Roger Staveley of Wensley, Yorkshire
Roger Staveley (b. 1655) is the eldest son of Francis Staveley and Elizabeth of Wensley. Roger appears to have been a lifelong resident of Wensley, and is listed in the Wensley parish registers as Roger Staveley "of Bolton Hall".
"From Wensley a walk of a little more than two miles through Bolton Park and the adjoining woods brings us to Redmire. The road through the Park runs past Bolton Hall, built in 1678 by the first Duke of Bolton, after Bolton Castle became untenable. The Powletts obtained possession of this princely estate by the marriage of Charles Powlett to Mary, daughter of Emanuel, Lord Scrope of Bolton...The riparian woodland of Bolton is of great beauty and extent, its scenery where the Yore flows for much over a mile sequestered in dense afforested ground quite as suggestive of the sylvan halls of the fairies as Bolton's upon Wharfe, but without its priory." --Edmund Bogg
It is unknown how Roger came to be residing at Bolton Hall, but it is presumed that his affiliation with the Hall is due to his father's previous associations and transactions regarding the estate of Charles Powlett, Duke of Bolton (see West Witton). Roger would have been 23 years of age when Bolton Hall was constructed...
From Bulmer's 1890:
Bolton Hall, the seat of the Right Hon. Lord Bolton, is within this township, and about one mile west of Wensley. It is situated in an extensive park skirting the north bank of the Yore, and girt with a belt of woodland. It is a noble stone mansion, erected about the year 1678, by Charles Powlett, marquis of Winchester, afterward Duke of Bolton, who came into possession of this portion of the Scrope land by his marriage with Mary, a natural daughter of Emanuel, earl of Sunderland, and thirteenth and last Lord Scrope of Bolton.
On March 18, 1691 the Wensley parish registers refer to the christening of: "Rachell Metcalfe, now servant to Mr. Roger Staveley" suggesting that Roger's position there was at least worthy of his need to retain a servant(s).
A number records pertaining to property leases and sale show Roger working with his father and or his father's associates on behalf of Charles Powlett, 6th Marquis of Winchester: -
19 January 1683/4
"Grant for £144: Charles, Marquis of Winchester and his trustees Francis Staveley of Capplebank Park esq. & Wastell Robinson of West Bolton gent. to Thomas Jackson of Nunnington gent. :-- fee farm rent of £9 for the farm of the rectory of Pharam (Wharram) Peircy --: Witn. Will. Mason, Jno. Colton, John Coleman, Rich. Williamson, Rog. Staveley."
20 November 1683/4
John Blackburne, Ann Savill, Leonard Smelt and John Wastell (as in to Timothy Blackburne of Grinton and Francis Blackburne of Richmond gents):--
Site of priory with closes called Applegarth, Applegarth Flatt, Snawdon, Tabby Strands, Wintringham Strands alias Wintringham Holme, Sandbeddes, Sir John Carr, Methren Flatt, Cow House Close, Coate Flatt, Brear Banke, Stane Garth alias Stone Garths, East Coate Close, New Close, Sike Bank Close, Yow Close, Dunnis Hagg alias New Springe, Smythy Hills, the Orchard, Applegarth Batt, East Meatherons Flatt, Mill Lowe Inge, Long Close, New Close, Waggetts Wood, Waggetts High Pasture, Colt Close alias East Coate Closes and West Plaine (parcel of Mill Banke). Ninth sheaf in Aiscough (Aiskew). Tithes in Marrick and from freehold lands of Thomas Buckden of Oxcough there --: Witn. Grace Smelt, Frances Harrison, Rog. Staveley, Richard Golton, Wm. Wainwright, John Simpson, Thomas Place, Matth. Robinson, John Pomfret, John Bendlowe.
In 1694 Roger was acting as a "commissioner" during the enclosure of Thornton Steward. Roger is listed with 2 other commissioners in the enclosure records as follows:
"Commissioners: Roger Staveley, Christopher Ascough, Samuel Beckwith"
Doomsday survey 1712: The Bolton Estate (Bolton Hall, Wensley)
Mr. Roger Staveley of Wensley paid £35/pa rent for:
Whitesykes
Little Swaforth
West Swaforth
Banks Close
Hooker Close
Ware Garth
Myers Pasture
Hooker Pasture
East Raygarth Pasture
West Raygarth Pasture
Westfield Tillage
- about 66 acres.
It was also noted at that time the land it is now lett to Henry Bearpark for 39 £ Ann. Exactly why Roger gave up the leases on these pastures is unknown, but it should be noted that Roger died less than a year after this Doomsday Survey and was buried in Wensley on May 1, 1713.
Another Wensley entry shows:
Mr. Staveley for Orton Farm leasing:
Ings Close
Whitesikes
Crooked Acre
Thornage
The Pasture
Grasses in ye Ings
Swaforth
Berrys
Caw Garth Lea
In Wrangbeck Field
Jane White House- total rent £18
An odd notation from The Field Book of Tenants of Lord Bolton in 1723 shows a Henry Humphrey residing at "Staveley House" in Wensley. Exactly what the association here is unclear, but intriguing nonetheless.
Roger and his wife Deborah had four children baptized at Wensley, two daughters and two sons. There is no entry of marriage however for Roger and Deborah at Wensley. It is presumed that Roger and Deborah were married just prior to birth of their eldest child in 1689, but an exhaustive search of surrounding parish records did not yield any marriages for this couple. However, a record was located in York, at St. Crux as follows:
"Roger Staveley, Gent, married Debrah Lowe on May 24th 1688"
Could this be Roger of Wensley? The date of marriage certainly seems in keeping with the timing of the start of his family in Wensley.
Daughter Deborah (b. 1691/2) was baptized in Wensley. Francis (b. 1694) died age 15 in June 1709 and was buried at Holy Trinity. Roger had a another son, also named Roger baptized in 1697, but it is unknown at this time whether he survived, and so it is unknown if Roger's branch of the Staveley line continued. Roger's eldest daughter Rachell (b. 1689) married John Robinson at St. Andrew's, Aysgarth in 1713.
Note that Roger's wife Deborah died in 1709, a mere five months before the death of her son Francis. She was buried at Holy Trinity, Wensley on January 30, 1709.
Author: Clare M. Staveley