Wainwright’s Rare Book Unearthed – Revelations about Conisbrough (picture)

January 1939

South Yorkshire Time January 20, 1939

Rare Book Unearthed
Revelations about Old Conisborough Feast for 15/4 !

A rare copy of a history of, among other South Yorkshire places, Conisbrough, has been unearthed by Mr Cyril Ogilwy, Conisbrough´s antique dealer, and the book, published in 1829, is in great demand among interested people locally.

The book, in an excellent state of preservation, is entitled “An historical and topographical Introduction to a knowledge of the Ancient State of the Wapentake of Stratford and Tickhill; with ample accounts of Doncaster and Conisbrough; and of the villagers, hamlets, churches, antiquities and other matters connected there with.” The author was John Wainwright.

Boys of Morley Place school examine the book, while Mr C Ogilwy (right) looks on.
On the left is Mr Proctor, headmaster of the school

Bought at Auction

Mr Ogilwy told the “Times” this week that he bought the book and also a copy of Dr Miller´s history of the Doncaster district at the same time in the auction room in Doncaster. Copies of Dr Miller´s history were, he explained, comparatively easy to get older and there was quite a demand for them, but he had not come across a copy of Wainwright´s book.

“I have read the book through,” he added, “and while Millers is the older work, Wainwrights´, in so far as Conisbrough is concerned, is a more interesting book. I have lent the book to several people, including Mr P.Knowles, and Mr W.M.Burton, and I understand that in the list of ancient incumbents of the living of Conisbrough given in the book are names which do not appear on the plate in the Parish Church. There are, however, names on the plate which do not appear in the book.”

A “Times,” representative has also had the opportunity of inspecting the book and found it liberally supplied with wood cuts, including a fine East view of Conisbrough Castle, drawn by Robert Thompson, 1826. And a South West view of the remains of Wombwell Hall (drawn by the same artist and engraved by Samuel Smith) This second place is inscribed to “Edward Oxley of Bristol, M.D., as a small but grateful acknowledgement of the many communication from him, touching this year of Wombwell, etc. by his humble and obedience servant the author”

The book, which bears on the flyleaf the name Elizabeth Battie (one of the Warmsworth Battie´s?) runs to 226 pages, and was printed and published by John Blackwell, Iris office, 48, high Street, Sheffield, and sold by all booksellers in the vicinity of the district. “The Iris” was a famous Sheffield newspaper, the forerunner of the present Sheffield daily Press. In addition there is an introduction of 185 pages dealing the subjects as diverse as the etymology of the local places names to military transactions, druidical notices and remains and a disquisition on the ascetic system.

Battle of Conisbrough.

In this introduction is a reference to the battle of Conisbrough and the author states that “Baron, however, as are the annals of Britain and Rome with respect to military enterprises in this portion of Northumbria, those of the Saxons are not much more prolific or interesting; for excepting those at Conisbrough, Hatfield and Doncaster none other of any account has reached our time. The whole narration of Geoffrey of Monmouth, concerning the conflict between Hengist and Ambrosius at Mexborough and Conisbrough, A.D.487, seems one of the many which were fought only within the walls of the cloister.

It is stated by this sage monk, that in the above year was contested at Mailesbelly, a bloody battle between the Saxons and the oppressed Britons, under the command of the above personages, the former of whom been defeated, was obliged to fly to the Castle of Conisbrough, whither he was chased by the valiant Ambrosius, and on a second rencontre was killed under its walls and their interred. Over his body, as was usual in that age, we keep a mound of earth as a monument intended to mark the place where that wily hero lay. The real or supposed tomb of this bloody warrior is still pointed out by the residents, and shown as a curiosity to every inquisitive visitor.” Conisbrough has a special section in the book, but much of it is given over to a somewhat tedious recitation of the lives and pedigrees of noble holders of the Castle. Of interest, however, is when Wright´s views on the denigration of the name Conisbrough, which township he describes as:

“A place of very high antiquity.” by the Britons, Conisbrough, was called Caer Conan, by the Saxons Conanburghe, and by Robert of Gloucester, Borough – Conan. Caer, Cair, Kair signifies a place of strength, “whence Conan maybe derived is not so manifest; and whether its origin be attributable to or locality has been the residence of some eminent person of that name, we are equally ignorant.

Had we evidence to prove that Conan was attached subsequently to the British era, we might be induced to draw it from the Saxon Cyning, rex, in which case it would signify the Royal city, or town of the King. To the latter mode of derivation the orthography in doomsday gives some countenance, Coningesburg, Konnen, in the Teutonic, or high Dutch tongue, and Connan in the Saxon, imply power or knowledge, as is supposed to be synonymous with the Greek words for the powers.”

