These documents comes from the collection of National Trust deeds at Kendal Record Office (ref. WD/NT/73)

Conveyance, 9 Mar 1696/7 (9 William III): Margratt Wilson, widow of Gillbank in Eskdale, to Henry Wilson, "batchlar", also of Gillbank, for "divers good causes and valuable considerations... most especially..." £42 (with consent of the Duke of Somerset and his wife): moiety of the messuage/tenement called Gillbank, annual rent 2s 8.5d (out of total rent 5s 5d) now occupied by the said Margratt, "together with all her Great fire house shee now lives in with all the Rowmes[?] thereunto belonginge and workhouse next unto the fire house and half of barne next unto the said fire house and one house called scailhouse and gardian next greate fire house with halfe of the said tenement as it is now divided"...
Witnesses: Richard Tyson, William Vicars, John Nicholson

Manor Court, 13 May 1702: Court of dimissions of the Duke of Somerset, at Cockermouth. Admittance of John Wilson to property formerly belonging to the late Margaret Wilson, widow, his grandmother; fine £4/5/-; rent half of 5/5.

Manor Court, 18 Dec 1734: Court of the Duke of Somerset, at Cockermouth. Admittance of Ruth Wilson, spinster, to property formerly belonging to the late John Wilson, her father; fine £4/15/-; rent 2/8.5

Conveyance, 5 Nov 1737: Ruth Wilson, spinster, and her mother Elizabeth Wilson, widow, both of Gillbank, to William Viccars of Yathouse, weaver, for £90: their messuage/tenement known as Gillbank, yearly rent 2/8.5 (now occ themselves).
Witnesses: Nicholas Dickinson, John Viccars, Stephen Nicholson, John Nicholson

Manor Court, 14 Dec 1737: Court of the Duke of Somerset, Cockermouth. Admission of William Vicars to property surrendered by Ruth Wilson, spinster: fine £4/15/-; rent half of 5/5.

Manor Court, 24 Apr 1749: Court of the Duke of Somerset, Cockermouth. Admission of William Vicars of Gilbank, following death of the late Duke. Fine £4/17/6; rent half of 5/5.

Manor Court, 28 May 1750: Court of the Earl of Egremont, Cockermouth. Admission of William Vicars of Gilbank, following the death of the late Duke of Somerset. Fine £4/18/4; rent half of 5/5.

Manor Court, 28 May 1750: Court of the Earl of Egremont, Cockermouth. Admission of John Wilson of Gilbank, following the death of the late Duke of Somerset. Fine £4/18/6; rent half of 5/5

Manor Court, 18 Apr 1754: Court of the Earl of Egremont, Cockermouth. Admission of William Viccars to property surrendered by John Wilson, through his attorney Robert Fletcher. Fine £5; rent half of 5/5.

Conveyance, 5 Aug 1754: John Wilson, "millner" of Gillbank to William Vicars, weaver, also of Gillbank, for "divers good causes ... especially..." £100: his messuage/tenement called Gillbank; yearly rent 2/8.5
Witnesses: John Viccars; Edward Hartley; John Vickers

Manorial enfranchisement indenture, 10 May 1760: to William Vicars for £90 (+ £27/19/9 for purchase of the timber, trees underwood): "those customary tenements called Gillbank... consisting of a messuage with the Barn Stable and appurtenances... and Several Closes or Parcels of Land..." total c44 acres; yearly rent 5/5.

Land tax exoneration, 25 Jul 1799: Property of John Vickers in St. Bees parish exonerated from £9/8/9 Land Tax. Trustee Richard Sherwen; registry no. 57316.

Will, 13 May 1813: Probate of will of John Vicars, yeoman of Gillbank: real estate to son John Vicars (subject to life tenure of JV's widow Jane of the house at Gillbank, with "such part of my Peathouses as shall be sufficient to contain her Peats"). Jane also to receive £10 yearly for life, or until she claims her dower; also all JV's household goods, furniture and "necessaries of life" in his house at Gillbank (except his chest of drawers, the bedsteads in the lofts, his corner cupboards, grates, crooks, chests etc.); also a bequest of £25. Bequest of £40 to son Matthew. Bequest of £70 to daughter Hannah, wife of Thomas Tyson. Bequest of £60 to grandson Timothy Wilson. Remainder to son John.
Witnesses: John Hartley; Jane Hartley; Aaron Marshall.

Legacy duty, 2 Oct 1813: Legacy Duty on estate of the late John Vicars, yeoman of Gillbank (died 16 Jan 1812). Valuation includes:
Cash for principal and interest on mortgages & other securities paid off: £205
Household goods & furniture: £30
Stock of sheep: £100
  Less deductions:
Probate cost: £11/5/-
Funeral expenses: £20
Executors' expenses: £10
Debts: £30
Pecuniary legacies: £195
  Leaving residue £68/15/-; on which 1% tax is payable (=13/7): received 4 Oct 1813, at the Stamp Office, by J.White for Wm. Wordsworth
[Yes- that Wm. Wordsworth]

Legacy duty, 2 Oct 1813: on pecuniary legacy from the late John Vicars (executor John Vicars, husbandman of Gillbank) to Hannah Tyson: 14/- (1% of £70)

Legacy duty, 2 Oct 1813: ditto to Timothy Wilson: 12/- (1% of £60). All received by J. White for Wm. Wordsworth

Mortgage (via lease & release)27-28 Jan 1835: John Vicars, yeoman of Gillbank and wife Agnes to William Sandwith, innkeeper of Broughton in Furness (with trustee William Atkinson, surgeon of Broughton in Furness) for loan of £1,000: those 2 freehold tenements in Eskdale known as Gillbanks, with dwellinghouses, carding mill, machinery, dyehouse, outhouses, & other buildings, + c44 acres land (yearly free rent 5/5) + stock of heathbred sheep.

