164 frtJNNlNGTONi 



bid St. James* day, the patron saint, to whom the* 

 fehurch was re-dedicated when it was rebuilt in 1672. 

 That there has been at some remote period a 

 iiunnery at Nunnington,the compound name of the 

 village (Nunnington) denotes. Nun ;-ing, water 

 or river] ton, town, signifying Nun -river town, of 

 the town of Nuns upon the river. This is confirm- 

 ed by the extract from Dodsworth's manuscripts) 

 where we find that Thomas Butler and his two 

 wives* are stated on their monument to have been 

 special benefactors to this monastery ; and further 

 by the account Dodsworth received from Sir Tho- 

 inas Norcliffe, of its having been dissolved 400 jeers 

 before, that is about the year 1200. It was built 

 in all probability on the present site of the old-hall* 

 As to the period of its foundation, I have obtained 

 too satisfactory information, but conjecture that it 

 Jnust have been previous to the Conquest. 1066 ; as 

 the present name o! the village occurs in the Domes- 

 day Book. The reason assigned for its dissolution, 

 J should sincerely hope, \* ill, on further investiga- 

 tion prove incorrect ; as it reflects no credit on the 

 parly histcrj of the village. Speed, in the list of mo- 

 fcasteries appended to his History of England, mrn- 

 lions, in Yorkshire, one of the name of "Nunuer- 

 holnie, dedicated to St. Oswald, founded by the 

 ancestors of the Lord Dacres, for Nunnes ; value 

 ^lOSs 3d." Which appears to have been the nun- 

 nery at this place ; as many places in the immediate 

 neighbourhood have the termination c holme,' us 

 Southholtne, Keldholme, c k The Lord Dacres, 

 too resided at Hinderskelt, now Castle Howard { 



