West Hallam

It is to be lamented, that owing to the want of local or county histories, the very names of many of our county worthies and benefactors have almost been forgotten, and still more have the records of their public or private lives sunk into oblivion. Of this the Rev. John Scargill, Rector of West Hallam, born 1588, who left the bulk of his property as an educational endowment for West Hallam, and the adjoining villages, is no unworthy instance. Few and scanty are the particulars which can at this day be gleaned respecting the vicissitudes that befel him during the troublous times in which he lived. He seems to have belonged to a Cambridgeshire family,** and was instituted to the Rectory of West Hellam, Derbyshire, in the year 1639 or 1640. From a careful examination of the Parish Register, it may, I think, be gathered, that he was ejected in the year 1643, but survived to be subsequently restored, perhaps after the Restoration, and before the passing of the Act of Uniformity, as he died in January, 1662. Most of the entries in the Parish Register at this period are made without reference to the proper succession of dates, and many of them left doubtful as to the exact day, as e.g, “Robert ye son of John Day & Anne his wife, baptized about Sept. 15, 1657 ."-“ Anne, the daughter of John Cooper, and . . . . his wife, baptized about Midlent 1650.” This seems to indicate that the Register was not kept at this time, and the entries, all of which are in the same handwriting, not filled up till a later period, probably after the Restoration, when the exact date had, in many instances, been forgotten. There is no evidence to show who enjoyed the revenues of the living during the Great Rebellion, unless it was “Samuel Crampton, Minister, who died at Mapperley, and was buried at West Hallam, the 2nd day of January, 1665." The Rev. John Scargill was buried in the Chancel of West Hallam Church, and over his remains is placed a stone bearing the following inscription. The stone is now covered by the Choir Stalls, on the south side.

“ Here lieth the body of John
Scargill Gent. Rector of this
Church. Ho died a Batchelor
January 17, 1662.
He built a School here for
XII children poore
V1 of this Towne and VI of
III Townes more
To whom he gave besides
Their learning free
IXd a weeke to each boy
Paid to bee.
Aged 74."

** He was probably of the same family as the Rev. Daniel Scargill, who in 1669 published his recantation before the University of Cambridge.

His burial is thus entered in the Parish Register, “Johannes Scargill, Rector venerabilis, Ecclesia hujus, West Hallam, sepultus Januarii 18° _A.D. 1665”

The will, which is subjoined, was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, in 1663, and from the accounts preserved in the School Chest, it appears that a Schoolhouse having been erected on a site “allowed of by the Lord and Lady of the Manor,” according to the dimensions directed by the testator, the School was first opened in October, 1664; Alexander Byfield being appointed Schoolmaster. It would appear, that after the death of the feoffees under the will, and in the lapse of years, great irregularities had arisen in the management of this, like so many other charities; for in January, 1824, a petition was presented to the Lord Chancellor by the Rev. John Morewood, Rector of West Hallam, and William Drury Lowe, and Edward Miller Mundy, Esqrs, as owners of lands in Mapperley, one of the places interested in this School, praying that it might be referred to one of the Masters of the Court of Chancery, to inquire into the state and condition of the School, &c. It is in accordance with the scheme drawn up by Master Stratford, in 1832, that the School estates are now administered by six trustees, of whom the owner of Shipley is hereditary, the Rector of West Hallam ex officio, and the remaining four elected by the surviving trustees whenever vacancies occur; one acting for each Parish or Township to which the benefits of the Charity extend.  The number of pensioners receiving 9d. per week each for six years from the date of their appointment (now given in clothing) has been raised from 12, the original number, to 66, viz.--33 from West Hallam, and 11 each from Dale Abbey, Stanley, and Mapperley--and the Master's salary from £10 to £70 per annum, besides £10 per annum allowed for an assistant.

The original Schoolhouse and site were exchanged in 1832, with F. Newdigate, Esq., the Lord of the Manor, for a new and more eligible situation, on which the present School was erected; and in addition to this, the Trustees of the Charity built, in 1852, an excellent Girl and Infant School, capable of accommodating one hundred children, upon a site likewise presented by F. Newdigate, Esq. A further benefaction to this School was left by Dame Anne Powtrell, of West Hallam, about A. D. 1699, for the purpose of apprenticing boys who have continued six years in the School. A curious and interesting notice of this Charity is preserved in the original School Account Book.

“Mad”. Anne Poutrell, of this Town,
of West Hallam, deceased –

Did by her last Will bequeath to the use of this free Schooie the sum of fiftie pounds, to the intent that with the Intent and proceed thereof every yeare one of the poorest of the Schollars of West Hallam aforesaid, and fittest for an Apprentice, shall be elected and disposed of at the discression of two or three of the Inhabitants as they shall think fitt.

