13th CENTURY BUTTERILKET CHARTERS
 | (Edition by John Brownbill, Chetham Society vol. 76, 1916) |  |
These charters all relate to Butterilket and its associated estate in Lingcove. The division into lines is mine, and the translation is not literal, but attempts to convey the sense of each line (NB: translated lines are more likely to align with the original Latin if this window is maximised).
In case anybody is perplexed or irritated- I have chosen the spelling "Butterilket" over the Ordnance Survey preference "Brotherilkeld" because the latter is an academic imposition- the original name never had anything to do with Brothers, or with a Keld (old Norse for a spring). The Latin documents here show some of the earliest forms of the name, which seems to mean "the booths of Ulfkell" (a booth being a light shelter for summer use). The continental pronunciation of "th" hard as in "hothouse" was quite common in areas of Scandinavian settlement, while the "t" at the end of "Butterilket" results from the common Norse pronunciation of "ll" as "tl". This page (& map) revised Dec 2002-Jan 2003.
Alan of Pennington's charter granting Butterilket to his brother David. Undated, but the witnesses (not listed in the printed edition) include Master R. de Cuningeshof, known to have been alive in 1210.
Alanus de Penitonn omnibus hominibus suis et amicis
tam presentibus quam futuris salutem.
Notum sit vobis me dedisse
et hac presenta carta mea confirmasse
David fratri meo et heredibus suis Butherulkul,
tenendum de me et heredibus meis
per homagium suum et servitium in feodo et hereditate,
libere et quiete, honorifice et integre,
reddendo michi annuatim unam libram piperis
vel octo denarios infra octavas Sancti Michaelis
pro omni servitio quod michi pertinet
et faciendo forinsecum servitium;
scilicet per has divisas:
de Esk, Herterfelbek contra montem usque ad capud
et de eodem capite usque ad superiorem de Herterfel
et le Cundois usque ad Hardecnuut
et de Hardecnuut le Cundos usque ad capud de Mosedale
quamdiu mee divise predicte terre durant.
Alan of Pennington to all his men and his friends,
both present and future, greetings.
Be it noted that I give,
and with this my present charter confirm
to my brother David and his heirs, Butterilket,
holding it from me and my heirs
by homage and service, in fee and heritably,
freely and in peace, honourably and in whole,
rendering to me each year one pound of peppers
or 8 pence, by the Octave of St. Michael
for all service owing to me,
and doing foreign service;
specifically by these bounds:
from the Esk, upstream along Harterfell Beck to its head,
and from that head to the highest point of Harter Fell,
and along the ridge crest to Hardknott,
and from Hardknott by the ridge crest to the head of Mosedale,
as long as my bounds of the aforesaid land shall last.
David's charter granting Butterilket to Furness Abbey in exchange for "Monkfoss" near Bootle. Dated 1242 (witnesses not listed in printed edition).
Omnibus Christi fidelibus presens scriptum visuris vel audituris
David de Mulcastre salutem in Domino.
Novertis me, consensu et voluntate Johanis
filii et heredes mei, pro salute anime mee
et omnium antecessorum et successorum meorum,
concessisse, dedisse et pro me et heredibus meis
presenti carta confirmasse Deo
et abbathie Beate Marie de Furn. et abbati et monachis ibidem
Deo serventibus totam terram meam de Brutherulkil
cum omnibus pertinentiis, libertatibus et asiamentis
que in ea fieri poterunt, haberi vel inveniri,
subtus terram et supra, per has divisas:
scilicet sicut Herterfelbek cadit in Esk
et sic ascendit usque ad capud ejusdem Herterfelbek
et inde ascendit usque ad altius cilium montis de Herterfelbek [sic]
sicut torrens aque pluvialis descendit a montis cilio ex utraque parte
et inde ascendit usque ad altius cilium de Wynscarth
et sic ascendit usque ad summitatem del Cundois de Ardechnut
et inde usque ad capud de Mosedale
usque ad superius cilium de Midefel
et inde sicut summitas ejusdem Midefel descendit in Bowesscard
et sic ascendit usque ad summitatem de Bowesfel
et ita usque in Orscarth
et inde in transversum capitis de Tunghe
et sic in transversum Eskhals
usque in capud de Esk
et per medium aque de Esk descendendo
usque in predictum Herterbekfel [sic];
habendam et possidendam in escambio
pro terra sua de Fors in Coupland
quam michi dederunt cum omnibus pertinentiis suis,
sicut carta quam de eis habeo plenius testatur.
