasus - Finch.  Francis Lindley 11 married Carolina Finch,  4, Azure on a mount vert 3 naked men in fesse with clubs and shields.  Crest a like naked man - Wood; 5, On a wreath argent and sable a Pegasus rising argent winged and ducally charged or -Finch;  6, On a wreath argent and sable a griffin passant argent beaked or - Lindley.  There was a second Lindley crest and F.L. in a cipher with 1695 below and F.C.L. 1696 for Francis Lindley and Carolina Finch.

 In a staircase window were the following arms which Brook said were old:-

1, Tyrrwhit;  2, Hamerton;  3, Stanley with quarterings as in number 18.   This is probably the later coat as it was apparently named although Brook does not mention the Montalt escutcheon.  4, Rye - Tempest.   Also the motto "Lowyf as thou fynds".  This is still in Bolling Hall and in a staircase window although probably not the same one.   When Mr. Mason left Bolling he sent the glass quarries on which the motto is given four times,  to Colonel Plumbe Tempest of Tong Hall sine the Tempests of Tong were descended from the Tempests of Bolling and this was their motto.   The late Mrs. H.F.M. Tempest gave the glass to the city when Bolling Hall became as Museum.

 In the glass door leading into the garden:-

1, Sable 3 tigers' heads erased argent impaling Tempest - Halsall;  2, Argent 3 boars' heads erased sable (Booth) quartering argent a fess engrailed sable - Boothe;  3, Lindley crest.   This door has not been identified but may have been the present south entrance.

 In a window of the gallery:-

1. Tempest quartering Hebdon ermine a fess lozengy gules;  2, Chequy or and azure a fess gules - Clifford.  Two other broken shields.

 It will be observed that all the shields which Brook saw in the window of the dining hall have survived with the exception of the Lindley,  Finch,  Pigott and Wood arms,  crests and ciphers,  so have the shields in the staircase window.  Whether the "fragments of evident antiquity" seen by Cudworth were the remains of the arms in the garden  and the gallery will probably never be known.

 When the stonework of windows was renewed in 1963,  the glass was resisted to better advantage.   Most of the twenty four shields in the window date from about 1500 and relate to the development of the Hall by the Tempests in the early sixteenth century.   The Bolling and Tempest Arms are here,  together with those shown of many other families,  some of whom are connected with the Tempests.   the small panes of stained glass are mainly seventeenth century in date,  some of them were originally at Bierley Hall.

The Lindley connection

The Hall had many well known inhabitants including Ilbert de Lacy and Sir Richard Tempest.  Sir Henry Savile of Thornhill Green bought the Hall in 1649 from the Tempest family and liver there for twenty years before selling to Francis Lindley of Hull (grandson of Nicholas Lindley Lord Mayor of Hull and a younger brother of the ancient family of Lindley of Lindley),   the arms of which are Argent on a chief sable 3 griffins heads erased argent in the fess point a trefoil slipped gules.   Francis Lindley took possession of the Hall in 1680 but probably never lived there and died in the following year.

The son of Francis also a Francis married a Caroline Finch of Kent in 1695,  he was High Sheriff of of the county of Lancaster and Keeper of the West Riding Registers.   The Hall eventually passed to Francis Lindley Wood and through him to Lord Halifax.           

         Extracts from The Bradford Antiquary New Series Part xxxix, 1958

            Armorial Glass at Bolling Hall by Sylvia C. Priest, M.A.

 HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND THE LINDLEY'S

 Middleham Castle

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History    

Before the Norman conquest the lands around Middleham were owned by Gilpatric but in 1069 they were granted to Alan the Red,  son of count Eudo of Penthievre in Britony and one of William the Conqueror's chief supporters.

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Alan built his principal castle (probably the motte and bailey style) at Richmond.   Before 1080 Middleham was granted by Alan to his brother Ribald  and the property remained with his descendants until 1270 when the last of the line died without male heirs.

In 1270 Middleham passed by marriage to Richard de Nevill and this illustrious family who had Middleham in their possession until 1471  when Richard,  Earl of Warwick was slain at the battle of Barnet and Richard,  Duke of Gloucester (later Richard 111) was granted Warwick's estates north of the Trent which included Middleham.   Richard died in 1485 and Middleham and it's estates were seised by Henry 7 and remained in Royal ownership until 1604.

