Harlsey Castle


Harlsey Castle, North Yorkshire
Photo © Mick Garratt, 13 May 2006

The family of Strangways held the manor of West Harlsey, and resided in the castle which they built there, (fn. 107) for several generations. James Strangways had a son James, who was High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1445–6, 1452 and 1468, (fn. 108) and Speaker of the House of Commons in 1461. (fn. 109) He was described as of West Harlsey in 1469, (fn. 110) but though he lived until 1516 he must have made this manor over to his son and heir Richard, (fn. 111) who died seised in 1488, (fn. 112) and was succeeded by his son James. (fn. 113) James died in 1520, (fn. 114) when his son Thomas inherited his estates, (fn. 115) which passed at his death to Sir James Strangways his son. (fn. 116) In 1541 Sir James Strangways the younger quitclaimed to William Lord Dacre and Christopher Dacre his manors of West Harlsey, Whorlton and others, (fn. 117) with remainder to Leonard, a younger son of Lord Dacre, (fn. 118) and his heirs. At the death of Sir James the possession of his lands was disputed by the Dacre family and his own right heirs through his aunts, Mary and Joan, the former of whom had married Robert Roos and the latter William Mauleverer. (fn. 119) The Crown also had some claim through a settlement alleged to have been made by the first James Strangways with remainder to Henry V. (fn. 120) Arbitrators were called in, and the estates were divided, the Dacres receiving West Harlsey and other lands as their share. (fn. 121) In the reign of Elizabeth, however, a suit of intrusion was brought against William Lord Dacre in the manor of West Harlsey, (fn. 122) in which the Crown rested a claim, reported to have proved successful, (fn. 123) on the gift from 'Strangways the judge.'

Leonard Dacre was one of the leaders of the Northern rebels, and his lands were forfeited in 1570. (fn. 124) In spite of the suit with the Crown, West Harlsey was still included among his estates. (fn. 125) It was granted in the next year to Henry Lord Hunsdon, the leader of the royal forces against the rebels. (fn. 126) He sold it back to the Crown, (fn. 127) but it was subsequently leased to a later Lord Hunsdon by James I. (fn. 128)

Meanwhile the Dacre family had never relinquished the right to the manor which they had through the settlement in tail on Leonard Dacre, and in the 17th century they succeeded in establishing it. (fn. 129) The heirs of Leonard Dacre after the death of his two younger brothers were his nieces Ann and Elizabeth, both of whom married into the Howard family. (fn. 130) Elizabeth wife of Lord William Howard had the manor of West Harlsey, (fn. 131) which thus descended to the Earls of Carlisle. (fn. 132) It followed the descent of Morton on Swale (q.v.), and ultimately came, like that manor, into the possession of the Earls of Harewood.

Foxton Lane leads north for about a mile to the moat of West Harlsey Castle. This and some fragments of masonry incorporated in a farm-house built on the site are all that remain of the manorial stronghold built by Sir James Strangways, a judge of the Common Pleas, who purchased the manor in 1423. Probably it fell into disuse after the manor was forfeited to the Crown in the 16th century. There are a few farm-houses here, but no village.

From: 'Parishes: Osmotherley', A History of the County of York North Riding: Volume 1 (1914)