| |||
|
|
The History of Kettlewell Village - Arthur Raistrick
Markets & Fairs
How much do we really know of what Kettlewell was like in these early times?
In 1295 one half of the manor had 8 tofts, 8 bovates, a cottage and a water corn mill. The eight tofts would be the houses of substantial farmers with about 10 acres of land to each, the landless peasant serfs or labourers are not mentioned.
In 1379 a Poll Tax was levied on the country and this lists by name all the people over 16 years of age who were taxed. In Kettlewell there were 38 married couples and 11 single persons to be taxed. Of these only four paid more than 4d., the tax on a labourer, they were two tailors, a blacksmith and a "buyer of beasts."
We can see the village then, in the later fourteenth century as having about 40 houses, a mill and a bakehouse, with a larger house where Grenfell lived, with a church and rectory and property (not taxed) belonging to the various monastic houses. It was a busier place than most of the local villages, with servants and shepherds of three monastic houses, the monks of Fountains and Coverham and the Canons of Bolton coming and going.
The market with a charter granted in 1320, was held each Thursday and a Fair for sheep on September 2nd and for cattle on October 23rd, were important events. To the west and north of Kettlewell there was the Forest of Litton and this was the market for all the people and foresters and servants of that area, and it would be given an added importance by the presence of the servants of three monastic houses and the permanent residence of a buyer of cattle. At Arncliffe there lived a buyer of wool, a merchant who no doubt found Kettlewell market a profitable place for his trade.
Even in the late seventeenth century the Pinder of Conistone, when he found strayed horses or cattle, was instructed to 'declare' them first at Kettlewell Market, and if not claimed there, then at Skipton.
| |||
|
|