Reconveyance of mortgaged property, 25 Mar 1856: William Sandwith (and executors of late Wiliam Atkinson) to Matthew Vicars (son of the late John Vicars, who made his will 17 Aug 1844 and died 27 Jun 1849- will proved 30 Nov 1849, leaving the carding mill at Gillbank with millrace, water wheel, engines, machinery & utensils to his widow Agnes for life, then to Matthew- Agnes then died 1 Jul 1852) for £1000.

Will, 17 Apr 1863: Probate granted on will of late Matthew Vicars, wine & spirit merchant of Liverpool: "All those two freehold Tenements with the messuages or Dwelling houses, Carding Mill, machinery, dyehouse, outhouses and other erections and buildings thereon and the several closes or parcels of land thereto belonging..." (total c44a) "commonly known by the name of Gillbanks..." "and all the flock of heathbred and heathgoing sheep belonging to the said hereditaments..." to his nephew John Vicars, son of his brother John.

Inland Revenue legacy receipt, 28 Mar 1864: from estate of Matthew Vicars, wine & spirit merchant of Liverpool, who died 8 Feb 1863 (executors Thomas Vicars, engineer of Liverpool, and Joseph Hargreaves, book-keeper of Liverpool) to John Vicars "a Descendant of a Brother of the Deceased": stock of sheep belonging to Gillbanks estate, value £136/10/-. Duty payable £4/1/10 (at 3%)

Mortgage, 20 May 1920: John Leslie Vicars, engineer of Church Villas, Rainhill, Liverpool, to Jane Tyson, wife of John Stable Tyson, railway employee of Sellafield, for loan of £500. Freehold farm (formerly 2 tenements) with messuages, carding mill, outhouses & other buildings, plus several closes (total c44a) now occupied by J. Black & Mrs Kitchen (+ part in hand); with stock of sheep. Title summary: The late John Vicars, yeoman of Gillbank, in his will dated 3 Oct 1879, bequeathed all his real estate (after the death or remarriage of his widow) to his nephew John Vicars, son of his sister Agnes for life, thereafter to the nephew's children. John died 24 Nov 1889 and his will was proved 1 Feb 1890; his widow Jane died 9 Aug 1893; John the nephew died 18 Dec 1911 and JLV is his only child (who turned 21 on 3 Jul 1900).
Endorsement, 24 Oct 1932: principal repaid to Jane Tyson.

Conveyance, 5 Jul 1932: John Leslie Vicars, engineer of The Firs, 3 Booths Hill, Lymm, Cheshire, and mortgagee Jane Tyson (as above) to William Bailiff of Gillbank, for £450 (of which £250 to be paid to mortgagee): cottage, mill & premises at Gillbank, with parcel of land by the cottage (total 1.29 acres; plots 556, 566 and part 567 [just the mill-race and land betwen it and the beck] on 1899 OS) with the weir and mill-race inlet & rights of way (including right "to maintain the line of pipes from the force pump to the cottage" (reserving right of dranage through the plot by the cottage).

See 1955 abstract of 1932 conveyance

Free Rent redemption, 18 Apr 1936: (5/5 yearly): Joseph Wilson of Santon Bridge to Leconfield Estates £5/18/4

Vesting assent, 17 Nov 1942: John Wilson, joiner of Mill Cottage, Santon Bridge, executor and residuary legatee under the will of the late Joseph Wilson, joiner of the same address (dated 9 Aug 1932- he died 17 Jun 1942; will proved 29 Jul 1942) "hereby assents to all the residue of the property passing under the said will vesting in himself the said executor for an estate in fee simple..."

Abstract of title, 1955: title of the personal representatives of the late Joseph Wilson to the estate known as Gill Bank includes:
25 Oct 1932, conveyance: John Leslie Vicars (of The Firs etc.) to Joseph Wilson, joiner of Santon Bridge, for £650/10/-: Gillbank farm (total 52.564a) occupied by James Black, with flock of sheep (1899 OS plots 380, 381, 570, 571, 572, 573, 568, 567 (most of), 563, 575, 576, 564, 555, 557, 558, 559, 549, 550, 561).

Information on title, 14 Mar 1955: Requisition on behalf of Lake District Farm Estates Ltd. from Wilson. Replies include: property has an unlimited fell right on the northern portion of Burnmoor and the west face of Scafell. Outgoing tenant farmer is Mr A. Coward.