IN Domesday-book, the earliest and most authentic record, in which the name of this place occurs, Leventon is thus mentioned under the title of "Terra Regis:"

Manerium in Lentune. Hauuard VI Carucatas ad Geldum. "Terra ad III Car. XL Solidos."

Domefday-book.

FROM which it appears, that Kirk-Levington was the ancient inheritance of the crown; and, at the time of making the furvey, contained fix carucates (about 720 acres) of land, rated, or taxed (ad geldum); befides which there was land fufficient for three ploughs, valued at forty fhillings. Who the Saxon poffeffors were, or of what rank and condition this Hauuard was, we are uninformed; but from Domeidaybook, he appears to have had large poffeffions in this part of the diftrict. After the conqueft, it was one of those manors granted by the Conqueror, to Robert de Brus, of Skelton-Castle, who held it of the King in capite by military service. The Bruces continued poffeffors, till the reign of Richard I. or King John; when it was given by Aaam de Brus then Lord of Skelton, in marriage with his daughter Ifabel to Henry de Percy, youngest fon of Joceline Lovaine, ancestor to the Percies, Dukes of Northumberland; for which gift (as appears from the great Percy Chartulary, folio 60,) "the faid Henry and his heirs were to repair to "Skelton-Cafile every Christmas day, and lead the lady of that Caftie from ber "chamber to the chapel to mafs; and from thence to her chamber again; and after dining with her, to depart."

THE Percies held this manor and estate till the attainder of Henry, furnamed Hotfpur; who joining with his father, in rebellion against King Henry IV. their estates became forfeited to the crown; and Kirke Levington, with their other large poffeffions, was granted by that King to John, Duke of Bedford, his third fon, who died* feized thereof (14. Henry VI.) without issue, leaving that King, his nephew, his heir. It

* He died at the castle of Roan, in Normandy, and was buried in the church of Notre-Dame, September 14th, 1435.

feems however, not to have continued long in the crown; for, we find that Henry, the son of Hotspur (who had been kindly treated by King Henry V.) was, foon after restored in blood, and to the inheritance of his father; and died seized of this manor, (33. Henry VI.) being flain in the battle of St. Albans, a ftout affertor of the Lancastrian interest.

KIRK-LEVINGTON, after this, continued in the Percy family, till Henry, the fixth Earl of Northumberland; who, upon the attainder of his younger brother, Sir Thomas Percy, Knight, (29. Henry VIII.) gave this, and a great part of his other eftates, to King Henry VIII. It afterwards became the poffeffion of Sir George Bowes, of StreatlamCastle, Bart. in which family it continued till male-issue failing, it was carried by marriage with Mary-Eleanor, daughter of George Bowes, Efq. to the late Earl of Strathmore; whofe fon, the present Earl, fold the manor and eftate to John Waldy, and Henry Hutchinson, Efqrs. the present proprietors.

KIRKBY, in his inqueft, fays, there were four carucates of land in Kirklevington (where ten made one knight's fee) held by Henry de Percy; who paid nothing, as being liberum maritagium. † From the fame inqueft it appears, that William de Levington held eleven oxgangs here and paid eighteen pence. ‡

THIS William de Levington, we prefume, was a younger branch of the Percy family; and on his quitting the place of his paternal refidence, and fettling here, affumed the local name, according to the custom of those times, when men, being rarely dignified with furnames, were usually denominated from the estates, to which they removed. The defcendants of this William flourished, and continued

+ HENRICUS DE PERCY tenet quatuor Carucat. Terr. in Kirk-Levynton, unde X faciunt unum feod. milit. Et non reddit Ballivo Domini Regis finem; et eft liberum Maritagium.

Kirkby's Inquefi. WILLIMUS DE LEVYNGTON tenet XI Bovat. Ter. in Kirk-Levyngton unde X Car. Ter. faciunt Feodum; et reddit Ballivo Domini Regis pro fine 18d.

Kirkby's Inqueft.

to hold lands here for feveral generations; § for we find that Richard de Levington gave ten acres of land in this township to the priory of Guifbrough; which was confirmed by Peter, fon of Peter de Brus. ||

KIRK-LEVINGTON, notwithstanding its present apparent infignificance, did not efcape the depredations of warfare; for we find that King Edward II. in the 13th year of his reign, iffued a mandate to the collectors of his taxes in the north-riding of the county of York, for exempting this town, with feveral others from the payment thereof, in confideration that the inhabitants had been plundered, and their houfes and property burnt and destroyed by the rebellious Scots, in an incurfion, which they made, the year preceding, under the command of Sir James Douglas, and the Earl of Murray, to the very gates of the city of York.

FROM the mandate, * which we have fet forth in the notes, it appears, that Kirk-Levington was, at that time, in the custody of Eleanor, widow of Henry de Percy, who was daughter of Richard, Earl of Arundel, during the minority of her fon.

THE church, which is an humble ftructure, but kept in decent repair, ftands a little to the fouth, near the centre of the village, on ground, which is the most elevated; and commands an extenfive and

STEPHEN DE LEVINGTON Occurs Prior of Helagh in 1333; and was fucceeded by Richard de Levington in 1352. Burton's Mon. Ebor.

|| DUGD. MON. vol. 11. p. 151.