 The Lindley Connection

In 1604 the castle was granted by James 1 to Sir Henry Lindley (son of Lawrence Lindley of Leathley).  In Sir Henry's Will of 1609 (Borthwick Institute) he mentions "my castle at Middleham"  and there is record of occupation during the Lindley ownership.   After Sir Henry's death his brother John Lindley of Leathley took over the ownership.

In 1613 the castle passed to Edward 2nd Viscount Loftus by his marriage to Jane Lindley of Leathley,  daughter of John Lindley of Leathley,  so here again we have proof of the Lindley influence in Yorkshire.

Views of Middleham

Middleham Castle

  Arms Bearing Families and the Lindley's

 The Lindley's married into many prominent families both from the north of England and further a field,  the following is a list of the families and their arms and some pedigrees.

 1  BANKE OF BANKE NEWTON

Arms - Sable a cross  engrailed between four fleur de lis argent

 2  BRANDLING OF LEATHLEY

Arms - Gules a cross flory Argent in the dexter chief point an escallop Or a crescent for difference

 3  CATRALL OF RATHMELL

Arms - Azure 3 mascles Or overall a bendlet Gules

 4  CORBETT

Arms - Or a Raven proper

 5  DREW

Arms - Ermines a lion passant Gules

 6  EVERINGHAM Co YORK

Arms - Gules a lion rampant vair crowned Or

 7  FAWKES OF WOODHALL

Arms - Ermine a mascle Sable

 8  FINCH OF KENT

Arms - Argent a chevron between three griffins passant

 9  FRENCH

Arms - Gules a bend between two dolphins embowed Argent

 10  GOWER OF SEXHOW

Arms - Azure a chevron between three hounds Argent

Visitation of Yorkshire 1612  page 541 states that the hounds are sejant,  but Papworth  does not describe the hounds position

 11  HANDALL

Arms - Or a maunch Sable

 12  LEVITT OF MELTON

Arms - Sable a fess embattled between three leopards heads erased Argent langued Gules

 13  PALMES OF NABURNE

Arms - Gules three fleur de lis Argent a chief Vair a crescent for difference

 Fountains Abbey

I n the Fountains Abbey Leasebook dated lst July 30 Henry V111 (1538) (Yorkshire Archaeological series ref 140 Doncaster Library) there is a reference on page 258 to the appointment of a steward of court and auditor.

Appointment of Steward of Court and Auditor.

A grant by Abbot Marmaduke and the Convent of Fountains (by their unanimous agreement) to Christopher Lindley of Leathley for the faithful service he has done in the past to the abbot and convent and their monastery,  of the office of steward of courts of the the manors,  lands and tenements in Yorkshire except their courts in the county of Craven and also these presents appoint him auditor of stock of the monastery,  to hold this office for life,  he or his deputy to take 26s  8d per annum for exercising the office and 10s for the office of Auditor.

This evidence is proof of the power and influence of the Lindley's of Leathley in their stewardship of Fountains Abbey and indeed the surrounding area.

Unfortunately Christopher died in 1540 (Will 1540 Borthwick Institute) but was probably doing the job for many years prior to the grant of 1538.

 Fountains Abbey

 The Otley Brass (All Saints' Church Otley)

Otley All Saints

 Genealogical Plate of the Lynlay and Palmes Family 1593

 The Otley Brass

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The Otley brass is one of the most well known monumental inscriptions of any church in Yorkshire,  if not the country and one that has been recorded many times.

From the inscription on the last roundel recording the pedigree of the Palmes family, viz, "Francis cum hered Hadnall Supertes 1593",  it may be inferred that this very curious and interesting plate was erected by Francis Palmes during his lifetime,  to set forth the alliance of the Lyndlay and Palmes families,  and to state that many of the Lyndlay's and the last two of the Palmes were buried in the church.   The accompanying illustration reproduced from a very careful rubbing taken by Mr. A. Ridley Bax, F.S.A., in 1895,  will best explain the design of this plate.   In the lower part is the figure of a man (Francis Palmes) recumbent on a mattress,  one end of which is curled up to form a pillow for the head.  He is represented with beard and moustache,  the hands raised in prayer,  and wears a ruff, doublet and short cloak.   By his side is a sword.   From this figure springs a tree,  with roundels bearing the names and recording the various alliances of the Lyndlay family on the dexter,  and of the Palmes family on the sinister side,  these unite with the marriage of Brian Palmes with Isobel,  daughter and co-heiress of Thomas Lyndlay.   This Brian died on the 19th of October, 1528,  aged 29,  and was succeeded by his son Francis,  who married Margaret daughter of Roger Corbett of Norton Shropshire.   He died in 1568,  aged 44 and was succeeded by his son Francis,  the erector of this plate.

