A William Ostell
(The original spelling the family name) held a small farm at
Newtown "for a term of eighteen years entering there upon in the
29th year of the reign of our sovereign lord King Henry VIII at a rent
of ten shillings and six pence per year"
Perhaps William was only a part-time farmer and had another job at
the Abbey which accounts for his name. It would be nice to think
that he worked in the HOSTEL and looked after visitors. Cumbrians
do drop their H's and this could be an explanation for a rather
curious surname.
There are records of several other Ostles around this time. In 1566,
a Jarrot Ostle died leaving four children: John, Robert, Ellen and
Richard. Following the upheavals of dissolution and the Battle of
Solway Moss, the church records of Holm Cultram are either
sketchy or non-existent but, as things got back to normal, the
Ostles were still around. There were families living in Silloth,
Causeway Head and Blitterlees. In 1588, a George Ostle married
Alice Swaile in the old abbey church. They had two sons called
Robert and George. This George, who died in 1672, had a son called
Thomas.
Thomas married a Francis Lancake in 1664. He farmed at Newtown,
about 4 miles (6Km) west of the old Abbey and built himself a new
house there; the old door lintel bearing the inscription "TO FO 1680"
can still be seen above the door of the present house now known as
West Farm.
 |
|
A Cumbrian Clay Daubing. The original farm at Newtown probably looked
much like this one, dating from 1666, photographed at Curthwaite in the
1940's; the door lintel is very similar. |
Ostles continued to farm this same piece of land up until the 1960's.
The last Ostle to actually live there was Tommy who died in 1978.
After forty years of research it still seems that all Ostles now living
are descended from Thomas and Francis.
Thomas and Francis had ten children. The first two boys, George
and John, died in infancy leaving their brother Joseph to inherit the
farm. These three boys were all baptised at Holm Cultram church,
the remaining seven children were never christened. In fact very
few Ostle children were baptised over the next hundred years
because, between October 1670 and the birth of their daughter
Mary in 1672, Thomas and his wife became Quakers and, from this
point on, the history of the family is inseparable from that of The
Society of Friends and its growth in the area.
The first member of the society to visit the area was James
Lancaster of Walney who, in 1653 "came to the steeple house of
Abbey Holm and declared ye truth to ye people. As he was going
away, the people followed him and were something rude, but
especially Mr Briscoe. A little after came William Dewsbury on the
same mission; he was beaten and ducked in the river but William
Lowthaite received him and was convinced and his wife, and others
were soon convinced that day at Abbeyholm"
Also in 1653, George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, had visited
Carlisle where he had been imprisoned for seven weeks for
"preaching the truth in the great Worship House (The Cathedral)
after the priest had ended his sermon". In 1667, Fox himself
preached at Abbeytown so Thomas may possibly have heard him on
this occasion. The Friends were soon holding open air meetings on
Mawbray Bank even having a wedding there in 1665 but Thomas
does not appear in the list of witnesses for this event.He was, no
doubt, attending the Friends' meeting which was being held in the
home of his neighbour, John Howe of Newtown, by 1675. For
having this meeting in his house, Howe was fined and had goods to
the value of fifty-seven pounds and sixteen shillings seized and sold by the sheriff to meet this
sum which, at that time, must have consisted of almost his entire
estate.
This was the first time that the Friends at Newtown had fallen foul
of the law as a result of their beliefs, it was certainly not to be last.
Thomas Stordy of Moorhouse, who seems to have been a close
friend of the Ostles, had already been imprisoned at Carlisle and, in
1679, Thomas Ostle himself was sent to jail at Carlisle for non-
payment of tithes and in the following year, John Ostle of Bliterlees,
who was probably a cousin of Thomas was also to suffer
imprisonment for his beliefs. John had been summoned along with
three of his Quaker neighbours – Thomas Splatt, John Saul and
John Barne – to serve on a jury at the manor court. The four
Friends refused to take the juror's oath and were thrown into prison
at the Citadel in Carlisle. It is not clear from the records how long
Thomas spent in prison but John died there in December1694.
A sketch for the Quaker tapestry |
Thomas' wife, Francis, gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, in 1682
and there is also a record of a Quaker wedding in his house during
that year but Thomas may well have been a prisoner at the time.
The arrangements for keeping prisoners at Carlisle during these
years seems to have been very strange indeed. Most of the
Quakers were not imprisoned at the Citadel for long and appear to
have served most of their sentence at the gaoler's house in Castle
Street.
