Dugdale Family of Lancashire Notes

DUGDALE FAMILY OF LANCASHIRE NOTES: A History of the Dugdill and Dugdale Family Introduction These records have been compiled by Thomas Dugdill and Tim Dugdill [Timothy Michael Dugdill] during the period 1982-1989 [updated 2000] and are based on the research carried out by Robert Dugdill [Born 1883] of Rylstone Parish Register and further research by the writers of these notes, based on the Registers for all parishes in Lancashire and Yorkshire. Further information was gathered from gravestones in Rylstone and other Church cemeteries, census records to 1881 and from various publications on the history of Clitheroe up to the end of the 17th century. This particular history is based on the ancestors and descendants of Thomas and Annie Dugdill of Scale Hill Farm, Rylstone, who lived from 1875-1913 and 1873-1938 respectively. After their marriage in 1898 they farmed at Rock House Farm, Hetton from 1898-1900, The Rookery from 1900-1911 and Scale Hill Farm until their respective deaths. These notes have been compiled by Thomas Dugdill, youngest son of the above, and his son, Timothy Michael Dugdill Origins of the name Dugdill/Dugdale According to the publication ‘Baines Lancashire’ the names DUGDILL - DUGDALL –DUGDALE are all ‘locals of Dugdale, some small dale on the borders of Lancashire and Yorkshire’ Another publication ‘Homes and Family Names of Great Britain’ published in 1890 states ‘Dugdale was the name of a Clitheroe family in the reign of Elizabeth I to whom belongs Sir William Dugdale, the celebrated antiquary of the 17th century whose father settled in Warwickshire’. It also states that ‘Dugdale is a small North Staffordshire hamlet’ although on most maps there is no trace of the hamlet. The earliest mention of the name, at least found by the writer, is of an Agnes DOGHDALE in Yorkshire circa 1379. There are many variations in spelling of the name such as DOUGHDALE, DUGDALL, DUGDAILE, DUGDYLL, DUGDELL and others. It is interesting to note that the original most common spelling was DUGDALL at Clitheroe in the 17th.century, from which it is understandable how both DUGDILL and DUGDALE are derived. Dugdales are still at Clitheroe and many other areas of the U.K. Dugdills are much less numerous and mostly originate from Rylstone Parish in Yorkshire however, some branches of this line are now known as Dugdale. During the 17th.century there were DUGEDAYLLS living at Kirby Malham and one John Dugedayll married one Agnes Crayke in 1602. Cracoe takes it’s name from the Crayke family. Through the 16th.century various members of this family are recorded but the writers do not think they are connected. Other Dugdales farmed at Hubberholme and Skythornes over the same period but they, as did the Dugedaylls, died out. One other possible theory of the name origin has a Scottish connection, although it is only a wild guess from Tim Dugdill on one of his visits to his cottage in Kinecardineshire. There was a place in Dumfries and Galloway on the Scottish borders which was called Douglasdale but, on some documents inspected, was shortened to Doug’dale. After the Battle of Bannockburn Scottish raiders deluged Yorkshire, in fact much of Skipton was badly razed by them, and it is just possible that one of the marauders stayed and used the name from whence he had come. 1 This is merely speculation, but what is certain is that the Dugdill family origins are at Clitheroe as the following research hopefully indicates. The Dugdalls of Clitheroe 1500-1700 The earliest record of the name is in 1576 when a Jacobi Dugdall had a son baptised and in 1577 a John Dugdall had a son baptised, also called Richard, which would indicate that both Jacobi and John must have been born between 1540 -1550. The registers for Clitheroe are missing from 1626 to 1653 and the only information about this period is to be found in ‘Clitheroe on the Seventeenth Century’ by William Self Weeks FSA. This book gives more information about Clitheroe and it’s inhabitants than those registers which are available. Dugdall was by far the most common name indeed, according to Weeks, the name appears in the reords no less than 89 times between 1570 –1626. The population of Clitheroe at that time was only a few hundred. The earliest ‘call list’, according to Weeks, was that for 1589.These lists were compiled of men who elected bailiffes, burgesses and members of Parliament, as well as being a list of men to serve as jurors on the ‘ Court Leet’ , which was held from time to time. The 1589 ‘Leet’ states that both Edmund and Richard Dugdall were burgesses and lists as inhabitants William [Senior and Junior], Walter, Hugh, Nicholas, John and Edward. The most complete ‘call list’ is that for the Court Leet held on 30th.October, 1593, when a complete list of officials and inhabitants are shown. Dugdalls included are :- Out