ANCIENT HISTORY OP KIRKBY-MOORSIDE. 8$ 



cient We have proofs from the accounts in Domes- 

 day, from Kirkdale Church, with which it seems to 

 have been connected ; and from various other cir- 

 cumstances. In the survey made by William the 

 Conqueror, we find that Kirkby-Moorside had two 

 churches,* which was the eighth part of the num- 

 ber in the whole district ; extending as far as Guis- 

 borough, and to the other side of Whitby : it had 

 also two Mills, whilst an amazing extent of country 

 possessed only eight, including those of Kirkby- 

 Moorside. This statement gives us a painful idea 

 of the constant struggles which had taken place for 

 Power in this neighbourhood ; by reason of which 

 'the country was almost depopulated. Men destroy- 

 ed one another in the most merciless manner, until 

 there were but few left to destroy. The havoc 

 made here by the Romans, and warlike Brigantes, 

 the Britons, the Picts and Scots, the Saxons and 

 Britons, the Saxons and Danes ; and the ferocious 

 conduct of William the Conqueror, is distressing 

 to the imagination. 



The Churches named in Domesday, relative to 

 this vicinity, were distributed as follows, one in each 

 place ; Seaton near Hinderwell, Easington, Kirk- 

 leatham, Guisborough, Kildale, Ayton, Stokesley, 

 Ormesby, in the manor of Acklam, Ingleby, Seamer 

 beyond Walsgrave, and another at Brompton ; be- 

 sides the two at Kirkby-Moorside, one of which 

 was in the manor of Torbrand, and the other in that 

 of Orm, which last was in all probability the church 



* It is probable that Kirkdale Church was one of them; 