Ego vero dictus David et heredes mei
totam terram predictam de Butherulkil
cum suis divisis et pertinentiis
prefatis abbati et monachis
contra omnes homines et feminas imperpetuum warantizabimus
et de forinseco servitio et omni alia consuetudine et demanda acquietabimus et defendemus,
ut ipsi predictam terram cum suis divisis et pertinentiis liberam omnino et puram habeant et possideant.
Et si contigat quod ego vel heredes mei
totam eandem terram sepedictis monachis warantizare et defendere non potuerimus
predicta terra de Fors
ad prefatos monachos sine ulla contradictione vel calumpnia mei vel heredum meorum libere et integre revertetur,
vel si idem abbas et monachi aliquam partem
de terra vel pastura de Brutherulkil
infra prescriptas divisas contentam
pro defectu warantie mei vel heredum meorum amiserunt
ego dictus David vel heredes mei pro dampni estimatione dictis monachis in terra de Forse
vel in pecunia per visum legalium hominum
sine ulla contradictione vel dilatione satisfaciemus.
Actum anno gratie Millesimo CCo quadragesimo IJo mense Aprili Sabbato quo canitur Scitientes in plena curia de Dalton.
To all Christian faithful reading or hearing this writing,
David of Muncaster gives greeting in the Lord God's name.
Let it be known that I, with the consent and will of John,
my son and heir, for the health of the souls of me
and all my ancestors and descendants,
concede, give, and for myself and my heirs,
by this present charter, confirm to God
and the abbey of St. Mary of Furness and its abbot and monks
in God's service, all my land of Butterilket
with all appurtenances, liberties and easements
which may arise there, possessed or discovered,
beneath or above the earth, by these boundaries:
specifically, from where Harter Beck falls into the Esk
it then ascends to the head of the said Harterfell Beck
and from there it ascends to the highest summit of Harter Fell ["bek" inserted by mistake]
such that a torrent of rainwater will descend from the mountain peak in all directions-
and from there it ascends the highest point of Hardknott Pass,
and then ascends to the summit of Hardknott ridge,
and from there to the head of Mosedale;
thence to the highest peak of Midfell [Crinkle Crags]
and from thence descends by the summits of the said Midfell to Buscoe [Three Tarns],
and thus ascends to the summit of Bowfell
and so on to Ore Gap
and thence across the head of the Tongue [Esk Pike]
and then across Esk Hause
to the head of the Esk,
then descending by the middle of the water of the Esk
to the aforesaid Harterfell Beck;
to hold and possess in exchange
for their land of Monkfoss in Copeland
which they gave to me with all its appurtenances,
as is fully testified in the charter which I have from them.
Indeed I the said David and my heirs
guarantee the whole of the aforesaid land of Butterilket
with its divisions and appurtenances
to the aforementioned abbot and monks
against [claims by] all men and women in perpetuity,
and we will acquit and defend them from foreign service and all other expectations and demands,
so that they shall hold and possess the aforesaid land with its divisions and appurtenances entirely free and unobstructed.
And if it should happen that I or my heirs
become unable to guarantee and defend all of this land for the monks,
the aforesaid land of Monkfoss
will revert freely and entirely to the aforementioned monks without any contradiction or trickery from me or my heirs;
or if the said abbot and monks lose any part
of the land or pasture of Butterilket
within the above-written boundaries
by defect of the guarantee from me or my descendants,
I the said David or my heirs will make satisfaction for the damage as estimated by the said monks, in land at Monkfoss
or in money, according to the view of legal men,
without any contradiction or delay.
Enacted in 1242, in the month of April, on the Saturday when 'Scitientes' is sung, in open court at Dalton.
Alan of Pennington grants his rights in Butterilket to Furness Abbey. Dated 1242 (witnesses not listed in printed edition).
...Alanus de Peniton,
filius Alani filii Benedicti salutem.