Burgesses [Lived outside Clitheroe] The heirs of Edmund and William In Burgesses [Lived in the town] Nicholas Inhabitants William, Hugh, Nicholas, Henry [Junior], William [Senior], William [Junior], Walter, John and Edward. The Burgesse’s names are obviously repeated under Inhabitants. From the mid 16th.Century to the end of the 17th.Century the DUGDALLS were always Bailiffes, Burgesses, Constables or Seargeants of the Borough of Cliderowe [Clitheroe] and it may be interesting to know the duties of such officials at the time :- Bailiffe The head man of the Borough, second only to the Lord of the Manor. His duties consisted of collecting tithes and market dues, marrying people if not married in the Church [similar to registry offices today], leading official ceremonies and parades particularly on market days, swearing in other officials such as Burgesses and Seargeants and officiating at Court Leets Burgess He assisted the Bailiffe and attended the Court Leet sessions as the equivalent of a juror. There were two types of Burgess, the In-Burgess who must live within the town and the out-Burgess from the countryside surrounding the town. Seargeants and Constables 2 These were appointed to keep law and order and arrest felons and wrongdoers. They could be either male or female but, should they be elected and refuse to serve, they would be ‘brought up’ at the Leet and fined. All these officials were appointed for one year but could, and often did, serve for more than one term. Presumably they received some form of payment or expenses. It would appear from the requirements of these offices that those appointed would be able to read and write. Throughout the 17th Century members of the Dugdall family were very active in the public affairs of Clitheroe because, as well as the previously detailed officials, they are also shown in records as those voting in Parliamentary elections. For instance, in the 1627 election Richard Senior, Richard Junior, John and Thomas had two votes and in the election of 1640, the last before the Civil War, Richard Senior, Richard Junior, John, Thomas, Nicholas and William also had two votes. It has not been possible to trace who supported whom in the Civil War as those records make no reference to allegiance, but further research would be interesting to show whether the Dugdalls were for Cromwell or King. Although taking part in public life and official positions they nevertheless also appear frequently in the Court Leet records of the times, as the following extracts illustrate :- 1st July, 1600 William Dugdall [In-Bailiffe] was amersed [fined] two pence for ‘Layinge his worthinge in the street’ 26th July, 1600 William Dugdall [In Bailiffe] was amersed six pence for the same offence [Slow learners aren’t we! – TMD] 8th January, 1645 John Dugdall [Elder] for ‘Not dressing the street outside his house’ amersed ten pence 29th.April, 1647 For the same offence 23rd October, 1645 John Dugdall [Corporal] for ‘Makinge affray and drawinge blood upon ye boddie of Robte Greenman’. Also, at the same Court Leet, the same John Dugdall was fined two shillings and sixpence for assaulting his son John. 18th October, 1649 Presentment of Thomas Dugdall [Burgess] for ‘removeninge a meare [boundary] stone out of the waye leadinge between Mearley and Cliderowe lying in a close called Gilscroft’ and the jury laid a stipulation that ‘Thomas Dugdall, Burgess, shall lay the Meare Stonne in its right place in Gilscroft betwixt this and the first of April next’ 3rd May, 1666 John Dugdall [Alderman] fined six shillings and eight pence for ‘Makinge affray and drawing blood’ 10th October, 1608 John Dugdall [Shoemaker] fined for ‘Breakinge of the lattes in the wyndo of the wife of William Malton and cominge into her home in the night time’. [Out of character – TMD] 22nd October, 1646 Ellen Hoult fined twelve pence for ‘Raylinge and scowlinge on Jane Dugdall the Wyffe of William Dugdall 3 Perhaps there is a sequel to this where there is a record of ‘Jane Dugdall, the wyeffe of William Dugdall, for makinge an affray on the bodie of Ellen Hoult’ 3rd May, 1666 ‘Margaret the wyeffe of Nicholas Dugdall, taylor of this town, is a common scold with her neybourers. The said Margaret is an eavesdropper and sets debate and some dissention amongst her neybourers’ 21st May, 1650 A possible case of witchcraft was tried, the charge being that ‘Nicholas Dugdall and Jennot his wife versus Edmund Dugdall of Cliderowe and Margaret his wife Thou [The said Nicholas] and thy wyefe killed my child’ There are many more entries in the Court Leet records similar to those extracted. There were so many Dugdalls living in Clitheroe during the 17th Century that it was impossible to establish what relationship each was to the other, although undoubtedly they were the same family.

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