Short title: Harpur v Goodwin. Plaintiffs: John Harpur. Defendants: William Goodwin...

Short title: Harpur v Goodwin.

Plaintiffs: John Harpur.

Defendants: William Goodwin and others.

Documents: depositions concerning common rights on lands (Triester Edge, Ryve Edge and Dane Orchard) at Hartington, Derbyshire, with a copy of the perambulation of 24 Henry VIII, exhibited by Goodwin, and information about the making of the plans. The two plans of Hartington, c. 1599, showing various parcels of disputed land in Derbyshire and Staffordshire, have been removed to MPC 1/274.

Taken 31 August, 41 Eliz.

The commissioners cite the lewd behaviour and violent quarrels of Thomas Brount labourer of Longnor who caused trouble while the depositions were being taken in Longnor chapel yard.

Deponents for defendants: deponents deny John Harpur or his ancestors have any claim to the disputed land [Triester Edge, Ryve Edge and Dane Orchard]. They cite Harpur having been amerced at Hartington court for trespass of his beasts]. Edward Needham of Worksop, Nottinghamshire, gentleman, aged 44, whose memory of Hartington goes back 30 years [to 1569], deposed that the lands in variance were always common. He knows the boundaries of the land to be true 'for that his father and one Michael Needham his godfather and others have diverse times showed this deponent that place called paniers poole [Panniers Pool] which divided the said three shires [Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire]'. The tenants of Hartington have dug coal and stone on the disputed lands which lie in Derbyshire; George Needham of the Green, yeoman, aged 80, whose memory goes back 60 years, deposed that the perambulations of the bounds occur occasionally and that he with the other 'substantial men' of the manor had walked the bounds on 2 occasions, 60 and 30 years ago. [He presented a copy of the court roll which recorded the bounds]; William Knowles, of the Green in Hartington, fuller, aged 60, whose memory goes back 40 years and more [to 1559], deposed that the land, Triester Edge, Ryve Edge and Dane Orchard, comprised 1000 acres. He attended the perambulation of the bounds along with other 'substantial men' of the manor 30 and 6 years ago; William Ferne of Buxton, labourer, aged 68, lived in Buxton for 40 years and before that Hartington; Humphrey Wheldon of Fairfield, labourer, aged 56, deposed that he attended the perambulation of the bounds of Hartington 30 years ago but had not lived there for 16 years and now lives 1 mile out of the manor; Michael Swynscowe of Fairfield, yeoman, aged 60, whose memory goes back 40 years [to 1559]; Robert Ferne of Fernehouses in Hartington, husbandman, aged 74, whose memory goes back 60 years [to 1539]; Edward Goodwin of Crowborough, Staffordshire, farmer, aged 48, deposed that he was brother and tenant of William Goodwin. That he had gotten coal and stone on the land and had not been challenged by the tenants of Hartington, 'about 32 years ago being a dry summer he [...] kept his father's sheep upon the land in controversy' when they had crossed the border into Sir John Savage's land, Lawrence Fallowes offered to teach him the boundaries in return for a 'pecke of meale'; John Wardle of Wilshaw, Staffordshire, husbandman, aged 36; Edward Wheldon of Earls Sterndale, husbandman, aged 60; John Wheldon of Earls Sterndale. husbandman, aged 60; Roger Frost of Fernehouses, husbandman, aged 50.

For items extracted from this piece see

MPC 1/274

Topics

Manors

Litigation

Coal

Crown lands and estates

Farming