Gilling Testamentary Wills

The following Testamentary Wills relating to Gilling are recorded on documents in the Borthwick Institute, York. Canon Hudson in his History of Gilling published some of them. Barry Keeton and I found others.

1431

Sir John Etton....Left best horse to the Rector of Gilling.

1438

Richard Lonne....In the Parish Church (not the high church as in Canon Hudson’s history) of St. Elene. Bequest 4lbs of wax candles round his body on the day of burial.

1438

Richard Lende....Rector, was interred in the High Church of Gilling.

1476

William Preston (magister)....Vol 5/20. Buried in the choir of the parish church of Gilling. Bequest his best horse and 20 sheep to the church of Gilling. Witness: Thomas Kyresacre, Rector of Oswaldkirk.

1476, 22nd May

William Preston....died and was buried in the Quire of the church of St. Mary, Gilling.

1494

William Jenneson....Buried in the Church of the Holy Cross, Gilling. 4lbs of wax to be burned around his body. Left 12d to the chapel of Yearsley. Left to Thomas Jenneson his son, chaplain 6s-8d to say mass for one year.

1506

Ralph Freer....Left 2 torches to the church of Gilling. Had a curate Wm. Nosterfield. One witness Thomas Jenneson chaplain.

1506

Ralph Freer....buried in the parish church of Gilling. Left a wood to the High altar. Left to the furnishing of the steeple 6s-8d.

1506

Robert Wellington (magister)....buried in the parish church of the Holy Cross..if it happens buried within the Quiher if it happyn and there to depart. Also I will to the said Parish Church of Gilling a portas price 10 marks with bill that I promised there to the said church at the making up of the steeple, the said bell to be delivered when the steeple is performed and made. He lent the Archbishop of York £40, directing that £20 still owing to be paid to his executors.

1517, 15th August

Dame Margaret Fairfax....of Gilling in Ryedale, widow, was buried in the church of Gilling, in the quire before the image of Our Lady.

1521 (1539)

John Brbyner....30th year of King Henry VIII, supreme head of the Church of England, of Cawton.

1527

Richard Chapman....vol 9/389

1529

John Guyle....vol 9/89,92

1532

Richard Elleys,cl,parson

1532

Richard Ellys....Archbishop’s Register 28/165. Buried in the choir before the image of Our Blessed Lady anent the choir door. In 1532 there were 2 assistants, Thomas Ellys and his son and Wm. Collynson.

no date

Robert Chibers....sometime parson of Gilling.

1538, 4th January

Nic. Fairfax, gent....made his will proved 30th October 1582, giving his soul to Almighty God, hoping through Jesus Christ to be saved, and his body to be buried in the chancel of the church of Gilling.

1538

Christopher Gascoyne....vol 11/326. Of Cawton. Soul to Virgin Mary. Buried in the churchyard of Gilling. Bequest to the monastery of Byland. Bequest to the Rood light of my parish church of Gilling i Bushell of Wheat.

1540

Moore (John)....of Gilling buried in the church.

1576, ult April

Edward Tyndel....parson of Gilling, made his will giving his soul to God Almighty his creator and redeemer, and his body to be buried beside the Old Parson at Gilling.

1598

John Atherton....cl. parson.

Additional notes on Gilling mediaeval wills all from York Registry, collected by Rev. Barry Keeton.

1431

Sir John Etton....vol 3.352. To be buried “ubi Deus disposuerit” — where God wills. Left his best horse to the Rector of Gilling as mortuary fee.

1438

Dns. Richard Lonne Rector of Gilling....vol 3.555. He describes himself as “rector ecclesie parochialis Sancte Elene” — rector of the parish church of St. Helen in Gilling. Had a daughter, Alice Lonne.

1472

John Greene....vol 4.180....Wanted his body to be buried “in ecclesia mea parochiali de Gylling coram crucifixo” — in my parish church of Gilling, before the crucifix [no doubt he refers to the great Rood which would have stood on top of the Rood Screen].

1476

William Preston, Rector of Gilling....vol 5.20. to be buried “in choro ecclesie mee parochialis de Gilling” — in the choir of my parish church of Gilling. He left 20 sheep to the fabric of the church, “viginti oves”. One of the witnesses to his will was Dns. Thomas Cresaker, Rector of Oswaldkirk [Rector from 1461 to 1504].

1494

William Jenneson....vol 5.460....to be buried “in ecclesia parochiali Sancte Crucis de Gilling” — in the parish church of the Holy Cross of Gilling.

1503

Robert Wellington, Rector of Gilling....to be buried in the parish church of the Holy Cross of Gilling. His will is long and would repay some really thorough study. He gave a bell to the steeple “when made“ and wanted a window making in the south side of the nave “where my body lieth”.

The Revd. Keeton says that there are many more wills but much of the text sheds no more light on the church or its rectors. These were collected in 1976. On the previous few pages I think I have collected all the wills that exist.