One famous prisoner for the faith, John Banks, used to preach from
a window in this house to those coming to services in the Cathedral
and was seemingly allowed to hold large meetings for Friends in the
courtyard. He was permitted out into the town to buy provisions
and took advantage of these trips to attend Friends' meetings and
complained bitterly when the Turn-key, who accompanied him,
dragged him back to the goaler's house whenever he began to
speak.
Under such haphazard conditions, Thomas may well have been able
to continue raising his family while a prisoner. We do know for sure
that he was in prison in 1688 and, since there is no reference to a
further offence, he may still have been serving the sentence given
him nine years earlier. In 1688, Thomas' fellow prisoners at
Carlisle were:- Mary Saul, William Glaister, Thomas Drape, Anthony
Skelton, William Bouch, Arthur Skelton, John Biglands and Thomas
Wilkinson, all imprisoned at the suit of Thomas Lowther, the Earl of
Carlisle. Several other Quakers were in jail at the suite of George
Fletcher, these included two members of the Senhouse family later
to become prominent coal-owners in West Cumberland. Over the
next fifty years Ostles were to marry into almost all the families
mentioned here.
In the following year, "the generality of the people called Quakers
were set at liberty by means of the Act of Grace granted by King
William and Queen Mary after their accession to the throne."
Thomas was among those set free. He died, at home, in 1701.
Frances survived him by seventeen years.
© MM, J. Peter Ostle
A bibliography and detailed references are available upon request.
Return to History menu
An explation of tithes
GEORGE, Bp. 1665, Died 1666
JOHN, Bp. 1667, Died 1668
JOSEPH, Bp. 1670
Married Jane
MARY, Born 1672
Married John Beeby
JONATHAN, Born 1675
Married Ruth Sturdye, then
Mary Jackson
DANIEL, Born 1677
Married Agnes
Died 1750
Their grandson, Jonathan, was a collier in Dearham, near Maryport and was the ancestor
of The Montana Ostles
SARAH, Born 1679
Married David Martindale.
ELIZABETH, Born 1682
ISAAC, Born 1686
THOMAS, Born 1688
Return to History menu
Jonathan (1675-1752)
Jonathan became a very prominent member of the Quaker
movement. He lived at Moorhouse which, at the time, was a great
centre of The Society. His friends included David Hodgson, also a
'Ministering Friend' who was often delegated by the Carlisle Monthly
Meeting to attend The Yearly Meeting of Friends in London along
with Jonathan.1
Another Friend who visited was Thomas Story of Justice Town, who
was a prominent lawyer in Carlisle and later became William Penn's
deputy in Philadelphia where he settled around 1698. Story was a
member of the Pennsylvania Council of State, Keeper of the Great
Seal, Master of the Rolls and one of the Commissioners of Property.
In his journal, he mentions both Jonathan and David Hodgson and
staying as their guest when he visited the meeting at Moorhouse.
Benjamin West :Penn's Treaty with the Indians
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia
Thomas Story is one of the figures to the left of Penn. An engraving of this work
used to hang in the kitchen at Newtown. |
Jonathan was a Ministering Friend who travelled widely. He visited
Aberdeen in 1698, Cork in Ireland in 1704 and was back in Scotland
in 1709.2 He seems to have been something of a local celebrity. No
less a personage than H.R.H. The Duke of Cumberland, who was
George III's third son and the brutal victor of Culloden, requested to
meet him when he stopped for a night at Brough-by-Sands on his
return from Scotland. Jonathan is reputed to have greeted him
"Well, I've come to see thee friend William, according to promise."3
Even at seventy, he was still an active man.
In 1745, Bonnie Prince
Charlie's army was in retreat through the area, an event described
by John Rebanks, a Kendal Quaker who says "…all in the road were
badly used. A worthy Friend near Carlisle, Jonathan Ostell, who is
an able minister, was in great danger of his life which was begg'd
might not be put in execution by a Gentlewoman amongst them, in
that she believed him to be a different person to what he was
represented". 4 Four years later, although nearly blind, he travelled
for the last time to the Friends' Yearly Meeting in London.
Jonathan married twice; firstly to Ruth Sturdye (Stordy?) who died
in 1707 and then to a Mary Jackson who died a year after him.
Sadly, he had no children.