Noveritis me concessisse, dedisse
et presenti carta mea confirmasse Deo
et Beate Marie de F. et abbati et monachis ibidem
Deo serventibus totam terram et tenementum de Butherulkil
cum omnibus pertinentiis, libertatibus et aisiamentis...
[boundaries as above. Variant spellings: Wainscarth, Bouescarth, Tung, Eskhals, Herterfelbek (for "Herterbekfel")]
...in liberam et perpetuam elemosinam,
pro salute anime mee
et omnium antecessorum et successorum meum,
in omnibus et ubique sicut David de Mulcastre idem tenementum tenuit de me
reddendo inde annuatim michi et heredibus meis
octo denarios vel unam libram piperis
pro omni servitio ad me et heredes meos pertinente.
Forinsecum autem servitium
quod pro eodem tenemento debetur dominis capitalibus,
scilicet quinque solidos tantum annuatim,
michi solvent et heredibus meis prenominati abas et monachi,
et ego et heredes mei inde eos adquietabimus in perpetuum.
Ego vero Alanus et heredes mei prenominatam terram et tenementum de Butherulkil
cum omnibus suis pertinentiis
dictis abbati et monachis contra omnes mortalis
warantizabimus, manutenebimus et defendemus in perpetuum.
Actum anno gratie Mo CCo quadragesimo secundo mense Julio...
...Alan of Pennington,
son of Alan, son of Benedict gives greetings.
Let it be known that I concede, give
and by my present charter confirm to God
and St. Mary of F[urness] and the abbot and monks there
serving God all the land and tenement of Butterilket
with all appurtenances, liberties and easements...
...in free and perpetual alms,
for the salvation of the souls of me
and all my ancestors and successors,
in all things and everywhere as David of Muncaster held this tenement from me,
paying for it annually, to me and my heirs
8 pence or 1 pound of peppers
for all service appertaining to me and my heirs.
Moreover, foreign service
which is owed for this tenement to the chief lord,
specifically the amount of 5 shillings annually,
the aforesaid abbot and monks will pay to me and my heirs,
and I and my heirs acquit them of it in perpetuity.
In truth, I, Alan, and my heirs will warrant, maintain and defend the aforenamed land and tenement of Butterilket
with all its appurtenances
for the said abbot and monks against all mortals,
in perpetuity.
Enacted in the year of grace 1242, in the month of July
Alan of Pennington grants Lingcove to Furness Abbey. Dated 1242 (witnesses not listed in printed edition).
...Alanus de Peniton, filius Alani filii Benedicti... [to]
Deo et Beate Marie de F. et abbati at monachis ibidem...
totam terram et tenementum de Luncoue,
cum omnibus pertinentiis, libertatibus et aisiamentis
que in ea sunt et haberi poterunt, per has divisas:
scilicet de Blakrag in transversum usque Esk
et de Esk contra montem usque Orscard
et post le Cundois usque Bouscard
et postea le Cundois usque ad Midelfel
et postea de Midelfel le Cundois
usque ad divisas de Borudale
et postea ad capud de Mosedale
et sic a capitum de Mosedale usque ad predictum Blakrag...
in liberam et perpetuam elemosinam,
pro salute anime mee
et omnium antecessorum et successorum meorum,
faciendo forinsecum servitium dominis capitalibus...
Actum anno gratie Millesimo CCo quadragesimo secundo, mense Julii...
...Alan of Pennington, son of Alan son of Benedict... to
God and St. Mary's of F[urness], and its abbot and monks...
all the land and tenement of Lingcove,
with all appurtenances, liberties and easements
which are there and can be held, by these bounds:
specifically from Blacrag across to the Esk [probably where it meets Lingcove Beck],
and from the [source of the?] Esk uphill to Ore Gap,
then along the ridge to Bowscarth [Three Tarns/ Buscoe]
and along the ridge to Midfell [Crinkle Crags]
then from Midfell by the ridge
to the boundary of Borudale [a forgotten estate including Black Hall and Gatescale]
and then to the head of Mosedale
and then from the head of Mosedale to the aforesaid Blacrag...
in free and perpetual alms,
for the health of the souls of me
and all my ancestors and descendants,
doing foreign service to the chief lord...
Enacted in the year of grace 1242, in the month of July
This way to further information on the management of the monastic estate