The extent of the medieval district of Craven, in the north of England is a matter of debate. The name Craven is either pre-Celtic Britain, Britonnic or Romano-British in origin. However, its usage continued following the ascendancy of the

Anglo-Saxons The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...

and the

Normans The Normans ( Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Franks and Gallo-Romans. ...

– as was demonstrated by its many appearances in the

Domesday Book Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manus ...

of 1086. Places described as being ''In Craven'' in the Domesday Book fell later within the modern county of

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by national parks, including most of the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. It is one of four co ...

, as well as neighbouring areas of

West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exis ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

and

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. ...

. Usage of Craven in the Domesday Book is, therefore, circumstantial evidence of an extinct, British or Anglo-Saxon kingdom or

subnational entity Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...

(such as a

shire Shire is a traditional term for an administrative division of land in Great Britain and some other English-speaking countries such as Australia and New Zealand. It is generally synonymous with county. It was first used in Wessex from the beginn ...

or earldom). The modern

local government district The districts of England (also known as local authority districts or local government districts to distinguish from unofficial city districts) are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. As the s ...

of Craven – a much smaller area entirely within North Yorkshire – was defined in 1974.

Background

Although historic Craven extended a little further southeast in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions hav ...

, as it still does with the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church record ...

's Deanery of South Craven, the northwestern boundary is the one much disputed. Before the Norman Conquest the North of England from coast to coast was administered from

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as ...

and named The Kingdom of York. By 1086 the Normans had designated only one

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the North of England and that was Yorkshire. One may assume thereby that the Norman Yorkshire of 1086 was much the same as the Kingdom of York of 1065; and the Domesday Book supports this. The creation of Lancashire, Cumberland and Westmorland took place after 1086: Cumberland may have been shired in 1092, there was a sheriff of Westmorland by 1129, and a sheriff of Lancashire by 1164. It has also been proposed that the first Yorkshire was smaller, much as it was up till 1974, and that Amounderness, Cartmel, Furness, Kendale, Copeland and Lonsdale were attached to it in the Domesday Book, merely for administrative convenience.

Craven in the Domesday Book

The Domesday Book (1086) was essentially an economic census of England, completed during the reign of

William the Conqueror William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 10 ...

, to find out how much each landholder had in arable land and what that land was worth in terms of the taxes they used to pay under

Edward the Confessor Edward the Confessor ; la, Eduardus Confessor , ; ( 1003 – 5 January 1066) was one of the last Anglo-Saxon English kings. Usually considered the last king of the House of Wessex, he ruled from 1042 to 1066. Edward was the son of Æth ...

. The areas of ploughland were counted in

carucates The carucate or carrucate ( lat-med, carrūcāta or ) was a medieval unit of land area approximating the land a plough team of eight oxen could till in a single annual season. It was known by different regional names and fell under different forms ...

: the land a farmer could manage throughout the year with a team of eight oxen. That area varied with the local soil but on average it was 120

acre The acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial and US customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one chain by one furlong (66 by 660 feet), which is exactly equal to 10 square chains, of a square mile, 4,840 square y ...

s, (50

hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is a ...

s). Some carucates are designated ''Waste'', many of these were devastated and depopulated by the Norman army during the

Harrying of the North The Harrying of the North was a series of campaigns waged by William the Conqueror in the winter of 1069–1070 to subjugate northern England, where the presence of the last Wessex claimant, Edgar Ætheling, had encouraged Anglo- Danish r ...

1069–70, ca.17 years prior to this survey.

The Land of the King in Craven, Domesday Book folio 301v

Mostly in Airedale but also in Lonsdale for that was then considered part of Yorkshire. LOCATION
Cononley
Bradleys Both
Farnhill
Kildwick
Eastburn
Utley

Keighley Keighley ( ) is a market town and a civil parish in the City of Bradford Borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is the second largest settlement in the borough, after Bradford. Keighley is north-west of Bradford city centre, north-west of ...

Wilsden Wilsden is a village and civil parish in west Bradford, in West Yorkshire, England. Wilsden is west of Bradford and is close to the Aire Valley and the nearby villages of Denholme, Cullingworth, Harden, Cottingley and Allerton. Wilsden ...