When he died, the Monthly Meeting of Friends at Carlisle prepared a
testimonial for him; this is reproduced in full below
Jonathan Ostell of Moorhouse in Cumberland was born of parents of good
esteem amongst us who were concerned to give him a sober and religious
education; But as he advanced in years, he found his mind strongly
inclined to the vain customs and fashions of the world. And, as he
sometimes said, I was resolved to cast off all restraint and to gratify his
heart's desires. But the Lord, who is rich in mercy, was graciously pleased
to visit him in a powerful manner by His Grace and Good Spirit so that by
taking heed thereto, he not only witnessed a happy change in himself and
a passing from a state of condemnation to that of justification and peace,
but was eminently favoured with a gift in the ministry; in the practice
whereof he experienced a growth and became an able minister of the
Gospel. In prayer he was remarkably fervent and powerful. His stamina
and labour of love was great, not only amongst Friends, but even with
people of other persuasions with whom he had divers meetings. He has at
different times visited the churches in North and South Britain and Ireland
which, we hope, tended to their edification and his own peace. His hearth
and home were open to Friends and others. He was plain and humble in
deportment, visited the sick, relieved the poor, was of a loving and free
disposition and generally beloved.
He was remarkable in bearing testimony against Tithes, not only as to
paying them but even against receiving the same. In his lifetime, and by
his last will (as much as in him lay) invested the several owners of the
estates out of which he had formally been paid with the Right of Property,
he believed he had or could have claimed in an Impropriate Tithe which
evidently demonstrates the sincerity of our Conscientious Scruple about
Tithes.
And we may further observe that, in the 74th year of his age, he was
concerned to go to London to the Yearly Meeting (which was the last time
he attended that meeting) where we believe he had good service and, at
his return, experienced much peace and satisfaction. Being of a pretty
great age and labouring under infirmity of body, particularly want of sight,
he attended meetings diligently and frequently appeared in public
testimony and in prayer and supplication in much devotion and tenderness
of spirit and, in his last sickness, signified that death was no terror to him
and that he was resigned to the will of The Almighty and could say, in the
sight of heaven, that he desired no man to do otherwise to him than he
had done unto them. And advised Friends that came to see him to
maintain and keep up the testimony of truth in every branch thereof. And
desired his wife not to fret at his being removed, for he believed he would
die well, for The Lord was good to him. And a little before his death, said
his heart was full of praise tho' he could not utter it much in words; and so
continued in a sweet frame of mind and sensible to the last.
He departed this life the 12th of the tenth month and was buried on the
15th of the same 1752 in Friends' burying ground attended by a great
number of friends and others.
© MM, J. Peter Ostle
REFERENCES:
1 Ferguson: Early Cumberland and Westmoreland Friends, 1871
2 Journal of the Friends' Historical Society, various issues
3 Bulmer's Story and Directory of Cumberland, 1901
4 Journal of the Friends' Historical Society, Vol. XXI p16
(Letter fromThomas Rebanks to Richard
Hingston of Penryn)
Jonathan's Testimonial is in the Library of Friends' House, London
Return to History menu
An explation of tithes
Joseph (1670-1737)
This man is a family historian's nightmare. The evidence seems to
suggest that as a young man he left home and/or the Quaker faith.
During this period, for which no records have yet been found, it
seems probable he married someone called Jane and had two sons:
Thomas, around 1698 and Jonathan, two years later. His father
must have had a very low opinion of him at this time as, in his will,
he leaves Joseph only half-a-crown.
Joseph must have returned to Newtown but, perhaps, not until after
his father's death in 1701. He built an extension to the farmhouse in
1721, putting up a new lintel bearing two J's and one O. He then
became a good Quaker as can be seen from the "Sufferings" book
of Holme Meeting which contains this, one of many similar entries,
where Joseph has goods confiscated by the authorities because of
his refusal as a Quaker to pay his tithes:
1728
Joseph Ostle had taken from him by John Barwise, Warden
and Thomas Chambers, Constable for ye use of John Brisco
and Wm Barnes, farmer to one of the colleges of Oxford for
fifteen shillings and sixpence demanded and five pence costs
goods worth one pound, ten shillings.
Sheila Pearson, neé Ostle has sketched the scene.
Fred Mantey, a family historian with connections to both the
Chambers and Barwise Officials in this case, suggests that, despite
the differences caused by beliefs, there was little or no acrimony
between neighbours, even when one of them was acting in an
official capacity and writes:-
I have an image where John B and Thomas C arrive at Joseph's
house:
"Now then," says John to Joseph, "you know why we are forced to
come here. You must either pay thy tithes or we will be forced to
take and sell some of thy goods."
