Wyvill of Constable Burton
When Harold II., the last Saxon king, sat on the English throne, the manor of Burton, with the rest of the district comprehended in the Liberty of Richmondshire, formed part of the extensive possessions of Edwin, the powerful Earl of Mercia. Edwin swore fealty to the Conqueror after the battle of Hastings, and was permitted to retain his estates; but, subsequently rebelling against the authority of William, his lands were confiscated, and given by the king to Alan Rufus, one of the adventurers that had accompanied him from Normandy, and whom he created Earl of Richmond. Earl Alan, in partitioning this royal grant among his retainers, conferred the manor of Burton upon the constable of his castle of Richmond; and the descendants of the grantee subsequently assuming the name of Burton, the place was called from the office they held, Constable Burton, In the reign of Edward I., the manor of Burton was transferred to Geoffrey le Scrope, of Masham, who obtained from Edward II. a charter for a weekly market and fairs, and a grant of free warren in all his demesne lands in this manor.
In 1520, Constable Burton passed to Sir Ralph Fitz-Randolph, knight, of Spennithorne, by his marriage with Elizabeth, one of the three daughters and co-heiresses of Thomas, sixth Lord Scrope. The surviving issue of this marriage was five daughters, the youngest of whom, Alice, married Marmaduke Wyvill, and received this manor with other estates for her share. This family is descended from Sir Humphrey Wyvill , who accompanied the "base born Norman" to England, and received an extensive grant of land in Yorkshire as his share of the spoil. His name is found on the roll of Battle Abbey , and his descendants, who are still represented in the county, have contracted alliances with some of the best families in the north of England. Marmaduke Wyvill above mentioned was M.P. for Ripon in 1553, having previously received the honour of knighthood.
Christopher Wyvill, Esq. , his son, succeeded to the family estates, and married Margaret, daughter of the Hon. John Scrope, younger son of Henry, Lord Scrope, of Bolton, by Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Percy, earl of Northumberland. He was succeeded by Marmaduke, his son and heir, who married Magdalene, daughter of Sir Christopher Danby, knight, of Thorpe Park.
He was elected M.P. for Richmond in 1584, and had the honour of entertaining Queen Elizabeth at Constable Burton during one of her journeys into the north, when she conferred upon him the honour of knighthood. He was subsequently created a baronet by James I., in 1611. Sir Marmaduke Asty Wyvill, the seventh and last baronet, died unmarried in 1744, and the estates were inherited by his cousin and brother-in-law, the Rev. Christopher Wyvill , whose grandson, Marmaduke Wyvill, Esq. , is the present owner** and lord of the manor. Mr. Wyvill represented Richmond in parliament for several years; he is a J.P. and D.L. for the North and West Ridings, and the patron of three livings .
**note: When the above was published Marmaduke was the owner until 1918. The Current owner is Charles Wyvill great grandson of Marmaduduke.
Constable Burton Hall- Leyburn,North Yorkshire
Constable Burton Hall is a handsome mansion of dressed stone, with an elegant Grecian portico on two of its fronts; that which forms the principal entrance being approached by a double flight of steps. The hall was erected (1768 by John Carr of York) on the site of an ancient one, by Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, in the reign of Elizabeth, and stands in an extensive and well wooded park.
Historical infromation from the year 1890
Extract from Bulmer's 1890 Gazetteer: "CONSTABLE BURTON township comprises an area of 2,604 acres, chiefly the property of Marmaduke Wyvill, Esq., Denton Park; C. D. Chaytor, Esq., Spennithorne; and the North Eastern Railway Co. The gross estimated rental is £3,631; the rateable value, £3,407; and the population, 213.
The village which gives its name to the township stands about four miles east of Leyburn, and about two miles from Finghall. The Northallerton and Hawes branch of the N.E. railway passes through the township, and the stations at Constable Burton and Spennithorne are both within its boundary.
A school chapel was erected in the village in 1859, by Mr. Wyvill, and is attended by about twenty-eight children. The premises also include the master's residence and garden. Service is held every Sunday afternoon by the curate of the parish."
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