In the centre of the upper part of the plate is a shield,  surmounted by a helmet,  crest and mantling.   The shield is blazoned as follows-

 Quarterly of six   1 and 6 Gules three fleur de lis Argent a chief Vair with a crescent for difference - PALMES  2 Ermines a lion passant Gules - DREW  3 Gules a bend between two dolphins embowed Argent - FRENCH  4 Argent on a bend Azure three mullets Argent - WYNARD  5 Argent on a chief Sable three griffins heads erased Argent - LYNDLAY

Crest - A hand holding a palm branch proper charged on the wrist with a crescent for difference -PALMES

Below the shield is the motto Justus vt Palma

At the four corners of the plate are shields, viz, (upper dexter) Lyndlay, (upper sinister) Palmes, (lower dexter) Or a maunche Sable - HADNALL (lower sinister) Or a raven proper - CORBETT

At the head of the plate are two Latin verses, which translated read-            

 The plate which measures 29.5 by 17.5 inches,  is affixed to the wall of the North transept.

 Francis Palmes, of Lyndley,  a justice of the peace for the West Riding of Yorkshire in the second year of King James,  married Mary,  daughter and co-heiress of Stephen Hadnall of Shervil in the county of Southampton. 

 Lindley of Scutterskelf

Arms- Argent on a bend Sable three griffins heads erased Argent

 This branch of the Lindley's was noted in Dalton's Visitation to Durham in 1558 and also St. George's visitation to Yorkshire in 1612.   Thomas Lindley of Scutterskelf appears to be be last of his line as the property was divided between his three daughters.   In his Will of 1530 he is leaving property and goods to the Latons,  Kighleys and Milner families of which his three daughters had married into,  all these families were arms bearing.

In the Heralds Visitation of Yorkshire 1575 it shows the Latons of Sexhow quartering that of Lindley of Scutterskelf and Gower of Sexhow.

 Rudby all Saints' Church (Hutton Rudby)

  Rudby All Saints' Church

 The parish of Rudby-in-Cleveland lies astride the River Leven at the foot of the Cleveland Hills and today is made up of Hutton and Rudby townships as well as the chapelry of Middleton-on-Leven.   Immediately after the Norman invasion of 1066,  however,  the parish included Hutton,  Whorlton,  Hilton,  Middleton and Rownton,  all seventh century Angle settlements,  together with Rudby,  Seamer, Skutterskelf,  Sexhow, Braworth and Thoraldby,  all of ninth century Danish origin,  infilling the land between the Angle settlements.   At this time,  Rudby parish was in the hands of Robert Mortain,  half brother to William the Conqueror.

The Doomsday Book entry of 1086 shows that North Yorkshire suffered badly from William's "Harrying of the North" in 1069/70 - only Middleton and Whorlton remained inhabited - but mention is made of a,  presumably pre-conquest,  church at Hutton.

The exact site of this first church is not known,  but it's presence specifically in the Hutton area indicates that it is unlikely to have occupied the site of the present All Saints.

All Saints' church dates from the second half of the twelfth century,  typical of a period which saw a nationwide replacement of pre-conquest timber churches with Norman stone buildings.

Built half way between Hutton and Rudby,  it's position is something of a mystery.  It was not situated near a manor house and is particularly unsuitable as a place of defence or refuge,  being at the foot of two hills.   One possibility is that it was seen as a site for some sort of monastic institution,  since the location itself is reminiscent on a smaller scale of big monastic sites such as Fountains,  Rievaulx,  Easby and Kirkham.   The attractive setting of All Saints' "in the glade by the Leven" must remain something of an enigma,  as does the date, origin and uses of the moated area (now the graveyard) to the north of the church.

There are two features that connect the Lindley family with the church they are the Elizabethan pulpit and the Thomas Mylner memorial.

The Elizabethan pulpit

This is the church's greatest treasure,  Pevsner, in his excellent "Yorkshire : North Riding" (1966)  calls it "a delightful and precious piece".   It's square box shape is unusual and it's inlaid marquetry panels were re-discovered by chance earlier this century,  after being hidden for years under five coats of paint.   It was given in 1594 by Thomas Milner,  a member of the local Linly family,  who intermarried with the Laytons of Sexhow.

