Extract from 1856 map (click on map for larger area)

Moorsholm Mill and Swindale Beck

Swindale Beck

Bluebells in Swindale

There is no known evidence linking this Swindale with the Swindale/swindle/swindell surname despite P.H. Reaney making that association in his Dictionary of English Surnames. Swindale Farm is a stonebuilt house of apparently 18th or 19th century construction but may well have much earlier origins. (I once lived in a very similar house myself where the farm dated back to at least the 14th century AJS). In 1792 Robert Porrit bequeathed Swindale to his son, also known as Robert.¹. The placename, Swindale, goes back to at least 1271⁵ - the era of surname formation - but there is no evidence of habitation before the 18th century enclosures.

White's Directory of 1840 notes
"The poor of Moorsholm and Stanghow have four acres of land in the former township, called Swindale, left by Robert Barwick, and now worth about £2 10s. per annum, thouigh the family who hold it have usually paid only 30s. per year."
(I think this means the township of Morrsholm and Stanghow).

The closest connection is John Swindell in 1605 in Sutton near Thirsk some 40km to the south-east.

Links

Information about the parish of Skelton from Bulmer's 1890 History and Directory of the North Riding.

This aerial photo cannot be published for reasons of copyright but can be viewed by entering 'Moorsholm' in www.old-maps.co.uk and then selecting 'aerial photo').

Notes

1     Will of Robert Porrit, Skelton, Yorks, Yeoman

2     The 'Plan of the High and Low Moors in the Township of Great Moorsholm in Cleveland, Made in 1821 by R. Otley' (Northallerton Record Office Reference ZPF frame 280) shows Swindale (unnamed) as part of 'Kilton Inclosure' from Kilton Common rather than 'Ancient Inclosures in Great Moorsholm'. I have not yet traced any record of the Kilton Inclosures. The 1856 map shows it as a detached part of Kilton Parish. I have seen a reference indicating that Kilton Parish ceased to exist in 1868.

3     The 1856 map shows the uppermost reaches of the Swindale Beck as Swinsow Dale (leading down to Oven Close).

4     There appear to be no references to Swindale / Swindell / Swindle in the whole of the Hearth Tax register for Yorkshire 1672/3 (as transcribed by the Ripon Historical Society).

5   He [Peter de Brus] was made constable of Scarborough Castle; and departing this life 14 Kal. October, anno 1271 (55 Hen. III.) without issue, left his four sisters his heirs: viz, the wife of Walter de Fauconberg, who had for her share the castle of Skelton and Manor of Merske (Marske), Up lethum (Upleatham), Westby, and Eastburne ; Lucia, the wife of Marmaduke de Thweng, who had the lordships of Danby, Bretton (Brotton), Yarum (Yarm),  and Kirkeburne, as also the town of Great Moresdon, with the common and chase of Wauer, viz. Swindale, Laharenes, and other dales, as the roadway extendeth from Lardthorne to Skelton by Scortbeck, between Katerig and Strangewig, &c.; Margaret, the wife of Robert de Ros, who had all Kendall ; and Laderina, the wife of John de Bellew, who had for her share the lordships of Coulton in Balne, Kalmesworth, Thorpe Arches, Tithethorpe, and certain yard lands in Sethbarne.

The History and Antiquities of Cleveland: Comprising the Wapentake of East and West Langbargh: p595 from Dugdale's Baronage.  By John Walker Ord 1972

Daneby manor with the forest.
Lelhom and Wolvedale.
Manselinges with the farm of Thomas de Wolvedale.
Brocton manor and Skinergrive, and the boats of Skinergrive, rents, &c.
Jarum with the rents and fishery.
Great Morsom, with rents, &c. of freemen and others.
The forest of the chace of the dales, viz.—Swindale and Le Havenes and other dales as the high way extends from Lardethorn to Scelton by Skaytebec, between Katerig and Stangho, and so as far as the wood of Liverton.

Kirkebrun manor and Suthbrune with the mills, &c. excepting lands and rents assigned to John de Bella Aqua and La dereyne his wife.

A fourth part of wreck of sea, as above, with moieties of the advowson of Giseburn priory, and of the bailiwick of Langeberewe.

Memorandum. On the first vacation the prior will be presented by Sir Walter de Facunberg or his heirs, and on the next by Sir Marmaduke, and so on alternately to the end of the world.

The part of Walter de Facunberg and Agnes his wife (undated).

From: 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Henry III, File 41', Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 1: Henry III (1904), pp. 261-273. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=108037&strquery=Swindale  Date accessed: 21 September 2009.

Swindale Farm