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Page Eleven

The fate of Walter and two Ralphs (all 'de Garmondsways') is unknown. In 1184, the vill of Garmondsway was two-thirds owned by Ralph (de Garmondsway), son of Paulinus of York. One third of the vill was subject to disputed ownership between Ralph and three others, two of whom were Walter and Ralph described as 'de Garmondsway'. Ralph, son of Paulinus won his case but lost his land to Bishop Hugh de Puiset.

The vill was endowed to Sherburn Hospital. Ralph was given an income for life by the bishop.

The 'de Garmondsway's' disappear from the records.

4. GARMONSWAY MOOR:

A description

Having lost the village, the fate of Garmonsway village and the moor is probably of no more interest. However, this might prove to be your ancestral home. So here are some later details. (A description of the moor in 1183 has already been given above.)

A series of twenty-three items from over 1000 Sherburn Hospital records are concerned with changes of leases, husbandry plans of farms, and leases for limestone quarrying and coal mining at Garmonsway Moor. These records are being indexed and have not been examined for the presence of any Garmondsway's. The records cover the years 1732 to 1881. Gibby (1981) suggests that many early records of the Sherburn Foundation are lost. Some gazetters mention Garmondsway Moor and these are cited below.

Beginning with Surtees (1823), 640 years after Bolden Book:

"GARMONDSWAY, an extra-parochial Constablery belonging wholly to Sherburn House. There is no village, only some scattered farmholds. The height of Garmondsway Moor, a mile to the North-east of Middleham, commands a most extensive prospect to the South-east, West, and North." Lewis (1844) gives the following:

"GARMONDSWAY-MOOR, a township, in the parish of BISHOP'S-MIDDLEHAM, union of SEDGEFIELD, N.E. division of STOCKTON ward, S. division of the county of DURHAM, 6_ miles (S.E. by S.) from Durham; containing 157 inhabitants.

It is said to have derived its name from Garmundus the Dane; and the ancient Via Garmundi, along which King Canute travelled barefoot to the shrine of St. Cuthbert at Durham, passed through it. The place, which is extra-parochial, is the property of Sherburn Hospital, and is situated north of the road leading from Trimdon to Cornforth: the produce of a colliery here is shipped to Hartlepool. The height of Garmondsway-Moor, which commands most extensive views, is a mile to the north-east of Middleham."

Fifty years later,

Whellan (1894) provides the following entry:

Garmondsway Moor (extra-parochial) "Garmondsway Moor is an extra-parochial place, embracing an area of 1040 statute acres, and its annual value is 3165 pounds. The number of its inhabitants in 1801 was 28; in 1811, 41; in 1821, 35; in 1831, 43; in 1841, 157; in 1851, 129; in 1861, 125; in 1871, 109; in 1881, 156; and in 1891, 160 souls.

In Boldon Book, Garmondsway is stated to have contained nine oxgangs, of which five were in cultivation, and four lying waste. Bishop Pudsey endowed Sherburn Hospital with these lands, which still belong to that establishment.

It is said that when King Canute performed his pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Cuthbert, he took the route of the Via Garmundi, the road or way of Gormundus the Dane, from whom the township is said to have derived its name. Here are extensive limestone quarries, giving employment to a large number of men. This place was formerly given with Bishop Middleham, but for ecclesiastical purposes has been annexed to Kelloe parish."