On the pulpit is a shield in wood.   Quarterly 1 and 4 (Argent) on a chief (Sable) three griffins heads erased (Argent) - LINDLEY  2 and 3  A chevron between three talbots passant - ?-   I believe this to be the arms of Gower who married into the Lindley family in earlier times.   

 On the North wall opposite the pulpit is an impressive stone memorial to Thomas Mylner, the shield above being in very poor condition, but appears to have been the same as that on the pulpit.

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The text in modern form is-

             Thomas Lynly Esquire married Margery the second

            daughter of Sir Thomas Newport  Knight and

            had issue Elizabeth,  married to Joseph Sorthwaitl

            ale Mylner Esquire who had issue Thomas Mylner

            Who married Frances the daughter of William

            Baites Esquire who had issue Mary who was married

            To Charles Layton Esquire and had issue

            Sir Thomas Laiton Knight.

            Here lyeth the body of Thomas Mylner deceased

            the 8th November 1594

 All the three branches of  Lindley of Lindley,  Leathley and Sckutterskelf show in their pedigrees they married into arms bearing families in the north of England and later extended their lands and influence into Nottingham and Kent as can be seen from the following:-

 Burkes General Armory gives on gives on page 609

1- Lindley of Skegby (Notts) Extinct in the male line in 1758 on the death of John Lindley, Esq., of Skegby.

Arms- Argent on a chief Sable three griffin heads erased Argent.

 2- Sir Henry Lindley (of Leathley Knighted on the field at Ofally 30th July 1599 at the rising of the camp immediately after the battle.

Arms - Sable on a chief Argent three eaglets displayed Sable.

 3- Lindley of Middleham Castle Impalment (marriage arms) on a funeral certificate entry,  Ulster Office 1680 Edward Loftus of Ely,  whose wife was Jane daughter of Arthur Lindley of Leathley.

Arms - Sable a chevron Ermine between three trefoils slipped Or - LOFTUS.

 Page 632 gives a different spelling of the name as Lyndley of Lyndley Co. York

4- William Lyndley eldest son of Percival Lyndley temp. Henry V1 (1422-1461) left two daughters his co-heiresses (Visitation of Notts 1614)

Arms as No. 1.

 5- Lyndley of Skegby Co. Nottingham

Francis Lyndley (Visitation of Notts 1614) great grandson of Thomas Lyndley second son of Percival Lyndley, Esq., Co. York temp. Henry V1 (1422-1461)

Arms as No. 1.

 The Lindley's were certainly a big land and property owning family in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Kent,  this is clear from the various Wills which mention the above places.   They married into many arms bearing families as can be observed from the various Visitations and pedigrees.

The direct male line of the family appears to have died out,  but more research would need to be done to trace the second and subsequent sons as the name is quite prolific in many parts of Yorkshire today.

 The Visitation of Yorkshire in 1612 clearly blazons on page 547 the arms of Lindley of Leathley as - Argent on a chief Sable three griffins heads erased Argent.

The Manuscript document attached Minster Library MS/Add/164/1 blazons the arms of Lindley of Leathley as - Ermine on a chief Sable three eaglets heads erased Argent.

The Manuscript was compiled by John Hopkinson in the late 18th or early 19th century who was a genealogist and historian of some repute in Yorkshire.   The manuscript gives the pedigree of Christopher Lindley of Leathley which is the same as the Visitation of 1612.

  T. D. Whitaker Vol.2 page 78 1816 a Yorkshire historian also blazons Lindley of Leathley arms as - Ermine on a chief Sable three eaglets heads erased Argent.

  I cannot find any arms in Papworth or Burkes General Armoury for Lindley of Leathley,  only for Lindley of Lindley.

The only conclusion I have reached is:-

                        (a)  A new grant was made by the College of Arms after the last of    the visitation in 1684.

                        (b)  The Manuscript document is incorrect as far as the blazonis  concerned,  the only way to prove this would be to contact the College of Arms and ask them to check the grants.

Notes:

Comments

My thanks to John Lindley of Wigginton North Yorks for his comments on the early Lindley's

My thanks to Hugh Murray of York, who is an expert on Heraldry and has verified that the Arms are correct.

Also to Dr G. Redmonds for his assistance in the 'Origins' of Lindley.

Please note that that there are no comers, full stops in describing coats of arms.

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