Kirkby Malzeard & Laverton

Laverton

Laverton is a small village a mile south of Kirkby Malzeard. Although it seems a quiet village now, there has been much more activity there in the past.

The has certainly been Iron Age and Roman activity in the area, with a camp just up the road at Cast Hills, arrow heads behind found etc.
In the Domesday Book Laverton is referred to as Lauertone (land of the King) and Lauretona. Land owners included Floteman, Gospatric , Robert de Bruis, Uchil and Uluric.

By the end of the 12th century the whole area had become part of the Mowbray estate, known as the Honour of Kirkby Malzeard, and later Dallowgill and Laverton were controlled by the Cistertian monks from Fountains Abbey for almost four centuries.

Laverton in 1600

In the 16th century, the village was also known as Layrton and Layton. Documents dating back to 1748 refer to Larton, but by 1766 papers are referring to Laverton.

The ‘centre’ of Laverton is around the old packhorse bridge that crosses the River Laver, on its way to the River Ure. If you venture down the banking, you can see where the bridge has been widened.

Usually slow moving and tranquil, everyone in the area is aware that it can flood the road and houses over the bridge. Even in June 1908, the same year as the Kirkby church fire, there was a severe flood which caused pigs and calves to be washed away by the torrent, as well as a large amount of damage to property.

Back to the history of Laverton, the dominating buildings are Laverton Hall and the Methodist Chapel. We will look into the background to these buildings shortly.

The surrounding countryside is very rural, with dry stone walls, barns and farmhouses in every direction. Much of the land was inclosed during the time of the Cistercian monks from Fountains Abbey. Moving onto the late 18th and early 19th centuries, these large areas of land were divided up into small fields, with stone dug up to help create the walls. Most plots of land allocated to the villagers of Laverton had a small building in one of the fields with a draw well close by.

Looking at the tithe map of 1838, most houses and farms were rented out by the landowners, rather than owned by the occupier. Laverton Hall, for example, owned Bogs Hall, Saw Pits and several cottages including the ones on the same side as the hall, and a cottage belonging to George Wright, across the road from the hall, no longer there.

Laverton Tithe Map 1838

A significant area of land is known as ‘Missise’ and was an area granted to the monks from Fountains Abbey by the Mowbrays in the 12th century, and could have been their ‘lodge’. The land included several buildings including what is now Missise (Farm). On the 1838 tithe map, the farm was owned by Mrs Elizabeth Lawrence of the Studley Estate, and occupied by John and Elizabeth Nicholson who had five children and five servants. Low Missise was occupied by George Wharton who was buried in Kirkby churchyard aged 112.

Laverton in 1850

Briefly looking at the population of Laverton, in 1861 it was recorded as around 200, and in 1964 it was less than 100.

Water supply to Laverton was via the water pump since 1854, which still exists, but no longer functions. In 1960 the houses were provided with their own supply from 150ft bore hole on South View land. By 1963 a mains water supply was installed and Laverton was one of the last villages in the North of England to get mains water.

The water pump in the late 1990’s
The site of the original pinfold can still be seen next to the bridge, but it was originally larger and more circular. As its condition was deteriorating, it was decided to restore it in 1953 using surplus money from the Coronation celebrations.
A couple of past residents are worth mentioning. George Wharton, who died in 1844, aged 112 who we’ve already mentioned, Dorothy Una Ratcliffe springs to mind.

Dorothy started writing poems and stories from the age of ten or eleven, and later went on to edit a magazine her sister had started.
In 1922 she purchased Laverton Grange, along with 20 acres, as well as buying ‘Home Farm’ which became ‘East Farm’. She had around 50 books published, many in Yorkshire dialect.

Laverton Grange

As well as being late in getting mains water, Laverton was also in no hurry to be connected to the telephone system. Although the first house to have a telephone was The Mount in 1930, the first house in the village wasn’t connected until 1935.

As far as sport goes, Laverton has never had a football team, but there was a cricket team formed for a few years after the 1914-18 war, but only survived for a few years. The only other sport known to have been played in Laverton is quoits which was played on a strip of grass alongside the river, and known as Beckside. There is no trace of the pitch now.