“This said Charity was withheld (the will being concealed) by Mr. Francis Willowby, of Espley, in the County of Nottingham, until the yeare 1699, at whichyime the said Will was found unproved in any of the Courts, & is now in the hands of Mr. Edward Willowby, of Espley; and the said Edward Willowby and his son Francis became bound in the sum of ............. .. for the true payment of £73 14s. 0d. on the 24th of June next, with intrest after £5. percent.

“Mm”-—ye bond was sealed to Mr. Middlemore, Fran. Handley, Geo. "Handley, Ed. Gregory, & is in Mr. Middlemores hands.”

The following singular inscription, which is quite a curiosity in its way, is carved on the stone over the Porch of the School.

The Rev’d,'
Mr. John Scargill hujus codis Rector
Built and endowed this School
Cum Fundi censu,
Et obiit
Januarii Die 17° Anno a Christi ortu 1662.
Mr. Thos Hague, Willm. Coke, Thos. Scattergood,
and Zachary Wathey, Trustees,
Erected this Stone
Anno Erae Xnae
1758.
Frans. Greay. Mr.
Ens entium miserere mei.

Subjoined is a copy of the Rev. J. Scargill's will.

In the Name of God, Amen. The Tenth day of January, in the yeare of our Lord God, One Thousand Six Hundred Sixty and Twoe, I, John Scargill of West Hallam in the County of Derby, Clerke, being aged, and weake in body, but of good and perfect memory, praised be God, doe make and ordeyne this my last Will and Testament in manner and forms following :--- First of all, I give and bequeath my soule into the hands of God my maker, hoping assuredly through the onely meritte of Christ my Lord and Saviour, to bee made partaker of Life Everlasting, and my body to the earth whereof it was made, to bee decently and orderly buryed to the Chancell of West Hallam aforesaid. And as for all my goods and personall Estate, wherewith God hath blessed mee, I give, bequeath, and dispose the same in manner and forme following -—

First, I give and bequeath to my kinsman Henry Scargill, of Knapell (Knapwell) in Cambridgeshire, a Statute that I have of his father of one thousand poundes immediately after my decease, provided that he give Bond to my Executors hereafter named, to pay to my Cosen John Scargill, the Attorney, Fifty poundes within a year after my decease. And to my Sister-in-law, Richard Scargill, Forty poundes within the said time, and that hee pay alsoe to William Skipp if hee come out of Virginia, Tenne Poundes, and that hee seale a generall release to my said Executors for the same in full of all further demands out of my said estate. Alsoe I give and bequeath to the said Henry Scargill my silver kupp. Alsoe I give and bequeath to Hellen Roe, my faithfull Servant, all my household goods (excepting the remainder of my plate), viz. -- all my brasse, pewter, ironworkes, wooden vessels, and boards used in my house, with Hangings, Stooles, Chaires, Linnens, Bedstedds & Bedding, or if shee like better of it, Twenty Poundes in money in lieu thereof. Alsoe, I give and bequeath unto James Ault, Clarke, my best suite with Cote, Gowne, Cassoke, and my best Hatt and Cotton's Concordance.  Alsoe I give and bequeath to Thomas Johnson, the rest of my wearing Clothes, and also the Hearse Cloth. Alsoe I Forgive Mr. Powtrell all that money that I should receive of him for satisfaction for the Colos that have been gotten in the Parsonage grownde, provided that hee shall mainteyne my Sheep and Calves till about May Faire next, at Derbey, in grasse grounde. Alsoe I give to William Day his Bond and all that hee oweth mee for Easter rolls or otherwise, hee making a release to my Executors of all debts or dues that I owe him. Also I give and bequeath to Mr. William Horne twenty shillings which hee oweth mee. Alsoe I give and bequeath to William Hudson, Button maker, Husband to Grace Pearson, living last in Chicke Lane, nere the Blacke boy, London, or if hee bee dead to his widdow or heires the sum of Three pounds, and I desire hee may bee carefully enquired after and paid. Alsoe I give and bequeath to the Poore of West Hallam aforesaid, Twenty Shillings. Alsoe to the Poore of Dale Abbey, Tenne Shillings. Alsoe to the Poore of Stanley, Tenne Shillings. Alsoe to the Poore of the Parish of Ilkeston, Twenty Shillings. Alsoe to the Poore of Kirke Hallam and Mapperley, Twenty shillings. Alsoe I give Five hundred and Forty pounds for the purchasing of a Farm in Eastwood, in the possession of one Widdow Cooke, for the fownding and erecting of a Free schoole. Alsoe my will is, that a scheolo howse be erected within twoe yeares time after my decease. And that the twoe first yeares revenues of the said Schoole Lands bee paid towarde the building of it. I would have it placed, if it may be, in or neare the Towne of West Hallam aforesaid, conteyneing about Fower and Twenty Foote in Lengthe, with a proportionable widenes, the walls being made of Bricke, having twoe chambers over it, and having twoe bricke chimneys one below and another above. Alsoe my will and mind is, that the Schoolmaster for the said schoole bee an honest, vertuous, and sober man, that shall apply himself wholly to the teaching of the Schoole, and shall offer upp the prayers of the Church amongst his Scholars morning and evening, and shall endeavour to teach his Scholars to read, wright, and cast accompt, and also instruct them in the Church Catechism, training them upp in the fear of the Lord, which said master shall onely have Tenne pounds yearly for his sallary out of the said Schoole Lands. Alsoe my will and mind is, that there bee twelve pentioners in this Schoole, viz.-- Six to bee chosen out of West Hallam aforesaid; Twoe out of the Dale Parish; Twoe out of Stanley; and Twoe out of Mapperley; all which shall be of the poorer sort of the several foremention’d Towns chosen by each Townshipp, whoe shall receive whilst they come to Schoole (that is to say, all the yeare except a Fortnight at Christmas and in Easter and Whitson weeke which usually are not Schoole weekes), after the rate of nine pence a peece for every weeke towards mainteynance of them, to bee paid at every halfe yeare end. Alsoe, my will and minde is, when any of the said pentioners have continued at the said schoolo the time of sixe yeares, then they to be removed and others placed in their stead, or if they dye and depart before. Alsoe I doe nominate and appoynt these Fower persons following, viz.-- William Wheelright of West Hallam, William Osborne of Dale Abbey, Edward Vicars of Stanley, and John Pimme of Mapperley, and their heires, to bee Feoffees in Trust for the use of the said Schoole, and they and their successors to receive the rents and to take care for the building the said Schoole and repaires and payment of the said pentions and Schoolmaster’s wages, and to bee visitors of the same during their lives. And that after any one and each of their deceases, another shall bee chosen by the surviving Feoffees for the Towne for which the deceased was appoynted, which said Feoffees and Visitors, and such others as shall bee elected as aforesaid after any one and each of their deceases, or any Three of them, shall have power to appoynt a Schoolmaster and shall see that hee and the schollers who are pentioners observe the Schoole orders and shall have power alsoe from time to time to displace the master for his negligence or vitiousnesse and choose another in his roome.