NewsholmeNewsholme near Oakworth has a unique church that forms part of a farmhouse
Retrieved November 2010
Laycock
Sutton-in-Craven
Melling-with-Wrayton, Hornby-with-Farleton, Wennington
Thornton in Lonsdale, Burrow-with-Burrow
CARUCATES
2
7
2
2 plus 1 church
2 ½
1
6
3
1
2
2
10 ½
6
PREVIOUS OWNER
Thorkil
Arnkeld, Thorkil, Gamel
Gamel
Arnkeld
Gamel Bern
Vilts
Ulfkeld, Thole, Ravensvartr
Gamel Bern
Vilts
Ravensvartr
Ravenkeld
Ulf and Orm
Orm
CURRENT
King William
King William
King William
King William
King William
King William
King William
King William
King William
King William
King William
King William
King William

The Land of The Clamores of Yorkshire in Craven, Domesday Book folio 380

These lands centred on Bolton Abbey were soon after this date transferred to Robert de Romille. And since the Saxon manse at Bolton Abbey was beyond repair Romille built a castle elsewhere: Skipton Castle.Whitaker, Thomas Dunham (2012) 805 The History and Antiquities of the Deanery of Craven in the County of York (new ed.). London: British Library. pp. 8. . LOCATION

Bolton Abbey Bolton Abbey in Wharfedale, North Yorkshire, England, takes its name from the ruins of the 12th-century Augustinian monastery now known as Bolton Priory. The priory, closed in the 1539 Dissolution of the Monasteries ordered by King Hen ...

was the caput manor of a multiple estate
CARUCATES
77, waste
PREVIOUS

Earl Edwin Edwin ( Old English: ''Ēadwine'') (died 1071) was the elder brother of Morcar, Earl of Northumbria, son of Ælfgār, Earl of Mercia and grandson of Leofric, Earl of Mercia. He succeeded to his father's title and responsibilities on Ælfgār's ...

SOON TO BE
Robert de Romille

The Land of William de Percy in Craven, Domesday Book folio 322

William de Percy was the founder of the powerful English

House of Percy A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air cond ...

. LOCATION

Rimington Rimington is a rural village and civil parish in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England. The population of the civil parish was 382 at the 2001 Census, however at the 2011 Census Middop was included with Rimington giving a total of 480. It is ...

, Crooks, Little Middop, Starkeshergh
Bolton-by-Bowland, Raygill Moss, Holme
Painley, Gisburn, Paythorne, Newsholme, Ellenthorpe
Nappa, Horton
Thornton in Craven, Kelbrook

Swinden Swinden is a small village in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is near Halton West and Nappa and about 7 miles north of Barnoldswick. The population was estimated at 20 in 2010. Swinden was historically a township in t ...

, Hellifield, Malham, Coniston Cold
Glusburn and Chelsis
CARUCATES
11, waste
8, waste
12 , waste
6 , waste
8 , waste
13 , waste
3, waste
PREVIOUS
Beornwulf
Beornwulf
Beornwulf
Beornwulf
Beornwulf
Beornwulf
Gamal
CURRENT
William de Percy
William de Percy
William de Percy
William de Percy
William de Percy
William de Percy
William de Percy

The Land of Gilbert Tison in Craven, Domesday Book folio 327

By 1118 Tison had suffered a demotion and his lands returned to the king then given to the Houses of Romille, Percy, Fitz John and d'Aubigny LOCATION
Grassington, Linton, Threshfield
Eastburn, Steeton
Glusburn and Chelsis
Oakworth
CARUCATES
7
5
3
1
PREVIOUS
Gamal Bern
Gamal Bern
Gamal Bern
Gamal Bern
CURRENT
Gilbert Tison
Gilbert Tison
Gilbert Tison
Gilbert Tison

The Land of Hugh fitzBaldric in Craven, Domesday Book folio 327v

An "in crave" entry in this folio is difficult to explain. It is followed by ''Holecher, Bretebi'' which Robert H Skaife identified with Holker Hall and neighbouring Birkby Hall east of Grange-over-Sands (now in

), ignoring the Craven title. William Farrer had connected them with Craven as parts of Kettlewell, although no longer traceable. All the rest of Hugh fitzBaldric's land were in East Yorkshire, and he was High Sheriff of Yorkshire 1069–1086. LOCATION
Holker?
CARUCATES
8
PREVIOUS
Orm
CURRENT
Hugh FitzBaldric

The Land of Erneis du Buron in Craven, Domesday Book folio 327v

In 1066 a nephew of Ralph Tesson, Ernies de Buron, from Beuron near Mantes,

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

page 10
The Norman People
Archive Org. Accessed 2013-6-8 provided

with money, men and the ships for the invasion of England. Ernies fought at the

Battle of Hastings The Battle of Hastings nrf, Batâle dé Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman-French army of William, the Duke of Normandy, and an English army under the Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson, beginning the Norman Conques ...

and is named in the Falaise Roll and in the Rolls of Battle Abbey. He settled in England 1068. The Doomsday Book lists that he had seventy-two properties in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. In 1086 he succeeded Hugh fitz Baldric as High Sheriff of Yorkshire. However between 1102 and 1118 his lands were confiscated by King