* "REX taxatoribus et collectoribus decimæ octave in Northtrithingo in Com. Ebor. falutem. Quia Alianora, quæ fuit uxor Henrici de Percy nobis dedit intelligi, pro fe, hominibus et tenentibus villarum de Topclif, Newby, Carleton, Criftwayt, Aftenby, Kirk- Levington, Dyfford, et Renyngton, quod predictæ villæ per Scotos inimicos et rebelles noftros funt combuftæ, et bona et catalla hominum de prædictis villis per eofdem inimicos in parte deftructa, et in parte deprædata, per quod iidem Alianora, homines et tenentes de bonis illis taxationem dictæ decimæ octavæ nobis folvere non poffunt. Nos ad eorum deftructionem confiderationem habentes, vobis mandamus, quod facta taxatione decimæ octavæ prædictæ de bonis fuis ibidem remanentibus juxta formam commiffionis, vobis nuper inde factæ, levationi ejufdem fuperfedeatis omnino, quoufque aliud a nobis inde habueritis in mandatis. Tefte Rege apud Ebor. 25. Nov. per ipfum regem et confilium." Claus. 13. Edw. II. m. 13.

Rymer. Tom. III. p. 801.

pleasing prospect into the county of Durham on the north. The hills above Richmond terminate the view to the weft; as do the range of the Cleveland hills, and the hanging woods of Arncliff that to the fouth.

WE are in poffeffion of no evidence, that points out with certainty, at what time, or by whom this church was originally built or endowed; but its style of architecture discovers confiderable antiquity. The circular form of the arch, leading to the chancel, which is fupported by round pillars, with fquare or faxon capitals, and ornamented with zig-zag mouldings of tolerable workmanship, induces us to conclude it of Saxon-origin; while the eastern-window, as also one to the south, under pointed arches curiously embellished, are proofs that the principal parts of the prefent ftructure cannot claim a date earlier than the reign of Henry III. when pointed arches and lancet-windows, as they are called, were first introduced. It is hardly to be conceived, that the church would escape the fury of the rebellious Scots in their prædatory incurfion above-mentioned; and this circumstance may serve perhaps to account for the appearance of the different ftyles of architecture in the present building.

THIS church was anciently rectorial; and is dedicated to St. Martin. Upon the foundation of the priory at Guifbrough, it was given by Robert de Brus, the founder, to that monaftry; * and being appropriated thereto, without any refervation of a vicarage, is now only a per

* FROM a confirmatory deed of King Richard I. bearing date 1189, reciting the grants of divers benefactors, to the Canons of Thornton upon Humber, in the county of Lincoln, it appears that the churches of Leventon and farm, were given to that monaftry by Adam de Brus; but from a previ ous grant of these churches to the priory of Guisbrough, by Robert de Brus, father of the faid Adam, a contest arose between the two houses; which was amicably fettled in the year 1192, before H— abbot of Melfi, Hugh, prior of Bridlington, and Ivo, prior of Wartre; to whom a commiffion was granted by Pope Celestine III. for that purpose; when the Canons of Thornton relinquished all claim to this church, and the chapel of Yarm; and, in return, the Canons of Guisbrough gave the church of Kelerfterne to the priory of Thornton, together with fix oxgangs of land in the fame town. Burton's Mon. Ebor. p. 345.

petual curacy. Upon the diffolution of the priory, it was granted by King Henry VIII. to the Archbishop of York, who nominates the curate. The rectorial rights † are leafed out for three lives, under the Archbishop, to the lord of the manor; and the leffee is bound to pay a reserved rent or stipend of 20l. per annum, to the curate.

THE church was certified to the governours of Queen Anne's bounty at 217. 58. od. ; ‡ and has received one allotment of 200l. laid out in lands at Trenholme, in the parish of Whorlton. We find no fepulchral monuments about the church, worth notice; a large flat tomb-stone of blue or Dutch marble, lies in the floor of the chancel; but the inscription is quite obliterated.

THE poor within this township are supported by a rate, which has been confiderably increased within the last ten years; and now amounts annually to about three fhillings in the pound. §

THERE is a fmall field, on the fouth-fide of the village, called the Poor-Garth, which was left by will, by one Hall, to the minister and church-wardens, in trust, for the use of such poor widows, resident with

THE rectory appears to confift of the tythes in kind of every description of all the lands in Kirk-Levington, Pickton, and Low-Worfall, and of one farm at Cafile- Levington, called Howden-field; with a prefcriptive payment of 3/. 138. od. in lieu of the tythes of corn and hay from the other lands in Caftle-Levington,

KIRK-LEVINGTON CURACY.

Ded. Saint Martin. Certified val. 217. 5s. od. Augmented with 2001,

Ir has been with juftice remarked, that the rapid increase of parish paupers has arisen from the want of timely attention in regulating the husbandmen's wages, and the various effects of licentioufnefs; and that they, from thefe two adventitious caufes, exceed in number and confequent expence, all thofe impotent and indigent poor, that arise from age, fickness, and infirmity, fuch only, who were defigned to be fupported by the poor rate.

Hill's means of reforming the morals of the poor,

by the prevention of poverty.