Earliest proprietor.

Wainwright states that the earliest manorial proprietor of Conisbrough and its dependencies on record, he presumes, was Harold, a Saxon earl and successor of Edward the confessor, as King of England. He was the second of that name and son of the famous Godwin, by Githa, daughter of Duke Wolfe and sister of Sweyne the younger, King of Denmark.

The author proceeds to review the various orders of the district, principal amongst whom were the De Warrens, and mentions that during the minority of Edmund Plantagenet, who became owner of the district at the age of six, the profits arising from the castle and lands were given to his mother, Queen Philippa (wife of Edward III) with a view to educating the young noble and her other children. In later years it is mentioned that in a rental role in the town of Queen Elizabeth the towns and villages doing homage at the manner of Conisbrough corresponded in number and name with those of a like document, dated A.D.1733.

It is entitled “a particular, of the Castle, and mannor, and lordshipp of Conegsburgh, in the County of York; the freeholder, which is in Edward Cook, late of Longford, in the County of Derby, Esq., Deceased, situate 4 miles from Doncaster, and the like distance from Rotherham, two market townes, in the County of York, and adjacent to that part of the river called Dun, which, by a late act of Parliament is made navigable from Sheffield, a considerable trading town in this county, to Hull, Seaport. Together with a particular account of the several tenants, annual farm rents, as also of the free and copy all rents, and other towns that all suit and service to the Castle and mannor of Conegsburgh. Made by George Appleyard, gent., Steward to the said Edward Coke, Esq, deceased.”

Perquisites worth over £20,000

Among the towns and hamlets owing suit and service then were Barmbrough (in which were about 30 suitors), Bracewell (40 suitors), Conisbrough (7), Clifton (17), Cusworth (5) and Warmsworth (15).

In all there were 18 towns and hamlets, in which there were 342 suitors, which did suit and service at the court twice every year. The Lord of the manner belonging 680 acres of comments, including 150 acres at Braithwell, 80 at Clifton and 50 in “Conyesbyrth”; the tennis, however, had stray. Quite a number of people had to pay Castle-guard rent, these rents been commuted service (Castelwardum), and was laid upon such persons has held land subject to the maintenance of such as watched and awarded the Castle. The Hall of the rental of the Castle and manor of Conisbrough, taking into account the perquisites appurtenant thereto, four years previously to the ownership of the Duke of Leeds, would seem to have been about £728 10s 1d, which at 30 years purchase, was worth something more than £20,000 Details of a feast, which appears to have been held on 14 September, 1321 and the following day at Conisbrough, make interesting and amusing reading:

In all 15s 4d (77p) was spent! – And the following is what was bought for that sum:

In bread 1s 6d, 4 gallons of wine 2s, 12 gallons of ale bought at Doncaster 1s 6d, 16 gallons of ale bought at Conisbrough 1s 4d (apparently it was cheaper to shopping Conisbrough, all was they´ll betting Doncaster?) shambles meat 2s, eight fowls 1s, two geese 8d, eggs 3d, two pounds of candles 3d, a woman´s wages for fetching the ale 1d, in provender for the houses 1s 3d. Tuesday following in bread bought 8d, 4 gallons of ale bought at Doncaster 6d (the beer from Doncaster must´ve been the more popular!), shambles meat 8d, two geese bought 8d, one fowl 1 ½ d, and 10 pigeons 4d.

Where right notes that a copy of the original, in Latin, was “now framed and hung up in the house of Mr Bickers, innkeeper, at this place, which seldom fails to attract the notice of every inquisitive traveller. It is in the handwriting of Mr Beckwith, late of Masbrough,” who added an English version.

Local charities.

In the succeeding pages there appear a full description of the Castle, particulars of Conisbrough charities, the parish church (describe the venerable edifice), of Woodlathes (a hamlet of the parish, knowledge of which seems, amongst present-day inhabitants of Conisbrough to be non-existent), of Clifton and of Firsby. Of the charities, Wainwright declares “the hand of charity has not been very liberal to the parish of Conisbrough” and of the population of village he mentions “in the year 1821 this parish contained 233 houses inhabited by 1142 souls.” The parish Church, he states, is an ancient vicarage, dedicated Saint Peter; and “on Pope Nicholas´s taxation, the `Ecclesia de Conyngesburgh´ was deemed worth £36 14s 4d and the vicarage five pounds per annum. In the time of Queen Elizabeth, it was estimated worth £110, but how value, or on what occasion, we know not. It is a living discharge, and the clear yearly value in the King´s books is £28 5s 9d ”

The book fittingly concludes with a list of Vickers from M.Orlandus in the 1240´s to Samuel Leeds in 1673. In these 433 years there were 26 incumbents