Henry I Henry I may refer to: 876–1366 * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry I the Long, Margrave of th ...

and given to the House of Romille. LOCATION
Marley, Halton (in Bingley), Cottingley, Cullingworth, Hainworth
CARUCATES
7
PREVIOUS
—
CURRENT
Erneis du Buron

The Land of Osbern D'Arques in Craven, Domesday Book folio 328

Osbern de Arches (1059–1115) became High Sheriff of Yorkshire ca1100. LOCATION
Silsden
Hebden and Thorpe
Burnsall and Drebley
Cattal
CARUCATES
8
4
2
5, waste
PREVIOUS
Five thegns
Dreng
Dreng
—
CURRENT
Osbern D'Arques
Osbern D'Arques
Osbern D'Arques
Osbern D'Arques

The Land of the King's Thegns in Craven, Domesday Book folio 331v

The term

thegn In Anglo-Saxon England, thegns were aristocratic landowners of the second rank, below the ealdormen who governed large areas of England. The term was also used in early medieval Scandinavia for a class of retainers. In medieval Scotland, ther ...

means a

retainer Retainer may refer to: * Retainer (orthodontics), devices for teeth * RFA ''Retainer'' (A329), a ship * Retainers in early China, a social group in early China Employment * Retainer agreement, a contract in which an employer pays in advance for ...

of a king or

nobleman Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteris ...

below the rank of

high-reeve High-reeve ( ang, hēahgerēfa) was a title taken by some English magnates during the 10th and 11th centuries, and is particularly associated with the rulers of Bamburgh. It was not however only used by rulers of Bamburgh; many other places use ...

. LOCATION
Rylstone
Hartlington
Appletreewick
Burnsall, Thorpe
Hartlington
Rylstone
Appletreewick
Holdene
Holdene
Kilnsey
Heuurde
Conistone
CARUCATES
4
1
1
3
3
1
2
2
4
6
1
3
PREVIOUS
Almund
Almund
—
Heardwulf
Northmann
Ramkel
Ketil
Ketil
Gospatric and Ulfkil
Hamal
Gospatric
Arnketil
CURRENT
Dolgfinnr
Dolgfinnr
Dolgfinnr
Heardwulf
Northmann
Ramkel
Orm
Orm
Gospatrick and Ulfkil
Ulf
Gospatric
Ketil

The Land of Roger de Poitou in Yorkshire, Domesday Book folio 332

In looking for a definition of Craven, Roger de Poitou's entries on folio 332 are ambiguous for that page lacks the heading "In Craven". However some manors listed here as his are described elsewhere in the book as being in Craven. Thornton-in-Craven is quite outspoken in this matter! The omission of a heading could be considered a scribal error. Or, since the previous sub-section was entitled 'In Craven', the scribe may have decided it unnecessary to repeating the heading. However Poitou's total lands cannot be used to determine the extent of Craven for he also held lands between the Ribble and the

Mersey The River Mersey () is in North West England. Its name derives from Old English and means "boundary river", possibly referring to its having been a border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. For centuries it has formed part ...

together with Amounderness. After 1102 Roger rebelled against the King, so

Henry I of England Henry I (c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts. On William's death ...

confiscated his lands and gave those in upper

Wharfedale Wharfedale ( ) is the valley of the upper parts of the River Wharfe and one of the Yorkshire Dales. It is situated within the districts of Craven and Harrogate in North Yorkshire, and the cities of Leeds and Bradford in West Yorkshire. ...

and upper Airedale to the House of Romille and those in Ribblesdale and around Gisburn to the

. Sometime after Domesday Poitou had given Bowland to

Robert de Lacy The honour of Pontefract, also known as the feudal barony of Pontefract, was an English feudal barony. Its origins lie in the grant of a large, compact set of landholdings in Yorkshire, made between the Norman conquest of England in 1066 and the c ...

, the Baron of

Pontefract Pontefract is a historic market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the towns in the City of W ...

. The king allowed him to keep Bowland and expanded his lands with the whole of

Blackburnshire Blackburn Hundred (also known as Blackburnshire) is a historic sub-division of the county of Lancashire, in northern England. Its chief town was Blackburn, in the southwest of the hundred. It covered an area similar to modern East Lancashire, i ...

and part of Amounderness. These lands formed the basis of the Honour of Clitheroe.

References

External links

The Domesday Book
on The National Archives website. Search facilities are free of charge. Downloads are chargeable.
Searchable index of landholders in 1066 and 1087
Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England (PASE) project. {{Authority control

Domesday Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...

Domesday Book History of Yorkshire History of Lancashire