And alsoe to displace any the pentioners if they bee impiously wicked and refuse to learne their Bookes and the Church Catechisme, and place others in their steads according as their consciences shall direct them. And that they or any three of them have a power from time to time to place or displace Tenants of the said Schoole Lands, and to lett leases (so it bee without taking of fines), if they shall judge that way to bee more beneficial to the Schoole. Alsoe my will and minde is, that a strong Box * bee placed in the said Schoole with Fower Lockes and Keyes to bee in the keeping of the severall Visitors of the said Schoole, wherein is to bee laid this my last Will and Testament, and a Copie of it to bee alwayes extant in the said Schoole. There shalbee alsoe a booke of Accompt deposited in it, wherein shalbee sett down the severall moneyes that are remeyning after the severall distributions, which said moneyes shalbee soe disbursed afterwards, as they or any three of them shall judge most expedient for the goode of the Schoole, which said Accompts I appoynt to be yearly made and profited by the said Feoffees and Visitors and their successors yearly, upon every Thursday in Easter weeke in the said School house, to my Execotors hereafter named, and the survivors of them and their heires and the Schoolmaster for the time being, or such of them as shalbee then present, and to have a Dinner at their meeting. The rest of my goods and chattells undisposed of herein, after debts, legacyes, and funerall expenses and charges are paid and discharged, I give and leave the same for the further use and benefitt of the said schoole, to bee discreetly disposed of by the said Feoffees and Visitors and my said Executors and their successors, or any three of them, in purchasing more Lande or otherwise, for the encreasing and mainteyning more pentioners at the rate aforesaid, choosing the first out of West Hallam, next out of Dale, and soe in order.  Lastely, I do hereby nominate and appoynt my loving friends Robert Mellor, gentleman, and James Aulte, Clerke, Executors of this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former and other wills, and doe give and leave to the said Robert Mellor, Tenne Poundes, and both their charges borne on all occasions concerning this my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto put my hands and seale, the daye and yeare first above written, John Seargill.  Sealed, published, and declared in the presence of John Flamsteed, **Charles Werden, Henry Werden, Robert Tompson, his marke."
West Hallam.

*It is interesting to add, that the original “strong box," with its “fower lockes and keyes" is still preserved in the school. The box is quite plain in character, of solid oak, about 5 ft. 4 in. in length by 14 in. in width, and 12 in. in depth. Its cost is entered in the School Account Book as £1 13s. 0d.

The copy of the will from which this is printed, and the original “ booke of accompt" are preserved in the box, as here stipulated for.

** Of the same family as the Astronomer, John Flamsteed, who at this time was sixteen years of age.

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