Deposition – William Bainbridge – 7 Aug 1680

William Bainbridge of Easterblackdeane in the Parrish of Stanhopp yeoman Aged Sixty Five yeares  Sworne and Examined sayth 



To the First Interrogatory this Depon[en]t sayth That hee knowes  the Compl[ainan]t And John Mowbray Richard Mowbray and John Westgarth  And knowes the Two p[ar]ishes of Stanhop and Wolsingham and Forrest of Weredale and hath soe knowne the same for Fifty six yeares last past



To the Second Interrogatory this Depon[en]t sayth That the now Bishopp of Durham and his p[re]decessors in right of his and theire Bishopbrick amongst other things are seised of and in the Two Manno[rs] or Lordshipps of Stanhopp and Wolsingham and Forrest of Weredale and of and in the Lead Mynes Groves and Ures within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest of Weredale



To the Third Fourth and Fifth Interrogatorys this Depon[en]t sayth That dureing all the time of his remembrance there hath beene an Officer called  Mooreman or Mooremaster  And by report time whereof the memory of man is not to the contrary there hath beene such Officer and Officers who by vertue of theire said Office have full Power Liberty and Authority to Digg and worke all the Lead Mynes within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest  And to prohibitt Stopp and Lett all others from workeing for any Lead Oare within the said Parrishes and Forrest unless such p[er]sons were Lycensed or Admitted thereunto by such Mooremaster or Mooremasters or theire Deputys  And this Depon[en]t sayth that hee hath knowne Mr Humphrey Wharton Mr Thomas Wharton Mr Richard Hutton and the Compl[ainan]t all Enjoy the said Office of Mooreman or Mooremaster and hath knowne Roger Bainbridge William Key and Robert Heslopp imployed as Deputy Mooremasters and hath knowne them lett Tacks to severall persons  And this Depon[en]t sayth that John Bainbridge this Depon[en]ts father and others tooke a Tack of Mr Humphrey Wharton aboute Forty or Forty nine yeares since of A myne called Allerclough and likewise sayth that his said father and George <Snodding> tooke A Tack from the said Mr Humphrey Wharton Mooremaster of a Myne called Gorbutt May in Rookehopp aboute forty six yeares since and that severall others tooke Tacks for without such Tacks noe p[er]son whatsoever could worke any Mynes within any of the said Parrishes and Forrest aforesaid 

 

To the Sixt and Seaventh Interrogatorys this Depon[en]t sayth that hee knowes all the Moores Fells Hoopes and grounds in these Interrogatorys menc[i]oned and hath soe knowne them dureing all the time of his this Depon[en]ts remembrance <within> which Lands Moores Fells Hoopes and grounds there are severall Mynes and groves of Oare which have beene Auntiently wrought by Tack from the Mooremaster And this Depon[en]t is the better able to Depose herein for that hee hath beene a Myner and Workeman in and aboute the Lead Mynes within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest for aboute Forty nine yeares last past  And hath wrought the Mynes hereafter named by Tack from the Mooremaster (vizt) upon Middlehopp fell the Mynes called Dowkes and Newmeadowheads on Rookehop fell the Mynes called Wolfeclough Gorbutt May and Thornegrove on Middleblackdeanefell the Two Mynes called Allerclough and Cragg Grove which said Two last menc[i]oned Mynes ly within an Enclosure and now is and hath been dureing all the time of this Depon[en]ts remembrance wrought by Tack from the Mooremaster And this Depon[en]t sayth that upon the fell called Ireshopp hee knowes the Mynes called Fawgrove Fawheads Greenwell-heads Greenwellfoote Claygrove Barberry grove Gravell lodge Peiterclough Earnwell West of Earnwell Howlesike and knew the said Howlesike wrought about Thirty Eight yeares since by John Sheild by Tack from the Mooremaster and knows Deepcloughhead Westgraine Bradesike Arnegrove Ireshopburnefoote Cawd:berry End and Groveheads and sayth that the said Groveheads was wrought Forty yeares since by Tack from the Mooremaster by John Sheild George Lee and Cuthbert Watson  On Burnehoppfell this Depon[en]t knowes the Mynes called Langtayhead East and West of Langtay Berrywell Scrathheads Spring wells Cocklake Flask Hesley gill Sallowgraine and Windsike  On Kilhopp fell hee knowes the Mynes called Westrake of Greenefeild Mossgrove Hesley hill West End Ellymay or Hesley hill East End  On Welhopp fell hee knowes the mynes called Welheads and Cowhause on Heddryclough fell hee knowes the Mynes called Heddryclough East and West Greenfeild East and West and Puddingthorne on Middleblackdeane fell this Depon[en]t knowes the Mynes abovesaid called Allerclough and Cragg:Grove and likewise knows Greenhills Elmeford Stoupheads Rakes Cloughhead Lodgefeildslitt and Fawgrove On Easterblackdeane fell hee knowes the mynes called Laws grove and Fairehills  On Sedlinghopp fell hee knowes the Mynes called Broadmay:grove Toadstone Baylehill Brakensike Whiterake Midgepitts Barkerburne Sedling grove Reedgrovehill Arnegrove:hill and Sedling greaterake  On Middlehopp fell this Depon[en]t knowes the Mynes called Dowkes and Newmeadow:heads as he hath p[re]deposed and likewise the Mynes called Broadmay Earneclough Blackaxeltree Bondgrove and Seinesike  And hee likewise knowes the Mynes on Westgatehight called Groverake Postwell Westerlyhight:pitts and Sideheads and sayth the same are Auntient mines and have beene wrought before the time of this Deponents remembrance for that hee this Depon[en]t hath always observed greate old hushes and heapes of sparr and vaine soyle that hath Auntiently beene wrought out of the said Mynes lying on or neare the said Mynes upon Westerlyhightfell aforesaid  On the Fell called Rookehopp hee knowes the severall mynes called Wolfeclough Gorbutt may and Thornygrove as hee hath p[re]deposed and likewise knowes the mynes called Greeneclough Dixons grove Langwell Sike Foulewood Barshawmeadow Wolfeclough foote Langwell Groverake East=Skarsike Southgraine Resby myres and Lynskarth clough head  And this Depon[en]t sayth that hee hath knowne severall p[er]sons worke severall of the Mynes menc[i]oned in this Interrogatory by and und[er] the Mooremasters <style> And sayth that all Mynes wrought dureing all the time of this Depon[en]ts remembrance were wrought by Tack or Grant from the Mooremasters as incident and belonging to theire aid Office as well within as without Inclosed Grounds within the said Two Parrishes and Forrest