The Minor Family of Somerset

Name Suffix:<NSFX> of Northowram
Will of Jane Hemingway Crowther, sister of Robert, reads to Sibi
l, Edith, Phoebe and Martha Hemingway, the four daughtersof he
r brother, Robert Hemingway of Overbrea, she leaves $200 a piece
, to Robert, Jasper, Martin, Elland and Susan Hemingway, childre
n of Robert Hemingway of Netherbrea, the testatrix left 40s a pi
ce and to all her godchildren she bequeatehed 3s. 4d. a piece
. To Edith Lister wife of her brother robert Hemingway is beque
athed one silver cup with a cover; and the moiety of all thetes
tatrix's household goods, plate excepted. All the residuary est
ate isleft absolutely to her brother Robert Hemingway and his s
on, John Hemingway.
Shibden Hall history "Samuel Lyster was a future occupier of th
e Hall, whosesister, Edith, had married in 1590, Robert Hemingw
ay, father of John Hemingway, to whom Caleb Waterhouse sold th
e estate. Joshua and Michael Waterhousewere sons of Caleb th
e vendor. As previously stated, in Dec., 1612 the property pass
ed from the name of Waterhouse altogether, and Widow Crowther, n
eeHemingway, and her nephew John Hemingway, entered into posses
sion.
Phoebe and John were under age at the date of their father's dea
th on the 9th March, 1613/14 according to the article History o
f Shibden Hall
Shibden Mill and Its
Hemingway Owners
by Ron Hemingway
This is one of the historical articles about English Hemingway f
amilies prepared by Ron Hemingway of Wakefield, Yorks. There i
s a list of
his other articles, most illustrated with images. There is mor
e information about English Hemingway research and there are ref
erences to
other articles here.
The mill is situated in Shibden Dale, North of the main road fro
m Halifax to Leeds and Bradford which was the turnpike road buil
t in the late
1700s, about 1 mile from Shibden Hall and from Upper Brea.It i
s in an area named Shibden Milne, which comprised the mill and s
everalcottages,
now used for accommodation at the Inn. The main building of th
e mill appears to have been demolished but the cottages and othe
r buildings are
still there. I have not found an illustration of the original mi
ll. It was burnt down in 1859 and abandoned until it became an i
nn, the Shibden Mill
Innon the 5th.
Shibden Mill Inn, circa 1900
August 1890, when it was purchased by the Halifax brewers, Webst
ers. The first landlord was Mr. E. C. SutherwardWalker.
The mill Pond was drained and filled in, probably by the Nationa
l Coal Board to prevent water seepage into the coal mines that w
ere in the area.
The land is now used for car Parking.
Shibden Mill Pond, circa 1900
A larger mill was built nearby, late C18/early C19, now used fo
r residential purposes.
Shibden Mill Inn in 1999, as photographed by Ron Hemingway.
Ron notes "The main mill building would have been where I was st
anding. The (mill race)stream is to the left for the waterwhe
el."
Shibden Mill Inn in 1999
Shibden Mill already had a long history before coming into the p
ossession of the Hemingway family, the first mention was in th
e Wakefield
Manor Roll on TuesDay, the Feast of St Nicholas, the 6th. Decemb
er, second year Edward II (1308) although it must have existed b
efore that date.
Two dramatic events that involved former owners are worth mentio
ning: In 1362 it was in the hands of Alice, the Lady of Eland wh
ose husband
was slain in the "Eland Feud" in 1353. Theother dark deed conce
rned the miller, Henry Matthewson who, in 1378, was killed by Ri
chard of
Sunderland with a pole-axe over a disagreement in rents.
In 1526, Nicholas Eland, at the Wakefield Manor Court, surrender
ed the use ofthe mill to Richard Gibson and his assigns for th
e term of 46
years at a rent of 8s. payable at Whitsuntide. In 1535 Edward to
ok of the Lord of the Manor of Wakefield a half acre of waste, l
ying between
'Shipden-broke', 'Blakhill' and Shibden Mill. His wife's name wa
s Joan,