"Come on Joseph," says Thomas, "pay the rotten tithe and we shall
have done of this whole sad business!"
"Sorry friends," replies Joseph, "but thou will know that because of
my beliefs I will not pay one farthing towards the wages of that
hireling priest in the Steeple House at t'Abbey and, despite our
friendship, I will not be moved in this matter. A Quaker's yea is his
yea and his nay is his nay."
"Well Joseph, we are obliged by our office to take and sell sufficient
of your goods to cover the amount owed," said John, "and you may
not resist us otherwise you will suffer the full penalty of the law."
Joseph said "Aye, neighbour, I understand that very well. Oh, dear,
I have accidentally left a harrow, a good kist and a snipt mare
before the house. I suppose that thou will be taking them as they
are easily available. Oh dear!"
"Aye, Joseph, we will indeed restrain these goods and we will
trouble thee and thy family no further." said John, "By the way my
good wife, when she knew that I would be visiting with thee,
insisted that I bring over this, one of her game pies which we know
you like."
Thomas swiftly interjects "My good wife, thinking the same, insisted
that I bring thee this small basin of cheese as we have made too
much for our needs this week."
"Well thanks to thee neighbours, thy gifts are indeed welcome and I
would be obliged if you would enjoy the hospitality of our house
before thou must leave." said Joseph, "come in please."
Just ten years after this imaginary conversation took place,
Joseph's Grand daughter Ruth was born. She was to link the Ostles
with the family of John Barwise the Church Warden.
Joseph Ostle died in 1737. Each of his sons went on to found long
dynasties. Thomas produced a line of farmers. Jonathan's family
spread far and wide.
Thomas and the 'Stordy' Ostles
Jonathan and the 'Saul' Ostles
An explation of tithes
Return to History menu
The Stordy Ostles
Thomas (1698-1781)
Married MARY STORDY on September 3rd 1726 at Brough-by-
Sands Meeting.
Mary was born on August 11th 1707, the daughter of John Stordy of
Thurstonfield. She died in 1788 at Newtown.
The Stordys were a prominent and well-to-do Quaker family which
included Thomas Stordy of Moorhouse, a very famous Quaker
indeed. He was a man of considerable property and a descendent
of Janet Skelton a grand-niece of Robert Chamber who was Abbot of
Holm Cultram from 1498 to 1519. His story is related in Besse's
"Sufferings of the Quakers" published in 1753 and R.S. Ferguson
devotes a full chapter to him in "Early Cumberland and Westmorland
Friends"
Click here for full details on
Thomas Stordy.
Mary Stordy and her husband, Thomas Ostle, seem to have lived a
quiet life at Newtown, raising eight children, six of whom survived
to adulthood. This brood began the family's gradual expansion from
Newtown to other farms in the area at Moorhouse, Mawbray, and as
far afield as Cockermouth mostly, it seems, by selecting particularly
good wives.
Things settled down as far as the Quakers were concerned, by 1735
they were able to purchase land at Beckfoot on which to build a
proper Meeting House. The original trustees of the property were
Thomas, and three other Friends, John Saul, Daniel Hayton and
Robert Wilkinson.
Thomas and Mary's descendents continued to farm at Newtown for
another five generations:-
John (1732-1811)
Married Mary 1758 at Beckfoot Meeting.
Mary was born
about 1732 and died in 1817 at Newtown
Thomas (1763-1820)
Married Mary Drape in 1790 at Beckfoot Meeting.
Mary was born in 1766 and died at Newtown in 1849
John (1794-1861)
Married Mary Biglands in 1824.
John's eldest son Thomas continued to farm at Newtown and his
second son, John, moved to the nearby Border farm where he
started to record local life in his Journal.
Thomas (1826-1886)
Married Sarah Bell in 1854
Sarah was born in 1825 and died at Newtown in 1876
This map of Newtown, dating from around 1860, shows the farm. Thomas farmed
over one hundred acres making him, by far, the largest land holder in the area.
The full extent of the family's land can be seen from the other maps
of the district. |
John (1856-1907)
John did not marry. He lived at Newtown for many years with his
sisters Rachel, Mary and Sarah Jane. Eventually Rachel married
John Hope. When Mary died in 1930, the farm was rented out to
another family, ending three hundred years of continuous
husbandry by the Ostles.
Return to History menu
