The Hammerton Deeds and Papers

Deeds and other documents relating to the estate of Hammerton in the parish of Slaidburn in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Humphrey Chetham (1580-1653) of Crumpsall, Manchester, left an estate estimated to be worth £15,139. In his will of 1651 he left £7,000 to found a school for the education of 40 poor boys, £1,000 to establish a library (now known as Chetham's Library), and he made provision for the creation of five parochial libraries.

Humphrey Chetham died on 20 September 1653, but it was not until 21 May 1657 that his Executors and Feoffees agreed that £1,000 should be 'with all possible and convenient speed, bestowed on such books as may be judged useful for the Library, and that the remainder of the Estate due to the Library be forthwith, and as soon as may be, bestowed on lands to be and remain for a revenue for the said Library'. The decision was confirmed on 12 August 1657, when it was stipulated the £1,000 should be spent in 'procuring and purchasing lands or rents for an Estate of which the Annual Revenue is to be bestowed for the buying of books and other charges belonging to the Library', that Estate to be purchased in the name of the Executors and Feoffees. The transfer of the Hammerton Estate in the parish of Slaidburn, West Riding of Yorkshire, to the Feoffees of Chetham's Hospital and Library was completed by a deed dated 15 March 1661 (see E.2.9 Bdl 7 Deed No. 19), at a cost of £2,556. The income from these lands was expected to be about £126 per annum, and was to be 'settled for a revenue on the Library'.

The Hammerton Estates comprised three farms covering approximately 700 acres, farmed separately at different rents.

The lands at Hammerton were sold by the Feoffees of Chetham's Hospital and Library in 1946-7 for £8,500.

Although Slaidburn village and civil parish were historically within the West Riding of Yorkshire, they are now within Lancashire.

See J.S. Roskell, 'An account of the relations between Chetham's Hospital and the Library, with special reference to finance', (unpublished, 1981); Minute Books of the Feoffees of Chetham's Hospital and Library.

The collection is arranged into 2 series: Deeds relating to Hammerton, Holehouse and Raingill Estates and land in the Forest of Bowland and Deeds relating to Stephen Moor.

There are no restrictions on access to this collection. Viewing is by prior appointment. Please contact archivist@chethams.org.uk.

Received from Taylor, Kirkman and Mainprice, solicitors, in 1953.

No further accruals are expected.

The deeds and papers relating to the Hammerton Estate are dispersed amongst three collections at Chetham's Library. The Hammerton Deeds and Papers, c 1530-1694, are described here (reference E.2.9-E.2.11). A number of relevant documents dating from the 17th to the 18th century can be found in the Chetham Deeds (reference E.1.6-E.2.5). In addition, a number of relevant documents form part of the Chetham's Hospital and Library Archive.

References to the Hammerton Estate also appear in Chetham's Hospital Minute Books. At the six-monthly meetings of the Governors of Chetham's School and Library the stewards of the Hammerton Estate had to report any developments which affected revenues, such as new investment, building work and changes in tenancy.

See also Chetham's Hospital Minute Book, 1933-1966, which contains yearly "Steward's reports" on Hammerton and Raingill between 4 July 1933 and 22 July 1943.

Mun A.7.44: volume containing abstracts of deeds relating to land in Manchester, Hamerton (Hammerton), Rochdale and Sutton on the Hill. Includes abstract of the title deeds belonging to the Manor, Lordship and Demesnes and other lands of and in Hamerton Bolland (Hammerton Bowland), otherwise Rowland, Essington, Stephen Moor and other estates late Sir Stephen Hamerton's, 1545-1694. Compiled early 19th century.